Lions Sign Ware; Dilweg to Start Against Rams : Pro Football: Seau reluctantly signs $4.5-million Charger contract. NFL clubs cut toward today’s limit of 60.
Some players became reluctantly rich and others reluctantly unemployed Monday as the NFL training camp door revolved toward reducing rosters to 60 players by today. And, in a somewhat bizarre move, New Orleans Saint quarterback Dave Wilson cut himself.
Andre Ware, who could give the Detroit Lions two Heisman Trophy winners in the same backfield, ended his holdout by signing a four-year contract worth an estimated $1.2 million per year.
Ware, who passed up his senior season at the University of Houston after setting 26 NCAA records in 1989, was the Lions’ first choice in the NFL draft.
“I’m sorry this took so long to get done,” Ware said. “I hope I can earn the respect of the all the fans.”
The Lions’ top draft pick last year, running back Barry Sanders, held out even longer than Ware. Sanders didn’t report to camp until two days before the season-opener. Sanders won the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma State in 1988.
In Green Bay, the Packers named Anthony Dilweg their starting quarterback for their Sept. 9 opener against the Rams.
Holdout quarterback Don Majkowski led the Packers to a 10-6 record last season and was named to the Pro Bowl. As of last week, Majkowski was seeking about $1.8 million per season and the Packers were offering $1.25 million.
In San Diego, Junior Seau, who opted to leave USC after his junior season and was drafted in the first round by the Chargers, ended his holdout by signing a five-year, $4.5-million contract that he felt left him underpaid.
Seau will make an average of about $900,000 a year. A signing bonus of $1.8 million is included.
He had sought a salary similar to the $1.2-million average annual salary of linebacker Keith McCants, Tampa Bay’s first-round selection.
“I went for the market (rate) and I lost,” Seau said. He paused and then added, “It’s not a loss. You know what it is? It’s ego. It hurts. You just go on and you have to swallow (pride).”
Seau was joined in active status by Atlanta tackle Chris Hinton, whose four one-year contracts will pay him $1.1 million annually; Chicago defensive lineman Steve McMichael, who had sought renegotiation from $500,000 to $800,000 for this season; and San Francisco center Jesse Sapolu, whose contract extension will bring him $276,000 this season.
At New Orleans, Wilson, a former Saint starter, decided he was going to be cut anyway, so he beat Coach Jim Mora to the punch. He was ranked behind John Fourcade and veteran Tommy Kramer.