-October 15, 2000
It did not take long for the USFL offseason to get into full swing. The first week of both free agency and the Fall NFL-USFL transfer window was electric, and no one made bigger news than the New Jersey Generals and their new Heach Coach/General Manager Bill Parcells. Arguably the two biggest signings in the league came out of the Meadowlands, one of which could be a major issue in USFL/NFL negotiations. More on that in a minute. While the Generals seem intent on making a major culture change, other clubs may not be as excited about their offseason, beginning in Tampa Bay, but with some pretty major NFL signings, there is a bit of hurt all throughout the league as clubs scramble to fill vacancies. But, let’s start where everyone has their eyes fixed right now, New Jersey.
To say that Bill Parcells started his USFL career with a bang would seem to be an understatement. Three moves in the first 4 days of free agency have created an enormous buzz in the league and in New Jersey’s ticket office, as season ticket sales spiked over the past month in response. Let’s look at each move one at a time to determine just what this means for New Jersey and the USFL.
1. Lewis Texas Bound: Jeff Lewis, who spent the 2000 season as the Generals’ starter at QB, and who finished the year with a very respectable 91.3 QBR, 27 TDs to only 13 picks, and nearly 4,000 yards passing, was shuttled off to San Antonio only 3 days after Kelly Stouffer announced his retirement from pro football. New Jersey jumpd on the vacancy, sending the promising young QB to the Outlaws for cornerback Kenny Gales and a 2nd round pick in this year’s draft. That seems a low price to pay for a potential starting QB, even if it is one that did not produce a lot of wins in East Rutherford.
There had been some concern that Lewis was simply not the right fit for the Parcells philosophy, more of a scrambler/gunslinger than the traditional pocket passer and game manager that Parcells prefers (think Simms or Testaverde). For Texas this is a potential winfall, and the move was immediately panned on sports radio in the NY area. Why would the Generals trade away their starting QB, and arguably one of the bright spots in a season that had gone so well? Couldn’t they have gotten a #1 pick if they were intent on trading him but not in a hurry? There were a lot of questions. But those would be answered the very next day.
2. Parcells Gets His QB: One of the earliest USFL free agent signings was one of the most surprising. Only 1 day after trading Lewis to Texas, the Generals called a press conference to announce the signing of Troy Aikman as the new face of the franchise. While most around the league were surprised that the Tampa Bay Bandits had not resigned Aikman during the final year of his contract, it was well-known that they remained in negotiations with their veteran, Championship winning QB, and nearly everyone in the business expected Aikman to return to Tampa Bay shortly.
From all accounts, New Jersey contacted Aikman’s agent, Leigh Steinberg, and made an offer he could not refuse. Aikman appeared at the presser, thanking the fans of Tampa Bay for so many good years, but saying that the opportunity was just too good in New Jersey to pass up. The details of his contract remain unknown at this time, though rumors place him as the highest paid QB in the league, leaping over the contract that brought Ryan Leaf to the USFL. For Tampa Bay, this is an utter disaster, not only because it leaves only Kent Graham and Tony Sacca on the roster, but because it is viewed as a major gaff by ownership not to resign Aikman before his contract ended. For New Jersey it is a major coup, bringing a QB with 12 years of experience, a top flight pedigree, and a ring to his name, to serve as both the signal caller and the face of the franchise. Expect to see his face plastered all across the tri-state area, along with Parcells, as the Generals try to fight their way out of irrelevancy in the market.
The signing of Aikman is a clear shot across the bow of the league, stating unequivocally that these Generals will be a Parcells team, smash mouth, strong leadership, veteran presence, and smart football. What came next showed that the Generals might simply be going a step further.
