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If you wonder why NFL owners are wary anymore of awarding lucrative contracts to quarterbacks, why so many teams now believe they can get by with something other than a "franchise" player at the game's most critical position, just cast a glance at the Denver Broncos and how that franchise has fallen out of love with Brian Griese.
|  | | Brian Griese has thrown 15 touchdowns and 15 interceptions this season. |
It has been just shy of 21 months -- yeah, not even two full years -- since the Broncos signed Griese to a six-year contract worth about $39 million and including a $12.6 million signing bonus. And now, with Griese just 27-24 as a starter and coming off an abominable performance against the Raiders in a key AFC West matchup last week, the quarterback may have played his final game in a Broncos uniform.
Call it a Rocky Mountain Low. Well, maybe.
While coach Mike Shanahan can barely tolerate Son of Bob these days, and has said that a decision on the quarterback's future with the franchise will be made irrespective of salary cap ramifications, it is hard to ignore finances in this case. Especially finances this big and so cumbersome.
Benched this week in favor of Jurassic quarterback Steve Beuerlein, the ineffective Griese has four seasons remaining on the contract he signed April 16, 2001. If the Broncos were to release him before June 1 of next year, they would save his base salary of $4.75 million, but still be hit with an '03 salary cap debit of $9.26 million in prorated signing bonus charges. Were the club to cut Griese after June 1, it would still have to count $2.315 million on its 2003 cap and he would count $6.945 million on the '04 spending limit.
If the Broncos traded Griese, no matter the timing, they would absorb the full hit of $9.26 million.
So, a dicey proposition, huh? You betcha. Especially when one considers that, according to NFL Players Association documents, the Broncos already have $87.913 million in cap room committed for the 2003 campaign. That's about $13 million-$14 million more than the projected '03 spending limit. So while Shanahan dismisses money as a factor in the Griese decision, the cap will play some part in the resolution of the five-year veteran's future, and to suggest otherwise is either naïve or shortsighted.
Then again, Shanahan and the Broncos may have been shortsighted and naïve in signing Griese, 27, to the long-term deal. And certainly one has to question the business acumen of Denver owner Pat Bowlen, a member of the league's finance committee, in committing so much to a player so unproven at the time of contract negotiations with Griese and agent Ralph Cindrich.
Griese was a restricted free agent at the time of the deal, meaning that the Broncos had the right to match any offer sheet he signed with another team. Denver panicked when Griese scheduled a visit with officials from archrival Kansas City and -- despite a history of shoulder injuries, inconsistent play on the field, and some well-documented indiscretions off it -- hastily secured his services for the long term.
Well, turns out the long-term was less than two seasons, while the impact on the Denver ledger sheets could be a lot longer than that. Griese has proven to be significantly less than the second coming of John Elway and, even in the best of times performance-wise, he hardly commanded the respect of other Broncos players. Those players witnessed his off-field behavior, many of his excesses, and questioned whether he could lead them to greater heights. It took Shanahan and Bowlen a bit longer, apparently, but they have seemingly reached the conclusion now that Griese is a liability.
"I don't think there's any question," said one Denver veteran on offense, "that Brian won't be back (in 2003)."
What never seems to get questioned in Denver, however, is how Shanahan could have been so wrong about a player. After all, Shanahan has borne the nickname "Mastermind" for several years now and done nothing to publicly dismiss the appropriateness of a moniker that connotes so much hubris.
But it was Shanahan who hastened Elway's exit. It was Shanahan who could not wait to try to win a Super Bowl with a quarterback he developed, and not one he inherited. It is Shanahan who is barely above .500 since Elway retired following the Super Bowl XXXIII victory. It is Shanahan who must be held at least partly culpable for investing a team-record signing bonus in a player he now wants to dump. It is Shanahan who, despite the apparently egregious error in judgment on Griese, remains a Teflon coach.
If the club can be forgiven for erring on Griese's potential as a player, then it certainly should have heeded the warning signs off the field, and not handed him a $12.6 million check. Around the league, the trend has skewed toward the more affordable quarterback, or toward contract structures that offer a lot more protection than the Broncos allowed themselves in the Griese deal.
After the events of this week, with the Broncos all but confessing their sins of the past, league owners figure to be even more careful before they sign a quarterback to a contract that augurs too much financial exposure.
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Side Lines
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On-Line
The final weekend of the regular season will produce two compelling line matchups, one on Saturday and the other Sunday, with both likely to play a role in determining playoff participants. In the early Saturday contest two players who simply don't like each other, Giants left defensive end Michael Strahan and Eagles right offensive tackle Jon Runyan, square off again. This is always an intriguing sidelight to any New York-Philadelphia game, and there have been more than a few skirmishes between the two combatants. This time, the stakes are even higher, as the Giants need a victory to earn a wild card playoff berth and the Eagles try to retain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Strahan has 11 sacks this year, far below last year's record, but is still a handful. Runyan has played at a high level in 2002 and should have been selected for the Pro Bowl squad. At Foxboro on Sunday, New England left offensive tackle Matt Light, who has struggled recently, draws the unenviable assignment of trying to keep Miami right defensive end Jason Taylor away from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. On a roll in recent weeks, Taylor leads the NFL with 18 ½ sacks, and is the favorite for defensive player of the year honors. Taylor had a bit outing in the first game between the teams, beating Light for a sack on just the fifth play, setting an early defensive tone in the Miami victory. Light has experienced problems with speed-rushers in his second NFL season and few players are quicker than the 248-pound Taylor, who has also played the run tougher than at any previous point in his career. |
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The List
With the Bucs slated to finish the season against the Chicago Bears at Champaign, Ill., on Sunday night, it is time again to point out that Tampa Bay has never won a game when the temperature is below 40 degrees at kickoff. The Bucs are 0-21 in such situations, have lost by an average of 15.3 points, been shut out four times, and scored more than 14 points on only two occasions. Here's the litany of their chilly ineptitude:
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Date
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Temp
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Score
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Dec. 5, 1976
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28
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Steelers 42, Bucs 0
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Nov. 26. 1978
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38
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Bears 14, Bucs 3
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Dec. 12, 1982
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23
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Jets 32, Bucs 17
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Nov. 13, 1983
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32
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Browns 20, Bucs 0
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Dec. 2, 1984
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33
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Packers 27, Bucs 14
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Dec. 1, 1985
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30
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Packers 21, Bucs 0
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Dec. 7, 1986
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37
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Bears 48, Bucs 14
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Nov. 6, 1988
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33
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Bears 28, Bucs 10
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Dec. 11, 1988
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18
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Pats 10, Bucs 7
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Dec. 24, 1989
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39
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Steelers 31, Bucs 22
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Dec. 23, 1990
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11
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Bears 27, Bucs 14
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Dec. 14, 1991
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28
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Bears 27, Bucs 0
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Nov. 29, 1992
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32
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Packers 19, Bucs 14
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Nov. 28, 1993
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29
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Packers 13, Bucs 10
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Nov. 26, 1995
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34
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Packers 35, Bucs 13
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Dec. 17, 1995
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34
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Bears 31, Bucs 10
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Nov. 23, 1997
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29
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Bears 13, Bucs 7
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Jan. 4, 1998
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28
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Packers 21, Bucs 7
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Nov. 19, 2000
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37
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Bears 13, Bucs 10
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Dec. 24, 2000
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15
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Packers 17, Bucs 14
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Dec. 31, 2000
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34
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Eagles 21, Bucs 3
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Stat of the Week
Over the last five games, the Seattle Seahawks have averaged 452.8 yards of total offense, the best in the league in that stretch. The big number definitely reflects the improvement of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, and is yet another reason coach Mike Holmgren could return in 2003.
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Stat of the Weak
The Detroit Lions rank last in the NFL in time of possession, with a puny average of just 25 minutes, 45 seconds. That's nearly two minutes less than the next-worst team, the expansion Houston Texans. The Lions have won the possession battle in only two games, against New Orleans and Dallas, and, not surprisingly, won both those outings.
