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Packers Sign LB Ray Thompson; Re-Sign Barry, O'Sullivan
posted 04/22/2005
The Green Bay Packers Friday signed free agent Ray Thompson, and re-signed restricted free agents Kevin Barry and J.T. O'Sullivan. Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson announced the moves.
A 6-foot-3, 229-pound linebacker out of Tennessee, Thompson spent his first five NFL seasons in Arizona. In 65 career games with the Cardinals, he made 54 starts with 443 tackles (259 solo), 61/2 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Originally selected by Arizona in the second round (41st overall) of the 2000 draft, Thompson started 21 games over his first two seasons. then enjoyed a career year in 2002, when he started all 16 contests with 139 tackles (81 solo) and 21/2 sacks.
In a win vs. Green Bay in 2003, Thompson posted a season-high eight solo tackles and recovered a fumble.
Slowed by a training-camp injury entering last season, he played in 11 games with three starts, recording 42 tackles (33 solo) and one sack. That sack, of Matt Hasselbeck Oct. 24 vs. Seattle, came on third-and-3, and ended a fourth-quarter Seahawks drive in an eventual 25-17 Arizona win. Following the season, the Cardinals terminated Thompson's contract April 11.
In Green Bay, the 27-year-old Thompson rejoins former college teammates Chad Clifton and David Martin, drafted by the Packers out of Tennessee in 2000 and 2001, respectively. In fact, Arizona took Thompson just three picks before Green Bay chose Clifton in 2000.
Thompson is No. 55 on the Packers' roster.
Barry, a 6-foot-4, 335-pound tackle out of Arizona, played in 13 regular-season games last year, including three starts as an extra tight end in the Packers' U-71 package. He made strong contributions to NFL's third-ranked offense that posted team records for total first downs (354), net yards (6,357), net yards passing (4,449), completions (382) and fewest sacks allowed (14).
A Wisconsin native, Barry originally joined the Packers as a non-drafted free agent before the 2002 season. In three NFL seasons, Barry has played in 43 games with seven starts.
O'Sullivan, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound quarterback out of UC-Davis, served most of the 2004 season as the Packers' No. 3 signal-caller. Acquired Oct. 4 with the Saints' second-round choice in tomorrow's draft, O'Sullivan replaced an injured Doug Pederson. Green Bay sent New Orleans CB Mike McKenzie and a conditional '06 draft choice in the trade. O'Sullivan, the 15th backup quarterback on a Packers 53-man roster during Brett Favre's current streak, made his NFL debut Jan. 2 at Chicago, taking the final two snaps. |
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