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Agent's work burdens
Lions
Busy slate hinders progress on
Williams
The Lions are still hopeful,
but the likelihood that wide receiver Roy Williams will get to
training camp on time seems to be dwindling, in part because
of his agent's heavy work schedule.
"We're just going to keep
working at it and see if we can get something done in a timely
fashion," executive vice president Tom Lewand said Thursday.
The players have a reporting
deadline at 3 p.m. today, followed by a meeting with coach
Steve Mariucci, and they will begin two-a-day workouts
Saturday morning.
Williams, the Lions' top draft
pick, is their only unsigned player after third-round pick
Keith Smith, a cornerback from McNeese State, signed Thursday.
Williams, drafted seventh
overall, is a projected starter.
Several of the top 10 draft
picks have signed so the salary outlines have been laid out,
but Williams' agent -- Ben Dogra of St. Louis -- has been
available to negotiate with the Lions on a limited
basis.
"It's been different than it
has been the last couple of years," Lewand said. "Last year
Kevin Poston was here, up in the conference room with me, and
two years ago Dave Dunn was here, up in the conference
room.
"This year it's a lot
different. Ben has nine draft choices, and I think he's been
working on some other ones, trying to get those guys signed. I
don't think they've gotten anybody done, so it's a lot of work
for him to do in a short period of time."
Poston represented wide
receiver Charles Rogers, drafted second overall in 2003, and
Dunn represented quarterback Joey Harrington, taken third
overall the previous year. Both Rogers and Harrington were
signed by the start of camp.
If Williams misses the start of
camp, it will be the first time the Lions have had a
significant holdout since Bryant Westbrook, their first-round
pick in 1997, was late. Lewand was asked if the New York Giants' signing of the
No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Eli Manning, might expedite
the signing of other high draft picks, including
Williams.
"No, not really," Lewand
said. "Again, No. 7 is far away from No. 1. I wish it was that
simple.Are they going to get signed? I
would anticipate that everybody's going to get signed. It's
the rare person who doesn't sign.Do I expect any sort of protracted holdout?
No, I don't think there's any reason for that. Do I still hold
out some optimism that we can get this done in time for
tomorrow's meeting? Yes."
"I've always thought that way
because I'm prepared to do a deal and when Ben is ready to
talk, we'll do so and try to work diligently to get it
done."
NFL AGENTS
TO TESTIFY AT THOMAS TRIAL
NFL player agents Leigh
Steinberg and Neil Cornrich are potential witnesses in a trial
set to begin this week in Jackson County, Mo., involving the
death of former All-Pro NFL linebacker Derrick
Thomas.
Thomas' mother, Edith
Morgan, is suing General Motors Corp., alleging that Thomas
died because the roof of the Chevrolet Suburban that Thomas
was driving collapsed when the car crashed on an icy highway
in January 2000. Thomas was paralyzed in the accident and died
two weeks later in a hospital.
The lawsuit contends the
Suburban's roof was defective. The automaker denies that its
vehicle was defective.
Steinberg, who was
Thomas' longtime agent, is testifying for Morgan about Thomas'
future earning capacity, both on the field and off, had he
lived. Steinberg, who has refused payment for his testimony,
has compared Thomas' earning capacity to his client, all-time
sack leader Bruce Smith, as well as to All-Pro Miami Dolphins
linebacker Junior Seau.
Cornrich, who is
testifying on behalf of General Motors, said in a deposition
obtained by SportsBusiness Journal that Thomas, who was 33
when he died, could not have played as long as Smith, who
retired at the end of last season at age 40. Cornrich also
testified that Thomas should not be compared to Seau in
earnings potential, although he did not say why.
Cornrich testified that
Thomas, despite his nine Pro Bowl appearances, was "a rapidly
descending player" and would likely have been out of the
league in a year or two. Cornrich also testified that Thomas'
earnings capacity for endorsements may have decreased "if his
personal issues became public," but he did not elaborate on
what he meant by that.
Cornrich testified that
he was being paid $1,000 an hour by General Motors for his
testimony.
Cornrich wouldn't
comment for this story.
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