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Decisions, decisions SI's Banks: Vikings forgetting George, focusing on Mirer
Posted: Wednesday April 05, 2000 01:33 AM
By Don Banks, Sports Illustrated Both Jeff George and Rick Mirer remained free agents on Tuesday, but the Minnesota Vikings have given up on George as an option and are focusing solely on reaching a one-year contract agreement with Mirer in the next 48 hours. According to sources close to the situation, Vikings coach Dennis Green has reached the point of no return regarding George's situation and has turned all his attention to Mirer, the former New York Jet who would serve as Daunte Culpepper's veteran backup. Meanwhile, Tuesday passed without any sign of an agreement between George and the Washington Redskins. But according to a Redskins source, the team is close to reaching an agreement with George on a multiyear deal. Washington made a preliminary offer the George on Monday when he and his wife visited Redskin Park and met with team officials and owner Daniel M. Snyder. The only apparent stumbling block to the Vikings striking a deal with Mirer is that he also has drawn interest from the San Francisco 49ers, and will not commit to Minnesota until he finds out what the 49ers are willing to offer. Those discussions are likely to take place Wednesday, once San Francisco coach Steve Mariucci returns to work after attending the NCAA men's basketball Final Four in Indianapolis. The 49ers and general manager Bill Walsh have something of a standing offer to Mirer, but San Francisco has salary-cap constraints that may not allow it to move on any deal for Mirer any time soon. For that reason, the Vikings remain the favorite to get something done with Mirer. The Vikings and Green have pressed George for a response to their contract proposal for the past three weeks. According to a source close to the situation, Green is said to be offended by George's non-committal stance, given that the Vikings signed George to a one-year deal last spring when he was receiving next to no interest in the free-agent market. Negotiations with George's agent, Leigh Steinberg, have gotten personal, in Green's estimation, thereby all but erasing any chance of George returning to Minnesota. George, the former Vikings starter who led the team to nine wins in his 12 games last season, would serve as Brad Johnson's backup. George has refused to accept the Vikings' standing one-year offer of about $1.5 million, including incentives, which has been on the table for three weeks. The Redskins may have made a preliminary offer to George on Monday, but Tuesday passed without any sign of an agreement. With the Vikings, Green has said Mirer would not be brought in to challenge Culpepper, the Vikings' first-round pick in 1999 who received virtually no playing time last season. According to a source close to Mirer, a deal with the Vikings won't be cemented until Green and Mirer discuss all the possible scenarios for the 2000 season and make sure there are no illusions about the team's backup role. Mirer wants to know if the Vikings' commitment to him will be for just one season, no matter how he or the team performs, or whether he has a chance to work his way into the franchise's long-term plans if Culpepper should struggle. That conversation should take place Wednesday, the source said. While Green has steadfastly maintained that whichever veteran quarterback he signs will be in line for just a one-year deal, a league source said the chance of Mirer receiving a two-year contract is not out of the question. The Vikings are expected to make Mirer an offer in the range of $500,000 per season, plus incentives. While Mirer was thought to be in favor of visiting the Vikings and their team complex before striking a deal, Green is eager to bring closure to his quarterback vacancy and does not believe it necessary to visit with Mirer any longer than he already has. The two spent a day together two weeks ago in Del Mar, Calif., where they both own offseason homes.
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