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The Last Word
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| Anderson |
Cincinnati right offensive tackle Willie Anderson, who has never experienced a winning seasons during his seven years with the Bengals, on life with the losing franchise: "I want to do things in the community, but I don't want people hating me, because I'm a Bengals football player. The feeling (from the people) is like, 'It's great you're doing this, but you are terrible.' And that's true. They don't have to say anything. You can see that they're Bengals fans, (but) you have no answers for them. Kids ask you questions. They are really honest. They say things and you have no answers for them."
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Around the league
So, if the Broncos actually do cut Griese free, who is the quarterback for 2003 and beyond? Steve Beuerlein, at age 37, and having experienced some notable elbow problems the last few years, doesn't have much left. He might be able to provide a one-year fix but not much more. Shanahan does fancy himself a Pygmalion of sorts, so he might look for a veteran free agent who he felt he could salvage, someone like a Jake Plummer of Arizona. Do not rule out the possibility of the Broncos making a deal for Pittsburgh backup Kordell Stewart, who played collegiately at Colorado, and who might welcome the chance to return to the area.
There may be some element of truth to those suspicions that Bill Parcells didn't mind being publicly exposed last Saturday as the most likely (or only) candidate to succeed Dave Campo with the Dallas Cowboys. The rationale is that, when the meeting with Jerry Jones was reported, in essence it "outed" Parcells to any other owner wanting to make a change that "The Tuna" was prepared to return to the sideline under the right circumstances. But no other NFL team made so much as a clandestine overture to Parcells in the past week, league sources told ESPN.com, so right now Jones is his lone suitor. There have been rumblings that Parcells might be interested in the Jacksonville job if longtime friend Tom Coughlin is deposed. Friends say Parcells has long talked about the Detroit Lions, where the Ford family characteristically takes a laissez-faire approach and allows its football people to run the show. But there has been no contact from either the Jaguars or Lions. In fact, the only other opportunity Parcells had recently was at the University of Kentucky, and he turned down that job when friends like LSU coach Nick Saban convinced him that it wasn't a very appealing position. Earlier this week we noted in a story that there remain two hurdles -- contractually delineating the football balance of power between Jones and Parcells, and the fact the Cowboys owner must conduct at least a sham interview process that includes a minority candidate -- before a deal can be struck. What the story didn't say was that money likely won't be a deterrent to a deal, unless Jones attempts to low-ball Parcells. Forget those contentions that Parcells will demand to make more than Redskins coach Steve Spurrier, who earns $5 million a year. Last year, when Parcells had a non-binding agreement in Tampa Bay, the base salary was going to be about $4.2 million. That's about what it will take for Jones to land his man.
Since most of Parcells' former assistant coaches have contracts now with other teams, it will be difficult for him to re-assemble that ol' gang of his, but he seems confident of being able to put together a solid staff. There is a chance he might retain some current Dallas aides, particularly on defense, and fill in with assistants on whom he has kept tabs for years. Just a guess, but don't be surprised if Parcells considers former University of Georgia coach Jim Donnan for a spot on his offensive staff. The two are longtime friends and Donnan has always had one eye on the professional level anyway. Donnan has a tremendous offensive mind and it wasn't X's and O's that got him canned at Georgia.
While it will be painful for Jacksonville owner Wayne Weaver to dismiss Coughlin, who has been working for the franchise since 18 months before the team ever took the field, all signs are that a change is in the offing. For the first time, Coughlin acknowledged this week that he is "worried" about his future with the club. On Wednesday, he ranted at his players during a meeting that concluded with him throwing the game plan against the wall. Coughlin is a prime example of an excellent coach whose message is now falling on deaf ears. A change of scenery will benefit him and it should not take too long for his phone to ring with owners wanting to interview him. It will be interesting to see how long Weaver waits before pulling the plug. He and Coughlin typically take a two- or three-day cooling off period after the final game, to compile statistics, and to galvanize their own views on how the campaign played out. If that proves to be the case, Coughlin might not be dismissed until the middle of next week. Then again, he could force the issue, and tell Weaver he wants a speedy resolution so that the uncertainty does not linger for a few days.
