European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 2, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday March 2, 1993 sports the stars and stripes Pago 31 to new by Hal Bock the associated press Don t expect the plug to be pulled immediately As the new free agent system officially becomes part of the nil. When the change became effective on monday players agents and clubs were still digest ing the new rules. In fact on monday the first Day of Freedom for 335 eligible players Many of the agents were scheduled to be in Dallas attending a seminar designed to explain the twists and turns of this new Road. V. This much they already know free Agency provides a window of Opportunity previously unavailable to the players a Chance at a change that Many Are anxious to explore. The window is not open permanently though. Eligible players no have not signed with a new team by july 15 return to their old dubs provided those teams have made a qualifying offer by june 1. Nil teams Are conservative by nature often sitting Back waiting for others to make the first move. The first move in this auction figures to be on defensive end Reggie White of the Philadelphia eagles considered the most attractive name on an intriguing list of available players a five year veterans with expired contracts. On offence players like Washington receivers Gary Clark and Art Monk tight end Keith Byars of Philadelphia offensive linemen Bill Fralic of Atlanta and Gerald Perry of the los Angeles rams quarterbacks Jim Harbaugh of Chicago Vinny Testaverde of Tampa Bay Steve Beuerlein of Dallas and Phil Simms and Jeff Hostetler of the new York giants could be on the move. On defense the eligible include nose tackle Jerry Ball of Detroit tackle Doug Smith of Houston linebackers Kevin eagles Reggie White. A franchise Quot to shift Greene of the rams Sam Mills of new Orleans and Shane Conlan of Buffalo and defensive backs Gill Byrd of san Diego and Chuck Cecil of Green Bay. Teams were permitted to pro acct three players from free Agency. A a a franchise player would be guaranteed a salary Matching the average of the top five players in the league at his position. Two a transition Quot players insure teams the right of first refusal and salaries for those players equal to the average of the top 10 at their positions. Only 10 clubs used the a franchise Quot move and two of those were for White and safety Tim Mcdonald of Phoenix both automatic free agents because they were plaintiffs in the suit that eventually forced the settlement. Why use the a franchise Quot move on players no can t be held Back the reasoning of the eagles and cardinals was that it the two sign elsewhere there will be draft Choice compensation although not from the teams tha sign them. Linebacker Wilber Marshall of the Washington redskins was also designated a a franchise Quot player. That was ironic because Marshall was one of just two players who used the previous restrictive free Agency system to change teams. Now with widespread free Agency he is one of the few restricted from  of the 10 a franchise Quot players named just four were on offence and three of those were linemen a jumbo Elliott of the new York giants Lomas Brown of Detroit and Paul Gruber of Tampa Bay. The third was quarterback Steve Young of san Francisco the league s map. The other designated a a franchise play Eres Are linebacker Duane Bickett of Indianapolis defensive ends Neil Smith of Kansas City and Leslie o Neal of san Diego Marshall Mcdonald and White. There Are other wrinkles. The four teams that reached conference championship games a Dallas san Francisco Buffalo and Miami a Are barred from signing a free agent unless they lose one and then Only for the same salary the player they lost is getting from his new team. That could be important for super bowl Champion Dallas because Beuerlein backup quarterback to Troy Aik Man is considered one of the plums in this class of free agents. If he signs a big contract a and passer poor teams like Minnesota and Kansas City have express. De an interest a it would free the cowboys to strengthen themselves even More. . Team ducks Canadian quota Toronto a the a Fly a first american team does t have to have any Canadian Content. A California Law firm told the league its player quota Rule a which legislates the existence of 20 Canadian players per team a would be illegal if applied to the Sacramento Gold miners. A in a sure the slavers will have some Larry Smith said during a Telephone conference Call last week. A Sacramento has been told to get on with it get set up and get moving  with the league s draft of Canadian College players scheduled for saturday no one knew until Friday whether the Gold miners would be forced to employ canadians. Or have the Chance to select them. With the ruling the Gold miners will not participate in the draft and can sign whatever players they want. A no one has a Crystal Ball but i Don t see us being at any advantage Quot said Gold Miner coach Kay Stephenson whose team has signed just five players so far. Reeves Phil Simms. Not yet Back on top it 1 a we re Way behind the other eight teams. A it s going to take a certain extended period of time to close that Gap Between us and the other eight teams Smith said while he expects the Cal players association to take Issue with the decision a and perhaps find its own Legal argument to the contrary a the ruling was sought to pub acct the league and the Union. A a we re not out to play games with the players Quot he said. A this is not us or them. This is information for both  new York apr new York giant coach Dan Reeves denied that he has de. Cited to try to keep Phil Simms As his starting quarterback and let off hosted Ler go through free Agency. The new York Timofe quoting an unidentified source reported sunday that Reeves had decided on Simms after talking to Hostetler last week. Both became unrestricted free agents monday a i Don t know where anyone got that information from. It s definitely speculative Quot Reeves told the new York Post on sunday. �?o1 Haven to even sat Down with Phil  Reeves called Hostetler on sunday to assure him he had not made a decision. A i Don t know if he heard about it or not. He probably did Quot Reeves told the new York daily news. Quot i just want to be Clear that i have not decided  Hostetler told Ney York new Day that a the called me arid informed me he Hasni to made a  Reeves told the daily news last week that he would rather keep Only one of the two Veteran quarterbacks. A i think its going to be difficult to have both of them Back Quot he said. A a. It splits the team splits everybody. The fans the team  Verduzco rips ignorant to ability nil Jason Verduzco Surrey British Columbia apr former Illinois quarterback Jason Verduzco blasted nil teams for overlooking him because of his size after signing a contract with the Cal s British Columbia Lions. A there Are some people who Are ignorant to ability a the 5-foot9 Verduzco said Friday. A i also had that problem coming out of High school with Pacific 10 schools. People think you should be 6-4, but you done to have to be. A people try to write off quarterbacks who Are under 6 feet and that s a bad thing to do. They come up Here and show they can play i can get the Ball there on time and it wont get picked  Illinois took a Chance on Verduzco and he finished his College career As the sixth ranked passer in big ten history. He was projected As a seventh round pick in the nil draft Verduzco who passed for 1,779 Yards and 10 touchdowns for the Zillini last season said he signed before the nil draft because he wants to Start learning the Cal game. / a you have to look at things in the nil and what its about Quot he said a a it a about paperwork and its about figures. Its not necessarily about How Good you Are and what you can do 1 want to play Here. They throw the Ball. It s Ideal for me Quot Verduzco finished his collegiate career with 7,532 Yards and 42 touchdown passes. A a in la be Able to adjust Quick Quot he said. A i m someone who wants to learn and wants to be Good. I m going to go out and make sure in a the Best i can  the Lions project Verduzco As a backup to starter Danny Barrett in 1993. Barrett a nine year Cal Veteran missed More than half of last season with injuries As the Lions went 3-15. A to going to learn at my Pace which is very fast Quot Verduzco said. A i done to want to come in Here and sit around. The Only thing i will Lack is experience on the Field under Canadian  Verduzco signed a one year contract with an option year. A a we re going in a new direction and this is an outstanding player who could be a Leader for us Quot lion general manager Eric Tillman said. A the has everything you look for in a quarterback a Tough Strong Arm outstanding leadership