Time to play football
Leaf ready to earn his keep on the field for the Chargers
Posted: Sunday July 26, 1998 11:45 PM
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Ryan Leaf signed a contract that could be worth $31.25 million for five years and includes an $11.25 million signing bonus, the largest ever for a rookie
AP |
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Now that he's got his millions, Ryan Leaf can play
football.
The rookie quarterback, who led Washington State to the Rose Bowl as a
junior, will begin practicing with the San Diego Chargers on
Monday after signing a contract that could be worth $31.25 million for five
years.
The contract includes an $11.25 million signing bonus, the largest ever
for a rookie.
With contracts so much bigger these days than in the era of Hall of Fame
quarterback Dan Fouts, this is perhaps the most significant signing ever
for the Chargers, who have been in a free-fall since making it to the Super
Bowl after the 1994 season.
At a news conference Sunday evening, Leaf thanked general manager Bobby
Beathard, who gave up a quarterback's ransom just to be able to take Leaf
with the second pick in the April draft.
"I was laughing on my way over, saying, 'Luckily you guys didn't draft
Peyton, or he wouldn't be in camp tomorrow,'" Leaf said.
Leaf's holdout lasted two days, costing him four practices. Still, the
strong-armed quarterback from Great Falls, Montana, will get into camp
before Peyton Manning, taken by Indianapolis with the first pick. Manning
is the Colts' only unsigned player.
Leaf said he doesn't want to walk into camp "and feel like I'm a big shot
or somebody who held out a couple of days. I really want my teammates and
my fellow coaches to realize that I was really anxious to get into camp and
I hope my offseason work ethic shows that."
During his brief holdout, Leaf worked out with his roommate and watched
videotapes of the Chargers' practices.
"It just wasn't the same," Leaf said.
That'll all change Monday morning, when Leaf starts throwing the ball
again. Quarterbacks coach June Jones said it helped that Leaf spent extra
time working with he and head coach Kevin Gilbride this summer.
That's something that incumbent starter Craig Whelihan
didn't do. Whelihan was 0-7 in relief of Stan Humphries
last year.
"It's still too bad he missed repetitions, but he's probably a lot closer
than he was on June 1," Jones said of Leaf. That was the date drafted
players could begin working out full-time with their new teams.
The Chargers say they should know by the middle of training camp who will
start the season opener against Buffalo at home on September 6, although it
probably will be Leaf.
The Chargers lost their last eight games of 1997 to finish 4-12 and
Humphries was driven into retirement because of too many concussions.
Chargers owner Alex Spanos, known for his impatience, told Leaf: "Only
you can make things happen. ... Son, just take us where we want to go."
Leaf knows about the expectations and what it took for San Diego to get
him.
"I'm just a rookie," Leaf said. "I still have a lot to learn and I'm
going to make mistakes. I think everybody knows that, but I think they see
promise in the future and that's what I hope comes along. That's going to
count on me working hard. I'm not going to let them down."
To move up just one spot in the draft, Beathard sent Arizona two players,
including Eric
Metcalf; first-round picks this year and next, and this year's
second-rounder.
Leaf's basic deal is for six years and $13.2 million. However, the
contract voids after three seasons if Leaf reaches certain statistical
levels. The Chargers can then buy back two additional years by paying
another $4 million bonus, said agent Leigh Steinberg, who completed the
negotiations late Saturday afternoon.
The range for that contract will be $25 million for five years. If Leaf
does really well, such as playing at Pro Bowl level, the deal would be
worth $31.25 million. Leaf's bonus was bigger than Steinberg sought, but
that was a way to keep Leaf's salaries lower against the cap. His 1998
salary will be $200,000.
Also Sunday, the Chargers said defensive tackle Reuben Davis will undergo
surgery Monday on his torn left Achilles' tendon, at which time the team
will know how long he'll be out. Davis tore his right Achilles' tendon in
last year's camp and missed the whole season.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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