Rams News

Playing time with Rams could net Wistrom an extra $2.5 million

07/25/98

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

First-round draft pick Grant Wistrom will get an extra $2.5 million in the final year of his six-year contract if he meets either of two playing-time incentives as a Ram.
Wistrom, the defensive end from the University of Nebraska, gets the $2.5 million if he plays in 70 percent of the Rams' defensive plays in each of his first three seasons. Or he gets the $2.5 million if he plays in 80 percent of the team's defensive plays in any two of those three years.
This was the ``escalator'' clause referred to by Wistrom's agent, Tom Condon, when Wistrom signed a six-year, $12.765 million deal on July 18. At the time, Condon said the escalator could raise the value of Wistrom's salary in Year 6 to $5 million.
Actually, it would increase the value to $4.156 million, according to the official contract figures -- the $2.5 million plus Wistrom's scheduled $1.56 million base salary that season.
Wistrom's base salaries break down as follows:
> $695,000 in 1998.
> $858,000 in 1999.
> $1.041 million in 2000.
> $1.214 million in 2001.
> $1.387 million in 2002.
> $1.560 million in 2003. (Plus the $2.5 million if he qualifies for the escalator clause.)
Throw in Wistrom's $6 million signing bonus -- and that comes to $12.765 million without the escalator money. Or $15.265 million with it.
Even with the Rams planning to rotate their defensive linemen more this season, Wistrom should reach the 70 percent mark if he's the starter and stays healthy. All four Rams starting defensive linemen participated in more than 80 percent of the team's defensive plays last season.
The escalator clause was one way to satisfy Condon's concerns over getting a fair value for Wistrom in the latter years of his contract. ``So signing bonus, which as you know is guaranteed money, became important,'' Condon said. ``And overall value became important.''
Condon and Rams executive vice president Jay Zygmunt struck a deal, and got Wistrom into camp on time, with four face-to-face meetings and many hours of phone conversation. Helping matters was the fact that Condon and Zygmunt have done numerous Rams contracts together -- from Robert Holcombe to Dwayne White to Bern Brostek to Irv Eatman.
``Everybody that's on my side of the table recognizes that Jay has a great deal of experience in this business, but he also has an excellent command of not only the CBA, and the rules and regulations, but also the big picture,'' Condon said.
Wistrom, by the way, hasn't looked all that impressive in his first week of training camp. Some in the Rams' organization are mildly concerned, but some aren't. ``Fred Dryer didn't look good in practice, either,'' one team official said, in reference to the former Rams Pro Bowl defensive end turned actor.

Banks account
Over the past two seasons, Tony Banks has been sacked more times than any quarterback in the NFL. Banks has been dropped 91 times over the '96 and '97 seasons. Mark Brunell of Jacksonville and Jeff Blake of Cincinnati are tied for second with 83 sacks apiece.
``It's hard to be sacked as many times as he is and still play,'' coach Dick Vermeil said. ``You give him time, he will throw the accurate pass.''
Banks, by the way, never hooked up with Seattle quarterback Warren Moon over the summer. At one point, Moon spoke to Banks and other black quarterbacks in the NFL about coming to his home in Houston to talk football. But the Moon School never came off.
Banks is oozing confidence at the start of camp.
``I think this is my best opportunity for success, because we've been in the same offense for two years,'' Banks said. ``Even our rookies, right now, we're running our offense better than we did at the beginning of camp last year. Our minicamps were incredible, with the vets there and everybody showing up.
``I think our whole offense will look like we're in a lot more control. It was hectic a lot of times last year. A lot of penalties, a lot of offsides. Guys being unsure. Guys coming unblocked. Me throwing the ball and you never know where it's going.''

Weighty subject
In Atlanta, Craig ``Ironhead'' Heyward played at 255 pounds every week for two years, thanks to a weight clause in his contract that paid him $10,000 every week that he met that weight. Did the Rams consider such a clause when they signed Heyward to a four-year, $4.5 million contract in 1997?
``I thought about it and decided absolutely not,'' Vermeil said. ``Why pay a guy over a million dollars a year, and then pay him $10,000 a week to meet the weight? I don't believe in that. I'm not paying anybody else out there on the football field $10,000 a week to meet the weight. It doesn't make sense to me.''

Rams potpourri
The Rams ruffled some feathers in Macomb, Ill. by staying less than half an hour at the Rams Jam picnic and get together Thursday night at Chandler Park. . . . Vermeil became a grandfather for the 11th time last week, when daughter-in-law Colleen Vermeil gave birth to a girl -- Megan -- in Downington, Pa. . . . Vermeil's wife Carol watched practice films Friday with her husband in Macomb.

Around the league
Former Cowboys coach Barry Switzer is enjoying retirement. He's had a couple of cameo roles in movies, vacationed with his family in Italy, and spent time in Norman, Okla.,Oklahoma City and Dallas. ``I'm 60 years old,'' Switzer said. ``I'm going to enjoy my 'fourth quarter.' ''
> Tampa Bay defensive tackle Warren Sapp loves Bucs coach Tony Dungy -- to a point. ``I'll take a bullet for him if it wouldn't kill me,'' Sapp said. ``I don't think I can trade my life for his -- we ain't that tight yet.''
> Deion Sanders, who is recovering from ankle surgery, arrived in Cowboys camp with his customized $30,000 Mercedes Benz golf cart, plus his own bus with a ``Deion Sanders'' signature logo on the back.
> Philadelphia's first-round draft pick, offensive tackle Tra Thomas, arrived in camp in a menacing Hum-Vee military vehicle, complete with three televisions, a VCR, and a satellite hookup.
Writers from other cities contributed some information to this column.

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