devilsdancefloor
03-06-2009, 10:59 AM
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090305/PKR01/90305179/1954/PKR03
The Green Bay Packers could be moving in on their first free-agent signing of this offseason.
The likely candidate, though, isn’t Dallas outside linebacker Kevin Burnett, who will visit the Packers this weekend if he doesn’t sign with one of three teams he’s already visited.
Rather, it’s Pittsburgh safety Anthony Smith.
The Packers appear determined to add a bargain-type safety with experience in the 3-4 defense to help the transition to that scheme and protect against personnel losses in the future.
An NFL source said the Packers had Smith in for a visit on Wednesday and have “strong interest” in signing him. NationalFootballPost.com first reported the Packers’ pursuit of the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Smith, who played in the Steelers’ 3-4 defense the past three seasons.
Smith, 25, was a third-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2006 and started 14 games his first two seasons, including 10 as an injury replacement in 2007.
However, his overly aggressive play at free safety, where the Steelers prefer a more cautious last line of defense, apparently put him in defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s dog house, so last year he was strictly a backup who played mostly on special teams.
The Steelers determined Smith had no future with them with LeBeau as coordinator, so they did not tender him an offer as a restricted free agent, leaving him unfettered to sign with any team.
The Packers’ interest in Smith likely stems from new safeties coach Darren Perry, who was Smith's secondary coach with the Steelers in 2006 before coaching with Oakland for the past two seasons.
Earlier this week, the Packers also brought in Cleveland safety Mike Adams for a visit. He also has drawn interest from the New England Patriots.
The Packers return starting safeties Nick Collins and Atari Bigby, but neither has played in the 3-4, and both will be unrestricted free agents next offseason if the current free-agent rules remain in place.
The Packers also remain interested in Burnett, but the strong competition to sign him could spur the kind of bidding war General Manager Ted Thompson has sat out in free agency.
Burnett, a potential starting outside linebacker in the Packers’ 3-4, has visited Oakland, San Diego and Houston. His agent, Ricky Lefft, was negotiating with the Raiders and Chargers and expected to start talks with the Texans later Thursday.
Lefft said the Packers remain interested in Burnett and have set up a tentative visit for Saturday if he hasn’t signed with another team.
“(Burnett) has just gotten to Houston and we want to see what Houston has to offer,” Lefft said Thursday afternoon. “We’re continuing in discussions with the other two teams and closing in pretty quickly in the next day or two to try to get something done. Still very interested in the possibility of something materializing with Green Bay, but it doesn’t look like that will happen, if at all, until Saturday.”
In his five years as general manager, Thompson has taken a conservative and disciplined approach to free agency in which he sets a value on a player and won’t go above it.
“We’ve got ongoing discussions with real numbers and real opportunities on the table,” Lefft said. “We’re going to (explore) the opportunity here relative to the folks at Houston.”
The Green Bay Packers could be moving in on their first free-agent signing of this offseason.
The likely candidate, though, isn’t Dallas outside linebacker Kevin Burnett, who will visit the Packers this weekend if he doesn’t sign with one of three teams he’s already visited.
Rather, it’s Pittsburgh safety Anthony Smith.
The Packers appear determined to add a bargain-type safety with experience in the 3-4 defense to help the transition to that scheme and protect against personnel losses in the future.
An NFL source said the Packers had Smith in for a visit on Wednesday and have “strong interest” in signing him. NationalFootballPost.com first reported the Packers’ pursuit of the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Smith, who played in the Steelers’ 3-4 defense the past three seasons.
Smith, 25, was a third-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2006 and started 14 games his first two seasons, including 10 as an injury replacement in 2007.
However, his overly aggressive play at free safety, where the Steelers prefer a more cautious last line of defense, apparently put him in defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s dog house, so last year he was strictly a backup who played mostly on special teams.
The Steelers determined Smith had no future with them with LeBeau as coordinator, so they did not tender him an offer as a restricted free agent, leaving him unfettered to sign with any team.
The Packers’ interest in Smith likely stems from new safeties coach Darren Perry, who was Smith's secondary coach with the Steelers in 2006 before coaching with Oakland for the past two seasons.
Earlier this week, the Packers also brought in Cleveland safety Mike Adams for a visit. He also has drawn interest from the New England Patriots.
The Packers return starting safeties Nick Collins and Atari Bigby, but neither has played in the 3-4, and both will be unrestricted free agents next offseason if the current free-agent rules remain in place.
The Packers also remain interested in Burnett, but the strong competition to sign him could spur the kind of bidding war General Manager Ted Thompson has sat out in free agency.
Burnett, a potential starting outside linebacker in the Packers’ 3-4, has visited Oakland, San Diego and Houston. His agent, Ricky Lefft, was negotiating with the Raiders and Chargers and expected to start talks with the Texans later Thursday.
Lefft said the Packers remain interested in Burnett and have set up a tentative visit for Saturday if he hasn’t signed with another team.
“(Burnett) has just gotten to Houston and we want to see what Houston has to offer,” Lefft said Thursday afternoon. “We’re continuing in discussions with the other two teams and closing in pretty quickly in the next day or two to try to get something done. Still very interested in the possibility of something materializing with Green Bay, but it doesn’t look like that will happen, if at all, until Saturday.”
In his five years as general manager, Thompson has taken a conservative and disciplined approach to free agency in which he sets a value on a player and won’t go above it.
“We’ve got ongoing discussions with real numbers and real opportunities on the table,” Lefft said. “We’re going to (explore) the opportunity here relative to the folks at Houston.”