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QB Kelly Collins Reportedly Agrees to Deal With Raiders
Kerry Collins started 67 straight games for the Giants before an ankle injury forced him to miss the final three games of 2003.
After refusing to take a pay cut with the New York Giants, it appears Kerry Collins is headed to the Oakland Raiders.
The New York Daily News is reporting that the veteran quarterback has agreed to a three-year contract with the Raiders.
Collins had visited with the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, where former Giants coach Jim Fassel serves as a consultant, but reportedly decided to go to the Raiders.
That likely means the end of quarterback Rich Gannon's days in Oakland. The 38-year-old Gannon is coming off shoulder surgery that shortened his 2003 season and is due to make $7 million in 2004. With Gannon unwilling to take a pay cut, the Raiders turned to Collins, who has passed for more than 3,000 yards each of the past four seasons.
It became obvious after the Giants acquired Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning, the first overall pick in the draft last month, that Collins' days were numbered in New York unless he accepted a drastic cut. But Collins did not want to play the role of tutor for Manning.
"I just feel like I have a few more years of being a starting quarterback in me," Collins said after being waived by the Giants.
In Oakland, Collins will throw to aging receivers Jerry Rice and Tim Brown and 25-year-old Jerry Porter. The Raiders made the Super Bowl in 2002 when Gannon was named as the NFL's Most Valuable Player, but faltered to 4-12 last season and fired coach Bill Callahan.
In the offseason, the Raiders helped their run defense with the signings of tackles Warren Sapp and Ted Washington. They stocked the offensive line in the draft, selecting tackle Robert Gallery and guard-center Jake Grove in the first two rounds. Oakland also signed running backs Amos Zereoue and Troy Hambrick after losing Charlie Garner and now appears to be on the verge of making a switch at quarterback.
The Giants' starting quarterback since midway through the 1999 season, Collins led them to the Super Bowl in 2000 after throwing for 381 yards and five touchdowns in the NFC championship game against Minnesota.
Collins played in 71 games with the Giants and ranked second in completions (1,447) and third in passing yards (16,875). He started 67 straight games before an ankle injury forced him to miss the final three games last season, when he completed 57 percent of his passes for 3,110 yards and 13 touchdowns with 16 interceptions.
Source: AP
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