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Staying by the Bay Rice a good fit with the Raiders next season
Updated: Sunday December 17, 2000 4:50 PM
Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King chatted with CNN/SI anchor Bob Lorenz about the goings-on around the league on CNN's NFL Preview: Bob Lorenz: There's not really a happy ending to Jerry Rice's days with the 49ers. Where will he wind up after this season? Peter King: The smart money says Oakland because it fits his two biggest criteria. One, it's close to home - he wouldn't have to move his family -- and two, the Raiders play on grass. You know how all veteran players say, "It's not important, it's not about the money." Well, it's usually a little bit about the money and the contending team that's in the best cap shape is Philadelphia, even though it doesn't fit those two big criteria. The Eagles are only at $52 million on the cap in 2001 and they need a veteran presence on offense. I think they'll become contenders in the Jerry Rice derby. Lorenz: We now know that Mike Riley will be back with the Chargers next year, despite just one win so far. But are there more changes in store in San Diego? King: I talked to Riley at length Saturday night and we talked about Ryan Leaf, the embattled quarterback. Riley said he was giving Leaf the next couple of weeks to try and prove himself and in the offseason he'll see what kind of attitude he has. But you can take this to the bank right now: Ryan Leaf will be cut by the San Diego Chargers after June 1 next year, lessening the cap hit on Leaf in 2001 to just $1.9 million. Lorenz: The Cleveland Browns have just five wins in 31 games and there are questions now about the future of head coach Chris Palmer. What's going on there? King: The Browns gave Chris Palmer a vote of confidence a month ago, and now they've rescinded it. It's kind of like the Al Gore call to George W. Bush on election night. What's happened is that you've got a personnel guy Dwight Clark, who doesn't want Palmer back, and you've got team president Carmen Policy, who's waffling but leaning against bringing him back, and owner Al Lerner, who wants to bring him back. I think within a month the Browns will be looking for a new head coach. Lorenz: The Saints have gotten along without Ricky Williams, but is his return just around the corner? King: I spoke with Saints head coach Jim Haslett on Saturday night and he said that Ricky Williams had practiced hard Friday. He took a bunch of snaps, his foot was sore at the end of the day, his broken ankle is still not 100 percent. But Haslett said he told Williams, "Look Ricky, you lose four pounds to get down to your weight of 230 and we will play you next week against the Rams, assuming you have a healthy week of practice." Lorenz: The Redskins have arguably played their worst two games of the season since Norv Turner left. Is Turner a bit vindicated in some way? King: Not only is he a little bit vindicated, but I also think he's a little bit happy right now. I talked to Turner on Saturday night on the phone. He went Christmas shopping with his family Friday afternoon and spent Saturday putting up the Christmas tree and rooting for the Steelers in that game. He told me he's going to wait the next month or so to see if any head coaching opportunities open up. They probably won't, so at that point he will look at coordinator opportunities in the NFL. Lorenz: What changes should we expect from the Rams offense Monday night against the Bucs? King: I think you should expect the Rams to open it up. Let me take you back to training camp in Macomb, Ill. I was sitting up in Mike Martz's room one day after practice and he said, "I have one regret about that last season. I turned conservative in the NFC Championship Game." Look for Martz to allow Kurt Warner to open it up and, as he says, just go play football. Lorenz: Troy Aikman suffered the ninth concussion of his career last week against the Redskins. He's probably done for the season now. What about after that? King: This week Troy Aikman really started to begin the process of trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. And here's the one piece of advice he's thinking hard about. He's buddies with John Elway and Dan Marino, and they've told him, "Don't get out of the game before you're sure you should because you'll always regret it if you think you've got some football left in you." Here's what I think happens to Troy Aikman: he and the Cowboys work out a contract settlement, he leaves the Cowboys, whether to retire or to go to other team June 2, when the cap hit is softer. Lorenz: The Jaguars have had a furious finish - they could end up with nine wins. But talk about cap problems, they're looming for the team. What does the future hold? King: The highest cap number in the history of pro football would be Mark Brunell's next year at $13.2 million. But Brunell and owner Wayne Weaver have told me that they're going to get a deal done. I've heard a 1,000 rumors that Brunell is going to Seattle, that he's going to replace Drew Bledsoe in New England, that he's going to go to Cleveland for Chris Palmer, of all things. But there's no way he's going anywhere. This team knows that he's the guy, it's the only way they can get to the Super Bowl with the massive cap problems they're facing. Lorenz: The Chiefs will miss the playoffs for the third straight year, the last two under Gunther Cunningham. Is Cunningham's job safe in Kansas City? King: The key to Cunningham's fate was determined Saturday when Lamar Hunt gave team president Carl Peterson a five-year contract extension. Cunningham is a Peterson guy. I think Cunningham stays and tries to deal with a team of underachieving veterans in 2001. Lorenz: And what about in Buffalo, will Wade Phillips get fired? King: The only way Phillips goes is if general manager John Butler goes and a new GM from another organization comes in and wants to put his own guy in there. Otherwise, I think Wade Phillips stays. Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL beat for the magazine and appears each Sunday on CNN's NFL Preview.
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