Redskins restructure Davis’ deal

By Nolan Nawrocki, Associate editor

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Friday, August 2, 2002

• The Redskins renegotiated a new five-year contract for RB Stephen Davis to create $750,000 of cap room and reduce his cap figure for the upcoming season. Davis, 28, had originally signed a nine-year, $91 million deal through 2008. The new deal runs through 2006.

• The Green Bay Packers have signed free-agent WR Chris Jackson. To make room for the newcomer, rookie PK Rob Bironas was placed on waivers. Jackson originally signed with the Seahawks as a free agent in 1998 and spent the majority of the next two seasons on the Seahawks' practice squad. He then spent a short stint with the Titans before suffering a back injury and being placed on injured reserve.

Thursday, Aug. 1, 2002

• The Ravens have reportedly reached an agreement with Ravens MLB Ray Lewis on what is believed to be a seven-year contract worth almost $50 million, including a $19 million signing bonus. The signing bonus will go down in the NFL annals as the largest in the history of the NFL and pay the defensive signal-caller like a quarterback. Lewis, 27, was the team’s first-round draft choice in the 1996 draft and has been a force since entering the league. The new deal should clear more than $1 million in salary cap space, which could allow the Ravens to re-enter the chase for free-agent DT Sam Adams. The team is also believed to be close to reaching a contract extension with OLB Peter Boulware. Coincidentally, Lewis, Boulware and Adams are all represented by the agent tandem of Roosevelt Barnes and Eugene Parker, which could help Adams’ chances of rejoining his former team.

• The Packers signed OG Jeff Blackshear, an eight-year NFL veteran who was out of football last year. Blackshear has started 96 games in an NFL career that began with the Seattle Seahawks in 1993. He was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in ’96 and started 57 straight games at one point. He last played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2000, starting 15 games. The Packers waived P Scott Elder to make room for Blackshear on the roster.

Wednesday, July 31, 2002

• The Redskins signed free-agent DT Daryl Gardener to a one-year deal Tuesday that could be worth as much as $1.8 million if incentives are reached. The deal includes a $250,000 signing bonus and a salary of $525,000. The Redskins cited the need to have a solid front four as a bigger factor than Gardener’s history of back problems and clashes with teammates and coaches. Gardener, who has had two career-threatening back operations in the last two years, will line up next to 353-pound Dan Wilkinson. Santana Dotson will become a rotating backup. Gardener will join the team for practice next week after the team returns from its game in Japan. The presence of Gardener and Wilkinson should keep blockers away from new MLB Jeremiah Trotter, much the same way that Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa protected Ray Lewis for Redskins defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis in Baltimore.

• Chiefs franchise free-agent TE Tony Gonzalez had a lengthy phone conversation with Chiefs president Carl Peterson on Tuesday, but the All-Pro tight end was still a no-show at training camp. The impasse started over money but has escalated into Peterson’s demand that Gonzalez give up his pursuit of a dual career in the NFL and NBA. Peterson has withdrawn an offer that included an $8 million signing bonus and told Gonzalez he will not consider a long-term contract unless the tight end agrees to quit basketball. Gonzalez will have to sign a one-year tender for $3.05 million or sit out the year.

• The Jaguars waived PK Jaret Holmes on Tuesday and signed DE Mike Cecere. Holmes, who handled kickoffs and kicked one extra point in the Jaguars’ final four games last year, was one of three kickers trying to replace Mike Hollis, who signed as a free agent with the Bills. The other two are seventh-round pick Hayden Epstein and first-year man Derek Schorejs. Cecere spent the 2001 preseason with the Jets after going undrafted. He was with the Panthers this preseason before being cut two weeks ago.

• The Bucs signed RB Dicenzo Miller to a one-year contract and released OG Howard Duncan Tuesday. Miller, waived Monday by the Titans, originally signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State.

Tuesday, July 30, 2002

• Former Dolphins DL Daryl Gardener is expected to choose between the Redskins and Broncos today. Gardener is believed to have especially liked the Redskins after spending three days visiting the team last week. He also has family on the East Coast, but the Broncos are believed to have a better offer on the table. Gardener likely will sign an incentive-laden contract with a minimal signing bonus and veteran’s minimum salary.

