Ted Thompson is inclined to do all he can to improve his team and improving the defense is a huge need for the Green Bay Packers – that’s a given.

Thompson has already done something out of the ordinary – last week, he brought in a free agent for a visit. That occurs about as often as the Easter Bunny visits Santa Claus. However, when he brought in former New York Giant Chris Canty, Thompson indicated that he was at least trying to make improvements to his team’s defensive line. How much Canty will command on the open market isn’t clear at this point, but he is said to already have a contract offer in hand from the Tennessee Titans. Canty has also spent time visiting the Kansas City Chiefs as well.

We all know that Cullen Jenkins signed a three-year deal with the New York Giants for $8 million. However, there are plenty of other quality defensive linemen still out there on the market waiting for their best deal and with the Free Agency period set to kick off tomorrow afternoon, the bidding should start to amp up.

Here’s a list of some of the defensive linemen still looking for a home: John Abraham, Dwight Freeney, Cliff Avril, Osi Umenyiora, or Elvis Dumervil, who won’t take a pay cut and might be released by the Denver Broncos.

 Considering that these guys have been on the market for some time without any interest by Thompson, one might think he has no interest. However, there are many who feel that teams, the Packers included, have been waiting through the weekend to see if some numbers emerged. Teams have been said to be holding off because they don’t want to set the salary bar too high. With Jenkins’ signing, at least some numbers are out there and with the signing period right around the corner, we should see some action.

Whether Thompson shows interest in any of these players remains to be seen. He’s been known to go after players in free agency that he really likes (remember Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett?)  … whether he likes any of the players listed above or thinks he can get them for his price remains to be seen. The next 24-48 hours should set the stage.

Stay tuned …

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Dec 13, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Trent Cole (58) and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (97) sack Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Though the talk around Green Bay Packers Nation this past week was how great it would be if former Packer Cullen Jenkins would re-sign with his old team … but that’s not what the Packers were saying.

In fact, the Packers said nothing about Jenkins. While he was criss-crossing the nation and visiting teams that showed an interest, the Packers did nothing. They didn’t reach out and didn’t invite him for a visit – even though Jenkins said he would be open to coming back to Wisconsin.

It didn’t happen … and for a reason. While the Packers brought former New York Giant Chris Canty into town last Thursday, they didn’t offer him a contract … and I think that was also for good reason. You see, Ted Thompson doesn’t do anything without a plan. His plan was to allow the 32-year-old Jenkins to set the bar, which he did today by agreeing with the Giants on a three-year, $8 million contract with $3 million of it guaranteed. If the Giants are lucky, they will get a year out of Jenkins, maybe two.

In the meantime, Thompson was watching from afar, thinking about what his next move will be, whether he will have the funds to sign Canty and whether he’s the answer to the Packers defensive line issues. He’s also considering whether they can address that hole through the draft or another free agent.

Either way, it was pretty clear that the Packers did not want Jenkins or they would have made a move for his services. The next step will be played out within the next couple of days. If Canty signs elsewhere, Thompson didn’t see him as the answer and it will probably mean that the Packers will address the defensive line need through the draft.

Stay tuned …

Cullen Jenkins (97) celebrates his fumble recovery against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The rumors continue to fly around the National Football League and the Green Bay Packers are far from immune to them as this morning it’s being reported that former Packer Cullen Jenkins would be open to a return to his former team.

Jenkins was released by the Philadelphia Eagles a couple of weeks ago in a salary cap money-saving move and has been traversing league cities in search of a new home.

The 32-year-old defensive lineman’s agent, Brian Levy, told the Green Bay Press Gazette that Jenkins would consider a return to his former team.

“He wants to go where he’s going to get an opportunity to play and be a part of a team that has a chance to compete for the Super Bowl,” Levy is reported as saying in today’s published report. “I think Green Bay provides him with both those opportunities. Plus he’s been there — I don’t think he wanted to leave in the first place.”

Since being released from the Eagles, Jenkins has visited with the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, but no contracts have yet been offered or accepted.

Jenkins was an instrumental cog in the Packers’ defensive team that helped lead them to their Super Bowl win in 2010, but left following that season after the Packers refused to offer him the lucrative contract he received from Philly. In his two seasons with the Eagles, Jenkins was productive, racking up 9.5 sacks.

