Raiders Get NFL Backing in Dispute Involving 13 Potential Free Agents

The National Football League’s Management Council is backing the Raiders in a contract dispute involving 13 potential free agents, a council spokesman said Wednesday.

The council believes that the 13 players are not free agents, even though contract renewal notices were not filed in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, according to spokesman John Jones.

“These things crop up from time to time,” Jones said. “Our position is that the players were notified, but if they’re concerned, they should file a grievance.”

The NFL Players Assn. says the 13 players, including three starters--defensive backs Mike Haynes and Stacey Toran and linebacker Matt Millen--should be free agents because the team failed to advise the union in writing by June 1 that it desired to re-sign them.

The Raiders sent notification of renewal to individual players, but not to the NFLPA, as the agreement requires. Dick Berthelsen, legal counsel to the union, said Monday that notification from the Raiders arrived at NFLPA headquarters that morning, five days beyond the deadline.

Also involved are defensive backs James Davis and Zeph Lee; offensive linemen Brian Holloway, Mickey Marvin, Dean Miraldi, Chris Riehm, Dwight Wheeler and Steve Wright; running back Steve Strachan; and defensive lineman Mitch Willis.