Tillman chooses Army over NFL

By Nolan Nawrocki, Associate editor

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Friday, May 24, 2002

• Cardinals unrestricted free-agent S Pat Tillman, a two-year starter at free safety, is enlisting in the Army for three years rather than signing with an NFL team. He wants to go through boot camp and join the elite Rangers program with his younger brother, Kevin, an infielder who spent last year with the Cleveland Indians’ organization. Tillman, a California native who was married two weeks ago and returned from a honeymoon in Bora Bora on Monday, talked to Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill, head coach Dave McGinnis and defensive coordinator Larry Marmie in separate interviews on Wednesday. The veteran safety spurned a $9 million, five-year offer sheet from the St. Louis Rams in 2001 and allowed a multiyear deal with the Cardinals to sit on the table this spring despite agent Frank Bauer’s urgings to sign. At age 25, Tillman never tired of football but felt his hand was forced by the military’s age restriction on entry in special-forces units. Bauer said Tillman hopes to resume his NFL career when his enlistment is up.

• Veteran LB Robert Jones signed a one-year deal, believed to be worth the veteran minimum of $750,000, with the Packers on Thursday after being released by the Texans earlier this month. Jones became expendable in Houston after just three weeks on the team when the Texans signed LB Allen Aldridge, who can also handle long-snapping duties. Jones, 32, played on three Super Bowl champion teams in four seasons with the Cowboys and then spent two seasons with St. Louis, three with Miami and one with Washington. He has 974 tackles and eight sacks in his 10-year career. Jones is expected to compete with second-year veteran Torrance Marshall for a starting job.

• Rams unrestricted free-agent RB Robert Holcombe agreed to terms with the Titans on a multiyear contract worth about $4.4 million Thursday. The Titans are still waiting to hear from Eddie George’s backup last season, Skip Hicks, who was also extended a contract offer. Holcombe played in 58 games for the Rams with 22 starts in the backfield. He will reunite with Titans RB coach Sherman Smith, who recruited Holcombe to the University of Illinois. The Titans also agreed to terms with QB Chris Sanders. He played in three exhibition games for Tennessee last season and most recently played for Roanoke in arena football league2.

• The Bucs secured more depth for their offensive line by re-signing unrestricted free-agent OT Pete Pierson to a one-year contract. Pierson has served mainly as a backup with the Bucs, starting 21 of 100 games. He was a fifth-round draft pick in 1994 and has the second-longest tenure of any player in Tampa Bay after SS John Lynch. Earlier this week, the Bucs signed veteran OT Roman Oben.

Thursday, May 23, 2002

• The Titans have extended contract offers to unrestricted free-agent RBs Robert Holcombe from the Rams and Skip Hicks, who backed up Eddie George last season. Titans general manager Floyd Reese is prepared to sign both backs but is hoping to sign one at the least. Hicks rushed for 341 yards on 56 carries last season and flashed his potential in a game against Green Bay, when he turned in a 142-yard performance. Buried on the depth chart behind Marshall Faulk and Trung Canidate, Holcombe rushed for just 42 yards on 13 carries but was a solid special-teams performer. He also has the ability to double as a fullback, as he proved when he bulked up to play that role for the Rams two years ago. The Titans have also expressed continued interest in signing unrestricted free-agent C Kevin Long.

• The Raiders signed WR Matthew Hatchette and OL Tom Ackerman on Wednesday. Hatchette had two catches for 44 yards for the New York Jets last season after signing a two-year, $1.6 million contract but was released by the Jets this spring. Hatchette spent the first four seasons of his career with Minnesota as the No. 3 receiver behind Randy Moss and Cris Carter. Ackerman was released in March by New Orleans. He played 78 games at center, guard and tackle for the Saints, who exposed him in the expansion draft and then dropped him when he refused a pay cut.

Wednesday, May 22, 2002

• Former Bears OT Blake Brockermeyer is visiting the 49ers today for a second physical examination. Brockermeyer, who played through shoulder and knee injuries last year with the Bears and underwent surgery after the season to repair a damaged rotator cuff and alleviate an arthritic condition in his knee, could be a 49er before the end of the day if he is cleared by San Francisco’s medical staff. Brockermeyer, 29, visited the 49ers a week after being released by the Bears on April 5 in a cost-cutting move. Earlier in the offseason, he also visited the Broncos, who went on to sign free-agent OT Ephraim Salaam. If signed, Brockermeyer is expected to vie for the starting job at left tackle with Derrick Deese to protect QB Jeff Garcia’s blind side.

