Marshall’s Move Won’t Start Parade : Most in NFL Expect Free Agent Changes to Remain Minimal

The extraordinary effort by the Washington Redskins to acquire a 25-year-old linebacker made National Football League history last week, but the first sampling of opinion among players and team officials on Wilber Marshall’s departure from the Chicago Bears is that it will not start a trend of free agents changing teams.

When the Bears said late Friday afternoon they would not match the Redskins’ $6-million contract offer, Marshall became the first free agent since 1977 to change teams. While most acknowledged that the Redskins’ luring of Marshall will make it easier for some players to move around the league and raise their salaries, there was debate about how widespread the practice will be on the part of both teams and free agents.

“One player moves to another team, that’s essentially what it is,” New York Giant General Manager George Young said. “It’s hard to say if it’s a trend. Logically, it shouldn’t be. But I learned a long time ago we don’t necessarily follow logic or we wouldn’t be paying the prices we’re paying.”

Chicago will receive two first-round draft choices over two seasons from the Redskins as compensation for Marshall, a 230-pound, four-year veteran who has been to the Pro Bowl twice. Chicago will receive a first-round pick in next month’s NFL draft and one in 1989.

Despite the existence of hundreds of free agents, Marshall is the only player to make such a move since a 1977 collective-bargaining agreement established compensation for free agency. The only other player to change teams was defensive back Norm Thompson, signed by the Baltimore Colts in 1977.

Many claim the compensation system has hindered movement by players, and the NFL players union has taken the league to court in an antitrust suit. NFLPA legal counsel Dick Berthelsen contends the NFL system of free agency is illegal.

“Marshall is one case out of 500,” Berthelsen said. “With 500 free agents, there’s not a heck of a lot of first-round draft choices to be spent.”

There was some speculation that the Redskins’ offer to Marshall could set off a bidding war for free-agent talent among more liberal-spending owners. Dallas Cowboy President Tex Schramm pointed out that teams in a position like the Redskins, with low first-round draft choices and not much value for those picks, might consider this option to get better talent.

“I think that teams at the end of the draft certainly might look at that,” he said.

However, Schramm said the Cowboys were not considering a similar effort at this point.

And on the subject of bidding wars, he said, “We’ve had owners in our league who have been more practical in the past.”

Redskin center and free agent Russ Grimm was heartened by the precedent, but said he did not foresee wholesale movement around the league. He cited owners’ hesitancy to bid against each other as a main reason.

“I really don’t see it moving too many things around,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to open the gates to lots of players. It’s good to see there can be this kind of movement, but I just don’t think owners are ready to start a bidding war against each other.”

Berthelsen labeled as “ridiculous” owners’ claims that Marshall’s move to the Redskins proved the league system works.

Marshall is expected to report to minicamp on May 9, which was welcome news to many Redskins players. But his salary of about $1.2 million a year may raise some eyebrows in the champions’ clubhouse. Marshall becomes the highest paid defensive player in the league, and also the highest paid player on the Redskins. Quarterback Jay Schroeder was previously the highest paid at $900,000.

Whether that will be a sensitive issue remains to be seen. For the moment, the Redskins appear glad to have such talent joining the defense.

Said running back Keith Griffin: “Right now (Marshall is the highest paid Redskin), but you never know, next it could be Doug Williams. (Marshall) is a great player and if he can get what he got, more power to him.”

But Griffin added he did not think the owners would be willing to give up valuable draft picks for average talent, so Friday’s action will only affect a few prized players.

Marshall led Chicago in tackles in 1986, and was the third-leading tackler last season. The Bears’ coaching staff thought Marshall was their best all-around player. With Mike Singletary turning 30 and Otis Wilson turning 31, they have given up some extremely valuable youth in Marshall, and receiving what Bears defensive coordinator Bill Tobin called, “more like two second-round picks.” He added, “We’re not in the catbird seat” of the draft.

Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs said his team has had essentially the same linebacking corps the last seven years. Marshall may infuse an elite quality and new youth it has lacked. He can also line up at either outside position, and was the key man in the Bears’ blitzing defenses.

“He’s that young, dynamic type player that we haven’t been able to add (at that position) in recent years,” Gibbs said at the NFL meetings this week in Phoenix. “We still feel like we have good linebackers. But we’ve had the same starters there for seven years, and we needed a younger guy there.”