PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Green Bay Packers voted against the NFL allowing a defensive player to wear a radio headset in his helmet during games, but the measure passed by a 25-7 margin Tuesday at the NFL meetings.

One defensive player will be allowed to wear a helmet similar to what the quarterback wears on offense, allowing coaches on the sideline to communicate directly with them. Should that first defensive player leave the game, another can be designated to also have the device, but two players who have headsets cannot be on the field simultaneously.

Coach Mike McCarthy said the Packers voted against the measure for the third straight year because of "the practicality" of "the mechanics" of using the headsets on defense.

The Associated Press reported the other teams to vote nay were Seattle (Mike Holmgren), Tampa Bay (Jon Gruden), Oakland (Lane Kiffin), Philadelphia (Andy Reid), St. Louis (Scott Linehan), Washington (Jim Zorn) -- all teams with coaches with offensive backgrounds. To pass, the measure needed 24 yes votes out of the 32 league's teams.

"I think the intent is excellent, and I understand what the committee is trying to do as far as communication. I think the practicality of it is what is in question," McCarthy said. "I've been opposed to it since Day One."

The measure passed this year after failing the past two years in large part because of the New England Patriots' "SpyGate" scandal, in which coach Bill Belichick had video personnel taping opponents' defensive signals. The communication device would eliminate the need for such signals, although McCarthy said "there are other ways" to keep that from happening.

Nonetheless, McCarthy said the Packers will use the system, with middle linebacker Nick Barnett the logical player to wear it since he stays on the field nonstop, in both the base and sub packages. One of the safeties could be the other player to have one.

Quarterback protection

The Packers' regular-season opener Sept. 8 on "Monday Night Football" may very well end up being the night the team retires quarterback Brett Favre's No. 4, and the night would seem tailor-made for such a ceremony.

But McCarthy acknowledged having that event coincide with Aaron Rodgers' first NFL start might not be ideal for his new quarterback.

"It isn't like we haven't talked about that or thought about that," McCarthy said. "Ideally, the coach always wants to protect the player. I think that's a very common, natural reaction to this situation. But also, if you go the other way, we're trying to win the world championship.

"To me, Aaron's going to get to play in that type of (high-pressure) atmosphere coming out of the gate. That's a positive. That's a positive. And it's a double-positive because it's the first game of the year. ... To me, it's a great opportunity to prepare him for playoff football.

"We're able to talk about it, but I don't think (Rodgers' situation) is a big enough issue for me to stop (the ceremony). ... I have respect for Brett Favre's career. Are we going to let this guy look over his shoulder and create pressure for Aaron Rodgers? I'm not going to let it. (But) when Brett comes out of that tunnel, I'm going to be clapping just like the other 75,000 people. I'm going to be happy to see him, and I would think Aaron would be, too. But we're going to play football that night, and (Rodgers) is going to be our quarterback."

Mandatory minicamp set

McCarthy has altered his offseason schedule by moving the mandatory minicamp to June 17-19 -- after the organized team activity practices in May and June instead of before the OTAs, as it had been before.

"I think it's a better way. It's a better teaching progression," McCarthy said.

After the April 26-27 NFL draft, the rookie picks and undrafted free agents will have a three-day rookie orientation camp. Twelve OTA sessions will follow in late May and early June, and then all players will be required to attend the full-squad minicamp. Training camp begins in late July.

"We leave June as a football team, as opposed to coming together as a football team in May. I always felt like we kind of splintered off at the end of OTAs," McCarthy said. "They will be exposed (during OTAs) to everything they'll be asked to do in that minicamp."

Extra points

Wide receiver Ruvell Martin signed his one-year, exclusive-rights free-agent tender, leaving halfback Ryan Grant as the lone remaining exclusive-rights free agent yet to sign. General manager Ted Thompson said earlier in the week that there are "on-going conversations" about a longer-term deal. ... The Packers' two restricted free agents, defensive tackle Colin Cole and running back Vernand Morency, remain unsigned as well after being tendered. ... Thompson left the meetings Tuesday afternoon but said before his departure it had nothing to do with him trying to duck his impending NFL executive of the year award presentation, which was to be today at the NFC coaches breakfast. Thompson, who doesn't like the kind of individual attention the award would bring, said he'll receive the award another time.