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The Eagles send their own statement ... "Be at training camp on Monday, or lose FA status at the end of the season.
Posted on Sat, Aug. 06, 2005_krdDartInc++;document.write('');http://ad.doubleclick.net/click;h=v...7|10291833|2;;~sscs=?http://sellit.philly.com
Brian Westbrook: He knows he risks losing free agency
[size=-1]By Bob Brookover and Shannon Ryan[/size]
[size=-1]Inquirer Staff Writers[/size]
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Brian Westbrook knows the deal: Be in camp Monday or lose the potential to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The running back has been holding out of the Eagles' training camp in hopes of reaching a long-term deal with the team. As of last night, Westbrook's agent, Fletcher Smith, and the Eagles had not reached a deal, a team source said.
"We're going to continue to look at all options," Smith said early yesterday morning. "The [collective-bargaining agreement] doesn't provide very many choices for someone in Brian's position. Someone asked me about our leverage, but that's tough to answer, especially when the team has most of the leverage."
For every day Westbrook misses camp, he is fined $6,000, bringing his total to $30,000 as of yesterday.
Westbrook, who hired Smith after firing agent Anthony Agnone, signed the Eagles' $1.43 million tender on June 1 and attended the team's voluntary minicamp in June after boycotting a similar camp the month before.
Yesterday, Smith sent a release from his Skokie, Ill., office that outlined the obstacles Westbrook has operated under as a restricted free agent this off-season.
"It is well-documented that Brian had until June 15 to sign the tender," Smith said. "If it remained unsigned beyond June 15, the Eagles could have exercised their right to reduce Brian's 2005 salary substantially."
That move triggered the start of negotiations between Smith and the Eagles, but when the sides hadn't come to an agreement by Monday's reporting date for training camp, Westbrook decided to stage a holdout that surprised and angered the Eagles.
The statement from Smith's CSMG Co. also laments Article XVIII, Section 1 (b) of the collective-bargaining agreement, which says that any player under contract who doesn't report 30 days before the first game of the regular season will lose a year of credited service.
That means that Westbrook would lose his right to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Despite the ramifications of that rule, "Brian and I remain unified with respect to all decisions made regarding the current state of affairs," Smith said in the statement. "We will continue to exhaust all options available to Brian until such time when we are able to secure a favorable long-term contract.
"We just have to try to explore all avenues to get something done," Smith said.
According to a team source, Westbrook is fixated on the deal the Oakland Raiders struck with Lamont Jordan, who signed a five-year, $27.5 million deal in the off-season. Jordan earned a $7 million signing bonus.
Jordan's deal is worth $17.8 million over the first three years of the contract. The Eagles have offered Westbrook $13 million over the first three years of a five-year deal and a $9 million signing bonus.
The Eagles, according to a source, feel that Jordan's deal was an aberration - not the standard - for running backs of Westbrook's caliber. About six to 10 other top backs in the NFL received deals that may be more reflective of where the Eagles would place Westbrook.
According to team sources, the deal the Eagles have offered Westbrook is worth $4 million more than those earned by running backs Ahman Green (Green Bay), Domanick Davis (Houston) and Stephen Davis (Carolina).
The bonus is $2 million more than Tiki Barber got from the New York Giants and $2.5 million more than Warrick Dunn received from Atlanta. It is $1 million more than Fred Taylor got from Jacksonville.
Barber will earn $13 million over the first three years of his contract, while Dunn, Stephen Davis and Domanick Davis all will make $12 million over their first three years. Green will earn $10.2 million in that span.
Clinton Portis of Washington received a signing bonus of close to $13 million, and LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers received $16 million in the first year of his contract last year.
Westbrook isn't looking for Portis and Tomlinson money, but Eagles president Joe Banner has conceded that the running back was seeking more than the team was willing to offer.
For many of the 15 players who reported to training camp after Aug. 1 last year, the year was not a success. Quarterback Philip Rivers didn't play at all in San Diego. Of the 14 other players, six landed on injured reserve and three missed at least nine games.
Smith said that Westbrook's main goal was to get a long-term extension from the Eagles.
"There is no question about that," Smith said. "The system has allowed him to flourish in very many ways. I'm not saying he couldn't do well in another system, but the Eagles' system has been great for him. He wants to be compensated, too. Regardless of the market, Brian is one of the most important players in that offense."
