NFL Notebook
Published 12:00 am Friday, July 18, 2008
Associated Press
The NFL notebook …
MILWAUKEE ó Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy restated his support for general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy on Friday in the standoff with Brett Favre.
Murphy attended a meeting of the team’s executive committee Friday. Spokesman Aaron Popkey said Murphy has “full confidence” in how Thompson and McCarthy are handling this matter.
Favre is having second thoughts about football after retiring in March. But the Packers have since committed to moving on without the three-time MVP, causing a public rift between the team and one of its greatest players.
A week filled with awkward moments between Favre and the team could intensify Saturday. Favre is scheduled to present former teammate Frank Winters at the Packers’ Hall of Fame induction banquet. He is expected to honor his commitment, but it is not clear if he will take questions from reporters.
REDSKINSASHBURN, Va. ó Second-round draft pick Devin Thomas of Michigan State signed a $4.83 million, four-year contract with the Washington Redskins on Friday, two days before training camp.
The 6-foot-2, 218-pound Thomas was taken 34th overall and was the second wideout drafted.
The Redskins have nine of their 10 draft picks under contract with camp to begin Sunday. The only pick still unsigned is Southern California tight end Fred Davis, who was taken later in the second round.
Thomas had one big year in college, catching a school-record 79 passes for 1,260 yards and eight touchdowns in 2007 as a junior at Michigan State. He also had a 29.1-yard average as a kickoff returner.
Also Friday, the Redskins released fullback Pete Schmitt. He was in training camp with Washington last year, was released before the start of the regular season, then was re-signed in March.CHIEFSKANSAS CITY, Mo. ó Safety DaJuan Morgan has agreed to a three-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The signing on Friday means the Chiefs have signed six of their 12 draft picks.
Details of Morgan’s contract were not announced. The third-round draft pick played college ball at North Carolina State.
With a week left before training camp, the Chiefs have not yet signed their two first-round picks, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and Virginia tackle Branden Albert, or their second-round choice, cornerback Brandon Flowers.
JAGUARSJACKSONVILLE, Fla. ó Jaguars wide receiver Jerry Porter had surgery Friday to repair a torn hamstring tendon and will miss all the preseason.
It was a significant setback for a team with Super Bowl expectations.Porter signed a six-year, $30 million contract with Jacksonville in February and was supposed to give the team its first go-to receiver since Jimmy Smith retired. But he missed most of minicamp.