THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 11, 1995 TAG: 9508110055
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KNOXVILLE, TENN. LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
Sources close to the negotiations between the Washington Redskins and holdout receiver Michael Westbrook confirmed Thursday that progress has been made in talks and that the No. 1 pick from Colorado could be signed by early next week.
Westbrook, one of just two first-round picks still unsigned, has been seeking a deal in the seven-year, $20 million range, while the Redskins' offer is in the vicinity of $14 million.
It appears that the Redskins may give in on voidable years, a device by which Westbrook could declare the contract void after a certain number of seasons and force the team to renegotiate, assuming he were to meet certain performance incentives. If so, the two sides should be able to achieve a compromise on the other issues.
DOTTED D-LINE: The Redskins say they had their eye on Jeffrey Rodgers before the spring draft. They now can look closer.
On Thursday the Redskins signed the 6-foot-3, 275-pound defensive end out of Texas A&M-Kingsville, and he participated in both workouts against the Houston Oilers.
Rodgers was picked in the seventh round by Tampa Bay, which cut him recently.
THIS 'N' THAT: More than 60,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's Redskins-Oilers game. Neyland Stadium holds 90,000. . . . Receiver Henry Ellard (hamstring) probably won't play against the Oilers. . . . Interesting ad in the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Ex-Redskins coach Joe Gibbs will be the ``very special guest speaker'' at Success 1995, a seminar focusing on strategies for business and personal success. For an October event, the timing of the ad seems more than coincidence while the Redskins are in town. by CNB