Free Agency in NFL Means Little, as 13 Rams, 3 Raiders Are Discovering
The contracts of three Raider players and 13 Rams will expire at midnight tonight, but nobody is packing his bags yet.
That’s because free agents in the National Football League have only limited options and, this year, their bargaining position has been further eroded by cutbacks in the United States Football League.
Raiders with expiring contracts are center Dave Dalby, wide receiver Cle Montgomery and linebacker Bob Nelson.
The Rams are linebackers George Andrews and Mel Owens, placekicker Mike Lansford, nose tackle Greg Meisner, defensive back Eric Harris and wide receiver Drew Hill--all starters last season--along with quarterback Steve Dils, offensive linemen Russ Bolinger and Joe Shearin, wide receiver George Farmer, safety Ivory Sully, running back A.J. Jones and linebacker Jim Youngblood.
Dils may be in the best position to improve his situation--from third string with the Rams to starter with the Portland Breakers of the USFL.
It is almost certain, however, that no established starter will change uniforms, except through a trade.
The collective bargaining agreement that established Feb. 1 as the contract expiration date each year also called for compensation in draft choices, according to salary level, due NFL clubs who lose a so-called free agent to another NFL club. And, even if another NFL club signs the player, his original club can keep him by matching the offer.
To preserve those rights, all a club must do is submit a qualifying offer to a player based on a salary scale of tenure by Feb. 1.
“It’s usually $5,000 over what they have to offer,” said Tom DePaso, a staff attorney in the NFL Players Assn. office in Washington, D.C.
The Raiders and Rams said they intend to submit qualifying offers to all 16 players but one, the Rams’ Youngblood, who is expected to announce his retirement. Then, the teams can conduct serious negotiations at their leisure. It’s routine.
“Not one player has changed teams under the system in seven years,” said lawyer Leigh Steinberg, who represents several top players. “There is no free agency in the NFL.”
That’s not entirely correct. A player is free if a club releases him or if none has drafted him, but such players have little bargaining power.
The USFL gave NFL free agents an added option when it started operations two years ago, but that route now seems less viable.
“The USFL has not been aggressive at all in signing NFL players this year,” Steinberg said. “That’s because of the reorganization of some of the teams and just a general cutting down (on expenses).”
DePaso said the days are ending when the USFL drove up NFL salaries by giving veterans a bargaining wedge.
“There are about three teams with money in the USFL,” he said. “Last year, salaries went up 60%. This year, if you got 30% it would be good. There’s not the pressure there.”
For these reasons, the Rams are being somewhat casual in their approach.
Bolinger, an eight-year pro whose experience is valued in a supporting role, has no agent. He said he had heard absolutely nothing from the club.
Agents for some other Rams indicated that negotiations were dragging, at best. Obviously, the Rams aren’t worried about losing anybody they want to keep.
Lansford, for example, made 18 of his last 20 field-goal attempts--including a club-record 13 straight--for the Rams last season.
“The Rams want Mike back and Mike wants to stay there,” Steinberg said. “Mike was very effective for them and, yes, we’re looking for a large boost. Mike did a good job of negotiating his own contract by the way he kicked. It’s just a matter of working out the dynamics.”
Andrews was having a good season until injuring a knee in the 10th game at St. Louis. His lawyer, Jack Mills, said negotiations have not been active recently.
Meisner may be more of a problem. The four-year pro from Pittsburgh, who will be 26 next season, said after the season: “Right now I’ve got a couple USFL teams talking to me. The Pittsburgh (Maulers) team folded (and thus forfeited its territorial rights), so I’m open to anybody (in the USFL).
“At my age you’ve gotta make your money the next three years.”
Dils also is considering the USFL.
“I’ve been talking with Portland, and I’ve been talking to the Rams, as well. (USFL teams) aren’t throwing money around like they were a year ago, but it’s attractive to me. As a starter, I could do better than I could with the Rams.”
The Rams got Dils, 29, from the Minnesota Vikings as Jeff Kemp’s backup when Vince Ferragamo broke his right hand early last season. The Portland team was in New Orleans last year but has the same coach, Dick Coury, and no designated starting quarterback since John Walton retired.