Ogden Tops Among Nfl’s Crop Of Bonus Babies
Jonathan Ogden, the fourth player picked in the 1996 National Football League draft, by the Baltimore Ravens, got the highest signing bonus - $6,793,997 - according to a rookie salary survey compiled by the NFL Players Association.
Ogden’s bonus was one of six worth more than $5 million given to the high draft picks, and topped the $6.5 million signing bonuses given to the first and third players taken, Keyshawn Johnson of the New York Jets and Simeon Rice of the Arizona Cardinals.
Kevin Hardy, the second player taken, by the Jacksonville Jaguars, got the sixth-highest signing bonus - $5 million - although he received the highest first-year base salary - $1 million. The base salaries increase a maximum of 25 percent each year.
Hardy was one of the first players to sign, and Johnson and Rice held out for bigger signing bonuses.
Two high picks, Lawrence Phillips of the St. Louis Rams and Rickey Dudley of the Oakland Raiders, didn’t get signing bonuses, and Terry Glenn of the New England Patriots got a $60,000 signing bonus.
Packers get some needed rest
Brett Favre doesn’t care to see the likes of San Francisco’s Dana Stubblefield, Lee Woodall and Marquez Pope any more, not even at Lambeau Field in the playoffs.
“I’d hate to play them again, to be totally honest,” said Favre, who called Green Bay’s 23-20 overtime victory Monday night the most physical game in which he’s played.
Flanker Robert Brooks, Favre’s favorite receiver and Green Bay’s premier deep threat, was lost for the year on the Packers’ first play from scrimmage when he blocked cornerback Tyronne Drakeford on a running play to the opposite side. Drakeford dragged him down after Brooks planted his right leg, which buckled at an ugly angle.
Brooks had an MRI Tuesday, but the Packers said they didn’t know when they’d provide results of that exam or when Brooks would have surgery.
Also, right tackle Earl Dotson, the only solid member of Green Bay’s thin offensive line, sprained an ankle and will miss two to four weeks. His loss is tempered by the expected return in two weeks of left tackle Ken Ruettgers, who had two off-season knee surgeries and hasn’t played this year.
What if they win the Super Bowl?
Hundreds of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater students smashed car windows and bent over lampposts in the raucous celebration of the Green Bay’s victory.
The group of about 600 students caused an estimated $20,000 in damage, university officials said Tuesday. The destruction included broken pedestal lights, bent rugby goalposts, overturned bleachers and planters, smashed car windows and an uprooted tree, authorities said.
A female student was treated at a hospital.
Around the league
The Arizona Cardinals, who recently lost two offensive linemen, have signed former Indianapolis lineman Joe Staysniak, a seven-year veteran who started all 32 games for the Colts over the last two seasons. … Cincinnati Bengals general manager Mike Brown might be changing his timetable for deciding whether to fire coach Dave Shula. Brown hinted the reckoning might come before season’s end, although he previously said he’d wait until the end of the season… . The Buffalo Bills have released nose tackle Ed Philion and signed former Michigan tight end Jay Riemersma from their practice squad… . Fullback Keith Byars has signed with the New England Patriots, two weeks after being released by the Miami Dolphins.