GREEN BAY, Wis. -- No matter what the plan is for Julius Peppers this season, the expectations arent changing for the oldest player on the Green Bay Packers roster.Its not like were going to put him out to pasture or sit him over on the bench a whole lot, general manager Ted Thompson said Wednesday.Peppers is beginning his 15th NFL season; whether this will be the final one for the 36-year-old defensive stalwart isnt known.Of more immediate attention, as the Packers prepare to play their first preseason game Friday night against the Cleveland Browns, is just what role Peppers will have when the season starts in a month.Peppers is listed as a starter on the depth chart this week. But another former first-round draft pick, Nick Perry, not Peppers, has been taking most of the reps at the outside linebacker spot opposite Clay Matthews in Green Bays base defense early in training camp.Defensive coordinator Dom Capers said reining in Peppers has been by design.I think we know what Julius is capable of, so youll probably see limited reps of Julius with where he is, Capers said. Youve seen that through training camp thus far, so its enabled Nick to get a lot of reps. We have a number of guys there that we need to see and take a good look at.While Perry is relishing the extra work as he looks to put an injury-marred first four pro seasons behind him, Peppers isnt saying much about the apparent role reversal. In fact, he hasnt spoken to reporters in the locker room since the first couple of days of camp, which opened July 26.Peppers declined to talk as he walked out of the locker room after practice Wednesday.As long as he can stay healthy, which hes been since the teams offseason program in the spring for the first time in his career, Perry is expected to have a bigger role in Green Bays defense this season.Hes a physical guy, very good player against the run, and he can use that physicality and size, and hes got a couple pass-rush moves that hes very good at, Capers said.Perry has yet to play a full season, but the Packers saw enough production at the end of last season to re-sign him to a one-year contract.This is home for me, said Perry, who led Green Bay with 3 + sacks in its two playoff games. For those guys to believe in me and know that Ive got more to give, it just puts everything in perspective on whats to come. Theres unfinished business here, and were just trying to get to that.As for Peppers, the Packers are hopeful he will remain as productive as ever, even if his role is diminished.Hes a marvelous player and a very gifted, athletic specimen, the likes of which I dont know that Ive ever seen, Thompson said.Peppers had a team-high 10 + sacks last season, moving him to No. 9 on the NFLs all-time sacks list with 136. He also was selected to the Pro Bowl for the ninth time.Thompson wouldnt say whether the team will try to maximize Peppers production in the final year of a three-year, $26 million contract by reducing his workload.I think certainly you can make that argument that that would be a logical conclusion, Thompson said. I dont know. I think it just kind of depends. I think you pick your spots and you use players that are extraordinary, which Julius is, in a certain way.Game notes Matthews (ankle) and WR Randall Cobb (calf) were held out of the Packers final open practice before Fridays game. Among those still sidelined were QB Brett Hundley (ankle), LB Jake Ryan (hamstring) and C JC Tretter (illness). . Long snapper Jesse Schmitt watched practice with a cast on his broken right hand. Schmitt suffered the injury while making a block on his first snap in a punt drill in his first practice with the team Tuesday night. The Packers signed Schmitt, an undrafted rookie from Purdue, to compete with incumbent Rick Lovato. Schmitt didnt know if surgery would be needed.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLETwaun Moore Jersey . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Jahlil Okafor Pelicans Jersey . 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The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. The New Orleans Saints acquired defensive end Chris McCain in a trade with the Miami Dolphins on Monday.The Dolphins will get a conditional seventh-rounder, according to a league source.The trade was first reported by the NFL Network and later confirmed by McCain on Twitter.The Dolphins were deep at defensive end, which put McCain on the roster bubble and ultimately made him expendable. They have starters Cameron Wake and Mario Williams, who have combined for eight Pro Bowls, along with veteran backups Jason Jones and Andre Branch.McCain (6-foot-5, 236 pounds) has pass-rush ability and can play a variety of special teams. His two signature plays in Miami were a blocked punt during his rookie season and a sack of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.The Dolphins signed McCain as an undrafted rookie in 2014. He played in 18 career games and registered seven tackles and two sacks. New Saints tight ends coach/assistant head coach Dan Campbell is familiar with McCain after serving as the Dolphins interim head coach last year.Its unclear if the Saints expect McCain to push third-year pro Kasim Edebali for a starting job or if they were just looking for depth and special-teams help. But the Saints have essentially been in the market for pass-rush help since back in March -- a need that became even greater after second-year defensive end Hauoli Kikaha went down withh a knee injury this summer.ddddddddddddNew Orleans apparently decided to look outside the building for help after being disappointed with its most recent preseason results. Coach Sean Payton called the pass rush very concerning after Fridays preseason loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.For the amount of times they threw the ball, our ability to affect the quarterback was poor, said Payton, who also hinted on Monday that the Saints would be looking outside the building for help over the next week.This next 10-day period, theres gonna be some good football players that shift from one team to another via a lot of different ways, be it from trade, be it waiver claims and/or free agency, Payton said.The Saints also addressed another one of their top trouble spots Monday, signing veteran offensive lineman Khalif Barnes after a tryout.Barnes, 34, spent the past seven seasons with the Oakland Raiders after spending his first four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has played in 151 games with 117 starts.Its unclear what his role will be in New Orleans since the 6-6, 320-pounder has played both tackle and guard. The Saints most pressing need is at guard, but they might also be looking for a versatile swingman to provide backup at both spots. ' ' '