3. Risky Signing Presents Inter-League Tension
Apparently the signing of Aikman was not enough to grab a full 100% of the headlines in New York, so Parcells and the Generals went one step further. Two days after announcing the Aikman signing, the Generals announced that they had come to an agreement with former NFL first overall pick and New York Jet superstar Keyshawn Johnson, to join the club at the conclusion of the 2000 NFL season. The move caused immediate uproar within the NFL, because while the NFL-USFL transfer window was in effect, Johnson remained under contract for the 2000 NFL season, and would only be a true free agent if he remained unsigned at the end of that contract in January. Signing a contract which could not officially go into effect until January was within the letter of the agreement between the two leagues, but certainly not within the spirit of the twice-annual transfer window. Up until this move, neither league had ever signed a player with time left on his original contract. The expectation would be that the Jets would have the opportunity to sign Johnson during his final season, and only if they failed to do so would he become a free agent and be available during the January-February transfer window. By signing him now, New Jersey had opened up a can of worms, one both leagues had been very hesitant to approach.
Johnson will play this season with the Jets, but the contract means that the NFL club is simply unable to negotiate to resign him, and, of course, there will be questions of what kind of effort Johnson will make with the Jets, as his new contract does not rely on performance, and could be jeopardized by injury during the NFL season. Jet’s Head Coach Al Groh was cautious not to say that this was a form of tampering, but it certainly was being said by both reporters in the NY metro area and by fans on NY sports radio. Jet fans are furious, NFL officials (and some USFL colleagues) are irate, and the only people who seem happy about this move are General fans and season ticket holders (who number nearly 5,000 more than last year already).
It is a move that is sure to be challenged by the NFL, and may lead to some form of chastisement from the USFL towards New Jersey, but by all accounts the wording of the NFL-USFL agreement does not prohibit future contracts as long as they are completed during the window. That is a loophole that may very well get closed quickly (likely with a clause named for Johnson and/or Parcells). USFL ownership, wary of greater animosity with the NFL, could also come down on the franchise, though, again, the letter of the law was not broken so it is hard to see a major penalty being justified. It would appear that the former NY Jet GM and one time Head Coach, might have just outsmarted both his former team and the league he has just joined. No matter the potential ramifications for the USFL and its relationship with the NFL, one thing is for sure: the New Jersey Generals are going to be at the center of attention when the 2001 USFL season kicks off next March.
While the news out of New Jersey seemed to suck the air out of every press room across the league, it was hardly the only major announcement over the past month. We saw several major retirement announcements, significant trades, and free agent signings started with a bang even beyond East Rutherford. We begin our recap of the other stories of the past month with retirements.
Kelly Stouffer, as anticipated, announced his departure from the game 3 days after the Summer Bowl, in a brief statement made before the press in San Antonio. The 36-year old QB, who has been the offensive leader of the Outlaws since coming to the club in 1990, thanked the fans of San Antonio and the state of Texas, thanked ownership, and thanked all three coaches he played under in Texas (Widenhofer, Stallings, and Pardee). Stouffer retires with nearly 40,000 yards passing (39,702), 274 touchdowns, but no league title. In fact, over his 11 years since being traded from Arizona, the Outlaws have only made the playoffs 4 times and have an overall playoff record of only 1-4, losing in their first playoff game in 3 of 4 postseason appearances. While his stats speak to a solid career, there are doubts that Stouffer will be selected to the Hall of Fame simply due to the lack of team success during his tenure.
Stouffer’s retirement was anticipated, of course, having had injuries in each of the past 4 seasons, a losing record this season, and a new coach on the horizon. It was not a surprise to the front office that Stouffer would step away from the game, which is likely why the deal with New Jersey was able to be formulated so quickly after the announcement. Fans in Texas do not have to wonder who their starter will be, or mull over the potential of a rookie learning on the job, as they get in Lewis a 5-year veteran who, in his first year as a full-time starter, showed a lot of promise this past season with the Generals.
In Portland, another highly anticipated retirement as WR Webster Slaughter announced that he would step away from the game after 15 seasons in the USFL. Slaughter, a 2nd round pick of the Washington Federals in 1986, played 4 seasons in DC, moving from slot receiver to the #1 target in the Federal offense before becoming a free agent in 1990 and signing with Portland. He has been a fixture in the Thunder offense ever since. He retires with 1063 receptions for 14,345 yards and 105 touchdowns in his long USFL career. Sadly, despite his longevity, and his high quality of play, his tenure in Portland not only did not produce a ring, but only 1 appearance in the Summer Bowl (Portland’s improbable 1997 run). It seems that the move from Washington to Portland almost cursed Slaughter as the Federals went on to win the title in 1990, the year Slaughter switched to Portland, and then it was the Federals again in 1997 who kept Portland from a title.
