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Packers Re-Sign C Frank Winters As Free Agent
posted 05/01/2003
The Green Bay Packers have re-signed center Frank Winters, a 17th-year professional, as a free agent, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Thursday.
A Packer since 1992, Winters had been placed on waivers Monday because of salary cap constraints, to facilitate his re-signing at a lower salary.
The 39-year-old Winters, one of the most durable performers in Packers history, originally had been targeted for a backup role heading into the 2002 season, but subsequently found himself playing in all 16 games and making 10 starts after injuries at both center and tackle triggered the need for his services.
Thrust into a starting role almost immediately when incumbent center Mike Flanagan broke the thumb on his snapping hand early in training camp, Winters later saw most of his action as a result of a pair of injuries to left tackle Chad Clifton, developments which required Flanagan to fill in for Clifton. Winters started each of the first three games - vs. Atlanta (Sept. 8), at New Orleans (Sept. 15) and at Detroit (Sept. 22) - because Flanagan had not yet fully recovered from the thumb fracture. He also came in at center late in the third quarter of the Carolina game (Sept. 29) after Flanagan moved to right guard to take over for Marco Rivera, who had suffered a knee injury.
Winters later started the last five games of the regular season at center, as well as the Wild Card Playoff game against Atlanta (Jan. 4), after Clifton was sidelined for the balance of the year with an injury (pelvis strain) suffered at Tampa (Nov. 24).
Following the season, Winters underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee (Jan. 8) to repair a lateral cartilage tear that occurred at San Francisco (Dec. 15).
Winters, who joined the Green and Gold as a Plan B acquisition in 1992, played in all 16 games last season for the seventh time as a Packer and for the 10th time in his 16-year NFL career.
Overall, he has played in 231 games, the second-most among active NFL linemen, behind Lomas Brown (263), an unrestricted free agent who currently remains on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' roster. |
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