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Teams get compensatory picks
Posted: Tuesday March 28, 2000 04:54 PM
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- The NFL awarded 14 teams compensatory picks in next month's draft for losing free agents last year. Four teams -- the Packers, Vikings, Jaguars and Patriots -- each were given four extra choices, the league said Tuesday. The Redskins received three, while the Steelers, Saints and Chargers got two apiece. Also receiving compensatory choices, based on a formula including how much the lost free agents played for their new teams and how much they were paid, were the Broncos, Lions, Bills, Titans, Chiefs and Cardinals. Green Bay, New England, Tennessee and Washington got picks in the fourth round, Nos. 126-129. Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Minnesota and New Orleans were given fifth-round selections, Nos. 162-166. In the sixth round, seven choices were awarded, Nos. 199-205, with the Patriots and Chargers each getting two, while the Saints, Redskins and Steelers got one apiece. Fifteen choices were awarded at the end of the draft, Nos. 239-253. The Jaguars were given all four of their compensatory picks and the Vikings and Packers each received three picks in the seventh and final round. The Patriots, Broncos, Redskins, Bills and Lions got one apiece.
Polian honoredIndianapolis Colts president Bill Polian was honored Tuesday as the 1999 NFL Executive of the Year. In voting by league executives conducted by The Sporting News, Polian received 24 votes. Floyd Reese, general manager of the Tennessee Titans, was second with 10 votes. John Shaw, president of the Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams, got four. It was the fifth time Polian has won the award: twice with Buffalo and twice with Carolina before helping turn around the Colts, who went from 3-13 to 13-3. Indianapolis was the first team to win 10 more games than the previous season. "To those of us in the league, this is an important award," Polian said. "It is one that counts the most, because it is voted on by our peers." Polian thanked owner Jimmy Irsay, senior vice president Bob Terpening and coach Jim Mora, saying, "This goes not to one person, but to a lot of people." A better freakTennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher expects bigger and better things from Jevon Kearse, the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year. Fisher said there is much room for improvement by "The Freak," who set a rookie record with 14 1/2 sacks and helped the Titans win the AFC championship. "He's shown he has the athletic ability," Fisher said Tuesday. "Now, he's got to improve his understanding of the game and his techniques. He has to study the right tackles in the division and be more productive against the run. We'll move him around even more. "And he's only scratched the surface as a pass rusher." Wandering coachWhen Bill Belichick walked into the AFC coaches' media breakfast Tuesday, he saw New York Jets publicist Frank Ramos sitting at a table and headed straight for it. Belichick then realized his mistake and looked around for his table. Considering how Belichick had the Jets' job for one day before quitting, then winding up as New England Patriots coach after a contentious few weeks -- he even filed suit against the Jets and the NFL -- his confusion added yet another absurdity to the whole situation. OK, ask the question alreadyJets coach Al Groh played golf with Giants coach Jim Fassel on Monday. They were partnered with two businessmen from New York. During the round, they discussed the relative merits of both New York teams. When they finished playing, Groh was surprised the subject of star receiver Keyshawn Johnson's holdout was not broached. So Groh turned to the two New Yorkers and said, "C'mon, fellas, is there something you want to ask me?"
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