Visit to McCarthy's Hometown...........Kenny Mayne

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Packer Free Agents


The loss stings.....I couldn't watch any sports on TV or even listen to any sports radio. So because of that, the pictures from the game and a SHORT write up on what happened to the Packers is still forthcoming.

Corey Williams just might have played his last game as a Green Bay Packer. The DT is set to test the waters on the open market and most likely will leave the Green & Gold. Justin Harrell is set to replace Williams and while it's not a for sure thing, it's very likely Williams is gone.

Today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a list of all the Packers that are set to be Free Agents this offseason. Here's the list and an analysis on if they will be back by Tom Silverstein.

Rob Davis, long snapper: The man with the second-longest tenure on the Packers roster, Davis, 39, knows that the odds of the team moving on without him are pretty good.

He said he would talk to coach Mike McCarthy this week and find out whether there was a place for him on the team. If Davis retires, he is expected to move into a role with the organization counseling players.

"I do know at some point with me approaching 40 fast, they're going to have to move in another direction," Davis said.

Frank Walker, cornerback: Walker left the Giants for a one-year, $1.18 million deal that included a $150,000 signing bonus, but his experience wasn't all that he hoped.

Young cornerbacks Jarrett Bush and Will Blackmon were given first dibs on the nickel and dime jobs and Walker became a factor only after Blackmon broke his foot. He was inactive for four of the 16 regular-season games and for the battle Sunday with his old teammates.

"I most definitely expected a lot more," said Walker, a five-year veteran. "I felt like I should have played a little more, had a more prominent role in the defense, but I'm not the coach, so it don't really matter."

Walker said personnel officials told him they wanted him back and asked him if he wanted to come back. He said he told them yes, but if there's an opportunity for him to play more somewhere else, it wouldn't be surprising to see him leave.

Tracy White, linebacker: The leader of the special teams, White said he definitely wanted to return and wasn't interested in playing anywhere else.

He said he got a good feeling after discussions with the coaching staff and expected to be back. White played under a one-year, $641,240 deal this season.

"I'm trying to get back here," White said. "I still have goals to set. I'm trying to get to the Pro Bowl. I want to get a couple-year deal here, but if it's one year, I love playing for the coaching staff and so I would play for that. I told them that."

The five-year veteran finished second on the team in special teams tackles with 16 and also had two fumble recoveries.

Craig Nall, quarterback: It was fun for Nall to come back to the Packers at midseason and go along for the ride, but he said his objective in the off-season would be to find a situation where he could compete for a starting job.

Nall, 28, said Brett Favre didn't tell him whether he was coming back, but Nall sees that Aaron Rodgers is next in line if Favre retires and could see himself in a fight with a young, developing quarterback if he sticks around.

"I don't know if this would be the best opportunity for me," Nall said. "I enjoy playing here. I really love it. I think the coaches are great, but at the same time, it's my career. I have to go out there and entertain (offers)."

Houston was a team that pursued Nall when he became a free agent in 2006 and he thinks it could be a suitor again.

Ryan Krause, tight end: Hoping to show the coaches he could be a reliable receiving threat, Krause ended up being mostly a blocker because the team was locked into its five-receiver sets.

It's unclear whether veteran Bubba Franks, with his $3.5 million salary, will be back or whether Tory Humphrey will be able to come back from a broken leg.

"My agent talked to them during the Bears week and they gave him a big question mark," Krause said. " 'Unrestricted' means I can go anywhere. We told them Green Bay has first dibs. I feel like I fit here and that it worked out pretty well here. Hopefully, the end road is Green Bay."

Krause, 26, said he had hoped to catch more balls, but just tried to improve his blocking.

"There were games that were really good on my part and a couple games I didn't play that well," Krause said. "I got beat on a couple blocks, didn't really make the plays, just didn't do my job and felt pretty bad. I played 10 games and I thought eight out of 10 I did well."

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