Ty goes to who?
Bears, Browns interested in trading for 49ers QB Detmer
Posted: Saturday February 20, 1999 12:36 PM
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The 49ers used Detmer only sparingly last season as he finished with 38 pass attempts after a stellar 1996 campaign with the Eagles. Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport |
CHICAGO (CNN/SI) -- The Chicago Bears have joined
the Cleveland Browns in seeking to trade for San Francisco 49ers backup
quarterback Ty Detmer,
according to published reports.
The Chicago Tribune reported Saturday that the Bears have given left
tackle Andy Heck, who
could help San Francisco's offensive line woes, permission to explore trade
possibilities. The 49ers are on Heck's preferred list if he can't stay in
Chicago.
The Bears, who many expect will take a quarterback with the No. 7 pick in
the April draft, would sign Detmer as an experienced veteran and mentor to
their quarterback of the future.
Detmer has a few connections with the Bears. He was the scout-team
quarterback for three years in Green Bay while Bears coach Dick Jauron
coached the Packers secondary. He and Bears offensive coordinator Gary
Crowton have mutual acquaintances from when they were at BYU, though
Crowton coached there in 1982 and Detmer didn't arrive on campus until
several years later, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1990.
Adding Detmer and a rookie would create a logjam at quarterback for the
Bears. Starter Erik
Kramer signed a $9 million, three-year deal last year, but the Bears
would only take a $667,000 salary-cap hit in each of the next two seasons
if they were to cut him. A major concern with Kramer is his health -- he's
finished two of the last three seasons on injured reserve.
The 49ers used Detmer only sparingly last season as he finished with 38
pass attempts after a stellar 1996 campaign in which he threw for 2,911
yards in leading the Eagles to the playoffs. He has six years remaining on
his current contract.
The 49ers will reportedly only seek a seventh-round pick from the Browns
for Detmer, but he vetoed the trade. The 49ers' signing of ex-CFL
quarterback Jeff Garcia makes Detmer more expendable, however, so he might
agree to the trade rather than being waived.
The Plain Dealer reports that Detmer is Cleveland's No. 1 choice --
above free agent Warren
Moon -- to begin the season as the starting quarterback and then serve
as mentor to a young quarterback, likely rookie Tim Couch.
The newspaper reports that the Browns and 49ers were to discuss the trade
this weekend at the NFL combines in Indianapolis. San Francisco is also
reportedly looking to unload former No. 1 pick Jim Druckenmiller.
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