Kevin Greene is ready to forgive and forget.
Seven months after a nasty and bitter standoff led the Carolina Panthers to waive the linebacker before last season, Greene returned Tuesday to talk about rejoining the team."I'm going to aggressively pursue being a Panther again. I think they want me to be a Panther, too," said Greene, who was released two weeks ago by San Francisco in a cost-cutting move.
Greene helped the 49ers build the NFL's top-ranked defense last season. He finished with 10 1/2 sacks as a situational pass-rusher after leading the league with 14 1/2 sacks with the Panthers in 1996.
Greene said he mainly wanted to extend an olive branch and explain his preseason holdout with owner Jerry Richardson and coach Dom Capers. He said he's been contacted by more than a half-dozen teams about playing a 14th season.
Panthers spokesman Charlie Dayton said Tuesday's meetings were preliminary and were the first since Greene became a free agent.
Greene held out before the 1997 season while demanding that Carolina sweeten the second year of an incentives-laden contract. The Panthers refused to renegotiate and started fining him for failing to show up for work while under contract. He was cut just before the start of the season.
An independent arbitrator ruled in December that Greene must repay the Panthers a $350,000 roster bonus paid before the standoff. The arbitrator forgave $289,000 in fines the Panthers levied for his holdout.
The Green Bay Packers brought in new blood Tuesday, two free agents and one of their own practice players, after losing four free-agent players, including Edgar Bennett and Craig Hentrich.
Safety Roger Harper, who spent three seasons with Atlanta and one with Dallas, and linebacker Antonio London, who started six games for Detroit last season, signed with the NFC champs. Tight end Kyle Wachholtz, a '97 practice-squad player, was also signed.
Green Bay also recently signed wide receiver Robert Brooks to a $15.1 million, five-year deal.
In other deals:
- The St. Louis Rams signed wide receiver Ricky Proehl, who appeared headed to Arizona, where he played from 1990-94. The Rams offered him a better deal - $6 million over four years, including a $1.6 million bonus.
- The Jacksonville Jaguars signed restricted free-agent center Quentin Neujahr of the Baltimore Ravens to an offer sheet. Terms were not disclosed. The Ravens have until midnight March 3 to match it. The Jaguars have not re-signed 10-year veteran Dave Widell, an unrestricted free agent.
- The Miami Dolphins re-signed receiver Brett Perriman and signed punter Klaus Wilyear contracts.
- The Dallas Cowboys released backup quarterback Wade Wilson on Tuesday to clear room under the salary cap but hinted he might be re-signed later. Wilson, 39, still has one season left under his contract.
The Cowboys also waived 34-year-old defensive tackle Tony Casillas, who is retiring after 12 NFL seasons and two stints with the team.
- New England re-signed guard Todd Rucci, a five-year veteran who played every game last year. The Patriots also signed former Chicago fullback Tony Carter to a three-year, $2.7 million deal, including an $800,000 signing bonus.
- ESPN is reporting that the Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to terms with former Minnesota Vikings cornerback Dewayne Washington. He interviewed with Pittsburgh last week.