Quarterback Flutie Given Permission From Rams to Talk With Other Teams

The Rams have granted former New Jersey General quarterback Doug Flutie permission to talk to other National Football League teams about playing this season, a team spokesman said Friday.

Flutie, who was the Rams’ 11th-round draft choice in 1985, reportedly has worked out a deal with Generals owner Donald Trump, and will soon be released from his contract.

Flutie, a star at Boston College, signed a six-year, $8.5 million personal services contract with Trump to play for the Generals of the United States Football League.

When the USFL received only $3 in damages in its recent lawsuit against the NFL, the USFL temporarily ceased operations. Players were freed to sign with the NFL. But Flutie’s contract was guaranteed, and he chose instead to sit out the year and collect $1.3 million in salary.

But Friday, Flutie’s agent, attorney Bob Woolf, said he worked out an oral agreement with Trump to release Flutie, who would leave having made $3 million for one season’s work.

“We wanted to close out the situation with Donald Trump,” Woolf said. “We figured the NFL would be less reluctant to sign him now that he’s free.”

The Rams, who own Flutie’s rights, are not interested in signing the quarterback. But a team spokesman said Friday that Flutie could contact other NFL teams. It would then be up to that team to contact the Rams and work out a deal. Teams in need of quarterbacks include Green Bay, San Francisco, New Orleans and Pittsburgh.

“I hope the Rams will be reasonable,” Woolf said. “Right now, I think they’re looking for a second-round pick. But I don’t think they’ll be unreasonable.”