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HOT TOPIC
The specter of a training-camp holdout by cornerback Al Harris hangs over the Packers. Or, perhaps it doesn't.
Conflicting statements were made by Harris and his agent, Jack Bechta, as the team wrapped up three months of off-season work June 21.
In two published reports in Wisconsin newspapers, Harris gave the impression that he would further show his displeasure about not having his contract reworked by skipping the start of camp July 28. Harris boycotted a non-mandatory minicamp in late May as well as voluntary organized team activities in June.
"It's not 100 percent, that's for sure," Harris told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about whether he would report on time for camp. "I'd like to come out and do my job, but everyone's got to be fair, too. It's going to be interesting to see how it plays out."
A day later, Harris, 31, told the Wisconsin State Journal that he won't show up for the start of camp and added that he has no interest in playing for the team if it doesn't renegotiate the six-year, $18.6 million extension he received in 2004. Harris is under contract through 2009.
"Under the current deal now, I can't see myself playing there. I feel real strong about this thing," Harris said in the June 22 article. "I'm going to do what I need to do. Either we make it happen in Green Bay, or we make it happen elsewhere. I know there's teams out there that would pay me what I'm asking for. I'd love to be with the Packers, though. It's not like I'm trying to kill 'em."
Harris has a base salary of $1.5 million this year. The ninth-year veteran reportedly is demanding two roster bonuses amounting to $5 million to be paid next March and March 2008 and incentive bonuses up to $1.5 million if he makes the Pro Bowl.
The $7 million in bonuses included in the contract extension two years ago weren't all guaranteed.
Harris apparently is miffed that the Packers signed free agent Charles Woodson to a seven-year, $39 million contract in April that could net the Pro Bowl cornerback more than $10 million this year.
Amid the uproar of Harris' comments last week, Bechta attempted to put out the fire by saying that his client won't be missing any time in training camp.
"Oh, yeah (he'll be there on Day 1). That is not an issue. We'll be in training camp," Bechta said. "According to my (recent) conversations with him, there's no holdout, there's no games being played. He'll go in and practice like he always does every year.
"The guy hasn't missed a game (his entire career), and he doesn't want to jeopardize that streak."
Packers' officials weren't too worked up about the implied threat of a holdout by Harris.
"All of the conversations that I've been a part of (regarding) Al Harris, I've been told over and over again he's nothing but a true professional," first-year head coach Mike McCarthy said. "He's always come in in shape, (is) an extremely hard worker, and I don't think that will change."
PLAYER NOTES
--The Packers have five weeks off from the end of their organized team activities, which concluded June 21, to the opening of training camp July 28. Quarterback Brett Favre figures to be busy during the hiatus, however.
Head coach Mike McCarthy said Favre, 36, will concentrate on keeping himself fit at home in Mississippi. Rock Gullickson, the team's strength and conditioning coach, will be dispatched for a few days to work with Favre.
"Just going back through the cut-ups and things like that, I think his biggest concern when he left here was probably his conditioning, which we feel he's in pretty good shape for this time of year," McCarthy said.
McCarthy excused Favre from the final day of the 14 OTA sessions, which were spread out over three weeks. Favre, in his 16th year in the league, participated in 10 of those practices and spent the other four days working out with Gullickson.
Favre said earlier in the month that he planned to throw on his property two or three weeks before the start of camp.
"He's got a big bag of balls hanging out there in his warehouse. So, I think there's a little more throwing that goes on than some people think down in Mississippi," McCarthy said.
Favre also will be trying to stay mentally sharp in the coming weeks. He acknowledged early in the OTAs that he was overwhelmed by the new verbiage implemented by McCarthy in the West Coast offense. Favre left Green Bay with DVDs of practice footage and playbook material in tow for his laptop.
--If he can help it, rookie linebacker A.J. Hawk will be on the practice field Day 1 of training camp with the ink of his signature on his first professional contract dry.
Hawk said at the end of the OTAs that he's "confident" a deal will be struck with the team and that he won't be a camp holdout at the outset.
"I know a lot of first-round picks don't come to camp on time, but we'll see what we can do," said Hawk, whom the Packers selected fifth overall. "You miss something in these OTAs, and you're behind. Obviously, training camp is even worse."
Hawk missed the first seven OTA practices because he was completing school at Ohio State, from which he earned his degree in criminology.
As a top-five pick, the Packers' first since they took cornerback Terrell Buckley at No. 5 in 1992, Hawk will command a hefty contract. Running back Carnell Williams received a five-year, $30 million package with guaranteed bonus money of more than $13 million as the No. 5 pick by Tampa Bay last year.
The Packers have been nearly flawless in recent years to get their first-round draftees signed by the start of full-squad practices in training camp. Cornerback Ahmad Carroll missed only the first practice in 2004.
