This is a week defined by the draft, beginning with NFL attorneys arguing to an appellate court panel why Maurice Clarett and Mike Williams and seven poseurs should not be in the lottery, and concluding with 255 prospects having officially entered the league.
It is also a week in which the available unrestricted free agents without jobs, admittedly a dubious remnant collection at best, gets booted further into the collective subconscious. Oh, there could be a few last-minute free agent deals before the draft, although, given the pace and presence of the past month, the agreements will offer little of consequence. For the most part, however, the free agents will be out of sight during draft week.
Finishing the second half of the ol' out-of-sight equation, that means the jobless veterans will be out of mind as well. And quite possibly -- and this is where things get tough for those players hanging onto the misguided belief that the next time the phone rings, it's going to be a desperate general manger, offering a seven-figure signing bonus -- out of the league for good.
"The uncertainty, yeah, that makes it hard," acknowledged tailback Stacey Mack, who opened the season with the Houston Texans in 2003 as the starter, before losing his job to Domanick Davis. "It can do a job on you. It's nerve-wracking, for sure, man."
And the draft, with all the accompanying attention it receives, certainly does nothing to reduce the anxiety level of still unemployed veterans. The league's annual initiation rite for rookies can be the equivalent of the last rites for veterans seeking to get into a training camp this summer. With all the new blood coming into the NFL this weekend, the already anemic chances for veterans to collect another season's worth of paychecks will be further reduced, so this is a tenuous and torturous time.
In a purge that is now reprised annually, the influx of promising rookies will result in some broken promises made to veterans by certain franchises, and careers will come to an abrupt end. For dozens of veterans still on ice in the inert unrestricted market, the draft can become the ultimate freeze-out, players and agent acknowledged last week.
Said veteran agent Ralph Cindrich: "Teams will tell you, 'If we don't draft a guy at that position, yeah, we'll be interested in your player.' But you know that the 'if element' is a pretty big one. The draft can knock your guy right off a team's 'to do' list."
Among the unemployed free agents represented by Cindrich is quarterback Jeff Blake, whose 100 career starts will probably get him a contract offer after the draft, especially with so many franchises unsettled at the primary backup spot. On the flip side, finding jobs for clients such as Tim Ruddy and Todd Perry could be a tougher endeavor. The veteran offensive linemen, released by Miami last month, might have an opportunity to return to the Dolphins before camp. But if Miami invests heavily in linemen during the draft, it will mitigate the necessity to bring back both, or even one, of the veterans.
Veteran agent Pat Dye likewise knows that if the Philadelphia Eagles move up in the first round and choose Oregon State tailback Steven Jackson, it likely renders moot the hours he has spent on the phone with club executives, pitching them on client James Stewart.
"With all the focus on the draft," Dye noted, "people lose sight of the fact there are still dozens of (veterans) still out there in limbo."
Further exacerbating angst levels is that, by all standards, this year's unrestricted pool was a treacherously shallow one from the outset. The top unrestricted veterans (relatively speaking) were gobbled up in a wild spending spree and, realistically, the competitive market opened and closed within a frenetic two-week stretch. So the threadbare collection of players still unsigned is arguably more shabby than the remnant of years past.
Of the top 30 unrestricted players rated by ESPN.com at the outset of the signing period, the only player unsigned is linebacker Ian Gold, and his unemployment is more a function of his exorbitant asking price than teams' disinterest in him. Coming off a season ended prematurely by knee surgery, Gold is arguably the best player still available, but will have to get more realistic in his contract demands.
The larger list of "viable" unrestricted free agents kept by ESPN.com, a litany that totaled 64 on March 3, has been whittled to just six. That doesn't take into account the list of so-called "street" free agents, veterans released just before the start of free agency or in the 6½ weeks that have followed, but even that roll call offers only slim pickings.
For the past five years, there has been an average of 75-80 unrestricted free agents who have gone into the market and are ultimately shut out, who never get back into the league again. It appears that average will hold and, in truth, could rise a bit in 2004. The lucky veterans who do find work will certainly find their financial expectations lowered, with most having to settle for minimum base salaries, and probably no signing bonus money.
One prominent general manager, who conceded he is still seriously considering a pair of unrestricted free agents to fill areas where he needs improved depth, emphasized that it is time for players still unsigned to "get realistic" about their plight. He pointed out that the minimum base salary, for most players, is still considerably more than "if they are forced to go out in the 'civilian world' and have to make a living."
"Let's face it, what's left (in free agency) is basically junk, really," said one head coach who is intimately involved in every personnel decision by his team. "Fans are always saying,like, 'Hey, Joe Blow is still (available). Why don't we sign him?' Well, the reason is that most of these guys have more 'name' than 'game' at this point of their careers."