Tennessee defensive end Jevon Kearse, who continues to increase his playing time in advance of the playoffs, hopes to log 30-35 snaps this week when the Titans finish the regular season at Houston. Kearse broke his foot less than one minute into the season opener, of course, then was sidelined until the Dec. 16 game against New England. He played 23 snaps versus the Patriots, then 28 downs against Jacksonville last week, when he came up with his first two sacks of the year. Kearse continues to line up at his former left end position, with Kevin Carter flipping to the right side, because he still can't push off very well with his injured foot. "Because I just can't use my speed as much, it's going to make me a more (complete) pass rusher in the long run, I would think," Kearse said. "From a conditioning standpoint, I'm getting close, so I should be able to play more (in the postseason)."
Here's the safest bet of the weekend: On either the Saturday or Sunday studio show on CBS, and perhaps on both, Deion Sanders will certainly take some time to rip San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer for blocking his potential move to the Oakland Raiders for the playoffs. Remember, it's no coincidence that Sanders retired from the Redskins the summer he was to report to Schottenheimer's first (and only) training camp with the team. He was hardly flattering to Schottenheimer in his remarks then and figures to be equally so this time around. Then again, had Schottenheimer not blocked the move, someone else would have, as evidenced by the four other waiver claims made on Sanders' rights. Sources told ESPN.com this week that Sanders and agent Eugene Parker even beseeched league officials, just shy of commissioner Paul Tagliabue, to see if there was a way to circumvent the waiver rules and get Prime Time back on the field. Alas, there was none, and we likely won't hear Sanders talk about a comeback ever again.
There were rumblings this week that Washington tailback Stephen Davis, whose salary cap figure for the 2003 season is in excess of $11 million, will not be back with the 'Skins next season. Neither might right defensive end Bruce Smith, who needs four sacks to tie Reggie White's league record, and desperately wants the mark. Problem is, Smith will be 40 years old before the start of the '03 campaign, and hasn't played very well this year. He still has some upfield push but doesn't anchor against the run and can be moved off the line of scrimmage way too easily.
New Orleans needs a win against visiting Carolina on Sunday simply to have a chance at an NFC wild card spot and some teams who have faced the Saints in recent weeks feel quarterback Aaron Brooks is playing hurt. The four-year veteran injured his right forearm late in the Nov. 28 game against Tampa Bay, couldn't finish the contest, and hasn't been the same since then. Brooks denies there is anything wrong with his throwing arm, but he has not demonstrated much velocity the past three weeks and his accuracy certainly has been sketchy. In the past three games since, Brooks has completed just 48 percent of his passes and has only four touchdown passes. The saving grace is that he hasn't thrown an interception in that period. He finished last week's inexplicable loss at Cincinnati with 11 straight incompletions. "He isn't the same guy," said one New Orleans veteran, "but he's still better than anything else we've got. But, damn right, he's struggling." The one thing the Carolina defense will do is hit the quarterback, so Brooks can't expect any mercy from the Panthers, whose front four has continued to play well, even without the suspended Julius Peppers in the lineup.
The Packers, perhaps with memories of 1996, made a solid gamble this week in signing return specialist Eric Metcalf for the playoffs. In '96, Green Bay got plenty of mileage out of late addition Desmond Howard in that year's playoffs, and he ended up earning Super Bowl most valuable player honors. Metcalf hasn't played since last season, but demonstrated fresh legs and quickness, and can't help but be an improvement over everyone else the Packers have used as a punt returner in 2002. The Packers have employed four different returners, every one of them has experienced problems just catching the football, and their cumulative average is 4.75 yards. Metcalf will secure the ball, which is all coach Mike Sherman really wants, and could average five yards just rolling out of bed. He has 12 kick returns for touchdowns, including 10 punt runbacks, and has totaled more than 9,200 yards on returns.
