The negotiations dragged on into training camp and the Rams front office got testy about it. Things were said. It got heated. As a result there were debates on this very board, with me and others defending Warner's contract demands and some posters basically criticizing him along the standard issue "greedy player" lines.
He absolutely was not rewarded quickly. And yes negotiations were tense.
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Inside The NFL
By Peter King
Back to RealityThe Rams and Cinderella star Kurt Warner are miles apart on a newdeal
June 12, 2000
Suddenly, the Kurt Warner story is not so warm, not so fuzzy.Warner, the Cinderella quarterback who went on to become theleague and Super Bowl MVP last season, could be a holdout whenthe Rams report to training camp next month.
A source close to the contract talks between St. Louis andWarner's agent, Mark Bartelstein, says that the passer is askingfor a signing bonus in excess of $10 million and that the Ramshave no intention of giving him that kind of money after just onegreat season. (Another source says Warner wants close to $15million, or what Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer got as partof a four-year, $25 million extension he signed after his secondseason, in 1998.)
Fact is, St. Louis doesn't have to shell out that much. WhileWarner, who played in the Arena League before catching on withthe Rams, is not under contract, he has no free-agent rightsbecause he's only a two-year veteran. According to the league'scollective bargaining agreement, a player is eligible forrestricted free agency after three seasons, giving him theopportunity to solicit offers from other teams, and can become anunrestricted free agent after his fourth year. Though obligatedto pay Warner only the very mortal sum of $358,000 this season,St. Louis would like to hammer out a long-term deal.
At week's end the Rams were $1.57 million under the salary cap,but they hadn't signed any of their seven draft picks. And likeany Super Bowl champ, they have contractual clouds hanging overtheir roster. Pro Bowl cornerback Todd Lyght is unsigned. Two ofSt. Louis's five best players--wideout Isaac Bruce and 1999 NFLsack champion Kevin Carter--are eligible for unrestricted freeagency after the 2000 season, as is starting corner DexterMcCleon. Two other young stars, middle linebacker London Fletcherand wideout Az Hakim, can become restricted free agents nextwinter.
Other factors may have an impact on Warner's next contract. Latelast season, when he was playing for the second-year minimum of$254,000, the Rams paid Warner a $500,000 bonus. Also, St. Louishas already doled out starter's money to quarterback Trent Green,who is entering the second year of a four-year, $16.5 millioncontract; Green was spectacular during the '99 preseason beforetearing ligaments in his left knee. That opened the door forWarner, who, after attempting only 11 passes during his firstseason in St. Louis, threw for 41 touchdowns and 4,353 yardswhile leading the Rams to their first Super Bowl title. NowWarner wants to be paid like a top-notch quarterback.
"We're in a quandary," says Rams general manager Jay Zygmunt."You have to have some respect for the system, and the systemsays Kurt owes us two years. If Kurt is as good as they think heis, as he thinks he is, he's going to get his money. Thequestion is when."
Counters Bartelstein, "The system never contemplated what KurtWarner did. If you are not going to take care of Kurt, who areyou going to take care of? And when?"
On the prospect of holding out of camp, Warner says, "I haven'teven thought about that yet. I'm confident something will getdone before it gets to that point."
In all likelihood he will be in uniform when the Rams openagainst the Broncos on Monday night, Sept. 4. But the fairy taleof the grocery stocker turned Super Bowl hero is about to get adose of hard reality.
