Packers notebook

Rams may train near Green Bay; preseason schedule is out; an added draft pick; Martin signs

Rams consider Oshkosh for training camp
The Packers might have a training-camp partner this summer.

Officials from the St. Louis Rams will be in Wisconsin the next few weeks to look at potential sites for relocating their camp headquarters. One of the venues is the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which is an hour's drive from Green Bay.

Rams head coach Scott Linehan favors the possibility of training with the Packers for a few practices and possibly a scrimmage early in camp.

"You're changing the competitive nature of the camp, and it's a good break after six or seven days into training camp," Linehan said April 2 at the league owners meetings.

The catch for any team desiring to lock horns with the Packers in early August is that the workouts would have to be in Green Bay. The Packers are adamant about keeping all training-camp activities at their practice facility across the street from Lambeau Field because camp is a huge draw for fans.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy welcomes the opportunity to practice with another team after souring on the idea a year ago.

"I talked to Kansas City briefly about it last year, and I just felt (with) the youth of our football team that probably wasn't our best option," McCarthy said. "This year, obviously, we're further ahead, so I'm going to talk to Scott here in the next couple weeks. We'll see what happens."

The Packers last had a team in for training camp in 2005, when Buffalo practiced with them for two days and culminated their visit by scrimmaging Green Bay at sold-out Lambeau.

Opening season on Monday Night Football
Packers officials in attendance at the owners meetings learned that the team will open next season with a Monday night game at home against NFC North rival Minnesota on Sept. 8.

Green Bay's last Monday night opener was in 2004, a 24-14 victory at Carolina.

Packers open exhibition season Aug. 11
The league released the preseason schedule April 3. The unofficial start of the Aaron Rodgers era at quarterback also will be on a Monday night, with the Packers hosting Cincinnati on Aug. 11.

Green Bay's remaining exhibition games will be at San Francisco (Aug. 14-18), at Denver (Aug. 21-25) and home against Tennessee (Aug. 28-29).

Packers get fourth round compensatory pick
The league awarded the Packers a fourth-round compensatory pick in this year's draft.

The lofty selection was based on Green Bay losing running back Ahman Green and tight end David Martin in free agency last year to signing only cornerback Frank Walker as a free agent.

The Packers' compensatory choice falls at the end of the fourth round (135th overall).

Green Bay has eight selections in the draft, six in the first four rounds. They have two picks apiece in the second and fourth rounds.

Wide receiver signs ERFA tender
Receiver Ruvell Martin signed the team's one-year tender as an exclusive-rights free agent. The only unsigned ERFA is running back Ryan Grant, who has vowed to not sign the tender as he seeks a long-term contract after his big 2007 season. Grant is participating in the team's offseason workout program.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Just when you walk through the locker room, you have this locker standing there and you're kind of laughing about it, 'What are you going to do with it? You can't put anybody in it.' So, there's definitely going to be an absence. Would you want that locker? You've got to be kidding me."
-- Head coach Mike McCarthy on not letting any of his players move to the locker previously occupied by retired quarterback Brett Favre in the team's Lambeau Field locker room