Lions Quarterbacks Ware, Peete Scramble

Andre Ware is making the big bucks, but Rodney Peete appears to have the edge in the Detroit Lions quarterback battle and hopes that he’ll be rewarded if he becomes the starter.

Peete, a second-year pro out of Southern California, where he was runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1988, was the Lions’ sixth draft pick in 1989. He signed a two-year contract worth $250,000, then became the Lions’ starting quarterback.

Ware, who won the Heisman Trophy last season at the University of Houston, was the Lions’ No. 1 draft pick in 1990 and received a $2-million signing bonus to go along with a four-year contract worth $4.6 million.

Now, this is where the fun starts.

Ware wants Peete’s starting job and Peete wants some of Ware’s money.

According to the NFL Players Assn., the average salary for a quarterback last season was $638,000. Peete might even settle for that, for now.

“When I start the season,” Peete said, “it would be a nice gesture on their part to come to me and say, ‘Rodney, we realize you’re underpaid and making much, much, much less than what the average starting quarterback in the league is making. So, we want to get something done.’ ”

Peete realizes that when the contract was signed last year, the money he received was in accordance with his status as a sixth-round pick.

But now he has led the Lions to a 3-0 preseason record. He wants to be rewarded, although he promised he won’t walk out, no matter what.

“I understand that being a sixth-round pick, you’re only going to get so much money,” he said. “That’s the way the system works and I’m just a victim of the system. But when it’s my turn to be on the other end, hopefully it will work out for me.”

Meanwhile Ware, who ended his holdout Monday night, drew a large crowd for his first practice session.

“I think he’s way behind,” Lions Coach Wayne Fontes said. “He thinks this is the same offense he ran in college, but it’s only similar. It’s not the same. I would think right now he’s got an uphill battle. It’s unfortunate, but he’ll have to sit a while.”

Fontes said Ware will have to show he is better than Peete if he wants the starting job.

“The best player will play for the Detroit Lions, regardless of position and regardless of where they were drafted,” Fontes said. “You can put that in big print.”

Fontes said Ware will see some action Friday night when the Lions play their fourth and final exhibition game at Cincinnati.