For sure, there are plenty of familiar-name players still seeking work, guys such as quarterback Kordell Stewart, tailbacks Ki-Jana Carter and Dorsey Levens, defensive back Jason Sehorn, offensive lineman Vaughn Parker, defensive ends Chad Bratzke and Tony Brackens, linebackers Mo Lewis and Marvin Jones, among others.
For all of them, however, the clock is ticking. And this week, shoved to the background by all of the draft hype, that clock is going to be even more annoying than that incessant sound of the inexorable second hand on 60 Minutes every Sunday night.
It's draft week, a time for turning college kids into future stars and, in come cases, for turning former stars into memories.
Around the league
One would assume that quarterbacks Kordell Stewart and Jeff Blake, and possibly Chris Redman as well, will be among the first unrestricted free agents signed after the draft. The reason: An alarmingly high nine teams still don't have an established No. 2 passer and the draft certainly won't resolve that shortcoming. Buffalo would prefer to secure Stewart, but he continues to balk, and there are some within the Bills organization who harbor doubts about him. Green Bay wants to fill its void by trading for Tim Couch but, as ESPN.com reported Saturday, there are serious doubts now about whether a deal will be completed. New England seems to be counting on untested Rohan Davey to develop enough in the NFL Europe League to assume the role most recently held by Damon Huard. But that leaves a spate of teams seeking out the paucity of experienced players left at the position, and could create some competition for their services.
Three days before the 2003 draft, the Cincinnati Bengals formally reached agreement on a contract with Southern California quarterback Carson Palmer, first overall selection in the lottery. It might be three days before this year's draft before the San Diego Chargers even initiate substantive negotiations with the agent for the player on whom they settle as the No. 1 choice. But if that is the case, it is difficult to be critical of the club's front office. This is a crucial choice, not only on the field but off it as well, for the organization. There are a variety of disparate dynamics at work in San Diego, where fans have grown both weary and wary of the Chargers, and where the club's long-term future remains uncertain. A player like Eli Manning, on name alone, could help rehabilitate the Chargers' image. But this is also a team that needs a large influx of talent, which has to know that it can sign the No. 1 pick in a fairly expeditious manner, and which has to make the most of an opportunity it doesn't want to have again anytime soon. Under all those circumstances, it's much more prudent to be sure than to be hasty.
Cleveland coach Butch Davis is insistent that he seeks out all viewpoints on personnel decisions, but people who have been in the Browns draft room indicate that in two of the past two lotteries, the voice that he heeded most was the one whispering inside his own cranium. The choice of Notre Dame center Jeff Faine in the first round last year, they say, was especially surprising, given some internal concerns about past injuries. But whatever really transpired in the past is incidental now that Davis has annexed considerable control of the franchise. Team president Carmen Policy is gone, off to grow grapes and make wine in Napa, and wait for 49ers ownership to decide if it wants to sell the franchise. The team's director of business operations, Kofi Bonner, is also exiting. Personnel "consultant" Ron Wolf, angered by Davis' flippant remarks at the recent NFL meetings, followed Policy out the door. In the past two offseasons, Davis jettisoned his defensive coordinator first, then his offensive coordinator. There is a new quarterback. And there is, in essence, a new owner, with Randy Lerner having supplanted his late father. Despite a 22-27 record in three seasons, including a 6-10 mark in 2003, Davis got a phat, two-year contract extension. But in becoming the fulcrum of the organization, Davis also becomes the focus for the Browns, the man most responsible now for every move that is made. On paper, Cleveland is a bad situation, a modest roster and cap-limited team, one that didn't gain much wiggle room even by restructuring the deals of several veteran players. As pointed out last Sunday by ESPN.com, the reworking of defensive end Courtney Brown's deal saved the team less than $1 million on the cap. The bottom line: Davis might face an even more daunting challenge now with the Browns than when he took over a University of Miami program ravaged by scandal in 1995. This is a franchise in transition, some would suggest in a mess, and it is on Davis to get things righted.
In the NFL, what goes around usually comes around, and this year's draft offers yet another example. What is coming around the corner for scouts is, well, cornerbacks from smaller, less-recognized schools, and it definitely represents a time when the regional talent evaluators used to regularly unearth coverage defenders at out-of-the-way places like Alcorn State and Southern. The first-day (and, in some cases, first-round) corners this year should include prospects such as Ricardo Colclough (Tusculum), Joey Thomas (Montana State) and Keith Smith (McNeese State). All are pure single-coverage guys and, according to one college scouting director, there is a valid explanation. "They all come from smaller schools where there isn't as much sophistication, for lack of a better term, on defense," he said. "That's not a knock on their schools, trust me, but they just don't have big (coaching) staffs or the time to work as much individually. So they pretty much just 'man up' on defense and these kids get a lot of exposure to playing 'press' coverage, bump-and-run, whatever. And you've got to love a kid with those skills and with the toughness to play that way."