Portland was not the only club to have a major star at wideout hang up his cleats. Again, much anticipated, but Birmingham said goodbye and farewell to one of its brightest stars, Ernest Givens, this month. Givens, played his entire career in Birmingham, much of it catching passes from Brett Favre. He came to the Stallions in the 1986 draft (much like Slaughter) out of Louisville, and made an immediate impact, starting 15 games his rookie season and gaining 995 yards in his first season. The following season he would cross the 1,000 yard mark for the first of seven times in his career. Known as a deep ball threat, Givens only reached 100 catches once in his career, but was frequently among the yardage leaders in the league thanks to his propensity to be on the receiving end of fly patterns and deep corner routes. Givens retires with 950 receptions for 16,251 yards and 121 career touchdowns. Hampered by injuries which shortened each of the past 3 seasons, the announcement clearly places Lawrence Dawsey as the club’s new #1 receiver, something many have said is well-deserved for several years.
Finally, and for the second time, the league bid a fond farewell to linebacker Kevin Greene. Greene, who retired from the Birmingham Stallions after the 1987 season, returned to the league with New Jersey mid way through the 1998 campaign and completed his third season in New Jersey this past year. Greene retires with 1,261 tackles, 44 sacks, and 19 interceptions to his name, having added only 1 sack in his 3 seasons with New Jersey, a number that has been discussed ad nauseum on the call-in radio shows in the region. Greene still remains a potential Hall of Fame candidate, though he is likely to recognize Birmingham if he is enshrined.
The Offseason to date has, in addition to the Jeff Lewis move, seen a surprising number of trades involving quarterbacks, due partially to what is viewed as a potentially shallow pool of rookies at the position and a growing belief among league circles that a viable backup is no longer a luxury but a necessity in a league which so heavily depends on the passing game and the pass rush as primary offensive and defensive weapons. While most of the action has been a reshuffling of backups, it is still noteworthy to see so many moves happening this early in free agency, but with Aikman and Stouffer off the table, the QB pool is somewhat sparce and clubs who want a veteran at the position have to make deals in order to obtain what they desire. We begin our trade rundown with the QB movement across the league.
Washington sends QB Brock Huard to Houston for a 3rd round pick in this year’s draft. Huard is expected to back up Matt Hasselbeck, who has received a “vote of confidence” from new Houston head coach Wade Phillips.
Chicago sends off disgruntled (and we would say deservedly so) backup and one-time starter Alex Van Pelt to Pittsburgh, where he will almost certainly push Charlie Batch for the Maulers while counting as only 1/2 salary in the cap as a Pitt grad. In returen the Machine acquire RT Bernard Williams. Chicago also sent a 5th round pick to Pittsburgh to obtain the big run-blocking tackle.
New Jersey, still with 4 QB’s on the roster, received two 4th round picks for former Atlanta Fire starter Eric Zeier. Zeier will now back up Brett Favre in Birmingham, sending a 2001 and 2002 mid-round pick to New Jersey to acquire the former Georgia Bulldog.
But quarterback is not the only position of need for clubs across the USFL, and a few other trades emphasize that the offseason is not only about free agents and rookies, but teams turning strengths into bartering power to fill weak areas on the roster. The following trades are also important as we examine each club’s offseason
Arizona, having settled on Dorsey Levins as their bell cow back, have finally cut the cord on Tim Lester, sending the big back to Washington, where he likely will try to fill the role of retired big man Barry Word in the Federals’ offense. On their end, Arizona receives a 4th round pick this year as well as LB Corey Miller, a solid contributor for the Federals, though never a full-time starter.
