HEAV
04-01-2005, 07:49 AM
Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain and the Kansas City Chiefs have agreed in principle to a multiyear contract extension that includes an eight-digit signing bonus provided a trade between the teams can be worked out, sources said. The Chiefs reportedly are offering a fourth-round draft choice while the Dolphins are believed to be insistent upon a selection in the first three rounds.
"If someone else wants to work a business deal for [Surtain] to be on their team, fine," Dolphins coach Nick Saban said Thursday. "But we will not compromise on our price. I'm not going to tell you what that is, but it's not to be compromised."
Trevor Pryce, the Broncos' four-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, could be released soon if the team cannot find a suitable trade partner, according to a source. The Broncos, who were involved in a flurry of personnel activity this week, are trying to free salary cap space and have been working for two months to move Pryce. A third option would be for the eight-year veteran to accept a substantial pay cut to remain with Denver. That option seems unlikely, however, which could lead to Pryce's outright release.
Sources within the Chiefs have said the team has no desire to only draft a cornerback this year and hope that player develops. The Chiefs also have talked with former New England standout Ty Law, but Law will not have screws removed from his surgically repaired right ankle until May.
Joe Gibbs, who is also president of the Redskins, said the club continues to solicit offers for wide receiver Rod Gardner and confirmed that discussions have taken place with safety Sean Taylor, who fired his agent after signing with the club as a rookie last year and is seeking alterations to his contract. Gibbs initially was hopeful that a deal for Gardner would be completed by now, expressing optimism about the degree of interest in the former first-round pick, but the market for him has been relatively stale, league sources said. While a handful of teams inquired about Gardner, the Redskins are seeking at least a third-round pick, and no one has been willing to offer as much to this point.
Jaguars DT Marcus Stroud hasn't gotten a contract extension yet, but he's still due to get a big raise this season in the final year of the five-year contract he signed as a rookie in 2001. Stroud, whose cap number was $1.9 million last year, will jump to $3.6 million this year even if he doesn't get a new deal because of the various bonus clauses in his contract, including a $1.5 million escalator clause and a $782,000 option bonus. Stroud currently has the fourth-highest cap number on the Jaguars' 2005 roster behind only defensive end Reggie Hayward, a free-agent signee, at $7.55 million, wide receiver Jimmy Smith at $5.3 million and safety Donovin Darius, who signed the franchise tender guaranteeing him $4.9 million. Like Darius, Stroud wants a new deal and he has said he wants to become the highest paid defensive tackle in the game. The two sides have been negotiating for seven months. Paul Vance, the Jaguars' senior vice president/football operations, and Stroud's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Thursday that "negotiations are continuing'' and declined to characterize the status of the talks. If Stroud doesn't get a new deal by the end of the year, he'll become an unrestricted free agent, but the Jaguars will probably have the option of placing the franchise tag on him since they're unlikely to use it on Darius for the fourth consecutive year.
Dolphins Nick Saban said there was no update on the status of retired tailback Ricky Williams, who recently spoke with him about the possibility of rejoining the Dolphins. "I can tell you he's in India and I haven't talked to him, so I don't have any new information based on that," Saban said.
WR Curtis Conway did not arrive at One Buc Place on Thursday but is expected to visit this weekend. The 34-year-old played in 16 games with the 49ers last season, his 12th in the league, catching 38 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns.
Free agent defensive tackle Chris Hovan, the Vikings' first-round pick in 2000 who struggled the past two seasons, signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday. An announcement was posted on the team's website late in the day. Tampa Bay needed to add depth at tackle after free agent Chartric Darby signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and Hovan is expected to compete for a starting spot.
The Lions signed free agent running back Jamel White, the team announced Thursday. Terms of the deal were not released. White, 5-feet-9, 208 pounds, has rushed for 1,406 yards on 376 carries in five seasons. He also has 170 receptions. White, 27, will likely compete for a third-string or special-teams role in Detroit. An undrafted free agent in 2000 out of South Dakota, White eventually ended up with the Cleveland Browns and played four seasons as a backup tailback and kickoff returner.
A police officer admitted during more than three hours of cross-examination Thursday that the sobriety tests he administered to Rams defensive end Leonard Little last year varied from established police procedures. Nonetheless, Officer Gregory Stork, a 13-year veteran of the Ladue force, testified in St. Louis County Circuit Court he had no doubts whatsoever that Little was drunk when Stork pulled him over on Highway 40 near Lindbergh Boulevard.