Cullen Jenkins
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

However, since Jenkins was cut loose, the Packers haven’t made any attempts to contact Jenkins, making everyone think they had no interest. Levy thinks differently, telling the Press Gazette that he feels many teams, including the Packers, might be waiting for the market for defensive linemen to shake out.

The Packers had former New York Giant Chris Canty in for a visit Thursday, but Canty left Green Bay without a contract offer. His agent said he was planning to call the Packers to talk money today, Friday. Reports have the Tennessee Titans as the only team to have offered Canty a contract after his visit there last week. Canty has also visited with the Kansas City Chiefs.

With the new free agency rules allowing agents and teams to start talking this weekend, there will be more rumors and activity starting Saturday and that may be when the Packers jump into the Jenkins’ sweepstakes.

However, like Canty, Jenkins is free to sign a contract at any time because they were released by their teams.

“A lot of teams are scared to get out there and put a number out that might be too high for the market,” Levy said. “Maybe they can save money, and maybe they’re scared they’re misinterpreting the market,” Levey told the Press Gazette.

We will stay abreast of any Packers movement toward Jenkins and Canty as teams begin to amp up their free agent moves – though we know the Packers have shied away from signing veteran players. It may be a different Ted Thompson we see this free agency period. Just the fact that the Packers brought Canty in for a visit signals something a bit different.

So, should the Packers conclave show any smoke, we’ll be there.

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Chris Canty was supposed to be in Green Bay Wednesday.

Full admission: I have to tell you first off that I stole that headline about the Green Bay Packers proposed free agent interview with Chris Canty.

There … now with that out of the way, we need to bring full disclosure to another matter about this whole on again, off again, on again proposed meeting that’s supposed to take place at 1265 Lombardi Avenue between Packers brass and Canty. Canty was scheduled to be in town Wednesday, but because of weather conditions across the United States, Canty was delayed.

There are many who feel this might be a nice new home for defensive lineman Chris Canty.

I guess I can believe that, but the question now … and one for which I haven’t been able to find an answer … is whether Canty will fly in, take a physical and leave again? Or will he actually spend the two days he was scheduled for originally? You see, he was supposed to be in Green Bay yesterday, Wednesday, March 6, and was to stay through today, Thursday, March 7.

Now that things have changed, does this heighten the stress levels of those over in Green Bay to try to pack what they thought were two days of welcome into one? Well, I guess that’s not our concern, but we surely want the Packers to have the opportunity to show off their facilities and personnel in a timely fashion.

According to our colleague Brian Carriveau over at CheeseheadTV.com, it was the weather that delayed Canty’s visit because of connecting flight arrangements that must be made through a hub that connects with Austin Straubel Airport in Green Bay. Yes, we can believe that.

So, here’s to hoping that the Packers see the whites of Canty’s eyes today and that they have the time to look him directly in those eyes and convince him that Green Bay is a championship-bound team with his assistance. But let the chips fall where they may.

As always, we here at Lombardiave.com will try to keep you up-to-date on all the happenings and will keep our fingers on the pulse of this situation.

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Feb 24, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball runs with the ball during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

This morning started with high hopes of news about the Green Bay Packers hosting a free agent in Chris Canty and ended with the news of the Packers hiring Santana Dotson’s nephew to do scouting for the team as the top story … and in between were the grainy pictures of Ted Thompson watching UW running back Montee Ball working out (though Ball did improve his draft stock and his 40-yard dash time).

That was about the extent of the news … yes, a slow news day after all.

Canty, whose agent wasn’t even sure earlier today that he had made it to Green Bay because of the weather, was supposed to be in Titletown today for a physical and to meet all the folks at 1265 Lombardi Avenue. Nobody has tweeted as of 8 p.m. CST his status. How that all turns out is yet to be seen and more than likely no news will come out of there until sometime Thursday. Will the Packers offer him a contract on the spot? Nobody seems to have a good guess about that, too.

Ted Thompson made the trip to Madison today and was hands-on during Montee Ball’s workout. Showing his direct interest is of note to all Packers and Wisconsin fans who would like to see Green Bay pick him up in the draft. He surely improved his draft standing by running a 4.46 in the 40 – with Thompson among those watching.

Montee Ball’s workout at the Wisconsin pro day …

And just who is this guy the team hired as a new scout? Yes, he’s former Packer Santana Dotson’s nephew, but here’s what the Packers wrote about Alonzo Dotson on their website:

Dotson spent the past two seasons working with defensive quality control at the University of Houston. Prior to that, he served as an assistant coach at Madison High School in Houston for two years.