Denver has opted to strengthen their defensive line by trading for Portland DT Paul Grasmanis. In return, the Thunder improve their secondary by receiving strong safety Corey Gaines from the Gold. No picks were involved in this trade.
Philadelphia made two moves that essentially act as a 3-way trade, first sending CB Deltha O’Neill to the Michigan Panthers in exchange for a 4th and 7th round pick, and then packaging those two picks to bring Arizona DE Bronzell Miller to the Stars. Expect Miller to start opposite Regan Upshaw for the Stars, while O’Neill should be an immediate starter in Michigan.
Portland began the process of replacing Webster Slaughter by trading with Chicago to obtain wideout Floyd Turner, an underused player in the Machine offense. In return, Chicago boosts their D-line with Portland DT George Tuttle.
Chicago made another deal to help their beleaguered defense, sending their 3rd round pick to Jacksonville to acquire CB R.W. McQuarters.
Houston, not happy with the production of their run game after last year’s trade of Dorsey Levins to Arizona, and facing the free agent departure of Mario Greer, send 2 4th round picks (2001, 2002) to the Atlanta Fire for bruising back Mike Anderson. The move seems somewhat ironic now, seeing as Greer would sign with Atlanta only 2 days after the trade, essentially seeing the fire swap out a big back for a better pass catcher in the elusive Greer.
Some movement to fill holes in the line as New Orleans and Michigan swap linemen, tackle Oliver ross headed to Michigan as guard Bob Sapp moves to the Big Easy.
A rare thing as a punter is traded. Tampa Bay, having 2 punters on the roster, packaged Micah Knorr with a 6th round pick to Los Angeles to bolster their wide receiving corps by bringing Bobby Shaw to the Bay.
In a 1-for-1 swap, Oakland provided New Orleans with another receiving option in the form of Roell Preston, receiving yet another good defender in CB Thomas Randolph as it seems the Breakers were not content with the top-rated defense after getting bumped from the playoffs in the divisional round this year.
Seattle looked to fill a significant gap in their line by getting OL Mike Arthur from the Texas Outlaws. Arthur played across the line for Texas in a swing position but is anticipated to serve as the starting center for the Dragons. In return, Texas added some quality at linebacker in the form of Stephen Boyd.
And one final O-line swap as Ohio sends center Bob Kronenburg to Memphis to get a true right guard in Cooper Carlisle.
One of the reasons we may be seeing heightened trade movement this offseason may be because of the NFL pull from the USFL free agent pool. While the Keyshawn Johnson move garnered all the headlines in the opening days of the NFL-USFL transfer window, the balance of movement has been heavily weighted towards the signings by the NFL of some very solid USFL Talent. We will look at outward mobility first and then review the USFL signings from the NFL before moving on to intra-league movement.
Defense seemed to be an emphasis for NFL teams, and they hit deep into the USFL talent pool to fill those gaps just as their training camps were wrapping up and preseason began. Some big names on this list.
DT Leon Lett leaves the Stars for the Dallas Cowboys
DT Tracy Rocker departs Oakland for the Tennessee Copperheads
DT Joel Steed arrives with the Pittsburgh Steelers after several years in Orlando
FS Darren Woodson is leaveing the Breakers to play with the Houston Oilers
LB Lorenzo Styles will likely end his career with the Rams after leaving the Generals
LB Aubrey Beavers has opted to join the Falcons, leaving behind the Ohio Glory
SS Corey Chavous is another departure from the Stars’ defense, heading to NFL Cardinals after only 2 seasons in the USFL.
CB Ashley Ambrose, a household name for the Gamblers has chosen to relocate to Atlanta as well, with the Falcons.
Arizona loses a quality CB in Kevin Minnifield, who will join the Buffalo Bills
And, the only major DE defection, since most big name players were resigned during the season, Baltimore’s leading edge rusher, Mike Piel, is the newest LA Raider.
On offense the talent drain was not quite a shigh, but still some players that will be missed.
Wideout Rahjib “Rocket” Ismail was a major target for Jake Plummer in Arizona as well as a popular figure in the community, but he could not resist the money that the Dallas Cowboys could offer him.