Ravens QB Kyle Boller, who spent part of yesterday at M&T Bank Stadium teaching football drills to contestants from the Miss USA pageant, will not be the only quarterback adjusting to change. Thirteen teams will enter the 2005 season with a different offensive coordinator. Boller's adjustment figures to be less daunting, considering Jim Fassel, hired in January to replace Matt Cavanaugh, was at least with the team as a consultant last year. Fassel and Rick Neuheisel, who was hired in January as quarterbacks coach, have already started in on Boller. The Ravens began their three-month conditioning program this week, and Boller is expected to spend three to five days a week working with the coaches to improve his third-down completion percentage (.529 last year) and his accuracy on intermediate and deeper throws.
Giants TE Jeremy Shockey remained absent from the voluntary workouts. He has been in Miami since the start of the program. Giants management, per team policy, had no comment about Shockey's absence, although missing the workouts are often frowned upon. "I talked to Jeremy about a month ago and I knew he wasn't going to be here for a little while," RB Tiki Barber said. "He's got some things that he's getting right with himself down in Miami. "He'll be fine. It doesn't concern me."
Jags coach Jack Del Rio also said he hasn't yet talked with safety Donovin Darius to discuss whether Darius plans to participate in the offseason program. Del Rio previously said he wants to make sure Darius, who's unhappy with getting the franchise tag three years in a row, is committed to the team before he joins the program.
Reggie Fowler's attempt to buy the Vikings is going well, one of his prospective front-office members said Thursday. "Everything's going great; we've just got to get (NFL) approval," said fellow Arizonan John Mistler, who is expected to be part of Fowler's management team if the league approves the approximately $600 million sale. "I'm confident it will get done. We're just moving forward, plugging along every day, in contact with all the parties, going through the natural process. There is ongoing dialogue." Asked if there's a time frame, Mistler said, "Call Reggie." A call was placed to Fowler. As usual, he was unavailable.
Free agency may have long since wound down for other NFL teams, but the Seahawks still are active. They welcomed defensive back Omare Lowe, a Maple Valley native who played at Tahoma High School and the University of Washington, to team headquarters in Kirkland for a visit yesterday. Lowe, who turns 27 later this month, last played for the New England Patriots. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back was activated for one game last season and spent several weeks on the practice squad. Lowe was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2002 draft. He has also been with the New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans.
University of Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle will make a pre-draft visit to Dolphins headquarters. Armelia Rolle said her son will have a workout Tuesday with the Dolphins, who have the second overall selection in the NFL draft. Rolle also has agreed to pre-draft workouts with San Francisco, which selects first, Detroit (10th), Houston (13th) and Carolina (14th). Armelia Rolle said her son, who is regarded as one of the draft's top defensive backs, declined individual workouts with the New York Jets and St. Louis. She also said the only players the 49ers are hosting for individual workouts besides Rolle are Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards and quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (California) and Alex Smith (Utah). UM running back Frank Gore also is among the local draft prospects slated to work out Tuesday for the Dolphins. Gore also will work out for Tennessee.
Dolphins coach Nick Saban made one thing very clear: There's no discount on cornerback Patrick Surtain. ''We have a [trade] value which we will not compromise on,'' Saban said during a roundtable discussion Thursday with South Florida media. ``If someone else wants to work a business deal for him to be on their team, fine, but we will not compromise on our price.'' Saban's comments were in response to a report by Sports Illustrated earlier this week that Kansas City had offered only a fourth-round pick for Surtain. The Chiefs are the primary suitor for Surtain at this point. Saban said he would be happy to have Surtain back next season and has not been the one pushing for the deal.
Gov. Mitch Daniels proposed what could be the final piece of a deal to build a Colts stadium Thursday -- a new 1 percent restaurant tax throughout the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
WR Plaxico Burress met the local media for the first time as a Giant. He said he turned down the team's first offer because his former agent, Michael Harrison, misled him. "He gave me the numbers, but you're not just looking into that -- the six years, $25 (million)," Burress said. "You're looking at all the things in between. And he didn't thoroughly explain all those things to me." Harrison did not return phone calls. Burress said he was impressed with coach Tom Coughlin during the negotiations.
The Green Bay Packers are looking into the possibility of signing Kansas City free agent LB Monty Beisel. The Packers are one of four teams that have interest in signing the 26-year-old Beisel, a former defensive end who made the transition to linebacker in 2002 and started nine games last season. Beisel is scheduled to make an official visit with the Packers during the middle of next week, after visiting New England.
Like the Pirates, the Steelers maintain that any memorabilia pertaining to their team and being held by the Allegheny HYP Club was given as a loan, not a donation. The items, which include dozens of pieces of Pirates and Steelers memorabilia, were on display at the Allegheny Club in Three Rivers Stadium. When the stadium was razed, the Allegheny Club lost its home and eventually filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As part of the bankruptcy settlement, the memorabilia has been ordered to be sold to satisfy debts. The Allegheny Club has since merged with the Pittsburgh HYP Club. Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett yesterday said that it is considered common knowledge among team officials that any Steelers items with the Allegheny Club were for display purposes only and still belonged to the team.
