Sticker shock

Current free agents to find unfriendly open market

With the draft over, team rosters are starting to approach capacity, and there simply aren't many good financial opportunities for veterans looking for work. There are great opportunities for the clubs, though. It's a buyer's market and unless players can find a few clubs willing to bid for their services, they are in for a salary shock.

Wide receiver Michael Westbrook has announced that he's ready to go to another team since the Redskins have lost interest, but what kind of money can he expect now that 34 receivers were taken in the draft? Jacquez Green took Westbrook's spot in Washington for a $225,000 bonus, and to add insult to injury, Reidel Anthony signed on with the team for no bonus. After Sean Dawkins jumped to the Vikings for the minimum, the chances of a big pay day for Westbrook are looking slim.

Quarterback Jeff Blake settled in Baltimore for the veteran minimum of $750,000. At this point in Blake's career, opportunity may be worth more than short-term money. Chris Redman will likely struggle, and Blake will get a shot to come off the bench and reinvent his career just like Trent Dilfer did in Baltimore two years ago. Dilfer moved on from Baltimore to Seattle and was recently handed a $4 million bonus and the Seahawks' starting job. I'm fairly confident the same thing will happen to Blake, but I bet the Ravens won't let him go like they let Dilfer leave.

Recently cut Bears QB Shane Matthews is going to find out how tough it is to find work at a good salary now that the Redskins don't appear to want him. He may want to consider waiting until training camp starts before hooking on with a club.

On draft day, Minnesota picked up Hunter Goodwin to be the second tight end in their two TE offense. During the winter the Vikings gave Byron Chamberlain a $1.75 million bonus to secure his talents; they got Goodwin for $650,000 and no cash up front. Speaking of tight ends, the Patriots traded up in the first round to get Colorado's Daniel Graham. He may be the next Shannon Sharpe and will play a lot in 2002. But it was an odd pick considering that New England signed two tight ends during free agency, Cam Cleeland and Christian Fauria. But when I studied the contracts closely, I quickly saw that Cleeland got a no signing-bonus deal with a $450,000 salary. He was cheap and he's good! On Thursday, Tony McGee became a free agent when the Bengals released him. With 17 tight ends drafted, McGee needs to be prepared to take a big pay cut.

Defensive back Ken Irvin just signed a no signing-bonus deal with the Saints for the minimum wage. Granted, $200,000 of this contract is guaranteed but why not? From the club's point of view, Irvin comes relatively cheap and he's a good bet to make the team. Green Bay reeled Gilbert Brown and Tyrone Davis back to the Pack for minimal one-year deals after the draft. The way the veteran minimums are now that's the best those two players could do.

Which leads me to some of the unsigned veterans out there. Former Jets defensive end Eric Ogbogu didn't have much interest come his way before the draft. But a number of teams didn't get their defensive end needs met in the draft. That has changed the fortunes of a young man looking for work. In one week he's gone from nowhere to a hot commodity. Now the Redskins, Rams and Bengals are trying to sign him and he could even end up with a decent signing bonus. All it takes in pro football is to have more than one team want you and the money will show up.

But if the multiple-team phenomenon doesn't happen, then it's time to take what you can get or sit tight until late August when injuries or poor rookie performances become factors. Minnesota may move on without Gary Anderson, their future Hall of Fame kicker. Anderson probably couldn't find a team out there willing to give him a signing bonus right now but in early September he could have three or four teams after him.

Can he wait? That's the question. Morten Andersen signed with the Chiefs in March and only received a $25,000 bonus. The waiting game soon will be a tactical consideration for some veterans.

These players looking for work will have to absorb one more shockwave when June 1 rolls around and more veterans join the ranks of the unemployed. If Michael Westbrook gets offered half of what he wants now, he ought to take it because when come June he'll be competing with the likes of Keenan McCardell and at that point the clubs will have choices again. My advice to these players is simple: Don't judge your salary demands on what you used to earn. Those days are over until you play like a Pro Bowler again.

Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNNSI.com.

 

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