The Green Bay Packers will have about $30 million in salary cap room when the NFL’s free-agent signing period begins at 11 p.m. tonight General manager Ted Thompson might bring in some bargain-level free agents to help with the Packers’ change to a 3-4 base defense. Thompson says it depends on who’s available – and whether they can make strong contributions. Media reports say Green Bay has committed $96 million out of a total net salary cap of $132 million. But that’s before they make tender offers to their restricted free agents – safety Atari Bigby, corner Jarrett Bush, receivers Ruvell Martin and Shaun Bodiford, tight end Tory Humphrey, fullback John Kuhn, and outside linebacker Jason Hunter. With the extra cap money, Thompson could very well lock up some key players who would become free agents after next season. They include safety Nick Collins, receiver Greg Jennings, and defensive linemen Ryan Pickett and Aaron Kampman.

The Green Bay Packers are holding their ticket prices steady in 2009, breaking a recent trend of raising prices every other year.

Citing the current state of the economy and the impact it has had both locally and nationally as one of the main factors, President and CEO Mark Murphy said ticket prices for the coming year would remain at the same levels as the '07 and '08 seasons.

"We felt this was appropriate for our ticket holders," Murphy said. "We're sensitive to the situation many of our fans may be in, and hopefully holding prices is helpful to them. We're all going through this together and everyone is taking measures to deal with the situation they find themselves in, both at an individual and business level."

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The NFL Scouting Combine continues for two more days in Indianapolis. And while the Green Bay Packers plan to watch some more work-outs, you won’t hear directly about them. That’s because they’re no longer open to reporters. Meanwhile, the Packers hope to re-sign defensive lineman Colin Cole before the free agent signing period begins late Thursday night. The 28-year-old Cole is among a handful of unrestricted free agents in Green Bay. He had a career-high 11.5 pressures last season. Coach Mike McCarthy says Cole would work well either at nose tackle or at one of the ends in Green Bay’s new basic 3-4 defense.

Green Bay offensive tackle Mark Tauscher has been talking with the Packers about a new contract. The nine-year veteran becomes an unrestricted free agent on February 26. And the Packers might not have been able to afford Tauscher, had he not torn his left ACL knee ligament last December seventh against Houston. It knocked him out for the rest of the season, and he had surgery in mid-January. On a Madison radio show, he said there have been some talks with the Packers, and he’ll see how everything plays out. Tauscher said his rehabilitation is ahead of schedule – and his pain is nowhere near what it was in 2002, the first time he tore out the same knee.

Brett Favre has finally said what many Packer fans suspected: That part of the reason he unretired last year was "sticking it to Ted" Thompson.

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King published that quote in his online column today. He called it a rather startling admission.

The three-time MVP quarterback said he wanted to show the Packers’ GM that he made a big mistake moving on without him.

But whether he succeeded will depend on who you talk to. Favre led the New York Jets to an 8-3 record – but he threw nine interceptions in his final five games.  The Jets lost four of those contests to knock themselves out of the AFC playoffs. The 39-year-old Favre threw as many interceptions as he did touchdowns, 22 apiece. And his quarterback rating was a modest 81.

After Favre announced his second retirement last week, the Packers took the high road – reiterating they’ll retire his No. 4 at a time they feel "appropriate." They wouldn’t say if they’ll wait until Thompson leaves Green Bay. And when he was asked last week if he’ll wait for Thompson’s departure to return, Favre said he wasn’t sure.

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