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NFL: Goodell taking an interest in Packers' rift with Favre
Associated Press
Jul 24, 2008
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is monitoring the rift between the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre. A person with direct knowledge of Goodell's interest told the Associated Press that the commissioner had spoken with Packers management several times.
ESPN.com first reported Goodell's interest in the Favre predicament, indicating that Goodell had encouraged Packers general manager Ted Thompson to survey teams around the NFL to try to find a trade partner in the hope of resolving it quickly.
Tampa Bay is emerging as the most likely team to land Favre, but it is unclear whether the quarterback would be willing to play for the Buccaneers.
Bucs quarterback Chris Simms told the St. Petersburg Times that general manager Bruce Allen asked him about Favre last week.
"He asked if I felt Brett would be able to come back and be good here if he didn't have a lot of reps in training camp," Simms told the newspaper. "I said I thought he would, but there would have to be some compromise with Coach Gruden."
Favre, Simms added, "will just want the play called and to drop back and throw it in there. But it's something we talked about."
Jon Gruden was a Packers assistant coach from 1992 to 1994. Favre's rights belong to the Packers until his contract expires after the 2010 season.
Also, the team signed draft picks Breno Giacomini, a right tackle from Louisville; Matt Flynn, the quarterback who led Louisiana State to last season's national championship; and Brett Swain, a wide receiver from San Diego State.
Saints. New Orleans and wide receiver Marques Colston have agreed to a three-year contract extension that will keep for the former Hofstra star a Saint through the 2011 season.
General manager Mickey Loomis also said the team had agreed to terms with fifth-round draft choice Carl Nicks, an offensive lineman from Nebraska.
Bears. Devin Hester, who electrified the NFL with 11 punt and kickoff returns for touchdowns in his first two seasons, skipped Chicago's first training-camp practice in a holdout and was placed on the reserve/did not report list.
The Bears also reached agreement with first-round pick Chris Williams, an offensive tackle from Vanderbilt.
Rams. St. Louis defensive end Claude Wroten was suspended without pay for the season for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He is eligible to be reinstated on May 30.
St. Louis also agreed to terms on a three-year contract with cornerback Justin King, the team's fourth-round draft pick from Penn State.
Lions. Because of a change in military policy, Caleb Campbell will not get a chance to play for Detroit. Instead, the safety will head to Iraq or Afghanistan.
When the Lions drafted Campbell in the seventh round in April, Army policy would have allowed the West Point graduate to serve as a recruiter if he made the team. But a subsequent Department of Defense policy superseded the 2005 Army policy.
In a letter to Lions president Matt Millen dated yesterday, Lt. Col. Jonathan P. Liba wrote that Second Lt. Campbell had been ordered to give up professional football for "full-time traditional military duties."
Late last night, the Lions reached an agreement with their first-round draft choice, tackle Gosder Cherilus of Boston College, who agreed to a five-year pact.
Moves. The San Diego Chargers released wide receiver Eric Parker, who missed last season with a toe injury and became expendable after Chris Chambers was acquired in a midseason trade with Miami. . . . Denver Broncos receiver Rod Smith, 38, plans to hold a news conference today amid published reports that he will retire. . . . The San Francisco 49ers signed center Cody Wallace, their fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M, to a four-year contract, leaving only first-round pick Kentwan Balmer unsigned. . . . Linebacker Alvin Bowen, Buffalo's fifth-round draft pick from Iowa State, signed a day before Bills players were to report for training camp. . . . Cornerback Orlando Scandrick, the Dallas Cowboys' fifth-round pick from Boise State, signed a four-year contract. . . . The Tennessee Titans agreed on terms with second-round draft pick Jason Jones, a defensive lineman from Eastern Michigan. . . . The Cleveland Browns placed wide receiver Joe Jurevicius and offensive lineman Ryan Tucker on the active, physically-unable-to-perform list. . . . The Kansas City Chiefs agreed to a four-year contract with rookie cornerback Brandon Flowers, a second-round draft pick out of Virginia Tech.
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