http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...603290417/1126
Lions' Harrington is in demand
Quarterback, who will meet with Bengals today, has as many as seven suitors for his services.
Mike O'Hara / The Detroit News
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Joey Harrington has begun his job search for a new team.
Harrington, the Lions' starting quarterback for most of the last four seasons, began his tour Tuesday by meeting with Dolphins coach Nick Saban at the team's headquarters in Davie, Fla.
Six other teams have contacted Lions president Matt Millen about meeting with Harrington. Harrington's next scheduled stop is today in Cincinnati. Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, Seattle and Oakland also have expressed interest, Millen said Tuesday.
Harrington is under contract to the Lions for two more years, but Millen has given teams permission to talk to him. Coach Rod Marinelli already has said that Harrington will not be back.
Harrington's agent, David Dunn, has had preliminary contract talks with some teams.
There is not a ready market for Harrington as a starter. He would have to rebuild his career as a backup, or a temporary starter.
Miami recently acquired Daunte Culpepper in a trade with Minnesota. Culpepper is recovering from a knee injury that ended his 2005 season in the seventh game. Cincinnati lost starter Carson Palmer to a knee injury in its playoff loss to Pittsburgh.
Before leaving for Miami, Saban said that Culpepper's rehabilitation was on schedule, but there is no guarantee that he will be ready for the start of the season. The timing of Palmer's injury adds more doubt to his availability.
Only Oakland might be in the market for an immediate starter. The Raiders recently signed former New Orleans starter Aaron Brooks.
The Lions are not close to making a deal for Harrington, Millen said.
"All we did was we got teams lined up who want to bring him in," Millen said.
Millen reportedly is asking for a first-day pick -- one of the first three rounds -- in next month's draft. Harrington's contract situation must be resolved before the Lions can make a deal, and it gives him his only leverage in any trade.
Harrington's original six-year deal, signed in 2002 when the Lions drafted him in the first round, calls for base salaries of $4.45 million for 2006 and '07. A roster bonus of $4 million is due June 15.
No team will trade for Harrington unless he agrees to renegotiate. At least one team, the Chiefs, has said publicly that Dunn is asking for a contract that would pay Harrington on the level of a starter instead of a backup.
The Chiefs are interested in Harrington as a backup and possible successor to Trent Green, who turns 36 on July 9. Picking up Harrington's existing contract is out of the question, Chiefs president Carl Peterson said.
"I don't think that's realistic," Peterson said. "That's about what Trent Green is being paid. It's hard to pay a backup and a starter (that much). It's impossible. We can't do that. We'll just sit by the sideline if he doesn't want to do that.
"My feeling is that he (Dunn) hasn't had any inclination to change the contract to help facilitate his client going to another team except Detroit, which I don't think he's going back to."
Harrington effectively can veto any trade by refusing to renegotiate.
The Lions benefit from the fact that the last two years of the contract are not guaranteed. They can retain Harrington's rights until June 14 -- the day before the $4-million bonus must be paid -- and release him without owing him anything.
By mid-June, teams will have finished their mini-camps and most of the offseason workout programs. Harrington would have little time before the start of training camp to learn a new team's system and work with his receivers and that would hamper his ability to make a positive early impression.
Millen has not set a timetable on trading Harrington.
"I told (Dunn) that I'll do what's best for us first," Millen said.
While Harrington suffered through four rocky years in Detroit, other teams have not forgotten that he was drafted third overall after a great career at Oregon.
Raiders coach Art Shell said he wants to look at tapes to evaluate Harrington's performance to see why he failed in Detroit. Harrington never seemed comfortable running the West Coast offense.
"He was drafted third overall for a reason," Shell said. "He has talent."
Here is how Harrington might fit in with the six teams that have expressed an interest in him:
Miami: The Dolphins traded for Culpepper to have him start, but there is no veteran depth behind Culpepper since Gus Frerotte, a former Lion, signed with St. Louis. There isn't a long-term future here for Harrington.
Cincinnati: Similar to Miami, with the job being held for Palmer. The Bengals made the playoffs in 2005 and want insurance, but this is a short-term stay for Harrington.
Kansas City: Harrington could move into a starting job in a year or two, and the system is good for him -- a strong offensive line and running game, and a downfield passing game.
Denver: Looking for a quality backup behind Jake Plummer. This is another team with a strong line and running game. However, the Broncos don't want to pay a lot for Harrington.
Seattle: Strictly a backup role behind Matt Hasselbeck. Four years ago, Harrington could have been groomed to be the starter here. That was then. This is now.
Oakland: Beating out Aaron Brooks for the starting job is not out of the question.
Dallas: Cowboys coach Bill Parcells is enamored with Harrington's ability. The Cowboys are set with Drew Bledsoe as the starter but might want to improve the backup position. Tony Romo is the No. 2 quarterback. Third-stringer Drew Henson, who played at Michigan, was assigned to NFL-Europe.
Lions sign
Free-agent safety Idrees Bashir , a former starter for the Carolina Panthers, agreed to terms with the Lions on Tuesday on a one-year contract. Bashir, 27, played 11 games without a start in 2005. In 62 career games, Bashir has 233 tackles, five interceptions and 10 pass breakups.
Tuned out
Local television affiliates were removed from the sidelines under a policy adopted Tuesday by the owners. They no longer will be allowed on the sidelines during games, which prevents them from shooting footage to show on news and highlight shows.
Tom Lewand , the Lions' chief operating officer, said the league wanted to protect its property rights and remove some of the congestion on the sidelines.
Joey Harrington: Time to Pack His Bags?
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