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Pittsburgh signed Charlie Batch as insurance. But the rent-a-quarterback gambit is drawing mixed
reviews from Steelers fans, who fret that his presence will shake the
confidence of starter Kordell Stewart or disrupt a harmonious locker room.
Given his track record as a player who doesn't rock the boat, and the
solidarity that teammates and Steelers officials have afforded Stewart,
neither concern seems valid. It appears that Stewart isn't looking over his
shoulder and, while Pittsburgh management wants to see its starter put up
one more solid season before addressing his requests for a contract
extension, there is no discernable crack in the team's quarterback
foundation.
Unless there is a dramatic change of plan and direction, Batch will cash
$525,000 worth of paychecks, eat plenty of mom's home cooking in his nearby
hometown and then relocate to another league precinct as an
unrestricted free agent next spring.
|  | | Charlie Batch started nine games last season for the Lions, throwing 12 interceptions and 12 touchdowns. |
So whither Charlie Batch -- a quarterback whose career passer efficiency
rating of 76.9 is better than the single season numbers posted by a dozen
full-time NFL starters last year -- when the '03 season rolls around?
A tough question to answer, not only because the NFL crystal ball is
hazy when attempting to glance a year down the
road, but also because Batch figures to have plenty of suitors.
Over the past week, ESPN.com discussed Batch's future with several personnel
directors. The consensus is that the four-year veteran will
merit considerable play in the '03 free-agent market even if he never steps
off the sideline this season. He will be just 28 years old next spring,
will have a minimum of 46 starts in the NFL and will be another year removed from injuries that plagued him
during his Detroit Lions stint.
"I can think of four, maybe five teams right off the top of my head that
will probably be interested in signing him and allowing him to compete for
(their starting) job," said one general manager.
"There could be fewer, but actually there might be more than that, based on
what transpires in some places. I mean, what happens if the Giants don't
re-sign (Kerry) Collins and suddenly are looking for a starter? Or if the
Cardinals can't keep Jake Plummer or (Chris) Weinke bombs in Carolina?
You're talking about a guy, in Batch, with 40-some starts and is still
plenty young. He's got a good arm and is athletic. Is he a great player? No.
But he's better than people think, and he would be in demand."
Fact is, Batch's 46 starts represent more starts than 17 quarterbacks who
figure to be their teams' No.1 signal-caller this fall. The litany of
projected '02 starters who have taken fewer opening snaps than Batch:
David Carr (Houston) 0, Michael Vick (Atlanta) 2, Mike McMahon (Detroit)
3, Quincy Carter (Dallas) 8, Tom Brady (New England) 14, Shane
Matthews (Washington) 15, Chris Weinke (Carolina) 15, Jim Miller
(Chicago) 19, Aaron Brooks (New Orleans) 21, Daunte Culpepper (Minnesota)
27, Jay Fiedler (Miami) 32, Trent Green (Kansas City) 35, Tim Couch
(Cleveland) 37, Brian Griese (Denver) 38, Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia)
38, Jeff Garcia (San Francisco) 42, and Kurt Warner (St. Louis) 43.
That isn't to suggest that Batch is a better player than such quarterbacks as
Warner, McNabb or Culpepper. On the flip side, you progress at the
quarterback position by playing, and Batch has lined up and played. And
while opting for the chance to win a Super Bowl ring this year, while
probably doing little more than carting around a clipboard, Batch leaves no
doubts that he regards the backup role as a one-year aberration.
"I certainly don't see this as being the way I'll be remembered," he said
last week. "The goal has always been about being a starter and that hasn't
changed. This should be a real interesting year for me, but it doesn't
change my mindset, not at all. The timing this year, being released in June,
didn't work out for me. Next year, I think, there will be a lot more
(starting) opportunities."
A look at a few of the possibilities:
Jacksonville: Incumbent starter Mark Brunell remains a quality player and
the Jags' best chance for a turnaround. The 10-year veteran noted this
week he would like to play five more seasons, and that's not beyond reason. But there comes a time when the dynamic of a franchise simply has to undergo
a shakeup. Should the Jacksonville fortunes not change this year, the
quarterback might have to, even though Brunell remains a favorite of owner
Wayne Weaver.
Baltimore: This will be the fourth season for head coach Brian Billick and
the fourth different starting quarterback at the outset of the year. The
Insufferable One changes his starters the way other coaches change their
socks. The anointed starter for 2002 is former third-round pick Chris Redman, and he seems to have a bright future, but no one really knows how
the former Louisville star will react to the glare of the spotlight. Chances
are he will get at least a couple of years to flash his potential, but there's
an ownership change coming in 2004. One would think Steve Bisciotti
would like things on an upswing when he takes over total control of the
franchise.