Dotson lettered three times as a defensive end (2004, 2006-07) at the University of Oklahoma, where he was a member of three Big 12 championship teams. A native of Houston, Dotson graduated from Oklahoma with a degree in sociology and a minor in African-American studies.

Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy (left) talks with president Mark Murphy (center) and general manager Ted Thompson (right) – the triumvirate that makes the bulk of football-related decisions for the Packers – have their hands full in trying to improve the team.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The offseason isn’t the time to sleep for National Football League teams, including the Green Bay Packers. It’s hump day and time for Packers officials to get to work.

First on the agenda is welcoming former New York Giants defensive lineman Chris Canty to town on a free agent visit that’s expected to last through Thursday. Included in the visit will be a physical examination, a tour of the facility and, of course, meetings with team officials including Ted Thompson and Coach Mike McCarthy.

Chris Canty

Canty has already had visits with the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs and it’s reported that the Titans have already presented him with an offer. There were also reports earlier this week that Canty was prepared to give the Carolina Panthers a “reduced hometown discount” to play there in his home state. However, there haven’t been any followup reports on whether that might come to fruition.

The Packers had an interest in Canty in 2008 when he was a free agent leaving the Dallas Cowboys, but he bypassed the Packers and went straight to New York where he found a quick home and a satisfactory contract. It’s unclear whether the Packers will offer a contract to Canty during his stay here, but if they are serious about landing him, they most likely will. It’s been reported that Canty will want to have a contract and new home by the “unofficial” start of the free agency period this weekend when agents can start negotiating openly with teams before the “official” start of free agency on Tuesday, March 12.

That’s just one of the things on the Packers’ list today. There are also several college pro days occurring across the country, including the University of Wisconsin’s day in Madison. Because of the close proximity of the campus, there are always Packers coaches and scouts at that particular event and Thompson has been known to attend himself.

However, with Canty in town, it’s unclear whether Thompson will find the time to do both – most likely he will, considering Canty will be in Green Bay for two days.

Other pro days, as reported by Cheeseheadtv are Alabama A&M, Duquesne, Eastern Washington, Kent State, Mississippi State, North Alabama, Northern Arizona, Pittsburgh, South Florida, Texas Tech and West Texas A&M.

Everybody gets excited during the season, but you know, folks, this is the time of year that makes or breaks National Football League teams. This is the time of year when all the important work gets done.

We here at Lombardiave.com will continue to try to stay on top of all the developments each day – whether it’s free agency, the draft, pro days or whether Ted Thompson had dinner at Red Lobster the night before – well, maybe not that in-depth, but we’ll continue to do our best … keep stopping back for the latest.

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The early rumors swirling around Packers Nation immediately after former Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins was cut loose by the Philadelphia Eagles was that he would make a great fit with his former team – the team he helped lead to a Super Bowl XLV win.

That was before Chris Canty  and to a lesser extent Ricky Jean-Francois.

Cullen Jenkins (97) pressures Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Yes, the Packers brass collective eyebrows may have been raised when news of Jenkins’ departure from Philly come over the airwaves, but those brows, in my estimation, turned into a more determined look when Chris Canty was let go by the New York Giants. There are a couple of reasons for this. First Jenkins left Green Bay once and the Packers may not have the interest in the former player that the fans seemed to have. Not only that, but the Packers were hot on Canty’s trail back in 2008 before he went to New York and never left. The offer by the Giants that year was so good that Canty decided that the Big Apple was the place he wanted to be.

So, when the Giants decided that Canty was too expensive for their tastes, the Packers took notice and made the effort to touch base.

Packers officials haven’t done the same with Jenkins, who has most recently been connected with interest from the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. Jenkins has already visited with the New York Giants. In addition, there was talk about the possibility that the Packers had been interested in Ricky Jean-Francois – a defensive lineman with the 49ers. That interest seems to have cooled.

Looking statistically at Jenkins and Canty, Jenkins has played one more season than Canty and overall has been the more productive player – but not by much. The stats here indicate that both players have had similar careers: Canty has played in 113 games during his career, while Jenkins has been in 125; Jenkins has 38.5 sacks, Canty 19; Canty has had two forced fumbles, Jenkins 6; but interestingly, Canty has had more tackles – 191 with 82 assists – to Jenkins’ 188 and 72.

