George Makes Hawks Play Waiting Game Straight-Up Deal For Mirer Remains In Balance As Trade Deadline Looms
Quarterback Jeff George needs more time to decide if he wants to be a Seattle Seahawk.
George spent a second day pondering a six-year, $30 million contract offer and may need the entire weekend to think about it. The longer George waits, though, the more complications emerge in what appeared to be a simple George-for-Rick Mirer trade with the Atlanta Falcons.
According to sources, the Falcons question the language in guarantees for next year in Mirer’s contract and would prefer to wait until Monday before agreeing on the swap. Both sides plan to keep in touch during the weekend, and the Falcons could push up that timetable if George says “Yes” to the Seahawks.
The best he can do is an “I don’t know.” Having never been to Seattle, George doesn’t have a feel for the Northwest and its 1-4 team. He called friends and acquaintances. He sought advice from former coaches. Once, he took a drive around his neighborhood in Atlanta.
Despite persistent sales pitches by Seahawks management, George can’t tell the Seahawks if taking over their offense and accepting a $5 million signing bonus check is preferable to waiting to see if any other team would be interested in trading for him.
To him, this is a big decision. Contract problems and off-the-field squabbles with management burned bridges in Indianapolis and Atlanta. Despite being 28 years old, George knows that a failure with his next team could end his days of being a marketable quarterback.
Instead of lashing out with a quick opinion, George has turned cautious about a six-year commitment. Because of that, the distraction of bringing a benched Mirer to the Seahawks game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday continues.
The Seahawks flew to Ft. Lauderdale Friday and brought along Mirer, who knows he’s gone from starting quarterback to extra baggage in less than a week. Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson plans to use Mirer as a backup behind John Friesz even though an injury to Mirer could further damage this deal.
The problem of Mirer’s contract surfaced Friday when the Falcons read details of the contract Mirer signed when he was a rookie in 1993. The final year of Mirer’s contract is guaranteed, committing the Falcons to $2.4 million next season.
If they don’t like Mirer, they’d be forced to keep him, and there is a debate whether the Falcons would be on the hook for next year’s salary. From reading the language to the contract, the Falcons believed that they would be liable.
This could force the Seahawks into a position where they might have to throw in some extra money to satisfy the Falcons.
Steinberg and the Seahawks came closer to settling their contract differences Friday, but it’s a moot point if George doesn’t want to be a Seahawk.
All NFL trades must be completed by 1 p.m. Tuesday.