WR Kevin Dyson started getting some attention in Philly during the late season and playoff run, but he will now take his wares to the Tennesse Copperheads of the NFL.
Another wideout, and another popular Tampa Bay Bandit will also be leaving as Robert Brooks heads over to the NFL with the Bears.
Brett Perriman, after a very solid career with the Houston Gamblers, has gotten a significant pay raise and is sure to be the top receiver for the Detroit Lions this fall.
Mark Bruener, the former Steeler TE, struggled in the USFL, and is now returning to the NFL and right back to Pittsburgh.
LT Adam Meadows won a ring with the Denver Gold this year, but will now join the Denver Broncos after only 3 seasons in the USFL.
Chicago knew they could not retain both Duce Staley and Ricky Watters. They opted for the younger Staley, who had taken on the lead back role this season, and now Watters will try for a top spot on the roster of the San Francisco 49ers.
Another back who struggled to retain a starting position, Moe Williams, after first playing with Memphis, and then sharing time with Terry Kirby in Orlando, will head to the Minnesota Vikings in the fall.
Karim Abdul-Jabbar, who has played with 3 teams in his 5 year USFL career, makes the Miami Dolphins his 6th.
Three starting guards depart the league for the fall, creating a gap that will clearly make the position a key one in this year’s draft. Corbina Lacina (NJ), Chris Dalman (ATL), and Chris Villareal (STL) all head to the fall league.
The only QB’s to make the jump are both players who had a shot early in their careers but had become backups in recent years in the league, Brent Pease of LA heads to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Cary Conklin, a long time backup in Oakland, will almost certainly finish his career now with the NFL Chargers, where we expect he will serve as a backup to starter Jim Harbaugh.
That is a lot of talent headed to the fall. So, what did the USFL manage to obtain in return? Well, not quite as much, but perhaps some names that will make news in 2001 (in addition to Keyshawn, who is sure to make the back page of the paper a few times). Among the more intriguing signings we find the following:
WR James Thrash joins the Birmingham Stallions after starting his career with the Redskins. He will almost certainly act as the 2nd receiver, keeping Marcus Robinson in the slot and moving Lawrence Dawsey to the clear top spot.
Chicago finds a good candidate to share carries with Duce Staley as they sign former Jet and Cardinal HB Adrian Murrell. Murrell is not a good candidate for 20+ carries a game, but expect Chicago to give him 10 touches in relief.
The Gamblers try to replace Brett Perriman with an NFL import, bringing David Patten in from the NY Giants. Patten was a highly touted player coming out of college but never really took off in NY. Houston is hoping he is a good fit for an offense in need of all the help it can get. He will likely not unseat Antonio Freeman, but might serve as the flanker opposite Houston’s top pass catcher.
The Memphis Showboats add some depth behind Garrison Hearst by signing Tony Carter away from the Patriots of the NFL.
And one more WR signing as Pittsburgh provides a weapon for Charlie Batch with the signing of former Saints slot man Eddie Kennison. A former LSU star, Kennison could become a prime target in the Mauler’s short passing game.
Offense was not the only area of interest for USFL clubs. Several defenders were also added to USFL rosters during the transfer window. Among the more notable names we find:
The Bandits opt to add two NFL cornerbacks, signing both Jeremy Lincoln from the NFL Giants and Taje Allen from the Rams.
Orlando bolsters the interior of their line, adding a player who can make Chris Doleman even more dangerous, inside muscle man Brentson Buckner, formerly of the 49ers.
New Orleans continues to add defensive muscle, now focusing on the LB corps with the addition of former Dolphin Derrick Rogers.
Memphis had some issues in the secondary this year and hopes that the addition of former Charger CB Terrance Shaw can help strengthen the group.
LA has started looking to its defense after a step back to 8-8 this year. The addition of DE Van Tuinei should help them rotate more players in on passing downs.
Houston is not only adding offensive talent, they are trying to find support behind their two monster defensive ends. LB O.J. Brigance of the Dolphins should help them improve their run defense, freeing up Pittman and Sinclair even more.
