Emtman Reportedly Has His E On Seahawks
Defensive lineman Steve Emtman, waived by the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, said he refused to negotiate a new contract with the team because of the way it handled his proposed pay cut.
The Cheney High grad, former University of Washington star and No. 1 pick in the 1992 draft, denied the dispute was over dollar amounts.
“It had nothing to do with money … nothing,” Emtman told The Indianapolis Star late Saturday. “I can say that because nobody is going to offer me more money than I could have earned with (the Colts).”
Emtman said he wasn’t as angered by the Colts’ proposed salary cut as he was by the team’s uncompromising attitude.
“This has everything to do with the way I was treated,” Emtman told the Star. “I’ve busted my ass for the organization - I’ve given them blood, sweat and tears - and what happens? They back me into a corner.”
With Emtman’s knee problems, playing on natural grass would be best for his career. On Sunday, The Tacoma News Tribune reported that the Seattle Seahawks are the only team that plays on an artificial field that he would consider playing for.
But Seattle cannot afford to claim Emtman on waivers and pay his $2 million salary. The Seahawks have only $900,000 left under the team’s salary cap, and have not yet signed their first two draft choices.
If Emtman is not picked up on waivers by 3 p.m. Monday, he will become a free agent.
Collins signs deal
Hours after signing a contract that could pay him more than $23 million over the next seven years, a humble Kerry Collins began the task of trying to live up to the Carolina Panthers’ expectations.
The rookie quarterback from Penn State agreed to a long-term deal Saturday night and took part in the team’s first workout of training camp Sunday morning.
Collins’ contract is a seven-year, $23.18 million deal. But the Panthers have the option after three years to convert it to a sixyear, $21.6 million package.
The deal included a $7 million signing bonus, the largest in NFL draft history, and it makes him by far the highest-paid Panther. The next-largest contract on the team is linebacker Lamar Lathon’s five-year, $13.5 million deal.
Broncos are bulkier
The Denver Broncos ended last season determined to add a little meat to their bones on defense.
What they’ve got is a whole meatpacking plant, with five-time Pro-Bowl tackle Michael Dean Perry the prime cut.
Perry, who came to Denver after seven years with the Cleveland Browns, is the brother of William “Refrigerator” Perry, and he has the talent to turn around a Denver defense that finished last in the NFL in 1994.
“He’s an outstanding player who can create havoc to an offensive line and to a total offense,” said Denver defensive coordinator Greg Robinson. “When you have a guy like that, the offense has to deal with it, and once they do it makes everybody else’s role a little different in a positive way.”
Perry, who had four sacks among his 69 tackles last year, will anchor the defense up the middle, a place the Broncos were weak last year when they recorded just 23 sacks.
Miami signs top pick
The Miami Dolphins signed 1995 firstround draft pick Billy Milner to a four-year deal Sunday, meaning the entire roster is under contract for the start of training today.
Milner, a 6-5, 293-pound offensive tackle from the University of Houston, was the last player to sign with the Dolphins. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.