New York Jets: His new contract restructuring makes it possible for Vinny Testaverde to remain as the starter for several more seasons. But the
15-year veteran will turn 39 in November and has suffered through injury
problems the past few years. New York keeps waiting for third-year veteran
Chad Pennington, a first-rounder in 2000, to show has the stuff
to succeed Testaverde, but so far he is the heir unapparent.
Cincinnati: A nice team, a pretty impressive roster, but a club that won't
move forward until it gains consistency at quarterback.
Journeyman veteran Gus Frerotte, who should oust mistake-prone Jon Kitna
from the starter's job, could be the answer. But he signed only a one-year
contract, harbors very little loyalty to Cincinnati and could bolt after the
2002 season if he posts a solid performance and generates offers elsewhere.
At some point, Bengals management has to address the quarterback situation
long-term, and Batch is younger, and arguably more talented, than Frerotte and
Kitna.
New York Giants: The franchise has commenced a transition of sorts at some
positions, notably wide receiver, and Batch could be part of the
greening process. This is a key season for incumbent Kerry Collins, who
desperately needs a solid 2002 to either force Giants management to ante up,
or to generate interest from other teams. Unless he dramatically decreases
his asking price, Collins doesn't have much chance of garnering an
extension. Second-year pro Jesse Palmer isn't ready yet to take over the top
job.
Carolina: The reports on Chris Weinke's shoulder are encouraging, and the
second-year veteran should be better under new coordinator Dan Henning, who
has made a career of protecting his quarterbacks with a strong running
attack. But there are no guarantees that Weinke, who is more than two years
older than Batch but significantly less experienced, will ever become
something special.
Around the league
First-year owner Arthur Blank announced a dramatic reduction in the price
of some Atlanta Falcons nose-bleed level season tickets, and he
deserves commendation for taking another step toward trying to re-energize a
moribund franchise. But it's the product on the field to which the city will
most favorably respond. In that regard, it might be time for the Falcons
to start thinking about an extension for one of their best and most popular
players. Inside linebacker and former Georgia Tech star Keith Brooking is
entering the final year of the contract he signed as a
first-round choice in 1998. He is a player with whom the locals identify,
not just because of his Yellowjackets lineage but because of his
blue-collar work ethic. Brooking is scheduled to earn a base salary of just
$1.1 million for 2002, a bargain given his productivity, and is eligible to
become an unrestricted free agent next spring. Consultant Bobby Beathard
recently called Brooking into his office and told him the club would like to address his long-term future. Unfortunately, the
Falcons have precious little cap room and might have to restructure existing
contracts to create space for a new deal for Brookings. His local ties aside, Brooking isn't likely to
provide the Falcons a discount rate, and he knows he will be one of the
hottest players in free agency next spring if he escapes to the open market.
| |  | | | Testaverde |
Vinny Testaverde was able to get back onto the field twice this
week and throw in some seven-on-seven drills -- the first
tangible sign the Jets starter might be fully recovered for the start of
training camp. His appearance in drills had to elicit a
sigh of relief from New York coaches and officials, who realize he is a key
to the franchise's hopes for its first consecutive postseason appearances
since 1985-86. There is still a way to go, though, until Testaverde's right
foot is back to where it was before he underwent March surgery to remove a
benign tumor. And in an item first reported by crack beat writer Rich Cimini
of the New York Daily News but ignored in most places, the
surgery was a tad more complicated than originally believed. Because
the tumor caused some erosion to a bone, the surgeons had to take a section
of bone from his left hip and graft it into Testaverde's right foot. There
is still some marginal discomfort in his hip, and getting through that will
be part of the healing process.
You've got to wonder who the Brown Family, which owns the Cincinnati
Bengals, angered at the Internal Revenue Service. For the second time now in
five years, the IRS is investigating the Bengals, and this time the probe
could have some far-reaching effects around the league. The IRS is
contending the Bengals might owe taxes on $26 million from the sale of
charter ownership agreements (known most places as seat licenses) at
2-year-old Paul Brown Stadium. The fact the Bengals never saw the
revenues, which went straight into the coffers of Hamilton (Ohio) County,
seems to mean nothing to the feds. There is documentation to support
the fact the $26 million was deposited into the Hamilton County accounts, but
that hasn't dissuaded the IRS from poking around Mike Brown and his family.
Other teams are keeping a close watch on proceedings to see if the feds
expand their inquiries. Only five years ago, the IRS went after the Brown
family, claiming an estate tax deficiency, which threatened the ownership of
the club. The family beat that rap and is now vowing to go to court on the
latest IRS claim. In fact, the team has assured Hamilton County officials it
will pay half the cost of litigation, even though the burden rests with the
county.