Chris Canty joins in on a tackle against the Redskins.
Jim O

Very comparable numbers overall; very comparable players.

So, why the interest by the Packers in Canty and not Jenkins? Maybe personal preferences, maybe the Packers’ brass see more of an upside for Canty than they do with Jenkins and feel he would be the better value overall for the team.

Would the Packers pursue Jenkins if it doesn’t work out with Canty? Are they holding Jenkins as their ace in the hole? Well, they haven’t expressed that view – publicly anyway.

If it doesn’t work out for Canty and Jenkins signs elsewhere, there may also be the possibility that the Packers pursue San Francisco’s Ricky Jean-Francois, though after the initial media blast about the Packers’ interest in him last week, there hasn’t been much talk about that happening.

It will be interesting following the paths of all these players as the free agent season progresses over the next few days.

Chris Canty will be in Green Bay Wednesday.
ESPN photograph

Former New York Giants defensive lineman Chris Canty is expected to land at Austin Straubel Airport in Green Bay sometime Wednesday and be met by Packers officials who will then chauffeur  him to 1265 Lombardi Avenue for the tour of facilities and to see if he’s a good fit to join the team.

The 6-7, seven year pro free agent has drawn plenty of interest from across the league and it’s doubtful that he will leave Green Bay with a contract in hand, but hey, anything is possible and we’ve seen that happen in the past. Whether Canty plays in Green Bay or not depends on the two C’s – chemistry and the contract. If they can agree on those two aspects, then it might be a win-win. If not, both move on.

But with the news that the Packers are actually bringing in a free agent and that they seem to have an actual interest in joining the free agent fray, well that’s been news and plenty of people have been talking about it across the Internet, especially Twitter.

Here are a few that I’ve seen the past few days …

@lombardiave Big question: Can he still play or Canty? …rimshot

— 1266Lombardi (@1266Lombardi) March 5, 2013

Would you guys be happy with Packers signing Chris Canty? #packers

— Derek Nelson(@82packfan) March 4, 2013

Packers looking to spend wisely with Canty due to visit – Green Bay Press Gazette ow.ly/2vcPEe

— Packers Times (@GBPacketimes) March 2, 2013

@onekainen sounds like TT has more interest in Canty than in Jenkins.

— Jeff Nelson (@jeffnc1) March 2, 2013

@tydunne @tomsilverstein I’d take Canty over Jenkins

— Arrick Upton (@ArrickUpton) March 1, 2013

Dear Ted Thompson: -Bring back Cullen Jenkins or sign Chris Canty-sign Steven Jackson in FA-Draft OLs and DLs and LBsAnd maybe a Safety

— My Name(@zachnel6) February 27, 2013

#Chiefs are still in the mix for Chris Canty even though he is making other trips. Process still may take some time.

— Bill Williamson (@espn_afcwest) March 4, 2013

Daily Cheese Curds: On Jarvis Jones, Chris Canty, performance-based value and getting off my lawn. #Packers sbn.to/XOa1Qp

— Acme Packing Company (@acmepackingco) March 4, 2013

@rosstuckernfl what do you think about the Packers and Chris Canty

— Hogan LePore (@H_O_G_A_N) March 5, 2013

Chris Canty to visit GB this week.Sure they looked at him a few years back but come on, you’re surprised anytime a FA shows up at Lambeau.

— Mike Sullivan (@WiscoSully) March 5, 2013

Chris Canty might take hometown discount from Panthers, but they haven’t called wp.me/p14QSB-7ivh

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 16, 2013

Chris Canty Honored for Philanthropy and Service at Thurman Munson Awards:   Our guest writer, an… bit.ly/12g9ghV #nyg #nygiants

— GMENHQ (@gmenhq) February 10, 2013

Jan 8, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty (99) gets to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) just as he gets the pass away during the first half of the 2011 NFC wild card playoff game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

In a bit over a day, something out of the ordinary will take place at 1265 Lombardi Avenue – the home of the Green Bay Packers: Former New York Giants defensive lineman Chris Canty will pay a visit.