"If someone else wants to work a business deal for [Surtain] to be on their team, fine," Dolphins coach Nick Saban said Thursday. "But we will not compromise on our price. I'm not going to tell you what that is, but it's not to be compromised."
Trevor Pryce, the Broncos' four-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, could be released soon if the team cannot find a suitable trade partner, according to a source. The Broncos, who were involved in a flurry of personnel activity this week, are trying to free salary cap space and have been working for two months to move Pryce. A third option would be for the eight-year veteran to accept a substantial pay cut to remain with Denver. That option seems unlikely, however, which could lead to Pryce's outright release.
Sources within the Chiefs have said the team has no desire to only draft a cornerback this year and hope that player develops. The Chiefs also have talked with former New England standout Ty Law, but Law will not have screws removed from his surgically repaired right ankle until May.
Joe Gibbs, who is also president of the Redskins, said the club continues to solicit offers for wide receiver Rod Gardner and confirmed that discussions have taken place with safety Sean Taylor, who fired his agent after signing with the club as a rookie last year and is seeking alterations to his contract. Gibbs initially was hopeful that a deal for Gardner would be completed by now, expressing optimism about the degree of interest in the former first-round pick, but the market for him has been relatively stale, league sources said. While a handful of teams inquired about Gardner, the Redskins are seeking at least a third-round pick, and no one has been willing to offer as much to this point.
Jaguars DT Marcus Stroud hasn't gotten a contract extension yet, but he's still due to get a big raise this season in the final year of the five-year contract he signed as a rookie in 2001. Stroud, whose cap number was $1.9 million last year, will jump to $3.6 million this year even if he doesn't get a new deal because of the various bonus clauses in his contract, including a $1.5 million escalator clause and a $782,000 option bonus. Stroud currently has the fourth-highest cap number on the Jaguars' 2005 roster behind only defensive end Reggie Hayward, a free-agent signee, at $7.55 million, wide receiver Jimmy Smith at $5.3 million and safety Donovin Darius, who signed the franchise tender guaranteeing him $4.9 million. Like Darius, Stroud wants a new deal and he has said he wants to become the highest paid defensive tackle in the game. The two sides have been negotiating for seven months. Paul Vance, the Jaguars' senior vice president/football operations, and Stroud's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Thursday that "negotiations are continuing'' and declined to characterize the status of the talks. If Stroud doesn't get a new deal by the end of the year, he'll become an unrestricted free agent, but the Jaguars will probably have the option of placing the franchise tag on him since they're unlikely to use it on Darius for the fourth consecutive year.
Dolphins Nick Saban said there was no update on the status of retired tailback Ricky Williams, who recently spoke with him about the possibility of rejoining the Dolphins. "I can tell you he's in India and I haven't talked to him, so I don't have any new information based on that," Saban said.
WR Curtis Conway did not arrive at One Buc Place on Thursday but is expected to visit this weekend. The 34-year-old played in 16 games with the 49ers last season, his 12th in the league, catching 38 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns.
Free agent defensive tackle Chris Hovan, the Vikings' first-round pick in 2000 who struggled the past two seasons, signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday. An announcement was posted on the team's website late in the day. Tampa Bay needed to add depth at tackle after free agent Chartric Darby signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and Hovan is expected to compete for a starting spot.
The Lions signed free agent running back Jamel White, the team announced Thursday. Terms of the deal were not released. White, 5-feet-9, 208 pounds, has rushed for 1,406 yards on 376 carries in five seasons. He also has 170 receptions. White, 27, will likely compete for a third-string or special-teams role in Detroit. An undrafted free agent in 2000 out of South Dakota, White eventually ended up with the Cleveland Browns and played four seasons as a backup tailback and kickoff returner.
A police officer admitted during more than three hours of cross-examination Thursday that the sobriety tests he administered to Rams defensive end Leonard Little last year varied from established police procedures. Nonetheless, Officer Gregory Stork, a 13-year veteran of the Ladue force, testified in St. Louis County Circuit Court he had no doubts whatsoever that Little was drunk when Stork pulled him over on Highway 40 near Lindbergh Boulevard.
Ravens QB Kyle Boller, who spent part of yesterday at M&T Bank Stadium teaching football drills to contestants from the Miss USA pageant, will not be the only quarterback adjusting to change. Thirteen teams will enter the 2005 season with a different offensive coordinator. Boller's adjustment figures to be less daunting, considering Jim Fassel, hired in January to replace Matt Cavanaugh, was at least with the team as a consultant last year. Fassel and Rick Neuheisel, who was hired in January as quarterbacks coach, have already started in on Boller. The Ravens began their three-month conditioning program this week, and Boller is expected to spend three to five days a week working with the coaches to improve his third-down completion percentage (.529 last year) and his accuracy on intermediate and deeper throws.