Contract numbers have been filed on the one-year contract that middle
linebacker Hardy Nickerson signed with the Green Bay Packers, and the deal is
worth $1.5 million. The 15-year veteran got a signing bonus of $750,000 and
a base salary for the same amount. Not a bad deal at all for the Packers,
who get a savvy and much-needed veteran for the middle of their defense, and
for a very affordable price. Not too bad, either, for Nickerson, who gets a
shot at a Super Bowl ring and will earn $2.25 million for 2002. How's
that, given the contract with the Packers is for just $1.5 million? Nickerson had a guaranteed $750,000 in base salary due from his
previous contract in Jacksonville, and the Jaguars wrote him a check for
that amount the day he was released.
Raiders officials are concerned with backup quarterback
Bobby Hoying's recovery from shoulder surgery. The six-year veteran still
has no velocity, increasing the need to accelerate the development of young
Marques Tuiasosopo. The second-year pro possesses tremendous athleticism but
has zero experience and hasn't demonstrated he is anywhere close to
being able to take over the team should starter Rich Gannon sustain a
serious injury. That's in part why Oakland signed journeyman Rick Mirer, providing the team an insurance policy of sorts. It is Tuiasosopo,
however, who is viewed as the quarterback of the future, and he figures to
log significant playing time in preseason. As for Hoying, his patron saint was former Raiders coach Jon Gruden, who is gone now.
Given his extended rehabilitation and a need to create more playing time
for the talented Tuiasosopo, things could get a little shaky for Hoying in
the next month or two.
Their situations aren't the same, but former South
Carolina corners Sheldon Brown and Andre Goodman are off to solid starts in their NFL careers. Both of the ex-Gamecocks have merited excellent
reviews in minicamps and offseason workouts. Selected by the
Lions in the third round, Goodman has a legitimate chance to start
as a rookie, especially if incumbent Terry Fair isn't fully
rehabilitated from foot problems that plagued him in 2001. Lions general
manager Matt Millen has decided against acquiring a veteran free-agent
cornerback as security. Brown was a second-round choice in Philadelphia
and the Eagles staff likes what it sees so far. It will be more
difficult, given the depth Philadelphia possesses at the position, for Brown
to claim playing time as a rookie. But if he makes plays in training camp
like he has this spring, coordinator Jim Johnson will find a way to use him.
One other rookie cornerback who is off to a quick start is Rashad Bauman of
Oregon. The third-round selection of the Redskins is turning heads
despite his small stature.
| |  | | | Zereoue |
While some observers are scratching their heads over the recent string of
re-signings by the Steelers, and wonder how the team can afford
to keep doing big-money deals to regain key veterans, the contract extension
recently awarded to tailback Amos Zereoue offered insight. As a
restricted free agent with only three accrued seasons in the NFL, Zereoue
early this spring signed a one-year qualifying offer for $1.227 million.
Then two weeks ago, he signed a new deal, a four-year contract for $8.8
million. But the newer contract was structured so that Zereoue's salary cap
value for 2002 didn't budge at all, even though he will now pocket $2.839
million in compensation. By awarding him a $2.15 million signing bonus
(which is prorated over four years) and a base salary of $689,500 for the
coming year, the Steelers kept Zereoue's cap number at $1.227 million. The
remaining base salaries are $1.462 million (for 2003), $2.2 million (2004)
and $2 million (2005). There is also a roster bonus of $297,500 for the '05
season. It is just the latest example of creative bookkeeping by Steelers
negotiator Omar Khan.
The salary cap value of the Zereoue contract does rise to $2.737 million in
2004, and that might be the season the Steelers feel some squeeze
because of all the recent re-signings they have consummated. Pittsburgh
currently has 22 players under contract for the 2004 campaign, but those
players occupy about $59 million in cap space. Of those 22 players, only
three have cap values of less than $1 million. So expect the Steelers to
have to exercise a little belt-tightening and restructure
some contracts come the 2004 season.
The maddening stalemate in Baltimore continues, with linebackers Ray Lewis
and Peter Boulware still not ready to restructure their existing contracts
and the Ravens hamstrung because they have insufficient cap room to make
player moves. In addition to defensive tackle Sam Adams, vice president
Ozzie Newsome wants to bring in offensive lineman Ben Coleman, wide receiver
Antonio Freeman and tailback Dorsey Levens, but can't do anything until the
Lewis and Boulware issues are resolved.
Punts: Veteran "nickel" defender Dre Bly has a legitimate chance to unseat
starting cornerback Dexter McCleon in the Rams secondary. ...
After missing some of the early organized workouts, Browns
first-round tailback William Green has been impressive on and off the field.
He is spending extra time in the classroom and he figures to be the
workhorse back coach Butch Davis has wanted. ... Add Jacksonville to the
list of teams interested in former Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Mitchell,
released by the Saints three weeks ago. ... Rob Johnson has
supplanted Shaun King as the No. 2 quarterback in Tampa Bay, behind Brad
Johnson, and coach Jon Gruden has been pleased with his work.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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