GREEN BAY - No, the Green Bay Packers
aren't keeping Brett Favre's locker intact because they're expecting
the legendary quarterback to unretire.
In fact, from the way coach Mike
McCarthy sounded Friday following the first practice of the team's
post-draft rookie orientation camp, Favre's locker could soon be
encased in Plexiglass to honor the three-time NFL MVP.
Before Friday's practice, it was hard
not to notice that Favre's nameplate remained above his locker,
which is the first one you encounter when entering the room through
the main doorway.
"Of course, when you see that
name up there, you're going to take a look at it," said
second-round pick Brian Brohm, one of two rookie quarterbacks
drafted last weekend.
McCarthy said the team has "some
plans" for Favre's locker but wouldn't divulge what they are.
Offensive lineman Korey Stringer's
locker remains preserved at the Minnesota Vikings' practice
facility, almost seven years after his 2001 heat-related death in
training camp. The Washington Redskins have done the same with the
locker of safety Sean Taylor, who was murdered last season.
"I think it's more (than) a
locker," McCarthy said. "I wouldn't want his locker.
Especially after his hygiene, my goodness.
"It's the locker of a very
special player in the history of our organization, and there's some
plans for the future. We'll address that when it comes."
Favre retired after 17 NFL seasons on
March 4, and while his public comments since have suggested he might
be considering a comeback, McCarthy said there was "nothing
else to" Favre's locker not being given away.
Brohm, incidentally, is stationed
next to new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
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Off to the races: Having grown up in
Louisville and gone to college there, Brohm has been to the Kentucky
Derby plenty of times over the years. But he'll be missing
Saturday's run for the roses. Not that he minds.
"You've always got to go to the
Kentucky Derby. It's tradition," Brohm said. "But there's
no place I'd rather be than right here getting better at
football."
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It takes all kinds: Taking attendance
at Friday's practice was a difficult task, with nine draft picks, 11
undrafted free agents, 19 players participating on a tryout basis
and seven players from the active roster who've yet to accrue one
NFL pension-credited season all taking part.
McCarthy said the football portion
was only about half of Friday's festivities.
"That's why we call it an
'orientation,'" McCarthy said. "We pretty much split our
day between all the administrative aspects of a professional
football player (in the morning) and then we spent the afternoon on
football."
The 11 free-agent signees are wide
receivers Taj Smith, Jake Allen and Rod Harper; punter Ken DeBauche;
running back Kregg Lumpkin; linebackers Marcus Riley and Danny
Lansanah; long-snapper J.J. Jansen; tight ends Mike Peterson and
Joey Haynos; and center Brennen Carvalho.
The 19 players in for tryouts are
cornerbacks Kyle Ward, Michael Medina, Tierre Green and Condrew
Allen; running backs Justin Beaver and Lance Ball; safeties Matthew
Harper, Marlon Fair and Brandent Englemon; fullback Louie Runnels;
linebackers Durell Mapp and Josh Ferguson; center Adam Hill; tackle
Ryan Considine; and defensive linemen Tui Alailefaleula, Fred
Bledsoe, Ola Dagunduro, Chris Walker and Marque Fountain.