Raiders Trade for a Cornerback; NFL Old-Timers Win Some Benefits

The Raiders Tuesday acquired cornerback Lionel Washington from the St. Louis Cardinals for an undisclosed draft choice, thought to be a middle-rounder.

Washington, who lost his starting job last season, has 18 interceptions in 36 NFL starts. Cardinal Coach Gene Stallings was said not think highly of Washington’s support on running plays, but the Raiders don’t care about that if a cornerback can cover a receiver one-on-one.

“The Raiders line up and pressure the quarterback,” Stallings said. “The defenders can line up and just run with the receivers. Lionel can do that.”

Washington, 26, plays the same side as Lester Hayes. A Raider source said the team still expects Hayes to be the starter.

The NFL owners announced Tuesday that they are establishing a $40-million pool to provide a pension program for the “pre-’59ers,” the players who played all or part of their careers before the present players’ program began.

A group of 948 players will be eligible, including Hall of Fame members such as Sammy Baugh, Bronko Nagurski and Marion Motley. They’ll receive $60 per month per year in the league.

“The only reason it happened is because we made it such an issue,” Gene Upshaw, the NFL Players Assn. executive director, said. “We deserve a heck of a lot of credit for this.”

And if the owners say that this is $40 million less the players should ask for, what then?

“I don’t see this $40 million as part of the collective bargaining agreement,” Upshaw said.