*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Jul 22, 1998: -- Six Players Signed --
** Dolphins Sign 6 Players
The Dolphins completed signing all of their draftees
yesterday when they signed WR Larry Shannon, LB Brad Jackson, DE Kenny
Mixon and QB John Dutton to deals just in time for them to start
practicing today at the Dolphins training facility in Davie, Florida.
The Dolphins also announced that they have re-signed veteran
punter John Kidd to a one year deal for undisclosed terms and have
signed free agent quarterback Chad May to a 2 year deal for league
minimum.
The biggest of the contracts was a 4 year deal signed by Kenny
Mixon for a reported $2.2 million. Mixon was the second player
drafted in the 2nd round by Miami and his contract is slightly less
than that of Patrick Surtain, who was taken before Mixon, also in the
second round.
Linebacker Brad Jackson, the first of 2 third round picks,
received a 3 year deal for a reported $1.4 million, including a
$385,000 signing bonus and wide receiver Larry Shannon, who was taken
3 places after Jackson, got roughly the same deal that totaled about
$10,000 less.
The last draft pick to sign was quarterback John Dutton, who
signed a 2 year deal for league minimum with a signing bonus probably
in the $50,000 to $70,000 range.
** 2 Players Waived - Wheeler goes to IR
The Dolphins waived kicker Jon Baker, a rookie free agent from
Arizona State yesterday and also waived the injured Derrick Steagall,
who tore up the ligament in his left knee on the last day of the final
quarterback camp of this year.
Guard Randy Wheeler, who suffered a severe neck injury in a
car accident on Monday, was placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury
list.
The latest report on Randy Wheeler is that he is suffering
from almost total paralysis, but there was some good news yesterday
when he moved one arm for the first time since the accident.
According to Dolphins' sources, his spinal cord was bruised during the
accident but remains intact, leading to the possibility that he could
eventually regain most of his mobility.
** Update On Bowens Situation
The news media in Miami are reporting that the Dolphins are
offering Tim Bowens an unusual contract while sticking with their $3
million per year limit. The story goes that they are offering Bowens
a $6 million contract, but that half of that deal would come as a $3
million signing bonus that Bowens would get up front.
Also part of the deal is a guarantee that the Dolphins would
not designate Bowens as a franchise player after the 1999 season, thus
guaranteeing him free agency and the opportunity to pursue a much
larger contract after the 1999 season.
My Comments:
The Dolphins have once again gotten all their draftees signed
for training camp, which is the best way to do things. This will give
each player the full camp in which to prove their worth to the team.
It seems like this year that the draftees were signed later
than usual, but on checking my past training camp reports, I
discovered that in 1996 (JJ's first year), Karim Abdul-Jabbar wasn't
signed until 4 days into training camp. That would seem to be the
record for "holding out" among Dolphins' draftees since JJ took over
the team.
Of the players signed in this report, Mixon and Brad Jackson
are the most important. The least important player signed recently,
in my opinion, is quarterback Chad May. I don't think he'll last much
longer than the 60 player cutdown date on August 25th.
The news on Derrick Steagall is sad. He's just a hard-luck
guy and never even really got much of a chance. Randy Wheeler's news
is encouraging, considering the situation he's in. I am working on
getting an "official" address for sending him your best wishes, but
until that comes through, this should work:
Randy Wheeler
Neurology Ward
Jackson Memorial Hospital
1611 NW 12th Ave
Miami, Fl. 33136
It anyone else has anything better, let me know.
Related Info:
[Return to Dolphins News]
Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New Rochelle (almost)
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