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Williams contract with Miami sparks $3M debate
It's the $3 million question, and it looms large as a possible stumbling block in Ricky Williams' path back to playing for the Miami Dolphins.
At issue is contract language meant to determine whether Williams should make a $3.7 million base salary next season or the league minimum of $540,000. It appears that the high end is too much for the Dolphins to clear, the low end too little for the former star running back to hear.
Agent Leigh Steinberg declined to discuss the matter, but he did tell The Miami Herald, "I don't see Ricky playing for that ($540,000) figure."
The Herald talked with several attorneys with contract law backgrounds who have read Williams' contract, which was renegotiated in 2002, and the vote was split. Two told the newspaper that Williams is entitled to the $3.7 million salary; two believe the Dolphins could pay him the minimum; and one said there was enough room for debate that arbitration might be the best solution.
"There are clauses in the contract that are pretty strongly worded in the team's favor, but you have a pretty good question about whether he's still in breach of the contract once he returns to the team," the undecided attorney told The Herald.
NFL Players Association attorney Richard Berthelsen told the paper that the union would defend Williams' position if the issue does go to an arbitrator but declined to comment further. Dolphins vice president Bryan Wiedmeier, who oversees player contract negotiations, wouldn't discuss the matter.
"Any type of salary or contract information is internal," Wiedmeier told The Herald.
The money issue, particularly given that the Dolphins can't fit the larger amount under the salary cap -- at least not once they sign their draft picks and so forth -- could prove more of a problem than the league's substance abuse policy, the newspaper reported.
It's possible that Williams' agreement to get tested earlier than required could prompt the league to allow him to return in time for training camp in late July, according to The Herald.
As it stands now, camp is tentatively set to start July 24 but the rushing star faces a new one-year suspension if he returns before the 27th.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello reiterated the one-year suspension rule, but two other sources told The Herald the league is expected to forgive Williams a few days if he is cooperative.
Whenever he comes back, Williams will face random, and possibly quite frequent, testing for the rest of his career, the newspaper reported.
"A player who receives a four-game suspension [and thus enters Stage 3 of the league's policy] is subject to regular drug testing (up to 10 times a month) for the remainder of his career," Aiello wrote in an e-mail to The Herald.
Source: AP
At issue is contract language meant to determine whether Williams should make a $3.7 million base salary next season or the league minimum of $540,000. It appears that the high end is too much for the Dolphins to clear, the low end too little for the former star running back to hear.
Agent Leigh Steinberg declined to discuss the matter, but he did tell The Miami Herald, "I don't see Ricky playing for that ($540,000) figure."
The Herald talked with several attorneys with contract law backgrounds who have read Williams' contract, which was renegotiated in 2002, and the vote was split. Two told the newspaper that Williams is entitled to the $3.7 million salary; two believe the Dolphins could pay him the minimum; and one said there was enough room for debate that arbitration might be the best solution.
"There are clauses in the contract that are pretty strongly worded in the team's favor, but you have a pretty good question about whether he's still in breach of the contract once he returns to the team," the undecided attorney told The Herald.
NFL Players Association attorney Richard Berthelsen told the paper that the union would defend Williams' position if the issue does go to an arbitrator but declined to comment further. Dolphins vice president Bryan Wiedmeier, who oversees player contract negotiations, wouldn't discuss the matter.
"Any type of salary or contract information is internal," Wiedmeier told The Herald.
The money issue, particularly given that the Dolphins can't fit the larger amount under the salary cap -- at least not once they sign their draft picks and so forth -- could prove more of a problem than the league's substance abuse policy, the newspaper reported.
It's possible that Williams' agreement to get tested earlier than required could prompt the league to allow him to return in time for training camp in late July, according to The Herald.
As it stands now, camp is tentatively set to start July 24 but the rushing star faces a new one-year suspension if he returns before the 27th.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello reiterated the one-year suspension rule, but two other sources told The Herald the league is expected to forgive Williams a few days if he is cooperative.
Whenever he comes back, Williams will face random, and possibly quite frequent, testing for the rest of his career, the newspaper reported.
"A player who receives a four-game suspension [and thus enters Stage 3 of the league's policy] is subject to regular drug testing (up to 10 times a month) for the remainder of his career," Aiello wrote in an e-mail to The Herald.
Source: AP