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SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Chargers made a contract offer to quarterback Doug Flutie Thursday morning.
Flutie, who was cut by the Bills on Feb. 28 and visited the Chargers on Tuesday, is contemplating that offer while he decides whether he wants to visit other interested teams, including Kansas City.
Chargers coach Mike Riley envisions Flutie bridging the gap to
when Michael Vick, the likely first pick in the draft, is ready to
play. And Flutie, who was cut by the Buffalo Bills last week, would
be reunited with the general manager who brought him back to the
NFL three years ago.
But the 5-foot-10 quarterback who turns 39 in October, plans to
visit other teams before making up his mind.
"I really do like the situation here," Flutie said Tuesday. "I do have to make a couple of stops and look
at a couple of other situations. I couldn't put a time frame on
anything. We haven't started talking numbers, if we talk numbers at
all."
New Chargers defensive end Marcellus Wiley, a teammate of
Flutie's the last three seasons, said he heard Washington, New
England and Tampa Bay were interested in Flutie. However, Tampa Bay
signed Brad Johnson, the most coveted free-agent quarterback, on
Monday.
Flutie was clearly enthusiastic about the Chargers, though, and
not scared off by their NFL-worst 1-15 record last year.
"It just seems like a good atmosphere," Flutie said.
"Obviously it's a team that has had a talented defense the last
couple of years and has been in position to win a lot of lot of
games and just hasn't."
Flutie had a hand in shaping the Chargers' record. He came on in
relief of Rob Johnson -- who last week survived the Bills'
long-running QB controversy -- and led the Bills to an overtime win
over San Diego.
It was John Butler, the Chargers' new general manager, who
signed Flutie from the CFL to the Bills in 1998. Flutie was 21-9
for the Bills in three seasons.
"When you look at a player like that, they're so successful, so
good, that's the kind of people you want to have around you,"
Butler said. "To be here would be great. That's a winner."
Flutie said there's no rush on either side, and a big
consideration would be his family, which includes school-aged
children, staying behind in Massachusetts.
"I'm going to go where the best football situation is for now.
It's only a few more years for me, and wherever that may be, I want
to make the most of it on the football field," Flutie said.
Riley was asked how Flutie might fit in if the Chargers do
indeed pick Vick.
"As far as the timeline of how long Doug would play and then
when would the next quarterback, if it was Michael Vick, when would
he fit in, age-wise and all that, it could be a fit," Riley said.
"That's a pretty subjective thing, but it has been talked about."
Riley believes Flutie is sincerely interested in the Chargers.
"I think he sees a situation that presents a quarterback with a
good opportunity," the coach said.
Flutie has a big fan in Wiley, who on Monday signed the biggest
deal in Chargers' history, a $40 million, six-year contract that
includes a $9 million signing bonus.
"As much as he's a friend off the field, on the field, I just
think he can make the biggest impact for us at that position, out
of all the other names out there," Wiley said.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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