Leinart Contract Talks in Overtime

A person familiar with the contract negotiations between the Arizona Cardinals and rookie quarterback Matt Leinart said this morning that there has been an ongoing dialogue between the two sides and a deal perhaps could be struck by early next week.

Leinart, the draft's 10th overall selection in April, is the lone first-round pick league-wide who's still unsigned.

The parameters of what the deal should be are pretty easy to figure. The player drafted immediately after Leinart, quarterback Jay Cutler, signed a five-year contract with the Denver Broncos with $11 million in bonuses. The player drafted immediately before Leinart, linebacker Ernie Sims, signed a five-year contract with the Detroit Lions containing $12 million in guaranteed money. So Leinart's deal, if it's for five seasons, should contain about $11.5 million in bonuses. Cutler's contract has an option for a sixth season.

Leinart is represented by mega-agent Tom Condon, who usually has gotten his prized rookie quarterbacks into training camps in time to avoid having their rookie seasons wrecked. Leinart isn't scheduled to be the Cardinals' starter, with Kurt Warner on hand for that duty. But he is a highly polished quarterback after playing for Coach Pete Carroll and former offensive coordinator Norm Chow at USC, and he would give Cardinals Coach Dennis Green a midseason alternative if he doesn't fall too far behind as a result of these lengthy negotiations.

By Mark Maske |  August 10, 2006; 10:35 AM ET  | Category:  Cardinals
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