Bucs/NFL

McNair still not welcome

By Wire services
Published April 16, 2006

NASHVILLE - Nearly two weeks ago, the Titans asked Steve McNair not to work out on the team's property for fear an injury would give the Titans a devastating salary cap hit.

Now his agent says the team has have told McNair to continue to stay away.

"They've instructed him to work out somewhere else other than their facility," agent Bus Cook said.

The Titans had a trainer inform McNair on April3 that he couldn't work out at their headquarters. If the co-MVP of 2003 got hurt, that could put Tennessee on the hook for all the $23.46-million the quarterback is scheduled to count for in 2006, the final year of his contract.

The Titans have a few days to respond to a grievance filed last week by the players union on behalf of McNair for barring him from team facilities. The NFL Players Association could ask for an expedited hearing to be held within 10 days depending on the response.

The Titans will have to re-negotiate McNair's contract or release him to create enough salary cap room to sign their draft picks or even add other players.

The Titans hold the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft and have studied Matt Leinart, Jay Cutler and Vince Young thoroughly in recent weeks.

"If they think they're going to draft a quarterback, whoever it is, and Steve's going to be a backup after this year; that's not Steve's thought process I'm sure and certainly not mine," Cook said.

Cook said he hadn't talked to Titans general manager Floyd Reese in nearly two weeks and hadn't received a response since he countered the team's original offer in January.

Reese did not return a telephone message.

Asked if the Titans are trying to wait out McNair like they did running back Eddie George in 2004 before George finally rejected a pay cut and asked for his release, Cook said it seemed like instant replay.

"Steve's got a lot more left apparently than Eddie did at that time. No knock on Eddie. Eddie found other employment. I'm sure Steve can find other employment. Someone in this league will take Steve McNair on their team," Cook said.

WHITE'S TOUR: Torn hamstring and all, Southern California tailback LenDale White will hit the road next week, visiting with a number of teams.

Agent Eugene Parker said White, diagnosed on Thursday as having a partly torn right hamstring that will keep him out 3-4 weeks, will begin a round of visits early next week. None of the teams have canceled visits since the diagnosis on White's hamstring, which will prevent him from running a 40-yard dash for them to time.

White was regarded as a potential top-15 choice in this month's draft before his injury.

GIANTS: The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J. reported that the team rescinded its tender offer to keep restricted free-agent tackle Kendrick Allen.

[Last modified April 16, 2006, 00:43:12]