Giants TE Jeremy Shockey remained absent from the voluntary workouts. He has been in Miami since the start of the program. Giants management, per team policy, had no comment about Shockey's absence, although missing the workouts are often frowned upon. "I talked to Jeremy about a month ago and I knew he wasn't going to be here for a little while," RB Tiki Barber said. "He's got some things that he's getting right with himself down in Miami. "He'll be fine. It doesn't concern me."
Jags coach Jack Del Rio also said he hasn't yet talked with safety Donovin Darius to discuss whether Darius plans to participate in the offseason program. Del Rio previously said he wants to make sure Darius, who's unhappy with getting the franchise tag three years in a row, is committed to the team before he joins the program.
Reggie Fowler's attempt to buy the Vikings is going well, one of his prospective front-office members said Thursday. "Everything's going great; we've just got to get (NFL) approval," said fellow Arizonan John Mistler, who is expected to be part of Fowler's management team if the league approves the approximately $600 million sale. "I'm confident it will get done. We're just moving forward, plugging along every day, in contact with all the parties, going through the natural process. There is ongoing dialogue." Asked if there's a time frame, Mistler said, "Call Reggie." A call was placed to Fowler. As usual, he was unavailable.
Free agency may have long since wound down for other NFL teams, but the Seahawks still are active. They welcomed defensive back Omare Lowe, a Maple Valley native who played at Tahoma High School and the University of Washington, to team headquarters in Kirkland for a visit yesterday. Lowe, who turns 27 later this month, last played for the New England Patriots. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back was activated for one game last season and spent several weeks on the practice squad. Lowe was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2002 draft. He has also been with the New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans.
University of Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle will make a pre-draft visit to Dolphins headquarters. Armelia Rolle said her son will have a workout Tuesday with the Dolphins, who have the second overall selection in the NFL draft. Rolle also has agreed to pre-draft workouts with San Francisco, which selects first, Detroit (10th), Houston (13th) and Carolina (14th). Armelia Rolle said her son, who is regarded as one of the draft's top defensive backs, declined individual workouts with the New York Jets and St. Louis. She also said the only players the 49ers are hosting for individual workouts besides Rolle are Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards and quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (California) and Alex Smith (Utah). UM running back Frank Gore also is among the local draft prospects slated to work out Tuesday for the Dolphins. Gore also will work out for Tennessee.
Dolphins coach Nick Saban made one thing very clear: There's no discount on cornerback Patrick Surtain. ''We have a [trade] value which we will not compromise on,'' Saban said during a roundtable discussion Thursday with South Florida media. ``If someone else wants to work a business deal for him to be on their team, fine, but we will not compromise on our price.'' Saban's comments were in response to a report by Sports Illustrated earlier this week that Kansas City had offered only a fourth-round pick for Surtain. The Chiefs are the primary suitor for Surtain at this point. Saban said he would be happy to have Surtain back next season and has not been the one pushing for the deal.
Gov. Mitch Daniels proposed what could be the final piece of a deal to build a Colts stadium Thursday -- a new 1 percent restaurant tax throughout the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
WR Plaxico Burress met the local media for the first time as a Giant. He said he turned down the team's first offer because his former agent, Michael Harrison, misled him. "He gave me the numbers, but you're not just looking into that -- the six years, $25 (million)," Burress said. "You're looking at all the things in between. And he didn't thoroughly explain all those things to me." Harrison did not return phone calls. Burress said he was impressed with coach Tom Coughlin during the negotiations.
The Green Bay Packers are looking into the possibility of signing Kansas City free agent LB Monty Beisel. The Packers are one of four teams that have interest in signing the 26-year-old Beisel, a former defensive end who made the transition to linebacker in 2002 and started nine games last season. Beisel is scheduled to make an official visit with the Packers during the middle of next week, after visiting New England.
Like the Pirates, the Steelers maintain that any memorabilia pertaining to their team and being held by the Allegheny HYP Club was given as a loan, not a donation. The items, which include dozens of pieces of Pirates and Steelers memorabilia, were on display at the Allegheny Club in Three Rivers Stadium. When the stadium was razed, the Allegheny Club lost its home and eventually filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As part of the bankruptcy settlement, the memorabilia has been ordered to be sold to satisfy debts. The Allegheny Club has since merged with the Pittsburgh HYP Club. Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett yesterday said that it is considered common knowledge among team officials that any Steelers items with the Allegheny Club were for display purposes only and still belonged to the team.