Burress misses practice as agent seeks deal with Giants
07/25/2008

Plaxico Burress missed the New York Giants first training camp practice on Friday with an ankle injury while his agent spoke with the Super Bowl champions about renegotiating his contract.

BURRESS HUNGERS FOR MORE MONEY
By PAUL SCHWARTZ
Posted: 3:47 am
July 26, 2008

ALBANY - As Plaxico BurressPlaxico Burress filled his plate in the GiantsNew York Giants ' cafeteria yesterday, he looked as if he didn't have a care in the world.

But at that very moment, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and Kevin Abrams, the Giants' assistant GM, were hunkered down trying to hammer out the final details of a contract extension that for now represents the lone distraction for the Jeremy ShockeyJeremy Shockey -less defending Super Bowl champions.

Burress is a camper but not a happy one, and he did not practice in the morning or the afternoon, supposedly because the left ankle that was thought to be healed was acting up.

More likely, Burress in another "business decision" decided to deny the Giants his services until they ante up some more money.

Burress arrived at camp as one of the players, because of health issues, limited to practice once a day, at least in the early stages. Others in that same situation, linebackers Mathias Kiwanuka and Danny Clark and cornerback Sam Madison, worked in the first session and sat out in the afternoon.

When Burress was going to work out was not yet decided when Tom Coughlin early in the morning walked onto the field.

"We went to make that decision, and he felt that he couldn't go," Coughlin said. "He says his ankle is bothering him and he didn't feel like he could go."

Asked if Burress would be ready by the second session, a slightly perturbed-sounding Coughlin said "I have no idea."

This did not exactly jibe with Burress' contention back during the mid-June mini-camp that various maladies - ankle, knee, finger, shoulder - were all nearly 100 percent and that he was ready to go.

Of course, back then Burress declared he would not participate in the mini-camp practices, citing a "business decision" and then willingly explaining he would not practice until he got a new deal. That insubordination cost Burress $25,000 in fines for conduct detrimental to the team, a fine Burress is appealing.

He's got three years and $10.5 million left on his contract, but the Giants following the season - Burress despite multiple injuries caught a career-high 12 TD passes and hauled in the game-winner in the last minute of Super Bowl XLII - admitted he had out-performed his deal and a raise was in order.

Burress promised to show up at camp on time and he did, but he never said he would take the field if he did not yet get paid. Rosenhaus, on cue, declared there is "no connection" between the ongoing negotiations and Burress deciding not to practice.

"We are hoping to get this resolved," Rosenhaus said. "We had hoped to get this resolved before training camp."

Burress refused to comment. Teammates barely raised en eyebrow.

Said Antonio Pierce: "When he gets to 100 percent and handles some of the business off the field, we'll see Plaxico Burress."

paul.schwartz@nypost.com

Bengals agree to review Johnson's contract after season
By Adam Schefter | NFL.com

Cincinnati and Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson reached agreement Sunday that their existing deal will be reviewed after this season.

Each side wins. The Bengals get a quieter, happier Johnson in camp, on time, just as he promised; Johnson gets assurances that -- if he is on his best behavior this year on and off the field -- the Bengals will consider reworking his contract.

Let's talk ... later

By agreeing to review Chad Johnson's contract after the season, the Bengals will have two major contract decisions to make next offseason, as T.j. Houshmandzadeh's contract is set to expire at the end of the year. Below are both players' 2007 stats:

Chad Johnson
Receptions: 93
Yards: 1,440
Yards per catch: 15.5
Touchdowns: 9


T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Receptions: 112
Yards: 1,143
Yards per catch: 10.2
Touchdowns: 12

It is a gentleman's agreement that prevented any holdout and propelled Johnson into training camp on Sunday, the same day his agent Drew Rosenhaus was spotted in Cincinnati with Bengals officials. Rosenhaus was also seen in Cincinnati during the Bengals' last minicamp.

Rosenhaus, when contacted, declined comment, something Johnson rarely did during an off-season in which he consistently voiced his displeasure with the organization. But in recent weeks, Johnson's tone has changed, and it did so in part because Cincinnati's attitude with him has softened.

At least the Bengals are willing to listen to Johnson and his demands after the season, something they were unwilling to do this offseason.

It's a smart move on Cincinnati's part. After this year, the Bengals can offer Johnson a below-market contract and still live up to their end of the agreement.

But for now, it is a gesture that Johnson apparently appreciates enough to put aside any concerns about his contract and focus on the season ahead.

After this season, Johnson will have two years left on a contract that pays him an average of $6 million per season. These days, after an offseason in which wideouts such as Terrell Owens and Steve Smith were awarded new deals, the league's top receiver deals are earning in the $8- to $9-million-a-year range.

Cincinnati could face a critical negotiation period, not only for Johnson, but for Pro Bowl wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, whose contract expires after this season. But those are issues for another day. For now, the Bengals have done what they can to make promises and peace.