+Since the NFL adopted the 16-game schedule in 1978, there have been 213 teams that won 10 games or more, and only 15 failed to gain a playoff berth. That number could grow by one this weekend. The stumbling Saints will finish at 10-6 with a victory over Carolina on Sunday, but will be out of the playoffs if both Atlanta and the New York Giants win.
Cincinnati fullback Lorenzo Neal, who in a bit of a surprise was voted to the AFC Pro Bowl squad, may have picked a bad year to be an unrestricted free agent. Neal earned a base salary of $700,000 in 2002, and a bonus for his Pro Bowl selection, but word is he will seek a deal worth $1 million or more next spring. Uh, good luck, 'Lo. For one thing, Neal is 32 years old. Second, he logged only about one-third of the Bengals' total snaps this year as lead blocker for tailback Corey Dillon. But the biggest problems Neal will face is the glut of solid fullbacks in the free agent market, and the fact teams simply don't overspend on the position. Joining him in free agency, assuming they don't sign extensions before next March, will be Rob Konrad (Miami), Marc Edwards (New England), Jon Ritchie (Oakland), Olandis Gary (Denver), Mack Strong (Seattle), Joel Mackovicka (Arizona), Richie Anderson (Jets), Cecil Martin (Philadelphia), Stanley Pritchett (Chicago).
It appears that, contentions to the otherwise by players like Akili Smith, the Bengals front office will do nothing this weekend to preclude starting quarterback Jon Kitna from hitting a playing time benchmark that will trigger a $1.65 million bonus. Kitna has played in 787 of the team's 999 offensive snaps. That's a 78.8 percent participation rate. Kitna needs his offense to log 61 snaps against Buffalo on Sunday, and has to play all of them, to reach the 80-percent mark that earns him the extra money.
While he was in the hospital last week, having surgery to repair the torn Achilles tendon he suffered two weeks ago, Miami left guard Jamie Nails also had both knees cleaned up arthroscopically. Despite having three surgeries, he exited the hospital just one hour after the final procedure, even though doctors advised him to remain overnight. His reason for the speedy depature? "I had surgery in high school on my knee and wound up in the hospital for a month because of a staph infection," Nails explained. "This time, once I was ready to move around, I was out of there."
Punts: Wonder why the Jacksonville offense is struggling so much? The Jaguars have converted none of their last 14 third-down plays. In the last four games, Jacksonville is just 8-for-45 on third-down conversions. For the season, the Jags rank 28th in the league, with a 33.5 percent conversion rate. . . . With his team's victory on Monday night, Bill Cowher became just the sixth coach in NFL history to win seven division titles. He joins Chuck Noll, Tom Landry, Bud Grant, Chuck Knox and Don Shula in that elite group. Of that group, only Knox is not in the Hall of Fame, and he should be. . . . How beaten up are the Arizona Cardinals? Only one of the team's starting offensive linemen, left tackle L.J. Shelton, will play in the season finale. . . . Two weeks ago, we predicted in this space that Steve Spurrier would become far more involved in the defense in 2003. That's one of the reasons Spurrier elevated running backs coach Hue Jackson to offensive coordinator earlier this week. . . . Next year is the final one for the NFL's contract with the NFL Europe League and there is a growing cabal of owners who agree they don't want to keep throwing money into the spring league. The matter will be much discussed at the March league meetings. . . . Gone virtually unnoticed, even in the team's late-season surge, is the terrific job New York Giants offensive line coach Jim "Mouse" McNally has done with the unit. Long recognized as one of the league's premier line assistants, McNally has molded an unheralded group into a solid bunch. . . . Don't be surprised if the Raiders, who have two first-round choices again in the 2003 draft (courtesy of allowing Jon Gruden to escape to Tampa Bay), dangle them to the Bengals to see if they can pry tailback Corey Dillon free. One element lacking in the Oakland attack this year was the power running game Tyrone Wheatley once provided. Wheatley likely will be gone in '03 and Dillon would be a nice fit.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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