• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Linebacker’s option play: Agent says Burnett might visit with team

The Green Bay Packers have set up a tentative visit Saturday for free agent linebacker Kevin Burnett, but it’s possible the Dallas Cowboys veteran will have a new home before that.

Burnett’s agent, Ricky Lefft, said Wednesday night that he did not know if his client would still be unsigned by the weekend given interest shown by other teams. But he was leaving open the possibility of a meeting with the Packers, who have shown some interest in the free agent.

From the look of things, it appears the Packers are not willing to rush into anything and aren’t interested in going to extremes to get Burnett signed. Given Burnett is built somewhere between a middle and outside linebacker the Packers might have some questions about where he would play.

The fact the Packers are willing to bring in the former University of Tennessee standout shows a certain level of interest. It probably will come down to what other offers Burnett gets and whether the Packers are willing to compete with them.

Burnett visited Oakland on Tuesday and San Diego on Wednesday and there are potentially two other teams that could get involved. Lefft has begun contract talks, but it’s unclear whether the Packers have told him what they would be willing to pay.

The Packers would be doing themselves a favor if they could land an outside linebacker who could step in to start right away. It would allow them to go into the draft without the pressure of having to land someone who can help them immediately at that critical position.

No-go on Holliday

The Packers have not expressed any interest in Miami Dolphins end Vonnie Holliday, who was released Tuesday.

Holliday, a first-round pick of the Packers in 1998 and popular member of the defense until his departure in 2003, has the kind of body that would fit the end position in the Packers’ 3-4 defense. However, the Packers apparently don’t think the 33-year-old Holliday has much left in his tank.

According to the Miami Herald, Holliday has drawn interest from five teams and has visits scheduled with Denver and Detroit.

Plea coming

The attorney for Michael Philbin, the 18-year-old son of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, has asked for a plea/sentencing hearing at which his client is expected to change his not-guilty plea to the four charges that stemmed from two alleged sexual assaults.

The prosecutor in the case, Wisconsin assistant district attorney Dennis Krueger, would not say what the plea arrangement is.

Philbin is due to be in court at 2 p.m. on March 12.

“I anticipate that the defense is going to change his plea on that date,” Krueger said.

Philbin’s attorney, Craig Albee, was in court and did not return a phone message.

Philbin, the second-oldest of Joe Philbin’s six children, pleaded not guilty Feb. 26 to sexually assaulting two 16-year-old girls at the family’s home in August. He was charged with four misdemeanor charges—two counts of sexual intercourse with a child and two counts of battery. Each charge carried a maximum of nine months in prison.

Short yardage

-- The Packers are not one of the teams actively involved in current discussions with free agent defensive lineman Igor Olshansky, according to his agent, Bruce Tollner. The Packers have shown some interest in Olshansky but haven’t made it a priority at this time.

-- Another defensive lineman who might interest the Packers later, New England’s Mike Wright, visited the Arizona Cardinals, according to the Boston Globe. Wright might be able to play end in the Packers’ scheme.

-- The Packers will have four picks in the first 83 in the draft. The league released the order for the first three rounds, and the Packers pick ninth, 41st, 73rd and 83rd.

-- End Mike Montgomery’s visit to the Atlanta Falcons was canceled when the Falcons re-signed end Chauncey Davis.