Salary Cap

With draft day behind him, Washington Bullets general manager John Nash began focusing on his top two priorities:* Signing No. 1 choice Tom Gugliotta of North Carolina State before minicamp opens July 11.* Re-signing veteran forward Harvey Grant.The first task could prove easier than the second. Grant's agent, Jimmy Sexton, of Memphis, Tenn., said the New York Knicks, who released Kiki Vandeweghe on Wednesday, are making overtures to Grant, a restricted free agent who would fill their void at small forward.

The New York Knicks, substantially under the salary cap and seeking frontcourt help, last night tended an offer sheet to Washington Bullets forward Harvey Grant that team sources said was worth $12 million over six years.The Bullets have 15 days to match the offer, and general manager John Nash said he is "prepared to match any reasonable offer" to retain Grant, a restricted free agent who averaged 18 points and 6.8 rebounds last season. Nash said, however, that the Bullets had not received the offer sheet as of last night.

FOXBORO, Mass. -- David Meggett's three-year tenure with the New England Patriots came to an expected but abrupt end yesterday when the team released the running back-kick returner, opting to absorb the rest of his current and past signing bonuses, which will result in a $2.175 million hit against their 1998 salary cap.If he doesn't sign with another team this season, Meggett, who had been taking part in the team's strength and conditioning program and...

Arguments pro and con on the National Basketball Association's salary cap apparently depend on which side of the bottom line your team is standing.That the majority of the teams were at the cap or over was the reason given for the almost total absence of trades in the final days before the league deadline Thursday.The only meaningful deal saw the Los Angeles Clippers send center Benoit Benjamin to the Seattle SuperSonics for Olden Polynice and first-round draft picks in 1991 and 1993.No team was more active in pre-deadline talks than the New York Knicks.

If you've been a bit preoccupied with the saga of Nancy and Tonya in Lillehammer and Michael Jordan in Sarasota, you probably overlooked the tale of Duane and Chris in the NFL.The fate of Duane Bickett and Chris Burkett is a sign of the changing times in the NFL. They're two of the first victims of the NFL's brave new world of the salary cap.A year ago, Bickett was the Indianapolis Colts' franchise player. He was scheduled to make $2.1 million this year. But he was one of several players who were waived by the Colts a week ago to get the team under the salary cap.Bickett may be brought back by the Colts or he can sign with another team.

The Ravens will likely begin the regular season without a developmental squad because of salary cap concerns.The Ravens have to make changes by Saturday or the team will be nearly $46,000 over the salary cap. Ozzie Newsome, the team's vice president of pro personnel, said the team won't re-sign any of the players waived from training camp until money has become available.The Ravens had talked about re-signing three rookies to the developmental squad: Dexter Daniels, a University of Florida linebacker, Murray State running back Derrick Cullors and Idaho offensive tackle Spencer Folau.

Salary cap?What salary cap?That seems to be the attitude of the San Francisco 49ers, who are operating this year as if it's business as usual.Noted for their free-spending ways while winning four Super Bowls in the 1980s, the 49ers were supposed to be one of the teams hit hardest by the new $34.6 million salary cap.Instead, it looks as if they're spending more than the rest of the teams."

Many of the 12,403 fans who attended yesterday's Spring Football Festival left with autographs, a behind-the-scenes look at M&T Bank Stadium and an insight into the future of the Ravens. In a question and answer session with fans, team president Dick Cass estimated the Ravens' window of opportunity to win a Super Bowl is two years. Although the Ravens have always adhered to league rules by being under the salary cap, they have gone $10 million above it the past three seasons in terms of bonuses to sign players.

After allowing linebacker Adalius Thomas to hit the free-agent market, the Ravens are looking to keep running back Jamal Lewis from reaching it. The Ravens have had preliminary discussions with Lewis this week about reworking his contract before they would be forced to cut him next Saturday, when he would receive a $5 million roster bonus. Lewis is open to restructuring his contract and remaining with the Ravens for the 2007 season, the running back's agent said. "Jamal would like to come back to play for the Ravens," said Mitch Frankel, Lewis' agent, "but we are going to have to wait and see what type of contract they're talking about."

Winning the Super Bowl was exhilarating, Ravens owner Art Modell said yesterday. Defending it could be exhausting. And that's just dealing with the salary cap issues. "It's much tougher to repeat than it is to get there," Modell said after a season-ending news conference at the Ravens' Owings Mills complex. "It was easier in the '60s and '70s. It's tougher now because of free agency. "We have the second highest payroll in football, significantly, only behind Washington. That isn't just draft choices or free agents.