Chiefs Agree to terms with Surtain not Dolphins

[CAChiefsFan]

www.KFFL.com
Fri, 1 Apr 2005 07:01:28 -0800

Alex Marvez and Ethan Skolnick, of the Sun-Sentinel, report the Kansas City Chiefs and CB Patrick Surtain have agreed in principle on a multi-year contract extension, which includes an eight-digit signing bonus. However, the Chiefs now have to work out a trade with the Miami Dolphins to acquire him. The Chiefs are reportedly offering a fourth-round pick, while the Dolphins are looking for a selection in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. Dolphins head coach Nick Saban said the team will not compromise when it comes to their asking price for him.

[lazarus]

Dolphins may be sending CB to Chiefs

BY ALEX MARVEZ

South Florida Sun-Sentinel


DAVIE, Fla. - (KRT) - Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain and the Kansas City Chiefs have agreed in principle to a multiyear contract extension that includes an eight-digit signing bonus provided a trade between the teams can be worked out, sources said.

The Chiefs reportedly are offering a fourth-round draft choice while the Dolphins are believed to be insistent upon a selection in the first three rounds.

Kansas City has its own first- and second-round picks as well as a third-round compensational pick awarded by the NFL that cannot be traded. The Chiefs traded their 2005 third-round pick last season to Philadelphia as part of a package to acquire guard John Welbourn.

"If someone else wants to work a business deal for (Surtain) to be on their team, fine," Dolphins coach Nick Saban said Thursday. "But we will not compromise on our price. I'm not going to tell you what that is, but it's not to be compromised."

Saban gave Surtain permission to shop his services in February after it appeared the three-time Pro Bowl selection would be unable to land the kind of lucrative contract he was seeking from the Dolphins. Surtain is scheduled to earn $5.85 million in 2005, the final season in a four-year contract extension he signed in 2001.

"I like Patrick and want him to be on our team," Saban said. "If he's not, it's going to be because it can't work out business-wise. It's as simple as that."

Chiefs coach thingy Vermeil said last week that his team had interest in Surtain and free-agent cornerback Ty Law. Vermeil hopes to acquire a veteran cornerback before the April 23 draft to help improve the NFL's lowest-ranked secondary in 2004.

Surtain had drawn interest from other teams, with Minnesota, Oakland and Seattle among the leading suitors. But no trade was close to happening because of the Dolphins' compensation demands and the fact a contract extension would need to be reached with Surtain, who could become an unrestricted free agent in 2006. The Vikings and Seahawks addressed the need for cornerbacks by signing free agents Fred Smoot and Kelly Herndon, respectively.

Surtain carries an $8.4 million salary cap number, which is almost 10 percent of the Dolphins' $85.5 million cap allowance. But Saban said the Dolphins can handle that number and said the franchise tag could be used to retain Surtain's rights for future seasons, although that would place a greater strain on the team's cap. The one-year guaranteed salary for a franchise cornerback in 2005 is $8.8 million and is expected to increase in 2006.

"I don't know that we can sign him long-term," Saban said. "It depends on what happens in the future. We can't make it work right now relative to what they want and where we are."

Surtain, 28, has been a Dolphins starter since 1999. Reggie Howard and Will Poole are the leading contenders to replace Surtain in the starting lineup if a trade is completed.

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