|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Just send him to Baltimore? Jets mulling possibility of sending Keyshawn to Ravens
Posted: Tuesday March 07, 2000 09:10 AM
Have the Jets offered their biggest star, Keyshawn Johnson, to the Baltimore Ravens for the fifth pick in April's draft? The New York Times reported that Monday. The Ravens refuted that Monday night, and general manager Ozzie Newsome said Johnson's name hadn't come up in trade discussions between the two teams. "Absolutely not," Newsome told CNNSI.com from his suburban Baltimore home. "If anybody in this organization was talking to the Jets about a player, it would be me. And we haven't discussed him." But there are some indications, logical ones, that Johnson could be made available before the April 15 draft. And he could be made available to the Ravens, if it already hasn't been done. One agent with players on the Ravens said Monday night a Baltimore front-office official asked him earlier in the day what he thought of dealing for Johnson, perhaps in exchange for the Ravens' first of two first-round picks, the fifth overall. Although Jets director of football operations Bill Parcells could not be reached for comment Monday night, a source close to the Jets said the agent for Johnson, Jerome Stanley, has told the club the star player would not report to training camp in July unless his contract -- which has two years left to run, with a below-market $1.74 million salary in 2000 -- is renegotiated. Despite Newsome's denials, there are three other reasons why the Jets and Ravens are candidates to swing a deal, perhaps for the fifth pick -- and perhaps for Johnson:
The going rate for star wideouts averages about $6 million a year, and Johnson would get at least that.
Translation: San Francisco traded the third pick in the draft 10 days ago to the Redskins for two first-round picks and choices in the fourth and fifth rounds. The Jets hold two first-round picks. "We'd like to pick up some extra choices, no doubt about it," said Newsome, who admitted speaking with Parcells about the pick last week but said Johnson's name never came up. "Now the press has us making the deal," he said. "It's just not true." The Ravens have gaping holes at receiver and running back. They could likely get premier prospects at both spots by keeping the fifth pick (acquired from Atlanta on draft day last year) and their other first-round choice, the 15th overall. The running back and receiver positions are both considered strong ones in the draft.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
