Saturday, August 21, 1999
Steinberg may come to Cincinnati
Smith's agent says 2 sides not near deal
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PONTIAC, Mich. — Quarterback Akili Smith's agent is ready to visit Cincinnati in an effort to close a deal for his client. But Leigh Steinberg made it clear Friday that the Bengals aren't close to signing the third pick in the NFL draft.
“We have a team that has withdrawn from the rest of the NFL in terms of contract negotiations,” Steinberg said. “They're like the Bermuda Triangle. They're arguing that rookies shouldn't get big con tracts. But that's not Akili's fault. Why should he earn less than the quarterbacks that statistically he matches up with? It's a non sequitur. But I won't sit here in California and let this go on.”
Ray Smith, Akili's father, expressed support for Steinberg Friday night. He said criticism that Steinberg is making his son a casualty of a bitter agent turf war between himself and Tom Condon is unfair.
“Leigh's got the family's support,” Ray Smith said. “He's taken some lead from us, but we're relying on him, and I think you have to when you're talking about a man that's accomplished so much. We've got a lot of respect for him, and I know he's doing what's best for our son. The criticism is wrong.”
The sides agree on a $10.8 million signing bonus and the nearly $45 million package for six years. But Steinberg is arguing that Smith should be paid like quarterbacks taken with the first and second picks in the last two drafts. That means that minimum play should trigger the bulk of his money over the course of the contract.
“He shouldn't get as much to sign as Tim Couch or Donovan McNabb,” Steinberg said of the quarterbacks taken before Smith. “But if he plays at the same level over a period time, he should be compensated like them. There is a potential shortfall.”
The Bengals argue they don't want a situation like the one the Chargers have with Ryan Leaf. Leaf has a voidable buyback contract in which the Chargers have to pay him a second signing bonus after the third season to keep him, even though they gave him $11.25 million to sign.
With Smith's salary immediately jumping to huge paydays with minimal play, Bengals President Mike Brown said, “it forces you to cut him if he can't play despite giving him that huge bonus.”
Said Steinberg: “It's not Akili's fault; that's the market.”
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