DATE: Thursday, February 27, 1997           TAG: 9702270669

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   45 lines

ALLEN SIGNS WITH REDSKINS FOR 4 YEARS, $14.8 MILLION

The Washington Redskins and Terry Allen ended five weeks of negotiations by agreeing on a four-year, $14.8 million contract Wednesday that puts the often-underappreciated running back among the league's elite.

``The Redskins showed how much they appreciated me and what I have done by giving me four more years,'' said Allen, who was disturbed by the fact that he had signed two one-year contracts since joining Washington as a free agent prior to the 1995 season. ``I knew if I came back, it would be for a long time. There wasn't going to be any more one-year deals. This was where I wanted to be, and this was where I wanted to end my career.''

Allen received a $2.6 million signing bonus and will earn a base salary of $2.4 million this season. He earned $2 million last season, one in which he broke John Riggins' single-season record by rushing for 1,353 yards.

``Terry was one of our priorities this offseason,'' said general manager Charley Casserly, who still has contracts to negotiate with defensive tackle Sean Gilbert, quarterback Gus Frerotte, and cornerbacks Darrell Green and Tom Carter. ``Both sides had a desire to get this done by a certain time. The others haven't come to that point yet.''

Allen is the only player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards after reconstructive surgeries on both knees. Yet concern about the durability of those knees have always made for rocky negotiations in the free agent market, despite his impressive statistics over seven NFL seasons.

A ninth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings from Clemson in 1990, he missed the 1990 and 1993 seasons after knee surgery but ran for 1,201 yards in 1992 and 1,031 yards in 1994.

``There were questions in our minds about whether Terry could duplicate his first season with us,'' said Casserly, referring to Allen's 1,309 yards in 1995-96. ``But when he broke Riggins' record, that answered any questions in our mind.''

Allen's agent, Tank Black, originally set Feb. 14 as the deadline by which he wanted his client to have a contract, or he would shop him elsewhere. The Redskins made their first contract overture to Allen at the Senior Bowl five weeks ago and maintained such a close dialogue with Allen that no other teams entered the bidding process. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

Terry Allen

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