Everett Set to Go to New Orleans : Pro football: Rams close to deal that would send quarterbacks to Saints for a low-round draft choice.
The Rams, hoping to free money under the salary cap and stay aggressive in the free-agent market, are expected to trade quarterback Jim Everett to the New Orleans Saints as soon as today.
Ram officials indicated that if the deal is completed today, the team would receive in compensation a low draft pick, believed to be a seventh-rounder. New Orleans officials confirmed that the trade could be announced as early as today.
Everett was believed to be on his way to New Orleans Thursday night, and must pass a physical before the trade can become official.
A Ram official, asked if Everett could be traded today, said: “I think it’s a possibility.”
At a staff meeting Thursday morning, the Rams decided to no longer demand a high draft pick in compensation for Everett and to unload his $2.65-million salary for next season and make contact with New Orleans, the only team to show interest in the struggling quarterback.
Marvin Demoff, Everett’s agent, confirmed Thursday night that the Rams and Saints have been discussing a trade for Everett, but he declined comment when asked if it would be made today.
“You won’t be wrong by saying there have been discussions between the two,” he said.
The Rams obtained Everett in a trade with Houston in 1986, giving up defensive end William Fuller, guard Kent Hill, first-round draft choices in 1987 and ‘88, and a fifth-round 1987 choice. Houston had made Everett the third overall selection in the 1986 draft behind running back Bo Jackson (Tampa Bay) and nose tackle Tony Casillas (Atlanta).
But after leading the Rams to three consecutive losing seasons, Everett was benched last season in favor of quarterback T.J. Rubley. The team considered cutting Everett in November to save money, but instead cut backup quarterback Mike Pagel.
Everett has two years left on his Rams contract, and in 1993 was designated as the team’s transition player for the 1996 season, after his contract expired. By trading Everett, the Rams would retain the transition designation to use on another player.
The Rams have been shopping Everett since the trading period opened Feb. 17. Demoff said the Saints are the only team to show serious interest in Everett.
“It has been a very limited market,” Demoff said. “New Orleans has been Jim’s first choice of where he wants to go.”
The Rams have been uncharacteristically aggressive in the free-agent market, signing quarterback Chris Miller, defensive tackle Jimmie Jones and extending an offer sheet to Houston offensive lineman Kevin Donnalley.
The Rams are facing problems with the new $33.8-million salary cap because they are trying to re-sign some of their 17 restricted and unrestricted free agents. They also are pursuing free-agent wide receiver Haywood Jeffires of Houston, who earned $900,000 last season but is seeking a $2-million annual salary. Denver, which lost Tim Brown to the Raiders Wednesday, is the front-runner for Jeffires.
Everett’s pro playing career began in 1986, when he came off the bench to complete 12 of 19 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-28 loss to New England. He became the team’s full-time starter in his first season, and passed for 1,018 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
His productivity grew the next three seasons as he developed into one of the league’s top quarterbacks. He completed 59.6% of his passes in 1988 for 3,964 yards with 31 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. In 1989, he became the first Ram to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season (4,310), and led the Rams to the NFC championship game against San Francisco.
The 30-3 loss to the 49ers included one of the defining moments in Everett’s career--”the Phantom Sack” in which he dropped back to pass and fell to the ground without being touched.
The following season, Everett threw for 3,989 yards and became the Rams’ first Pro Bowl quarterback since Pat Haden in 1977. But the Rams finished 5-11, the first of four consecutive seasons in which they finished with fewer than seven victories.
Despite the losing seasons, Everett started 87 consecutive games for the Rams, a streak that ended Oct. 31 at San Francisco, when he was benched after completing only one of nine pass attempts for 12 yards with one interception in a 16-13 loss to Detroit the previous week.