While the NFL-USFL transfer window seems to be aiding the fall league a bit more than their spring rivals, the USFL is also deep in their own internal free agent window. With teams across the league looking to upgrade position groups or fill holes created by retirements and free agency, the action in the internal free agent pool has been pretty heavy already this fall. Here is our ranking of the top 10 signings from one USFL team to another.
TE Ricky Dudley was beginning to emerge as a major target in LA. He will now be catching balls from Scott Mitchell in Orlando as the Renegades look to diversify their passing attack.
Memphis gets a solid backup behind Heath Shuler, signing Bill Musgrave away from the Denver Gold.
Ohio finds a solid back to spell Eddie George (who got over 88% of all carries for the Glory last year) by signing former NJ General halfback Lamont Warren.
St. Louis tries to add some down the field speed by signing Darnay Scott from the Outlaws. Known for blazing speed but questionable hands, Scott has struggled to become a regular in both Arizona and Texas, but St. Louis needs some outside speed, and Scott does offer that.
Philadelphia hopes that former Stallion DT Brandon Whiting can help replace the loss of Leon Lett to the NFL. That is a tall order, but Whiting has shown some flashes.
Jacksonville, still trying to find someone to take pressure off of Terrell Owens, adds Cedrick Tillman, whose stay in Ohio only lasted 1 year. Jacksonville will be the 4th club to sign Tillman in 4 seasons.
Pittsburgh gets its DT help in the form of former Wrangler Russell Maryland.
Oakland has cut ties with Siran Stacy, but adds Rodney Thomas to pair with Troy Davis in their backfield.
Houston lost Ashley Ambrose to the NFL, but got a younger replacement with a lot of upside in LA’s Vince Buck.
And perhaps the best signing, and one that stings because it is between two rivals, Orlando SS LeRoy Butler may not even need to sell his house as he now joins the Tampa Bay Bandits.
With so much talent moving hands, just who is left in the Free Agency Pool to potentially impact clubs before the draft? Here are our picks for the best available free agents still on the board.
Tampa CB Darrien Gordon is All-USFL caliber and we are a bit shocked he has not signed yet.
With DE being such a need across the league, it seems Michigan’s Renaldo Turnbull is calling the shots in negotiations with several teams, trying to get himself the best possible deal on the best possible team.
HB Siran Stacy may not be a Top 5 back in the league, but plenty of teams could use his talents.
Jacksonville hopes they can resign center Bubba Miller, but the competition will be fierce.
LB Joe Mott of Memphis could help a lot of teams, including Memphis if he would resign.
Another LB who should be coveted, even if he may only be around for another year or two is Birmingham’s Cornelius Bennett. A fierce leader on the D “Bisquit” should be a hot commodity.
St. Louis Nose Tackle Jerry Ball is a bit past his prime at age 34, but for a team trying to make a run this year, he could be a bargain.
Seattle guard Jesse Sapolo is unlikely to be out of work for long with all the guards that have defected to the NFL this offseason.
Philadelphia still has hopes of resigning TE Eric Green and at 33 years of age, that may be his best option.
HB Erric Pegram has been a solid backup in New Orleans. Expect a team to add him for depth.
QB Browning Nagle is no longer considered a low end starter, but for clubs looking for a reasonably priced, reasonably talented backup, he should be an option.
QB Elvis Grbac is another potential signing at the QB position, though he has not been able to show much sitting behind Doug Flutie in Michigan since signing with the Panthers.
So there you have it, the full skinny on Free Agency, Trades, Retirements, and NFL transfers. A lot to digest, and still so much to anticipate as we work through the next 3+ months before camps open, the second NFL transfer window arrives, and the January Collegiate Draft takes place. A lot of holes still to fill, a lot of moves still to be made, and a lot of clubs trying to find the missing pieces.
Until our next offseason report prior to the draft, we leave you wondering just how your favorite team is faring, and just how much more we all can expect from the center ring of the circus, which is clearly sitting in New Jersey with Bill Parcells as the Ringmaster.