National Football League

Redskins GM: team might re-sign TE Chris Cooley

Published Sep. 7, 2012 8:17 p.m. ET

foxsports

Washington Redskins general manager Bruce Allen said he'll consider re-signing tight end Chris Cooley.

The Redskins released Cooley on Aug. 28 after he spent eight years with the team.

''We've left the door open with Chris and continue to have dialogue,'' Allen said speaking at The National Press Club on Friday. ''I'm supposed to get together with him again next week just to talk about things. But, absolutely, the door is open.''

Cooley has caught 428 passes for 4,703 yards and 33 touchdowns in his career, including eight catches for 65 yards last season. Injuries limited him to five games in 2011 and the Redskins plan to use Fred Davis as their starting tight end.

Allen was asked whether the Redskins have considered changing their nickname.

''No,'' he said sternly.

Allen framed his team's season opener with the New Orleans Saints on Sunday as a matchup of teams that have had problems with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

''We did have an issue with the commissioner regarding $36 million,'' Allen said. ''But the team we're playing this week has a bigger issue with the commissioner.''

The NFL removed $36 million in cap space from the Redskins over two years for overpaying players during the 2010 uncapped season. The league also fined and suspended current and former members of the Saints for their roles in the team's bounty program.

Allen said he believes coaches should get more than three instant-replay challenges per game if their first three are correct, and that the NFL should be open to hiring women on-field officials.