The CBZ connector ...how much does JJ make?
Posted on Sat, Aug. 06, 2005_krdDartInc++;document.write('');http://ad.doubleclick.net/click;h=v...7|10291833|2;;~sscs=?http://sellit.philly.com
Brian Westbrook: He knows he risks losing free agency
[size=-1]By Bob Brookover and Shannon Ryan[/size]
[size=-1]Inquirer Staff Writers[/size]
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Brian Westbrook knows the deal: Be in camp Monday or lose the potential to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The running back has been holding out of the Eagles' training camp in hopes of reaching a long-term deal with the team. As of last night, Westbrook's agent, Fletcher Smith, and the Eagles had not reached a deal, a team source said.
"We're going to continue to look at all options," Smith said early yesterday morning. "The [collective-bargaining agreement] doesn't provide very many choices for someone in Brian's position. Someone asked me about our leverage, but that's tough to answer, especially when the team has most of the leverage."
For every day Westbrook misses camp, he is fined $6,000, bringing his total to $30,000 as of yesterday.
Westbrook, who hired Smith after firing agent Anthony Agnone, signed the Eagles' $1.43 million tender on June 1 and attended the team's voluntary minicamp in June after boycotting a similar camp the month before.
Yesterday, Smith sent a release from his Skokie, Ill., office that outlined the obstacles Westbrook has operated under as a restricted free agent this off-season.
"It is well-documented that Brian had until June 15 to sign the tender," Smith said. "If it remained unsigned beyond June 15, the Eagles could have exercised their right to reduce Brian's 2005 salary substantially."
That move triggered the start of negotiations between Smith and the Eagles, but when the sides hadn't come to an agreement by Monday's reporting date for training camp, Westbrook decided to stage a holdout that surprised and angered the Eagles.
The statement from Smith's CSMG Co. also laments Article XVIII, Section 1 (b) of the collective-bargaining agreement, which says that any player under contract who doesn't report 30 days before the first game of the regular season will lose a year of credited service.
That means that Westbrook would lose his right to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Despite the ramifications of that rule, "Brian and I remain unified with respect to all decisions made regarding the current state of affairs," Smith said in the statement. "We will continue to exhaust all options available to Brian until such time when we are able to secure a favorable long-term contract.
"We just have to try to explore all avenues to get something done," Smith said.
According to a team source, Westbrook is fixated on the deal the Oakland Raiders struck with Lamont Jordan, who signed a five-year, $27.5 million deal in the off-season. Jordan earned a $7 million signing bonus.
Jordan's deal is worth $17.8 million over the first three years of the contract. The Eagles have offered Westbrook $13 million over the first three years of a five-year deal and a $9 million signing bonus.
The Eagles, according to a source, feel that Jordan's deal was an aberration - not the standard - for running backs of Westbrook's caliber. About six to 10 other top backs in the NFL received deals that may be more reflective of where the Eagles would place Westbrook.
According to team sources, the deal the Eagles have offered Westbrook is worth $4 million more than those earned by running backs Ahman Green (Green Bay), Domanick Davis (Houston) and Stephen Davis (Carolina).
The bonus is $2 million more than Tiki Barber got from the New York Giants and $2.5 million more than Warrick Dunn received from Atlanta. It is $1 million more than Fred Taylor got from Jacksonville.
Barber will earn $13 million over the first three years of his contract, while Dunn, Stephen Davis and Domanick Davis all will make $12 million over their first three years. Green will earn $10.2 million in that span.
Clinton Portis of Washington received a signing bonus of close to $13 million, and LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers received $16 million in the first year of his contract last year.
Westbrook isn't looking for Portis and Tomlinson money, but Eagles president Joe Banner has conceded that the running back was seeking more than the team was willing to offer.
For many of the 15 players who reported to training camp after Aug. 1 last year, the year was not a success. Quarterback Philip Rivers didn't play at all in San Diego. Of the 14 other players, six landed on injured reserve and three missed at least nine games.
Smith said that Westbrook's main goal was to get a long-term extension from the Eagles.
"There is no question about that," Smith said. "The system has allowed him to flourish in very many ways. I'm not saying he couldn't do well in another system, but the Eagles' system has been great for him. He wants to be compensated, too. Regardless of the market, Brian is one of the most important players in that offense."
The CBZ connector ...how much does JJ make?