There is a ton of misinformation tossed around this time of year about high-round draft prospects and one rumor is that Southern California defensive end Kenechi Udeze has a labrum injury that might require surgery and several months of rehabilitation. It's been tough to get a handle on this one. Some teams have denied the report, others feel it has some legs, and one NFC team doctor to whom we spoke acknowledged that his personnel director told him Friday to dig back into Udeze's medical reports. Udeze is expected to be the first or second defensive end to go off the board. There are also reports that Miami defensive tackle Vince Wilfork regained some of the 20 pounds of excess tonnage that he had lost before the combine, where he reported at a relatively svelte 323 pounds. Wilfork, who has been away on his honeymoon, has struggled with weight problems in the past.
Sources tell us that Washington Redskins officials have assured left offensive tackle Chris Samuels that he will be with the team in 2004. Of course, Samuels hasn't quite bought all the way into those promises, because he's a smart guy who knows that the 'Skins often speak with forked tongues. Last week, after ESPN.com first reported that the Redskins had contacted the Oakland Raiders to inquire about the second overall choice in the draft, a team official denied it. Of course, that team officials told one area newspaper the report was "April Fool's Day nine days late," and another it was "eight days late." Hey, since they apparently can't even keep track of what day it is, how can one expect Washington officials to keep track of something as elusive to them as the truth? This week, San Diego general manager A.J. Smith, who has been candid almost to a fault in announcing to the world when some other team phones him about interest in the first pick in the draft, allowed he spoke to Redskins owner Dan Snyder. And, predictably, a 'Skins spokesman denied the report. The bet here is that Washington will stand pat on draft day, and take one of two Miami players (either safety Sean Taylor or tight Kellen Winslow), or move back in the first round. But if Washington is going to move up, let's be honest, it has precious little ammunition at its disposal. Beyond their first-rounder, the Redskins have just fifth- and sixth-round picks. That means having to deal a veteran to move up, and there are only two disposable parts, Samuels or wide receiver Rod Gardner. By the way, the Redskins would actually save $2.09 million on their 2004 salary cap if they traded Samuels before he is due a $1 million roster bonus in July.
Maybe the only thing crazier than the Detroit Lions perhaps wanting to acquire Larry Allen from the Dallas Cowboys is the rumor that Matt Millen and Steve Mariucci would be willing to part with a second-round pick for the used-up left guard. Truth be told, if the Lions really were offering a No. 2 pick for the 10-year veteran, who one way or another won't be back with Bill Parcells in 2004, Dallas is smart enough to have jumped on the proposal before the Lions brain trust regained its senses. Allen will be dealt sometime in the offseason but anyone who gives up more than a middle-round choice to land him is flat-out insane. In the case of the Lions, they are already paying another guard, Damien Woody, $11.5 million in total compensation this year. That included a $9 million signing bonus as an unrestricted free agent. Allen will almost certainly have to restructure his contract no matter where he goes. He is due base salaries of $3.5 million (2004), $4.5 million (2005), $3.5 million (2006) and $2.5 million (2007). There are roster bonuses of $2 million in '06 and $4 million for '07. For the Cowboys to swap Allen, they will have to decide they want to carry a charge of $8.233 million on their 2004 cap, roughly $2.7 million more than he currently costs them. Since the Cowboys are a healthy $10.602 million under the cap, they can probably survive the $2.7 million net impact.
Some people collect Hummel figurines and the Denver Broncos, and coach Mike Shanahan, collect tight ends. The Broncos added two more unrestricted veterans at the position last week, re-signing Patrick Hape and signing O.J. Santiago. A few weeks ago, they added five-year veteran Jed Weaver. Speculation is that Shanahan is loading up at the position because he expects Shannon Sharpe to retire. If that's the case -- and folks close to Sharpe insist he is leaning toward returning for one last hurrah in 2004 -- then Denver better keep bringing in reinforcements. During his 14 seasons, Sharpe has registered 815 receptions, 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns. In their 30 combined seasons, the other five tight ends on the Broncos roster (not counting deep snapper Mike Leach, who never plays from scrimmage, and has zero career catches), have totaled 376 catches, 3,830 yards and 34 touchdowns. Sharpe has 11 seasons of 50 catches or more. The single-season high for any of the other tight ends on the roster is 49 receptions by Dwayne Carswell in 2000.
Speaking of collectables, the Oakland Raiders added another relatively high-profile cornerback this week, signing Denard Walker, recently released by Minnesota after just one season with the Vikings. He joins Ray Buchanan as an older cornerback whom the Raiders hope can make a contribution and perhaps provide some degree of insurance in the event "franchise" player Charles Woodson isn't in training camp on time. But a younger cornerback who might actually offer more relief, and one whose acquisition by the Raiders went virtually unnoticed, is Jacoby Shepherd. The journeyman three-year veteran landed a one-year deal with zero signing bonus and a minimum base salary of $455,000. But rolling the dice on Shepherd, with no investment at risk, might turn out to be as good a move as importing Buchanan and Walker. The much-traveled Shepherd, now with his third team in four seasons, has been little more than a tease to this point in his career. He has a big, live body, runs well, and has flashed a physical bent in the past. Those qualities, alas, have been too often overshadowed by stretches of immaturity and insubordination. But the guy is only 24 years old, there are tools with which to work and, if the Raiders coaches can ever get Shepherd under control and even close to achieving his potential, he could be a contributor. In the meantime, it's obvious that Raiders personnel chief Mike Lombardi learned his lessons well from former Raiders cap guy Bruce Allen, now the Tampa Bay general manager. Allen was adroit at doctoring up what were one-year contract in essence, and making them appear to be more. The five-year, $11.36 million deal that Buchanan signed is basically a one-year contract for $1.36 million. After collecting a $600,000 signing bonus and $760,000 minimum base salary for this season, Buchanan is due a $1 million roster bonus next March, and a $1.5 million base salary for 2005, with base salaries of $2.5 million each 2006-2008. How much of that money do you think he'll see? Walker's five-year contract pays him $1.11 million this season and can be voided after 2004. The final four seasons all feature $1 million roster bonuses and base salaries of $1.5 million, in essence $10 million in Monopoly money. By the way, for those of you scoring at home, this is two weeks in a row we have mentioned Lombardi, whose name was never permitted to appear in print in the past. Guess this means that the Raiders are confirming the NFL's best unknown personnel man actually works for them.
It looks like all 32 teams have enough salary cap room to be able to draft, without having to release players or restructure contracts to have sufficient space under the NFL spending limit. That said, there are five teams with less than $1 million in cap room each, according to union documents. The franchises with the least cap room as of Sunday: Pittsburgh, $781,491; St. Louis, $743,132; Denver, $695,298; Carolina, $690,642; and Oakland, $200,402.
Well, so much for the notion that the restricted free agent trend that was started by the Redskins in 2003 was going to take hold in the 2004 free agency market, huh? Just one restricted free agent -- defensive end Rodney Bailey, who went from Pittsburgh to New England, with the Pats sacrificing a sixth-round choice as compensation -- changed clubs before last Friday's deadline. How bad were things? Minnesota, which went almost up to the deadline in conversations with Washington linebacker Antonio Pierce, mostly a special teams player who Vikings coaches felt had starter's potential, couldn't even get the three-year veteran to sign an offer sheet. Pierce will return to the Redskins, where he likely will continue to be a backup.
Punts: Expect free agent middle linebacker Mike Barrow to make a decision on his future sometime before the draft. Barrow will probably decide between Washington and the New York Giants, who released him earlier this spring. With Washington, he would replace Jeremiah Trotter, who will be released, likely after June 1. . . . The lack of a deal between the Packers and Browns for Tim Couch is largely a function of the quarterback's uncertainty about sitting behind Brett Favre for a couple years. Couch still believes there might be a team that becomes interested in him after the draft. . . . They could well heat up again but, for now, things seem to have cooled a bit on talks that would send Browns disgruntled wide receiver Dennis Northcutt to Denver in a trade for a middle-round pick. . . .In addition to Philadelphia, the San Francisco 49ers are speaking to a couple other teams that want to move up in the first round. It is believed Philadelphia wants to move up to get a shot at tailback Steven Jackson (Oregon State) or linebacker Jonathan Vilma (Miami). . . . The Jets may borrow as much as $600 million to help fund the proposed stadium in Manhattan.
Stat of the week: The seven players selected by Minnesota in the 2003 draft not only all made the regular-season roster, but participated in an incredible number of games. The club's '03 draft class logged a remarkable 109 games of a possible 112 appearances.
The last word: "I've never thought to myself, 'I wish my last name was Smith.' I've always been proud to be a Manning. My dad and my brother have been through some of the same processes and I can ask questions and learn from them. That's just something that you can use to your benefit." -- Eli Manning of Mississippi, the likely first choice in the draft, on having the NFL's most famous quarterback surname.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.