NFL Notes : Anybody Know Who the <i> Real</i> Holdouts Are?

The agent likes to tell the story about his veteran player, for whom he thought he had worked out a great contract.

“It’s all done,” he told the player. “Just sign and you’ll be ready to start camp.”

“Hold off a little,” the player replied. “Let’s keep it going for a few weeks.

As the list of veteran holdouts from NFL camps continues to remain high, it’s hard to tell how many are real and how many are the kind denoted above--the holdout prompted by the veteran who’s had enough of two-a-day practices in 98-degree heat and humidity.

In fact, many NFL coaches have reason to be relatively happy this year about attendance at training camps. Most of the rookies, who need time to familiarize themselves with new systems, signed early; veteran holdouts, who already know those systems, can report with a couple of weeks left and be ready for the opener.

The large number of veterans out is due in large measure to last year’s strike and the suit that ensued from it. Until three weeks ago, when Judge David Doty ruled that they still belonged to their teams, most of the high-priced veterans held off from signing.

But how many are serious holdouts?

Some certainly are--or were--like Willie Gault of the Bears, who was dealt to the Raiders a week ago; Tim McKyer and James Griffin of the 49ers; Ron Solt of the Colts and Mike Merriweather of the Steelers, who’s already in one of those bitter public fueds that has Coach Chuck Noll muttering:

“He’s out of sight, out of mind. I don’t know whether he’ll play this year. We’ll get the people ready we have here.”

Then there are Chip Banks of the Chargers and Carl Banks of the Giants, unrelated except in the fact that they’re both premier linebackers.

Chip Banks is a perenial holdout--malcontent might be a better word--and was traded by the Browns last year for that reason. Now he wants to go to the Raiders because they seem to be trading for everyone else--like Gault and Jim Lachey.

“I hope he’s kidding,” says his agent, Harold Daniels.

The tipoff on Carl Banks, whose attitude is 180 degrees opposite from Chip, is that he’s already signed to do a radio show in New York starting in late August. Despite a lot of rhetoric--his agent, Dr. Charles Tucker, says he’s prepared to sit out the season if he doesn’t get his $1 million a year--chances are good that he’ll be signed by then.

In fact, Carl Banks’ holdout may have already benefitted the Giants, who think Lawrence Taylor is having the best training camp of his eight-year career. Why? He’s jealous that Banks made All-Pro last year and he made only second team and he wants to become the team’s best linebacker again.

While a few NFL owners poormouth, they’ve quietly been paying this year’s crop of rookies about 10 percent more on average than last year’s.

Some examples:

San Diego’s Anthony Miller, the 14th pick this year, is getting about $1.775 over four years while John Clay got $1.5 million from the Raiders after being picked at the same spot. Ironically, Clay was just traded to the Chargers in the Lachey deal.

This year’s No. 9, Dave Cadigan of the Jets, is getting $2.075 million. Last year’s No 5, Mike Junkin of the Browns, got $1.732 million.

And this year’s 11th pick, Michael Irvin of the Cowboys is getting $1.875 million; last year’s Shawn Knight of the Saints, $1.675 million.

This comes after three years of declining salaries--the owners started cutting back in 1985, when the USFL, in its final throes, ceased competing for players.

“I think they looked at the balance sheet,” says Leigh Steinberg, who represented Cadigan this year and Knight last year. “The television revenue is good, there’s not going to be a strike and the coaches want their guys in camp. It’s turned out to be a good year.”

Steve Young’s performance in last Sunday’s London showcase has intensified the talk that Joe Montana may be on his way out of San Francisco. But continued hard feelings between owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. and Coach Bill Walsh may block a deal.

“I think Bill would trade Joe if he had a backup quarterback and job security,” says one source close to the situation. “I think he thinks he’s solid with Young.”

The backup might be John Paye, the ex-Stanford star who sat out last year while his sore arm was healing.

But job security may be hard to come by in the last year of Walsh’s contract.

After three straight maulings in the first round of the playoffs, DeBartolo has become disenchanted with what he thinks his Walsh’s haughty demeanor and is less inclined to think of his two-time Super Bowl-winning coach as the genius he’s supposed to be.

DeBartolo is particularly miffed about last season, when San Francisco, whose 13-2 record was the best in the league, was summarily thrashed by Minnesota, 36-24 in its first playoff game.

“It wouldn’t have been so bad if they’d been 9-6 or 10-5,” says the source. “But Eddie thought Bill had a powerhouse.”

The Colts and Bucs are both interested in the rights to Ron Brown, who “retired” from the Rams to pursue a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. He didn’t get it and might be willing to return to football if the price is right.

The problem is, the Rams’ price probably isn’t. They want a No. 1 draft pick for a man whose only true skill is kick returning--he lacks the hands of a top-level wide receiver.

When the Lions and Saints worked out against each other in La Crosse, Wis. this week there were at least three separate fights.

There was also this motivating--disparaging?--comment from Coach Jim Mora of the Saints, who were 12-3 last season to Detroit’s 4-11.

“C’mon, fellows, don’t walk, run,” he told his players on Wednesday.

“You look like the Lions walking around.”