• The Rams locked up RB Marshall Faulk with a seven-year, $44 million deal that should keep him in St. Louis until the end of his career. The contract includes a signing bonus of $9.3 million. Faulk was entering the fourth year of a seven-year, $45.15 million deal he signed with the Rams after he was traded to the team in 1999. With 2002 being an option year, where Faulk could have chosen to void the final three years of his contract, the club decided to rework his contract to be more cap-friendly and keep Faulk in St. Louis for good.

• The Rams cut DE Lamanzer Williams Monday and quickly signed DE Keith Washington to replace him. The team signed Williams on Thursday, the day before they arrived in Macomb, but he struggled on the field the first two days, in part because he was suffering from tonsillitis. Washington originally signed with the Bears as a free agent in 2001 before being released during training camp. He had also been invited to the Panthers' camp this season.

• Saints QB Aaron Brooks finally reported to training camp after missing the first three days due to his discontent with the final year of his contract. The remaining year was originally worth $350,000 but jumped to $450,000 after the collective bargaining agreement extension kicked in last season.

Monday, July 29, 2002

• Saints QB Aaron Brooks did not report to training camp for reasons that Saints general manager Mickey Loomis believes are related to a contract holdout. Brooks is in the final year of his contract, making the league minimum of $400,000. The Saints have made an offer to Brooks and received a counteroffer from Brooks’ agent, Andre Colona. Loomis, who assumed the GM job after Randy Mueller was fired May 9, said he spoke to Colona Wednesday, and Colona told him Brooks had no problem waiting to negotiate a new deal. After the Saints’ first training-camp practice, head coach Jim Haslett said he did not understand why Brooks or his agent failed to call and inform the team of his intended absence. With Brooks absent, Saints backup QB Jake Delhomme took a majority of the reps at practice. Brooks’ holdout doesn’t appear as though it will help his status, with Loomis saying that the team will not negotiate with anyone who is not in camp while under contract."

• Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson said Sunday that he is rescinding his long-term contract offer to TE Tony Gonzalez until Gonzalez gives up his dream of playing in both the NFL and the NBA. Peterson, who for years has bitten his tongue while Gonzalez played in summer basketball games, said Gonzalez’s basketball career detracts from his commitment to the Chiefs. Gonzalez, who suffered an ankle injury while playing for the Miami Heat’s summer-league team, is holding out for WR-type money. He turned down a long-term deal that included a signing bonus of about $8 million. Now his options appear more limited. Peterson said he advised Gonzalez’s agent that the only contract option is a one-year tender for a little more than $3 million, which labels Gonzalez as the Chiefs’ franchise player.

• The Colts signed free-agent DE Raheem Brock on Sunday. Brock, a seventh-round pick of the Eagles in April, had his rights relinquished by the Eagles last week. His father, Zachary Dixon, played in the NFL from 1979 to ’84 with the Broncos, Giants, Eagles, Ravens and Seahawks.

• The Lions signed DT Bill Duff and RB Jonas Lewis Saturday. Duff entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the 49ers in 1998 and was later waived. He played five games with the Browns in 1999 and was allocated to NFL Europe’s Berlin Thunder in 2000. He played for the Thunder for two seasons before joining the Orlando Rage of the XFL in ’01. Lewis entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the 49ers in ’00. He played 10 games with the 49ers in ’00 and one game in ’01.

• The Jets signed free-agent WR Mike Furrey, who was with the Colts in 2000 and had 74 catches and a team-leading 1,055 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Arena Football League’s New York Dragons this season. The Northern Iowa product also played for the Las Vegas Outlaws of the now-defunct XFL last year.

• The Eagles signed undrafted free agent DE Daryl Whittington to a one-year contract. The 6-5, 265-pound Whittington — the brother of Bengals DE Bernard Whittington — played linebacker and defensive end at Missouri.

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

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