It’s not a casual, social visit either. The very fact that the Packers have invited Canty to town means they are dead serious about the possibility of signing Canty. In fact, the Packers seem to like Canty. They showed serious interest in Canty four years ago when he left Dallas in search of a new home, but didn’t make a stop in Green Bay. Instead, he decided rather quickly to sign with the Giants where he has had somewhat of a pedestrian stay in the Big Apple.

Now that the Packers won’t have to pay Greg Jennings because the team refused to slap the franchise tag on him, they can get serious about using some of that money on a free agent or two. In addition to Canty, the Packers have also shown an interest in Ricky Jean-Francois, and some believe even former Packer Cullen Jenkins have drawn an interest. However, neither one of those players have as of yet been invited into the Packers’ inner sanctum.

So, just how serious are the Packers in getting into the free agency game? Well, serious enough … clearly, Ted Thompson is targeting defensive linemen at this point most likely so that they can focus their high draft picks on the offensive side of the ball.

Whether Canty sticks around for a while and comes away with a contract in hand will be up to Thompson. But one thing is for certain – it won’t happen unless the Packers are serious.

Canty, 30, was cut by the New York Giants last week in a cap space saving move. Canty has gotten a lot of early interest from not only the Packers, but the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguares, Tennessee Titans (who have reportedly offered him a contract already) and the Seattle Seahawks. According to NBC Sports, Canty has also given the Carolina Panthers the impression that he would give them a “home town discount” in order to sign there. Canty, of course, was a high school football star in Charlotte, N.C.,  he’s been on record saying he would like to return home and play in Carolina.

There’s no secret that the Packers have struggled on defense the last few seasons, particularly on the defensive line.

The 6-foot-7, 317 pound Canty would give the Packers tremendous size up front and would naturally be able to clog up holes, making Desmond Bishop, A.J. Hawk and the other linebackers’ jobs much easier.

Canty, of course, has experience playing in the 3-4 defense, as he played with the Dallas Cowboys for four seasons where he had 102 tackles and 10 sacks while not missing a single game.

If you remember, the Packers were interested in signing Canty back in 2008. However, Canty was searching for more money than the stingy Packers were willing to give up, thus he signed in New York.

It’s early in the offseason process, however, according to Pro Football Central the Packers are the favorite amongst the interested teams to land the services of Canty.

If all goes well on Wednesday and Thursday, you could see the Packers offer Canty a contract.

Greg Jennings will officially hit the market March 12.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

It’s sort of ironic that it was the Green Bay Packers who, back in 1993, broke the National Football League open when they shocked everyone by landing Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Reggie White.

How things have changed.

Charles Woodson was a free agent that made Ted Thompson look like a hero.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

While Packers General Manager Ted Thompson has dabbled in free agency, striking gold with the signings of Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett, his dabbling has been few and far between. Last year, he went out and got veteran center Jeff Saturday to replace Scott Wells who left for St. Louis, but that was a stopgap measure and a moves that was somewhat surprising.

Whether Thompson tries his luck again this year remains to be seen as the free agency season gets moving this weekend and continues through the middle of the month.

Here’s some of the benchmark dates associated with free agency:

March 4 – Franchise tag deadline
While there has been some talk about the Packers slapping the franchise tag on free agent Greg Jennings, most don’t feel that in the end that would be a very wise move. Jennings is expected to sign elsewhere and no other Packers player will be designated with the tag.

Cullen Jenkins has several teams who are considering his services.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

March 9 – Free agent negotiations start
A new rule being applied to free agency this year centers around the early opening. Under this new rule, teams may negotiate with agents of players who will be unrestricted free agents. When the official start of free agency opens March 12, none of these negotiations can become official until free agency opens March 12. The Packers have expressed an interest in Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins – a former Packer – and Chris Canty, another defensive lineman whose last team, the New York Giants, released him. Jenkins has been talking to the Giants, but no visit to Green Bay has been scheduled. Canty is expected to be in Green Bay by mid-week.

March 12 – Qualifying offer deadline
Qualifying offers must be made by teams to their restricted free agents. In addition, minimum salary offers must be tendered to exclusive rights free agents by 4 p.m. Qualifying offers give teams the right of first refusal (opportunity to match another team’s offer) as it provides for compensation in the event the player signs with another club. Packers restricted free agents are Tom Crabtree, Robert Francois, Sam Shields, Evan Dietrich-Smith, and Frank Zombo.

March 12 – Free agency opens
All expiring contracts will be officially over and the free agency period will get under way at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. It is also at this time that all clubs’ top 51 cap hits must fit under the salary cap, which has been set at $123 million for this season.

