Foot in the door in Green Bay

While two potential free agent targets visited the Patriots yesterday, all eyes remained on the most clutch kicker in team history.

Adam Vinatieri was scheduled to touch down in Green Bay yesterday and meet with Packers officials last night and into today. The question is whether the Packers will use a similar tactic as the Browns did with linebacker Willie McGinest and attempt to keep Vinatieri in town until his name is on a contract.

The Patriots, meanwhile, hosted ninth-year cornerback Deshea Townsend, and according to the NFL Network, had fifth-year receiver Reche Caldwell in for a visit.

In addition, the Patriots released cornerback Tyrone Poole one day before he was scheduled to earn a $500,000 roster bonus. The 33-year-old Poole spent the last three seasons with the Patriots, playing in every game of the team's Super Bowl season in 2003. But injuries limited him to six games over the past two years. Poole has generated some immediate interest, according to his agent, Hadley Engelhard, and starts the first of four visits with an upcoming meeting with the Falcons. The move saves the Patriots around $2 million on the salary cap.

Of all the free agent happenings, Vinatieri's trip to Green Bay was of primary importance. The Packers entered free agency about $30 million under the salary cap and -- while they have used some of their space -- they still have the ability to potentially make a market-busting offer. The Packers are one of five teams in the market for a kicker, including the Patriots, Colts, Cowboys, and Falcons.

Green Bay lost kicker Ryan Longwell to the Vikings in free agency, as he signed a five-year, $10 million contract with a $3 million signing bonus. The $2 million per year represents the higher end of deals for kickers, but such a contract likely wouldn't be enough to entice Vinatieri, who played on a one-year, $2.5 million package last season. Like the Patriots, the Packers are seeking a reliable kicker who is proven in unpredictable, cold-weather conditions. Green Bay also has a connection to Vinatieri as the kicker's former agent, Andrew Brandt, is the team's vice president of player finance/general counsel.

Paul Edinger, Mike Vanderjagt, and Vinatieri headline a shallow class of free agent kickers.

As for the players who visited Gillette Stadium yesterday, Townsend (5 feet 10 inches, 190 pounds) has spent his entire eight-year career with the Steelers and would project to be a replacement for Poole as a veteran presence in a young defensive backfield.

In addition to playing in a physical system, the former fourth-round draft choice out of Alabama has been durable, appearing in all 16 games in six of his eight seasons. In all, he's appeared in 123 games, with 14 interceptions and 13 1/2 sacks.

The Steelers are still interested in re-signing the 30-year-old Townsend, whose agent, Peter Schaffer, indicated things could move quickly.

''He's having a wonderful visit and it's coming down to the wire," Schaffer said.

The Patriots have Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs, who finished 2005 as starters, returning at cornerback. They also re-signed Hank Poteat and Artrell Hawkins, although Townsend would immediately jump into the top part of the depth chart.

The Patriots' depth is thinner at receiver -- the only regulars from 2005 under contract are Deion Branch and Bethel Johnson -- and that's where Caldwell (6-0, 215) enters the picture.

A second-round draft choice in 2002, the 26-year-old University of Florida product has spent the last four years with the Chargers. Considered to have an abundance of athletic ability, Caldwell has totaled 76 catches for 950 yards and seven touchdowns. He's coming off a career-high 28 catches in 2005, which included a 28-yard touchdown against the Patriots Oct. 2.

Caldwell is part of a thin free agent crop of receivers, which includes Keyshawn Johnson, Peerless Price, and Josh Reed.

The representatives for Troy Brown, who has generated interest from the Jets, declined comment on Brown's situation yesterday . . . Offensive tackle Tom Ashworth has visited the Jets, Buccaneers, and Dolphins, although industry sources said a fourth team was preparing to enter the bidding last night and that could be a catalyst to consummating a deal . . . Free agent offensive tackle Jason Fabini, who visited with the Patriots, met with the Bills yesterday. The Buccaneers also previously hosted him in Tampa . . . Safety Michael Stone, one of the Patriots' remaining free agents, said the Patriots have made him a contract offer but he's decided to test the free agent market. . . . Receiver Bam Childress, an exclusive rights free agent who spent most of 2005 on the practice squad, signed his tender offer for $275,000 to return to the Patriots.