McCants to draw heavy interest from other teams...

[Beemnseven]

This excerpt was at the end of an article at the WP about the Portis deal. Nunyo Demasio briefly mentioned Restricted Free Agents. Darnerian McCants is one of them. Here's the link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...004Mar1_2.html

"The Redskins have made the lowest tender offer for all their restricted free agents, including wide receiver Darnerien McCants. The moves -- executed before yesterday's 3 p.m. deadline -- make Washington's four restricted free agents more likely to receive offers from other teams. However, the Redskins can match any offer, and say they intend to use the right if necessary.

"We're familiar with the restricted game," Vice President Vinny Cerrato said. "If somebody wants to go after our guys, we look forward to matching the offer."

This year's low tender offer cost $628,000, which counts for that amount against the salary cap. If another team signs a restricted free agent, that club must give up a draft pick from the round in which the player was selected. Since McCants was chosen in the fifth round, he is expected to draw much interest. The mid-level tender of $1.368 million would have cost a team a first-round pick to sign McCants.

"This will tell me how the rest of the league sees me," McCants said. "I'm not worried at all. I definitely would love to play for Coach Gibbs. Plus, it's great to play in your home town. If I get a big offer, hopefully the Redskins will stick to their word and match."

***

Just a thought, but I'd hate to lose McCants for a fifth round pick. You have to think he's one of the RFAs our front office would fight for. It also sounds like he wants to play for Gibbs.

Still, wasn't this a similar situation for the Jets last year? I remember reading that the Jets could have received two #1's for Laveranues Coles if they had offered just a bit more. I may have to check on that to be sure.