Anderson Flips Over $8.5 Million Contract With Indianapolis Colts
Wide receiver Flipper Anderson got quite a birthday present from the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday - a five-year contract reportedly worth $8.5 million, including a $2 million bonus just for signing his name.
Anderson, who played the past seven years with the Los Angeles Rams, said the Colts came up with the right numbers to outbid other teams that were seeking him.
“They didn’t really make any effort to retain me,” he said of the Rams, who selected him in the second round of the 1988 draft.
Anderson, who caught 259 passes for 5,246 yards 26 touchdowns in Los Angeles, celebrated his 30th birthday Tuesday.
“Besides being born, this is the best present I’ve ever had,” he said of his new contract.
Indianapolis was the last stop on Anderson’s shopping tour that took him to Seattle, New Jersey, Cleveland and Houston.
“Seattle and Houston were interested. … They were two good, young teams that I would have been happy to join. But they didn’t seem to put the numbers up that I was looking for,” Anderson said.
All-pro defensive end Charles Haley, who said after the Dallas Cowboys’ loss in the NFC championship game that he was retiring, will play another season.
Haley, 31, is due to make $1.95 million this season, and said he decided to “unretire” for several reasons. One of those reasons, he said, is the Cowboys’ commitment to keep their players.
Bryan Barker, who led the NFC in punting average last year with the Philadelphia Eagles, has signed as a free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg visited the Phoenix Cardinals’ Tempe facility.
Krieg is believed to be Phoenix’s first option to replace departed starter Steve Beuerlein.
The off-season exodus of free agent 49ers has multiplied. Hours after punter Klaus Wilmsmeyer signed a two-year, $678,000 contract with the New Orleans Saints, backup quarterback Bill Musgrave, backup wide receiver Ed McCaffrey and practice squad running back John Ivlow signed with the Denver Broncos.
In the meantime, running back Ricky Watters continues to lobby the Philadelphia Eagles publicly for a five-year contract.