• The Seahawks signed former Washington State QB Ryan Leaf to a one-year contract believed to be worth the veteran minimum of $525,00, a day after he was released from the Cowboys. After failed stints in San Diego, Tampa Bay and Dallas, Leaf passed a physical examination with the Seahawks and will get another chance in the state where he rose to prominence with the Cougars. With the Cowboys last season, Leaf was 0-3 as a starter and completed 45-of-88 passes for 494 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. In his four-year career, he has a 4-17 record as a starter. Seattle head coach and general manager Mike Holmgren, who had talked to the Cowboys for almost a month about trading for Leaf, is wiping the slate clean for him. Holmgren has liked him for a long time. Leaf, who was given a $11.25 million signing bonus by the Chargers after they selected him second overall in the 1998 draft, was also extended a contract offer by the San Diego Riptide, an Arena Football League 2 team. The Riptide offered the former Charger a standard AFL2 contract: $200 a week, plus a $50 bonus per win.

• Former Vikings WR Cris Carter announced his retirement Monday, ending a decorated and tumultuous 15-year career in which he caught more than 1,000 passes and 129 touchdowns. He leaves without a Super Bowl ring after failing to sign with another team following his split with the Vikings. He blew his best chance when he tried to postpone a meeting with the Rams while he was in Cleveland talking to the Browns. The Cleveland deal fell through, the Rams refused to reschedule and the Dolphins passed. He will join HBO’s "Inside the NFL" show as a co-host, joining Bob Costas, Dan Marino and Cris Collinsworth.

Signings:

CAROLINA PANTHERS: Signed QB Casey Crawford to a one-year, $375,000 contract.
MIAMI DOLPHINS: Signed WR Shawn Terry.

Tuesday, May 21, 2002

• The Seahawks have shown interest in signing QB Ryan Leaf after he was released Monday by the Cowboys. The Cowboys gave Leaf a three-year, $2 million contract last year and he earned $500,000 in the 2001 season. The Seahawks would like to sign Leaf to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum, giving him the chance to compete with seventh-round draft pick Jeff Kelly and free-agent QB Ryan Van Dyke for the No. 3 spot. Trent Dilfer is expected to start with Matt Hasselbeck backing him up.

• The Bills have awarded FB Larry Centers a contract extension after he led the team in receptions with 80 and was voted to his third Pro Bowl. Details were not released, but Centers will likely be given more guaranteed money and a contract that will extend through the 2003 season. Last year, Centers signed a two-year contract worth about $2 million with incentives.

Undrafted free-agent signings:

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Signed LB Victor Ellis.

Signings:

BALTIMORE RAVENS: Re-signed CB James Trapp to a one-year contract.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Signed OT Roman Oben to a one-year contract believed to be worth the veteran minimum.

Monday, May 20, 2002

• The Bucs have reportedly reached an agreement with free-agent OT Roman Oben but are waiting to announce the decision until Oben officially signs. Since being released by the Browns in a salary-cap move earlier in the offseason, he has drawn interest from the Ravens and Bucs. Oben worked out with the Bucs last week and also visited the team two year ago, when they were seeking a left tackle to replace Paul Gruber. Oben was drafted by the Giants and played his first four seasons in New York before signing with the Browns in 2000. He was the Browns’ starting left tackle until late last season.

• The Dolphins have shifted their focus at the DE position from former Ravens DE Rob Burnett to Marco Coleman of the Redskins and Jay Williams of the Panthers. Both are expected to be June 1 cap casualties. The word on Burnett is that he is asking for too much money. Coleman’s price tag is not likely to be much cheaper after he refused to take a pay cut in Washington. Williams is expected to be squeezed out of a job with the talk of moving No. 2 overall draft pick Julius Peppers to the LDE position.

Undrafted free-agent signings:

DENVER BRONCOS: Signed QB Nick Rolovich.

Got scoop?  Drop a line to associate editor Nolan Nawrocki at nnawrocki@primediasi.com.

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