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Steelers sign top choice Burress
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) -- Payday came Thursday for first-round draft choice Plaxico Burress, who ended a three-day holdout by signing the richest rookie contract in Pittsburgh Steelers history. Now, the Steelers expect to cash in -- and soon -- on a salary-cap-friendly five-year deal worth a minimum of $8.67 million and, with fairly easy-to-obtain incentives, $14.34 million. Desperate for a big-play receiver who can do something with the ball after he catches it, the Steelers didn't wait until the 6-foot-5 1/2 Burress arrived in training camp to reshape their offense around him. They moved 1999 first-rounder Troy Edwards from split end to flanker so Burress, who made 20 touchdown catches in two seasons at Michigan State, can play split end. Edwards tied with Hines Ward, also a flanker, by making a team-high 61 catches as a rookie last season. "I saw Plaxico in minicamp, and it surprised me he can move that well for his size," said Edwards, whose $6.5 million, five-year deal previously was the highest for a Steelers rookie. "To me, he is a bigger Randy Moss." With two first-round draft picks at receiver, Edwards predicted an underachieving Steelers receiving corps the last two seasons will soon be 'the best in the league.' "If you double me, Plaxico can kill you," Edwards said. "If you double Plaxico, hopefully I can do something. I think we should be good." Burress wouldn't go that far, but said, "I've always been confident in my abilities." The Steelers are counting on Burress' ability to get into the end zone to revitalize slumping quarterback Kordell Stewart, whose career is at a crossroads. He threw 21 touchdown passes to mostly veteran receivers in 1997 but had only 12 TD passes combined the last two seasons as the Steelers slumped to records of 7-9 in 1998 and 6-10 in 1999. "Kordell had my number on his speed dial, telling me, 'Let's get this deal done,'" said agent Leigh Steinberg, who represents both Burress and Stewart. Burress also was getting anxious, having arrived in Pittsburgh a week ago Thursday. He spent most of the that time staying at a downtown hotel under an assumed name, trying to fit in personal workouts while running up a considerable room service bill. Burress didn't have to wait long to get on the field, catching balls in practice only two hours after formally signing a contract that could pay him as much as $6.85 million by March. "I'm not worried about what I missed [in three days] in training camp," Burress said. "I just want to catch up as quickly as I can and come in and put myself in a position to make an impact right away." Besides a $5.5 million signing bonus, the Steelers agreed to an optional $900,000 payment due on March 1. The contract voids if the bonus is not paid. The base salaries are $422,000, $303,000, $408,000, $514,000 and $620,000, with incentives of $1.03 million this season, $1.2 million in 2002, $1.5 million in 2003 and $2.0 million in 2004. Because the NFL counts easily obtainable bonuses against the salary cap, the incentives were structured so they don't fall into the category but are very close to them. "If participating in 35 percent of the plays is easily obtainable, we wrote it to be 36 percent," Steinberg said. Steelers vice president Art Rooney II said, "We felt strongly we wanted the fifth year, and that required some creativity to craft something." Burress reported wearing a T-shirt reading "School of Hard Knocks," one not exactly fitting for a player who is being paid to avoid considerable contact. When he switched to his jersey, he had to discard the No. 88 he wore at Michigan State for No. 80. That's because Courtney Hawkins, another former Spartans receiver, reclaimed No. 88 when he re-signed with the Steelers last week. "I can't say anything," Burress said. "Courtney Hawkins is a Michigan State guy."
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