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Miami Dolphins' Ricky Williams handled own negotiation
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By BARRY JACKSON
bjackson@MiamiHerald.com
All Dolphins chatter on opening day:
Ricky Williams has done a lot most players haven't: won a Heisman Trophy, led the NFL in rushing, lived in a tent in Australia. Now add something else: Williams disclosed Friday he negotiated his own contract extension with Bill Parcells in less than 10 minutes. General manager Jeff Ireland was the only other person there, Williams said.
Parcells called Williams to his office less than two weeks ago to pitch an extension and told Williams to think about it. Williams said on the night before the final preseason game, ``I had a dream about how the talks would go, and it happened just that way.''
Williams said before the second meeting with Parcells, he consulted his family, financial advisor and Ronnie Brown. He said he did the deal himself because he could not reach agent Leigh Steinberg, who has allowed his agent certification to expire temporarily.
Williams, who will start at running back, said he asked Parcells for incentives if he participated in 70 percent of the offensive plays and finished among the NFL's top five in rushing. 'Bill said, `That's not realistic.' He said I'm 31, I'm not going to play on third down and I'll be splitting time with Ronnie.'' Williams accepted that.
Williams said he was ''stunned in a good way'' by Parcells' offer to pay him $3.5 million in 2009. (Two agents with access to the players' association website confirmed Friday that Williams is down to collect $3.4 million in base salary in 2009 and $100,000 in a workout bonus.)
Williams, who was due to make $730,000 in 2008, said he and Parcells ''agreed on $2.2 million this season -- $730,000 in base salary, and [what would amount to] $93,000 a [game] in a roster bonus.'' But that differs with new information on the NFLPA website, which has Williams making $730,000 in base salary and a $562,500 roster bonus (totaling $1.3 million).
He said he accepted everything Parcells offered but asked for incentives. ''He said he'll give me more if I have a good year,'' Williams said, adding he was told he will get an additional $1.5 million or more in 2009 if he surpasses certain thresholds in 2008, including what he recalls as 1,100 yards rushing. That wasn't on the NFLPA website.
Williams said Parcells explained he offered only a one-year extension because ``as running backs get to be 33, some are gifted to continue and some are not. He said if I do what I'm doing now, he would extend me again.''
Steinberg remains Williams' agent but is ''kind of upset'' he was excluded, Williams said. Williams was OK handling talks because ``I trust Bill. I'm in a good situation here. It's refreshing to be with a coach and vice president that believe in me. My relationship with authority figures was strained in the past. Now I realize they write the checks.''
Chad Pennington said Greg Camarillo, working with the first team last week, has the ''smarts'' and skills to develop into another Wayne Chrebet, the productive ex-Jet. ''They look alike, their body type,'' Pennington said. . . . The disappointing Ernest Wilford said he isn't even sure if he will be among Miami's top four receivers Sunday. Miami knew he ''lacks top end speed,'' as Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said. And his trouble separating from defensive backs has hampered him. ''Wilford wasn't worth the investment, and that's surprising,'' an NFC personnel director said of his deal (four years, $13 million, $6 million guaranteed).
Good to see Channing Crowder, who is relaying defensive signals now that Zach Thomas is in Dallas, is watching film ''a lot more'' -- at least an hour
a day on site and ''sitting with my dog and watching 1 ½ hours at night'' -- which should help him detect tendencies. Like Thomas, Crowder now keeps three notebooks on each opponent's offense. ''I want to get to Zach's level,'' said Crowder, who will pick Thomas' brain weekly about opponents.
Miami's best blocker? Center Samson Satele, Crowder said. Jason Ferguson predicts Satele will be a Pro Bowler ''because you won't find anyone more athletic playing center.'' Satele said Ferguson has taught him more than did ex-Dolphin Keith Traylor, ''who was doing his own thing.'' Vonnie Holliday and Andre' Goodman, among others, say the offensive line is clearly Miami's most improved unit.
Jay Rood, who runs MGM Mirage's 12 Nevada sports books, said Miami's over/under for wins was raised from 5 ½ to 6 because most people were betting the over. Only Atlanta (5) and Kansas City (5 ½) are lower.
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