Chargers Give Leaf $31 Million Deal

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

July 25, 1998 / 11:10 PM EDT / CBS Sportsline

San Diego Chargers quarterback Ryan Leaf agreed Saturday to a contract that includes a $11.25 million signing bonus, the largest ever for a rookie, and will end his two-day training camp holdout.

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The bonus is part of a complex deal that could pay Leaf, the second pick in the April draft, $31.25 million over five seasons, an average of $6.25 million.

That means that Leaf will get into camp before Peyton Manning, taken by Indianapolis with the first pick in the draft. Manning remained the Colts' only unsigned player.

"We were determined to make sure Ryan got out to a productive start in training camp, and that's the most important key," Leaf's agent, Leigh Steinberg, told The Associated Press from his Newport Beach office.

Leaf, who led Washington State to the Rose Bowl as a junior, missed a total of four practices on Friday and Saturday. The Chargers are off Sunday, and Leaf is expected to report to a team meeting that night and begin practicing on Monday morning.

The key to the contract is voidable years, which Steinberg specializes in negotiating. Steinberg said the basic deal is for six years and $13.2 million, which really is irrelevant.

At the end of three seasons, if Leaf reaches certain statistical levels, the contract voids. The Chargers can then buy back two additional years by paying another $4 million bonus. The range for that contract will be $25 million for five years. If Leaf does really well, such as playing at a Pro Bowl level, the deal would be worth $31.25 million.

"We're excited about the five-year term as opposed to six," Steinberg said.

Chargers general manager Bobby Beathard wasn't immediately available for comment.

The sides negotiated until midnight Friday, then spoke approximately every hour on Saturday until getting the deal done.

Leaf has been working out on his own and watching videotape.

Leaf's bonus epresents more than a $4 million jump from the previous highest bonus for a rookie, the $7.125 million Ki-Jana Carter got from Cincinnati in 1995.

The bonus has been surpassed by only a few established stars. Dallas gave running back Emmitt Smith $15 million and defensive back Deion Sanders $12,999,000. Green Bay quarterback Bret Favre got $12 million and New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe, like Leaf a Washington State product, got $11.5 million.

Besides paying leaf significant money, the Chargers sent Arizona two players, this year's first- and second-round draft picks and next year's No. 1 just to move up one spot in the draft and be assured of getting a franchise quarterback.

"The arms were getting sore. We needed to get somebody in here, so we might as well get our No. 1 draft pick in," coach Kevin Gilbride joked when he heard that Leaf had agreed.

The Chargers got some bad news Saturday when defensive tackle Reuben Davis suffered a possible torn left Achilles' tendon during a pass rush drill. He is to undergo an MRI exam on Sunday. Davis tore his right Achilles last training camp and missed the season.