White Tees Off on Many Topics : Pro football: During conference call, Packer defensive end criticizes new rule on intentional grounding and questions ability of new teammates.

His new team, the Green Bay Packers, is not scheduled to begin throwing people around for at least another week.

Apparently, Reggie White couldn’t wait.

White, the NFL’s highest-priced free agent, bullied his way through a national conference call Thursday and when he was finished, he held the early league lead with three sacks.

In 20 minutes, White ripped the league’s new intentional-grounding rule, questioned the integrity of the owners and implied that his fellow Packer defenders were less than talented.

And he is not even supposed to report to training camp until July 17.

“Everybody knows I’m one who don’t mind sticking my neck out for anything,” White said.

Everybody knows now.

White, a seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end with the Philadelphia Eagles, was signed by the Packers this spring to a four-year deal worth $17 million, including $9 million this season.

He is the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. It is surely only coincidence that the only people in the league who make more money were the targets of his first shot.

“Every year, it seems, they put in a new rule to protect the quarterback,” he grumbled.

This year’s new rule, approved at the owners’ meeting in May, allows a quarterback to throw a ball to anywhere beyond the line of scrimmage without being called for intentional grounding.

In other words, all it will take for most quarterbacks to avoid a sack this year is a functional throwing arm.

“That’s frustrating. . . . (Owners) never put in a rule to help defensive linemen,” said White, who has averaged 15.5 sacks a year in eight pro seasons.

“(Quarterbacks) are the highest-paid players in the league, so I know why (owners) are doing it. They want to protect their interests. But the game on the field shouldn’t be dictated by owners. That hurts everybody all around.”

White says the new rule could even decide games.

“It could come on a play that I could make to win a game,” he said. “Maybe one play that causes a fumble or something. It’s frustrating to see the league make rules and the players not be able to do anything about it.”

White was reminded that as part of the NFL’s new labor agreement, players will be represented on the owners’ competition committee. He was asked if he would like to join that committee, which recommends rules changes.

“I don’t think they’ll want me,” he said. “That is probably why I’m not in Philadelphia. I am a man of principles. I’ll say what I believe in a minute. I’ll do everything I can to stand up for everybody I can.

“Some guys don’t want to be with somebody who is not afraid to call them to the table on certain issues.”

White admitted that at Randall Cunningham’s wedding this spring, he called Eagle owner Norman Braman to the “table” for a brief confrontation. White was publicly critical of Braman’s economic practices before leaving the team.

“Yes, I spoke to him, but I didn’t say much,” White said. “I had to keep my composure.”

When it comes to his memories of the Eagles, it will obviously be difficult for White to check his emotions.

When asked if the Packers’ defensive talent equals the Eagles’ league-leading defenses, he chose not to be diplomatic.

“Well, I can’t really say that it does. . . . I can’t say that it equals it. . . . We had some extreme talent on that defensive side, you know,” White said.

White then implied that the Packers’ defense, which ranked 23rd in the 28-team league last year, was simply not very good.

“This situation kind of reminds me of San Francisco. When you look at Ronnie Lott, he had some extreme ability . . . but the guys they surrounded him with were not that talented defensively,” he said.

Of his new teammates, he said: “The defense may not have a whole lot of potential to be superstar athletes.”

Not that the Packers, who closed their offices early Thursday and were unavailable for comment, should be surprised to hear any of this.

Earlier this summer, when talking about the addition of White, Packer Coach Mike Holmgren said: “In the locker room and emotionally, he brings a presence to the team, an air of confidence.”

So far, so good.