From: timr@sco.COM (Tim Ruckle)
Subject: '49ers News
Organization: The Gifted and the Damned
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 03:18:32 GMT
Summary: 9 veteran holdouts, 10 days till exhibition opener
Keywords: unsigned, holdouts, money


In article <1992Jul21.065300.16329@menudo.uh.edu> st1ge@Rosie.UH.EDU writes:
} In article <29710075@hpspdla.spd.HP.COM>,
garyr@hpspdla.spd.HP.COM (Gary Rosen) writes:
}> According to the S. F. Chronicle today (Mon. 7-20)...
}> Jerry Rice and some other veterans are still holding out.

Jerry reportedly wants 4 million to play this year, and is willing to
sign a four-year deal.  Owner DeBartolo says that the team is "not close
at all" to reaching an agreement.

}> The 49ers also signed their 9th round pick, Darian Hagan, the former
}> QB of Colorado.

Led them to the '90 national title, didn't he?  I really like the looks
of this guy.  Even though he was taken in the ninth, I think he's probably
the most athletic of players they drafted.

}> Are they going to use him as a WR/KR?

The 49ers are in pretty good shape at WR, but would desperately like to
relieve John Taylor of KR duties--they don't want some suicidal maniac
on special teams crippling him.  They tried out others last year, but
had a hard time finding anybody who could hold on to, much less return,
the ball.  This guy just might be the ticket.

}> Who else is holding out?  Any information is appreciated.

Reserve WR Ron Lewis signed this week, leaving 9 unsigned veterans:
including the above mentined Rice and Mike Sherrard at WR, Brent Jones
and Jamie Williams at TE, Keith DeLong and Mike Walter at LB, Larry
Roberts at DE, Steve Wallace at T and punter Joe Prokop (most of whom
are starters).

Recall the disruptions two years ago when the offensive line did not
practice together until the very last week, and how the 49ers spent a
lot of money and energy last year to get all their players in camp on
time?  Well this year the attitude appears decidedly different.  While
the 49ers will still likely be amoung the top three best-paying teams,
as club VP John McVay said last week, ``The excesses have got to stop.''
DeBartolo said yesterday that the salaries are ``out of control.'' The
49ers reportedly lost $16 million in '89 (BTW, this came out of the NFL
lawsuit, and there is talk that these are a highly inflated numbers).

The paper did say to look for negotiations to quickly instensify with
offensive tackle Steve Wallace, who the 49ers are reportedly very close
to on a salary agreement.  This is because there's only 10 days to go
before the exhibition opener, and they don't want Montana making his
return without a veteran there to protect his backside.

The 49ers have signed all their rookies except for two.  Both are still
recovering from injuries (including Damien Russell, the defensive back
from Virginia Tech taken in the sixth round) and the club is in no hurry
sign them and have it count against their roster limit.

Finally, the 49ers have signed free agents Walter Brooks, WR from San Jose
State who tried out for the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL, LB Reggie McKenzie
who played for Montreal in the WLAF, and Tim Stallworth from Washington
State, who played briefly for the Redskins in '90.  They've already waived
rookie free agent CB Freddie Smith out of San Jose State.

-timr

--
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
                           --Thomas Haynes Bayly, from _Isle of Beauty_
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro