| INDIANAPOLIS — As always, agents, in all shapes and sizes, are
everywhere you look, in great part due to the annual meeting of certified agents that
takes place the Friday of every NFL Scouting Combine. Perhaps the biggest news at this
year’s meeting is the fact the total number of agents is bursting at the seams, which
has resulted in a growing number of them claiming that their clients are being stolen
away. A big part of the problem is the growing number of well-heeled conglomerates that
are shoving the "average Joe" agents out of the mix.
"The NFLPA says it’s the biggest issue out there at the moment, and it
isn’t going to get any better," said veteran Chicago-based agent Jack Wirth, who
has represented 202 NFL players in his 22 years in the business.
Approximately 250 newly certified agents have burst on the scene in the past year,
moving the overall number of agents to roughly 1,700 — an eye-popping figure to say
the least.
"Figure it out," Wirth said. "There are only 1,600 football players, so
you’re talking about over one agent for every player. A lot of these guys just
represent Arena League players, so they can’t be making much money."
Wirth suggests anybody toying with the idea of entering his line of work should think
long and hard before making a commitment. "Unless you want to just make a hobby out
of it and have a lot of money to work with, I would not even think about getting into this
business right now," he said.
New procedures for salary disputes were announced at the Friday meeting. In addition to
arbitrators hearing cases, which has been the standard procedure for grievances, agents
can now take their cases to outside courts if so desired.
Also, players’ financial advisers must be registered with the NFL Players
Association — a crackdown necessitated by notable non-registered reps such as Tank
Blank, whose well-documented wrongdoings landed him in the tank.
The Bengals didn’t meet expectations last season, according to Jim Lippincott, the
team’s director of college and pro personnel. However, Lippincott feels certain the
Bengals have earned respect around the league, shaking the unenviable tag they wore
through much of the 1990s.
"From the (free agents) we’ve already been in contact with," Lippincott
said, "our perception has definitely changed."
According to the Bengals, the change was created by the Bengals’ defense, which
ranked ninth in the NFL last season. Cincinnati is looking to improve that unit early in
free agency, hoping to extend a contract offer to Bears CB Walt Harris today or Sunday.
The Bengals were in the running for Harris’ services last season before Harris
decided to sign a one-year deal with Chicago.
The other free agent Lippincott said the team would be pursuing was Seahawks QB Trent
Dilfer, an unrestricted free agent.
"I think the market for Trent Dilfer is more competitive than some think," he
said. "We like him for his strong arm, accuracy down the field, and he was 19-1 in
his last 20 starts."
Lippincott was right about the level of interest in Dilfer. Before the Bengals were
able to make their pitch for him, Seattle reached agreement to re-sign the veteran
quarterback to a four-year deal that would elevate him to the Seahawks’ starting job,
ahead of Matt Hasselbeck.
With Dilfer no longer available, the Bengals are believed to be considering Elvis
Grbac, Chris Chandler or Drew Bledsoe.
Tampa Bay GM Rich McKay says the soap opera is definitely over in Tampa Bay. After
threatening to leave the organization during the team’s tenuous search for a head
coach to replace Tony Dungy and appearing to have a major falling-out with the Glazer
family, which owns the team, he feels the hiring of Jon Gruden away from the Raiders has
healed all wounds.
"It was a unique ordeal that I really wasn’t prepared for, and our overall
lack of preparation showed," said McKay, who paid an impromptu visit to the Combine
interview area at the Convention Center. "But I’m very comfortable with the
result and am excited by the opportunity to work with Jon. I’m good with the owners.
I’ve spent a lot of time with them recently, and things are back to the way they
were.
"I like our football team. When you look past everything that’s happened, we
still have some pretty good players."
McKay was asked if Gruden will be able to patch up the differences between two of those
players, WR Keyshawn Johnson and DT Warren Sapp, a situation that reared its ugly head
late this past season.
"I think the bottom line on those two guys is that they’re very good football
players, and I think Jon knows that their situation needs to be addressed," McKay
said. "It’s definitely not something that you can pretend didn’t come to
the surface."
McKay also said that WR Reidel Anthony, who became one of the first players to switch
teams on the first official day of free agency, when he was signed by the Redskins along
with former Giants LB Jessie Armstead, could prosper with a change of scenery.
New Redskins head coach Steve Spurrier coached Anthony at the University of Florida.
"His time with us should have been much more productive, but for whatever reasons,
it wasn’t," McKay said. "He’s got some great ability, and he has a
real good chance to succeed in Washington."
With several players who are projected to land in the first round deciding to pass on
full workouts in Indianapolis, Northwestern RB Damien Anderson made the most of his
showcase.
Though he wasn’t scheduled to run the 40 until today, Anderson answered any
questions about his ailing shoulder Friday, when he did 27 reps of 225 pounds on the bench
press. Anderson, 5-10 and 211 pounds officially, said the feat was especially rewarding
because the biggest question surrounding the running back was the health of his torn left
labrum, which was surgically repaired in November. It seems NFL clubs received a
resounding answer to that concern, and Anderson now has a clean bill of health.
Projected as one of the top two running backs in the 2002 draft, Boston College RB
William Green matched Anderson with 27 reps, and Tennessee FB Will Bartholomew (5-11, 243)
pumped up 35. Nebraska OG Toniu Fonoti (6-4, 349) had 32.
Anderson and most running backs and receivers run the 40 today. The spotlight will be
on Hawaii WR Ashley Lelie and Virginia Tech WR Andre Davis, both of whom have run under
4.3 in private workouts.
"I’ll get 4.3 … or better," Lelie predicted with a smile Friday
night.
New Panthers head coach John Fox gave solid support to two of his big-name players, QB
Chris Weinke and DT Sean Gilbert. On Weinke, Fox said that he’s been impressed with
Weinke thus far in the evaluation process and that he thinks Weinke has a bright future in
the league. As for Gilbert, Fox expects a rejuvenation of sorts. "Last year was
probably (Gilbert’s) best season as far as injuries went. I think he’s a guy who
Mike Trgovac, our DL coach, might (light a) fire under. And I think he’s got a lot
left in this league. So he was a guy we decided to keep, and he helped us as far as
getting under our salary cap. I’m looking for big things from him." Fox also
said he believes the Panthers will not be major players in free agency, at least early on.
Compared to past years, when many players refused to work out at the Combine, this year
a different trend may be developing. And it’s a good one at that, at least for the
NFL scouts and coaches. Early word from the workouts indicates that while players have
preferred in the past to work out under their own conditions, all but one offensive
lineman ran the 40 early today.
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