March 12 – Trading period
As free agency opens, so does the trading period. It’s not expected to be a tool used much by NFL team officials, but it’s available should they want to utilize it.

December 30, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers nose tackle Ricky Jean Francois (95) sacks Arizona Cardinals quarterback Brian Hoyer (6) during the third quarter at Candlestick Park. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 27-13. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson, the eternal enigma wrapped inside the proverbial mystery, has been the center of attention the past couple of days, what with all the talk surrounding potential free agent wide receiver Greg Jennings, and the rumors surrounding defensive linemen Chris Canty and former Packer Cullen Jenkins.

When NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport rumored that the Packers were considering slapping the franchise tag on Jennings, everyone said, “what?!?”

But the free agent news continued mounting the past 48 hours as the names of Canty and Jenkins were raised and joined today by that of Ricky Jean-Francois, a defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, who, if not signed by the start of free agency, will become unrestricted.

Cullen Jenkins

So, we know a bit about Canty and Jenkins, but who is this Jean-Francois guy?

Chris Canty (99) during the second half of the 2011 NFC wild card playoff game at the MetLife Stadium. Alan Maglaque-USA TODAY Sports

Well, he was drafted in the seventh round of the 2009 draft out of LSU and has been a defensive end backup for the Niners. With 49 tackles and three sacks in 51 games, he was a good enough player to be included in the Niners’ line rotation and saw the field enough to stick with them for four years. However, last year, he played in just eight games, registering two sacks, 12 tackles and 10 assists. He might be one of those players who could be an underachiever and needs a fresh start with a new team.

What’s really interesting to me in all this is that free agency is even being mentioned alongside Ted Thompson’s name. Yes, he dipped into the chase for free players last year, but it hasn’t been his mode of operation overall in the past. Of course, we know him as the draft and develop king.

So, why the recent change? Well, it might be that Thompson sees a real need on the line, not only because the Packers were really poor against the run last year but because it looks like second-year player Jerel Worthy won’t be ready for training camp and might not even make it back to the field before the start of the 2013 regular season. Jean-Francois is also known as a run-stuffer.

As we get through the NFL Combine and move into the month of March and the official start to the NFL season, the interest will begin to rise across the league. It looks like we here in Packers Nation may also have our ears to the rails as we continue to listen for any other free agent rumblings.

Stay tuned …

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Though Jenkins started all 32 games for the Eagles over the last two seasons, he had just 9.5 sacks over those two seasons. His sack total is way down compared to 2010 when he 7 sacks in just 11 games for the Green Bay Packers.

It appears the Eagles are trying to get younger with the new hiring of former University of Oregon football coach Chip Kelly. Along with Jenkins, the Eagles have mulled releasing former All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, and have even stated they will release him if he doesn’t agree to restructure his deal.

So what does this all mean for the Packers?

Well, as we all know the Packers are thin at the defensive line position. C.J. Wilson and Mike Neal haven’t come close to filling the big shoes that Jenkins left when he departed Green Bay. Should the Packers consider brining back Jenkins?

I am in favor of bringing Jenkins back. He understands Dom Capers’ defense after playing in it and excelling in it for two seasons. Since he hasn’t played well the last two seasons he will probably be relatively inexpensive for the Packers. The Packers also have been rumored to be interested in defensive tackle Chris Canty, formally of the New York Giants.

Cullen Jenkins celebrates a sack with the Packers.

Packers’ beat writer Tom Silverstein has tweeted several times today that he thinks the Packers would be interested in bringing back Jenkins, for the right price, of course.

In any event, a defensive line of B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Chris Canty and Mike Neal, along with the other depth, makes the Packers’ defensive line a strength for a defensive that has struggled at that position the last two seasons.

Jan 08 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Atlanta Falcons guard Justin Blalock (63) defends against New York Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty (99) during the second half of the 2011 NFC wild card playoff game at the MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alan Maglaque-USA TODAY Sports

A couple of items that came across my desk this morning that were shoved to the back burner because I thought they were kinda crazy and still do – the Green Bay Packers might have an interest in DL Chris Canty AND may consider slapping the franchise tag on free agent WR Greg Jennings.

