Ksyrup
03-13-2003, 08:43 AM
RB Davis agrees to play close to home in Carolina
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By John Clayton
ESPN.com
The Panthers reached an agreement in principle Wednesday night with former Redskins running back Stephen Davis.
Following a day of negotiations at Panthers headquarters with his agent, David Canter, Davis accepted a five-year, $15.5 million deal that will pay him more than $4 million in the first year of the contract. In addition, Davis could receive as much as $3.6 million annually in incentives that could ultimately increase the contract's worth to $36 million over five years.
The agreement gives Davis, a native of Spartanburg, S.C., the opportunity to play close to home. Talks with the Panthers gathered steam during the past two days when the team took a more aggressive posture than the Houston Texans in trying to sign Davis.
Carolina and Houston were the only teams Davis visited. The Texans complicated negotiations by not making Davis a firm offer, while Carolina made a firm commitment from the start.
"Stephen wanted to be in Carolina because this was his hometown team," Canter said. "It's a great situation for him there. He wants to prove that he is one of the best backs in the NFL."
Davis, 29, has consistently been among the league's top rushers, gaining 4,155 yards from 1999 to 2001. Injuries and a new Redskins offense limited his chances in 2002; Davis rushed for only 820 yards on 207 carries and seven touchdowns.
After being released by Washington, Davis learned just how tough it was to make big money in free agency. Only seven teams showed interest in a running back at all, and most were not a good offensive fit for him.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for example, only have the cap room to offer a running back a deal close to the NFL minimum. The Lions may be looking to eventually replace James Stewart, but replacing a 31-year-old Stewart with a younger Davis would not be a priority.
And while the Cowboys may be looking for a replacement for Emmitt Smith, it would be hard for that back to be Davis, who played for the rival Redskins. The Bears want to upgrade their backfield, but will wait until the draft to do so.
That left Carolina and Houston.
Philosophically, the Panthers like to load their deals with incentives, a concept that appealed to Davis. He'll receive a $2.5 million signing bonus and an additional $500,000 roster bonus. Including his base salary and workout bonuses, Davis will make $4.1 million this season.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
The Panthers reached an agreement in principle Wednesday night with former Redskins running back Stephen Davis.
Following a day of negotiations at Panthers headquarters with his agent, David Canter, Davis accepted a five-year, $15.5 million deal that will pay him more than $4 million in the first year of the contract. In addition, Davis could receive as much as $3.6 million annually in incentives that could ultimately increase the contract's worth to $36 million over five years.
The agreement gives Davis, a native of Spartanburg, S.C., the opportunity to play close to home. Talks with the Panthers gathered steam during the past two days when the team took a more aggressive posture than the Houston Texans in trying to sign Davis.
Carolina and Houston were the only teams Davis visited. The Texans complicated negotiations by not making Davis a firm offer, while Carolina made a firm commitment from the start.
"Stephen wanted to be in Carolina because this was his hometown team," Canter said. "It's a great situation for him there. He wants to prove that he is one of the best backs in the NFL."
Davis, 29, has consistently been among the league's top rushers, gaining 4,155 yards from 1999 to 2001. Injuries and a new Redskins offense limited his chances in 2002; Davis rushed for only 820 yards on 207 carries and seven touchdowns.
After being released by Washington, Davis learned just how tough it was to make big money in free agency. Only seven teams showed interest in a running back at all, and most were not a good offensive fit for him.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for example, only have the cap room to offer a running back a deal close to the NFL minimum. The Lions may be looking to eventually replace James Stewart, but replacing a 31-year-old Stewart with a younger Davis would not be a priority.
And while the Cowboys may be looking for a replacement for Emmitt Smith, it would be hard for that back to be Davis, who played for the rival Redskins. The Bears want to upgrade their backfield, but will wait until the draft to do so.
That left Carolina and Houston.
Philosophically, the Panthers like to load their deals with incentives, a concept that appealed to Davis. He'll receive a $2.5 million signing bonus and an additional $500,000 roster bonus. Including his base salary and workout bonuses, Davis will make $4.1 million this season.