--The publicly owned Packers reported record revenues of $208.4 million for the last fiscal year, which ended March 31. The 4.2 percent increase propelled the franchise from the smallest market to No. 7 in the league, Green Bay's highest ranking.
The Packers had profits of $18 million. The renovation of Lambeau Field, which was completed three years ago, is the crux of the big revenue stream. The famed stadium has become a year-round destination for visitors with an atrium dotted by restaurants, shops and other attractions.
--The team's intrasquad scrimmage at Lambeau Field on Aug. 5 sold out within three days. It's the third straight year all 60,000-plus seats in the stadium bowl were gobbled up.
The scrimmage last year featured the Buffalo Bills. The Packers aren't aligning with a team in training camp this year.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Running backs Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport are on track to be back on the field during training camp. When, though, hasn't been determined.
Head coach Mike McCarthy would only say "at some point" after the Packers wrapped up three weeks of organized team activities June 21.
Green and Davenport are coming off serious leg injuries that ended their seasons by the midway point last year. Davenport, who sustained a broken right ankle, is ahead of Green in the recovery process and begged the medical staff to clear him for the OTAs, to no avail.
Green is on the mend from a torn right quadriceps tendon. All indications are the team won't rush the Pro Bowler back into practice and might not have him full go until the middle of August.
"I would say if we had to go play a game in training camp that I think those guys would be ready. (But) we're just going to be smart on an individual basis," McCarthy said.
Linebacker Brady Poppinga (knee) and rookie cornerback Will Blackmon (foot) also are iffy to be ready for the early part of camp, which starts July 28.
Left tackle Chad Clifton and backup tackle/guard Adrian Klemm, however, are expected to take part the first day. Clifton was held out of all off-season workouts after undergoing minor knee and ankle surgeries following last season. Klemm was sidelined because of a sprained knee suffered in the post-draft minicamp in early May.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--S Todd Franz (not tendered June 1).
--NT Grady Jackson (not tendered June 1).
--WR Andrae Thurman (not tendered as ERFA).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--DE/DT Kenny Peterson (tendered at $721,600) is a versatile backup who played in every game for the first time in his career. Part of team's youthful influx of linemen.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--OT Kevin Barry: UFA; $2.785M/2 yrs, $600,000 SB/$600,000 RB; 2006 cap: $1.55M.
--DT Colin Cole: ERFA; $500,000/1 yr.
--RB Najeh Davenport: UFA; $655,280/1 yr, $25,000 SB/$45,280 WO.
--LS Rob Davis: Potential UFA; 1 yr, $800,720/1 yr, $25,000 SB; 2006 cap: $460,000.
--WR Rod Gardner: UFA; $855,720/1 yr, $100,000 SB.
--RB Ahman Green: Potential UFA; $2M/1 yr, $500,000 SB.
--FB William Henderson: UFA; $2.09M/2 yrs, $250,000 SB/$105,720 WOB; 2006 cap: $1.165M.
--CB Jason Horton: Potential ERFA; $425,000/1 yr.
--DT Cullen Jenkins: ERFA; terms unknown.
--DE Aaron Kampman: Potential UFA; $25M/5 yrs, SB unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--DT Kenderick Allen: RFA rights terminated by Giants; terms unknown.
--WR Marc Boerigter: UFA Chiefs; $782,700/1 yr, $90,000 SB.
--PK Billy Cundiff: FA; $585,000/1 yr.
--S Marquand Manuel: UFA Seahawks; $10M/5 yrs, $2M SB; 2006 cap: $1.4M.
--NT Ryan Pickett: UFA Rams; $14M/4 yrs, $2M SB/$3M RB; 2006 cap: $4.975M.
--LB Ben Taylor: UFA Browns; $665,280/1 yr., $50,000 SB.
--LB Tracy White: Not tendered as RFA by Jaguars; $555,720/1 yr, $25,000 SB.
--CB Charles Woodson: UFA Raiders; $52M/7 yrs, no SB; $10.5M combined RB/salary 2006.
PLAYERS LOST
--WR/KR Antonio Chatman: Not tendered as RFA/Bengals; $1.5M/2 yrs, SB unknown.
--LB Na'il Diggs (released).
--RB Tony Fisher: UFA Rams; $625,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB.
--C Mike Flanagan: UFA Texans; $8.85M/3 yrs, $3M SB.
--LB Paris Lenon: UFA Lions; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--PK Ryan Longwell: UFA Vikings; $10M/5 yrs, $3M SB.
__WR Terrence Murphy (released; failed physical/neck).
--QB Craig Nall: UFA Bills; $4.27M/3 yrs, $1.3M SB.
--G/C Grey Ruegamer: UFA Giants; $750,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB.
--LB Robert Thomas (released).
--WR Javon Walker: Traded Broncos.
--DT Donnell Washington (released).
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