Say I’m not seeing and hearing things … the interest in Canty I can understand. The Packers went after him hard four years ago when he came free of his contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Instead he signed with the New York Giants where he had four pedestrian seasons. In 2009, he played in eight games and had eight tackles and five assists. In 2010, he started all 16 games, registered 28 tackles, 11 assists and had one-half of a sack; in 2011, he was a bit more productive in 16 games – he had four sacks, 32 tackles and 16 assists. Last season, he had three sacks, 20 tackles and five assists before being let go as a salary cap casualty.

Those are certainly far from Hall of Fame numbers, so why would the Packers have an interest in him. After all, he is going to be 31, has played eight seasons already int he NFL and is probably on the way out within the next couple of seasons. Well, the Packers have to find a way to improve their defensive line. If Canty were brought in, he would compete for the defensive end position played the last few years by Ryan Pickett. Would Canty be an improvement over Pickett? That’s debatable, but competition on the line would be a good thing.

Canty is said to have scheduled a visit with the Packers and the Jaguars and is also said to have an offer on the table from the Titans. He may visit, but may also shun the Packers once again, which wouldn’t be a huge surprise or disappointment in my eyes.

Dec 30, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings (85) against the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Packers 37-34. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Greg Jennings

However, the “holy cow” moment this morning came from a report attributed to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. He said that it was “interesting to hear the #Packers are still considering franchising Greg Jennings. Thought that ship had sailed. Apparently not.”

I thought that ship had been long gone out of port, but could it be that the Packers have sent an SOS to bring it back?

I hope not. I love Greg Jennings, but his days with the Packers are and should be done. Jennings had an opportunity to sign an extension last year, turned it down and then said recently that he had a want for a $14 million contract. If the Packers were to slap the franchise tag on him, it would cost them $10 million for a single season. Jennings could refuse it, but then he wouldn’t be allowed to go anywhere and would be unpaid.

However, I can’t see Ted Thompson committing $10 million to a single player for a single season. He doesn’t operate that way. The Packers are right around $20 million over the cap. They will have to sign their draft choices and restricted free agents, which will cover about half the $20 million – then they are supposed to give the other $10 million to a 30-year-old receiver who has missed more than 10 games the past two seasons with injuries?

I don’t think so. Rapoports sources are simply out of their mind or vastly misinformed.

But then again there are some reports that this could be a sign and trade situation, which wouldn’t be all that bad … would certainly keep Jennings out of a Vikings uniform …

So, back to the backburner go these stories. And I hope to keep them there.

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The Packers don’t want to give too much too soon to Tauscher, who is coming off of a torn right ACL and is not far enough along in his recovery to pass a physical.  The ideal situation for Green Bay would be to wait for a while, see how Tauscher is progressing, and then sign him to a deal based on his recovery and what they think he can do.

However, this plan is easily thwarted if a team starts pursuing Tauscher, like the Vikings are.  This could easily create a bidding war for a 31-year-old who appears to be starting the downslope of his career.  Even danzinski, over at TVA, has said that Tauscher has a “red flag alert!”

Tauscher’s best purpose for either team would be to serve as stop-gap while the teams develop young talent at the tackle position.  Ted Thompson and the Packers rarely overspend, while Zygi Wilf has some deep pockets.  If it comes down to a bidding war, Wilf could win out with the cash, but Tauscher, a Wisconsin graduate and career Packers, could find it easier to stay in Green Bay.

Stay tuned for this one.

The Packers are letting the market dictate what Cole is worth rather than pushing ahead with a deal that might wind up being richer than what it should be. The risk is that they’re allowing other teams to come in and woo Cole away. It’s likely Cole’s agent, Neil Cornrich, won’t give the Packers a hometown discount given they had their chance to sign him before free agency started.

The Seattle interest could depend on whether the Seahawks sign free agent end Chris Canty. They’re expected to host him on a visit this weekend and if he signs, presumably they’d no longer have interest in Cole.

The Buccaneers have $60 million in cap room and if they really want to get someone they can afford to overspend. If the interest is as great as what the St. Petersburg Times reports, the Packers would have to swallow hard if they intend to get Cole to come back.

I agree that the Packers should not overpay for Cole, but with Cullen Jenkins coming off an injury, Justin Harrell being bust-tacular, and Johnny Jolly facing criminal charges, Cole could play an integral part in the defense. However, I would not classify him as a necessity, as the Packers could draft B.J. Raji in the draft.