Associated Press
Kevin Carter, whose falloff at defensive end was a reason for the decline of the St. Louis defense last season, was designated as the Rams’ franchise player yesterday, a move that left him unhappy.
Aeneas Williams, Arizona’s six-time Pro Bowl cornerback, also got the franchise tag.
But Darren Sharper, Green Bay’s All-Pro safety, avoided getting that label by signing a $30 million, six-year deal with the Packers. The team indicated it would have made him the franchise player had he not re-signed.
Yesterday was the final day teams could protect players by giving them franchise or transition tags. The franchise tag ensures a free agent will stay with a team unless a trade is worked out that usually includes two first-round draft choices; transition gives a player’s old team right of first refusal and compensation.
"It’s not free agency, that’s for sure," Carter’s agent, Harold Lewis said. "It’s an honor on one hand to be labeled one of the best at your position. It’s also a lot of money and it’s all guaranteed, but Kevin would prefer to be an unrestricted free agent."
The move guarantees Carter $5.39 million next season, the average salary of the five best-paid defensive ends in the NFL. After failing to reach agreement on an extension last summer, Carter made $1.1 million last year, the final year of a six-year contract he signed as a first-round draft pick in 1995.
His discontent, expressed at length during training camp, showed in his play.
Carter led the NFL with 17 sacks in 1999 but slipped to 10 1/2 sacks last year and was benched for one game for skipping practice the day after his son was born. The Rams’ defense allowed 471 points last season after giving up only 242 in winning the Super Bowl the previous season.
Williams, one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks for the past decade, had considered retirement or moving to a team with a better shot at success than the Cardinals, one of the NFL’s least formidable franchises. He is now guaranteed at least $4.1 million and his agents are continuing to negotiate with the team.
As expected, Buffalo released three veterans, including three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Ted Washington to meet next week’s salary cap deadline. Also cut were punter Chris Mohr, among the team’s longtime players, and offensive lineman Joe Panos.
The Bills entered the off-season more than $13 million over the cap. That was even before re-signing wide receiver Eric Moulds to a six-year, $45 million contract last week.
Miami released wide receiver Tony Martin and running back Thurman Thomas. Thomas’ release was expected. He is expected to re-sign with Buffalo for one day, then retire as a member of the Bills, the team with which he spent 12 of his 13 NFL seasons.
Sharper, who led the NFL with nine interceptions last season, was the second top-level defensive back taken off the market in two days. On Wednesday, the Atlanta Falcons re-signed cornerback Ray Buchanan, who they would have designated as the franchise player.
Buchanan agreed to a $36 million, six-year deal that includes an $8 million signing bonus.
The Chicago Bears wanted to make sure they retain defensive end Bryan Robinson, making him their transition player.
Robinson gets a one-year contract at the average salary of the top 10 defensive ends in the NFL.
Robinson, claimed by the Bears off waivers before the 1998 season, had a career-high 77 tackles and 4 1/2 sacks last season. He also had nine pass breakups, second highest of any Bears player.
The Bears also agreed to terms on a three-year deal with tight end Fred Baxter, who was released by the New York Jets in December. Baxter caught four passes for 22 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Quarterback Doug Pederson, who started eight games for the Browns after Tim Couch broke a thumb, was released. The Browns also released second-year running back Madre Hill.
GIANTS
 Sehorn unprotected: New York Giants decided not to put a franchise tag on cornerback Jason Sehorn, saying they wanted to maintain the team’s chemistry while keeping money available to sign free agents.
The Super Bowl runners-up still want to sign Sehorn to a long-term contract, and the cornerback has said he wants to remain with the team. However, Sehorn will be free to sign with anyone beginning March 2.
Sehorn, whose salary last year was $5.6 million, already is the NFL’s best-paid cornerback. Had the Giants used the franchise tag, he would have gotten a 20 percent increase to $6.776 million.
RAMS
No word on Green: Coach Mike Martz is hedging about what the club will do with backup quarterback Trent Green.
The thinking had been that St. Louis would trade Green for a high draft pick that could be used to shore up its defense. But Martz said yesterday he has enough room under the $67.4 million salary cap to keep Green as an understudy for starter Kurt Warner.
Warner, the NFL and Super Bowl MVP two seasons ago, was in and out of the lineup with injuries in 2000.
JAGUARS
Boselli contract restructured: Offensive lineman Tony Boselli of the Jacksonville Jaguars signed a restructured contract that will help shave about $1.9 million off the top of the team’s bloated salary cap.
The Jaguars’ official Web site reported Boselli went to team offices to finalize the deal. It didn’t add any years, nor did it drastically affect the total amount Boselli will receive over the four remaining seasons of his deal.
It simply pushed the biggest payments back, something the Jaguars must do as part of their massive move to restructure contracts and trim more than $35 million from the cap before March 2.
The move could indicate an agreement to restructure quarterback Mark Brunell’s contract is closer.
COLTS
Pollard designated: Indianapolis didn’t want to lose tight end Marcus Pollard. So the Colts assured themselves a strong chance of keeping him by designating Pollard its franchise player.
"We talked up until 2:45 p.m. today," Pollard’s agent Glenn Scwhartzman said. "It went OK. Obviously we tried to be creative, we tried to get the deal done if it would reflect Marcus’ market value."
Schwartzman said the two sides had made "significant progress" since negotiations began last month. Schwartzman said Pollard is hoping for a five-year deal.
Pollard, the Colts’ No. 2 tight end, was considered one of the top free agents available at the position. Pollard will make at least $2.107 million — the average of the top five tight ends — next season. His base salary last season was $700,000.
NFL EUROPE
Robinson drafted: Former University of Hawai‘i quarterback Dan Robinson was taken by Frankfurt during the 11th round of the NFL Europe draft yesterday.
Robinson, who played for the Warriors from 1997-99, said he’ll report on March 13.
Eric Whitfield, a former UCLA safety now on the Washington Redskins’ roster, was the first player taken in the NFL Europe dispersal draft Tuesday.
Whitfield was taken by the Scottish Claymores.
A total of 227 players on NFL rosters, the most ever, will play in the six-team NFL Europe this summer as the league protects its fringe players from the new XFL by sending them to its developmental league.
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