Aeneas Williams, one of the NFL's top free agents, is going back to Arizona, another victory for a traditionally downtrodden franchise under the leveling influence of the salary cap.
Williams, a Pro Bowl cornerback with the Cardinals the past two seasons, re-signed with them Monday for $17 million over five years, including a $6 million signing bonus. That was too much for other teams that sought him, including San Francisco."It's a message to our team," said Vince Tobin, who inherited a 4-12 squad from Buddy Ryan. "What happened in the past is the past. We are only thinking about the present and the future."
Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys lost their third defensive starter when linebacker Dixon Edwards signed a $10 million, four-year deal with Minnesota. And Ashley Ambrose, just beginning to emerge as a force at cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts, signed with Cincinnati.
The signings continued a trend in which the NFL's "haves" are losing players to lesser teams. Teams with money to spend like the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers have been the most aggressive teams on the market, along with the New York Jets, whose 3-13 record was the league's worst last season.
Alfred Williams a pass-rushing specialist, signed with Denver after a year with San Francisco, where he was a disappointment.
But there were signs that Neil O'Donnell, being courted by the Jets, might stay with Pittsburgh. Associates of the Steelers' quarterback said he may be willing to take less to stay with the AFC champions than more to play with a team that is just starting another rebuilding period.
Rodney Hampton, the running back who is No. 1 on San Francisco's wish list, visited the 49ers. But Hampton, a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last five seasons, is a transition player, and the New York Giants can match any offer San Francisco makes to him.
But the victory for the have-nots was most apparent in Aeneas Williams' decision to re-sign with a team whose only playoff appearance in 21 years came in 1982 when the postseason was expanded to include 16 teams because of a seven-game strike.
"It's easy to jump off the boat when it looks like everything is sinking," he said. "There has been a turnaround in the organization. This is a step in the right direction."
Edwards, a starting linebacker for Dallas in two Super Bowls, signed with Minnesota for $10 million, including a $2.5 million signing bonus.
He is the third defensive starter to desert the NFL champions - tackle Russell Maryland and cornerback Larry Brown, the Super Bowl MVP, signed with Oakland.
"It's ridiculous the way money is being thrown around," said coach Barry Switzer of the Cowboys, who were able to find $35 million last year to pay Deion Sanders.
"It can certainly fracture the esprit de corps of a team. The day of loyalty to a team is over. They go play for the dollar."
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
NFL salary cap rises
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A federal judge has ruled that NFL club owners must add another $2 million per team to the salary cap next season, a decision owners say may push them to end their agreement with the players union when it expires in 1999. Owners will challenge Monday's ruling by U.S. District Judge David Doty, said Greg Aiello, the NFL's director of communications.