Month: April 2006 (Page 10 of 20)

Cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr. was not picked up by his former team, the Carolina Panthers, and is able to sign with the Chicago Bears, who offered him a five-year deal worth up to $21 million. Manning was recently arrested for an alleged assault at a Los Angeles restaurant.

Because of the relatively modest compensation involved, Manning was an attractive target for a Bears team seeking to upgrade at cornerback. Veteran cornerback Jerry Azumah recently retired after battling injuries for two seasons. That left Chicago without an experienced No. 3 cornerback. The team’s starters are Nathan Vasher, who is coming off a Pro Bowl season, and Charles Tillman, considered a rising star until a difficult 2005 campaign.

He will bank about $7.5 million over the next 12 months on a creative deal negotiated by agents Jim Ivler, Bill Heck and Brian Mackler. The deal includes so-called “de-escalators” that could reduce its overall value if Manning is not a starter in the latter years of the contract.

Manning was a large part of the Panthers’ Super Bowl run in 2003 and would be a good fit in Chicago playing with Tillman and Vasher, two young solid corners. If I were a Bears fan, I would be a little concerned however that the team just signed a player with apparent character issues but if everything gets resolved and Manning is acquitted of the charges, I say pretty good move. The initial value of his contract in the first year seems a little steep for a nickel back but the de-escalator clause could help the Bears if things don’t work out down the road with Manning.

In what might just be a move to try to gain some leverage in their contract negotiations with Reggie Bush, the Houston Texans have exchanged contract proposals with both Bush and NC State defensive end Mario Williams.

Because they own the first choice, the Texans are free to speak with any of the prospects and to conduct simultaneous negotiations.

Houston general manager Charley Casserly said earlier this week that the Texans would likely not settle on a top pick until next week. Like most teams, the Texans are deep into their draft evaluation meetings, which will continue this weekend. The choice, Casserly all but acknowledged this week, comes down to Bush or Williams, but the consensus in the league is that the Texans will choose the former Trojans star.

The Texans have yet to receive any firm offers from other teams trying to trade up to the top spot. Certainly they have the right, and ability, to financially leverage Bush and Williams against each other by negotiating with both at the same time and to strike a deal most advantageous to the team.

The Texans already have a pretty good running back on the roster in Domanick Davis, so the idea of going with Williams isn’t necessarily a bad one.