WP: Redskins, Arrington Continue Discussions

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/30/AR2005073001008.html

Redskins, Arrington Continue Discussions

Sides Hope to Resolve Financial Dispute

By Jason La Canforna

Washington Post Staff Writer

Sunday, July 31, 2005; Page E11

While linebacker LaVar Arrington worked out many of his differences with the Washington Redskins during a meeting with team officials on Wednesday, league sources said the sides are continuing discussions through this weekend in hopes of resolving a lingering financial dispute.

Arrington has long said that a $6.5 million bonus was left out of the eight-year, $68-million deal he signed in December 2003, and negotiations were ongoing through yesterday to reach a financial settlement before players take the field for training camp tomorrow

Officials from the Redskins are not commenting on the matter, nor is Arrington's attorney, Steve Brown, nor are officials from the NFL Players Association. Lawyers and representatives from the NFLPA, including Executive Director Gene Upshaw, attended the meeting at Redskins Park, as well as Brown, Arrington, Coach Joe Gibbs, owner Daniel Snyder and team attorneys, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Arrington, who lashed out at the organization after an injury plagued 2004 season, was able to express his concerns to Gibbs and Snyder during the meeting and work to repair their relationship, sources said, which was one of the primary reasons the three-time Pro Bowl performer requested the get-together.

The other purpose of the meeting was to resolve the financial grievance, Brown said during an interview about two weeks ago. All sides involved are hoping to reach a resolution before the start of training camp, and continue to exchange ideas to that end. The case was scheduled to go before an arbitrator on July 18, but Arrington requested to postpone that hearing and meet in this fashion instead. Should the sides be unable to reach a resolution on the contract, the case could go to arbitration again in late September, league sources said.

If Arrington and the Redskins were to agree to any additional compensation, it could have salary cap ramifications, and those matters would have to reviewed by the NFL and NFLPA as well.

Redskins Notes: The Redskins are continuing to negotiate with their two unsigned first-round draft picks, cornerback Carlos Rogers and quarterback Jason Campbell. Rogers, selected ninth overall, was the third cornerback taken in the top 10, and as of yesterday neither of the corners taken ahead of him had signed. Those signings will likely help frame the structure of Rogers's deal. Rogers is also recovering from foot and ankle injuries and may not be ready to practice tomorrow. Campbell, selected 25th overall, is projected to be the No. 3 quarterback and said he is already in Virginia, working out and awaiting the completion of his deal. . . .

The Redskins released injured linebacker Mike Barrow last night. Barrow, who never played a game after signing before last season, had resisted the team's requests to restructure his contract -- he was scheduled to earn $1.74 million in base salary in 2005 -- and releasing him saved the club $1.74 million in cap space, although Barrow will count $1.66 million against the team's 2006 cap. . . .

Safety Andre Lott, who started three games last season, was waived last night. Lott was attempting to recover from season-ending pectoral tear.

Originally posted by redskns56

The Redskins released injured linebacker Mike Barrow last night. Barrow, who never played a game after signing before last season, had resisted the team's requests to restructure his contract -- he was scheduled to earn $1.74 million in base salary in 2005 -- and releasing him saved the club $1.74 million in cap space, although Barrow will count $1.66 million against the team's 2006 cap. . . .

What a prick Barrow is! How can you not re-structure to help a team that paid you a boatload of money to stand on the sidelines for the entire season and conditioning program this year. He's yet to do anything to deserve anything more than an assistant coach's salary.

Bye, bye Barrow.

Originally posted by redskns56

What a prick Barrow is! How can you not re-structure to help a team that paid you a boatload of money to stand on the sidelines for the entire season and conditioning program this year. He's yet to do anything to deserve anything more than an assistant coachs' salary.

Bye, bye Barrow.

My thoughts exactly. He is a PRICK!!!!

Huh?!

So, uh, I thought the article Canforna wrote yesterday stated the whole matter was resolved.

Redskins, Arrington Settle Grievance

Compensation Unlikely for Star

By Jason La Canfora

Washington Post Staff Writer

Saturday, July 30, 2005; E01

Lawyers and representatives from the Washington Redskins met with linebacker LaVar Arrington this week to settle his lingering financial grievance with the team, NFL sources said. The meeting was held after Arrington opted out of an arbitration hearing earlier this month.

Two league sources with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Arrington's new lawyer, Steve Brown, as well as officials from the NFL Players Association including NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw visited Redskins Park in Ashburn on Wednesday, at which time the matter was resolved.

According to one of the sources, Arrington no longer has an active grievance against the team and there will be no future arbitration hearings. The source said all financial differences between Arrington and the team were resolved. It could not immediately be determined whether Arrington received any additional compensation as part of the settlement, but the sources indicated that such an outcome was unlikely.

Karl Swanson, a spokesman for Redskins owner Dan Snyder, said he was unable to reach him for comment yesterday. Snyder is on vacation in Colorado. Vinny Cerrato, the team's vice president of football operations, did not return a call seeking comment. Coach and team president Joe Gibbs was contacted through a team spokesman but did not comment.

Brown, who spoke openly earlier this month about Arrington's desire to mend relations with the club and reach a "win-win" solution to the grievance, has not returned repeated phone calls this week. A message left with the NFLPA was not returned.

Arrington contended that the Redskins failed to include a $6.5 million bonus in the eight-year, $68 million contract he signed with the team in December 2003. After a year of delays the case was scheduled to be heard July 18. Arrington met with Upshaw a few days before that date and decided to forgo arbitration, because, as Brown later stated, "It's not a matter that [should be] litigated where one party is making allegations in a semi-public forum against other parties with a third party [arbitrator] involved."

Arrington missed virtually all of the 2004 season because of knee problems and twice underwent surgery to remedy the injury. During the offseason he criticized coaches and trainers for their handling of his knee injury after the team failed to announce that he had undergone a second surgical procedure. He was unable to participate in mini-camp this spring and he might not be cleared to participate in contact drills when training camp begins Monday morning.

Brown said previously that Arrington wanted the grievance settled before the start of training camp, but with Gibbs and Snyder on vacation, it was difficult to get all of them together. The reason for the meeting Wednesday was as much to solve the financial matter as it was to repair a strained relationship between the player and the team, according to Brown.

"LaVar recognizes that it's to everybody's benefit to restore this relationship," Brown said during an interview 10 days ago. "And he's the one reaching out to the team to restore that relationship."

The Redskins reacted immediately to Arrington's request to postpone the arbitration date. Director of football administration Eric Schaffer, the team's primary negotiator, issued a statement saying, "While we agreed to the postponement I think it is very important to finalize through arbitration that the Redskins did nothing wrong to our highest-paid player. I also feel strongly that the business ethics of the agent should be questioned and looked into."

Schaffer did not return a call seeking comment on the meeting with Arrington, and Arrington's agent, Carl Poston, has not returned numerous phone calls on the matter.

link?

Barrow is a prick... I hope no team picks him up and he has to retire..

The Giants got rid of him for the same reason. They asked him to restructure his contract and he said no. I guess he is against restructuring his contract.

Wow and they waived Lott?

wow, that **** Barrow