Giants courting Warner; Dallas pursuing Vinny

Wednesday, June 2, 2004 | 9:03 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

NEW YORK -- As each team's list of salary-cap cuts hit the NFL office Tuesday afternoon, the New York Giants stood poised to start bargaining with Kurt Warner while the New York Jets said goodbye to Vinny Testaverde.

Though the cuts won't become official until 4 p.m. today, the St. Louis Rams and Jets had already notified the quarterbacks' agents of their clients' long-anticipated unemployment status.

For the Giants, it means they can now begin talking numbers with a two-time MVP whose visit a couple of weeks ago strengthened a mutual interest. By the end of the week, Warner could sign a deal that would pay him upward of $3 million for 2004 and afford him a chance to compete with first-round rookie Eli Manning for the starting job.

"All I know is that there's mutual interest right now," Warner's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said. "I'm sure I'll talk with Ernie Accorsi (today). As soon as we can talk, we'll probably get something done quickly."

Bartelstein said he'd like to have a contract done by the end of the week at the latest. Given the Giants' interest, a deal as early as Thursday wouldn't be out of the question.

Though he said other teams are interested, Bartelstein downplayed Warner going to Kansas City, which was believed to be the Giants' strongest competition. Warner had visited there shortly after a two-day stay with the Giants, where he dined with Tom Coughlin, Accorsi, quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride and offensive coordinator John Hufnagel before he underwent a physical.

"Kansas City was interested, but they already have a veteran starter in Trent Green," Bartelstein said. "It's probably not the best situation for Kurt."

Testaverde's agent, Mike Azzarelli, said he expects his client will find work quickly, too. Dallas, coached by Testaverde favorite Bill Parcells, is said to have great interest in the 40-year-old. And Parcells, not a great fan of incumbent starter Quincy Carter, would have no problem installing Testaverde there for a year or two while Drew Henson develops.

"I don't believe it'll take long at all," Azzarelli said. "It just depends on what Vinny wants to do. Some teams are interested in him as a backup, but I think he'll look at opportunities for starting jobs first."

Testaverde, whose release saved the Jets $750,000 of cap money, left with no hard feelings.

"I appreciate the Jets allowing me to move on with my career," Testaverde said in a statement released through his agent. "I want to thank the organization for giving me a chance to play in my hometown. It's been a great experience. We had some exciting moments on the field and memories that I can take with me."

Given the late juncture of the offseason, there aren't many of those around for either Warner or Testaverde. That makes the two landing spots, especially the Giants for Warner, the most logical.

Brackens, who was released earlier this year for salary-cap reasons, is coming back from surgery on his right knee, albeit much less serious than the previous year, when his career almost ended with an injury to the other knee.

Last season, he came back from complicated "microfracture" surgery, a process in which doctors drill small holes in the knee to encourage the formation of scar tissue, which acts similarly to cartilage that has been damaged or removed.

He led the team with six sacks and brought his career total to 55 over eight seasons.

He tested the market when the Jaguars released him, but said if he couldn't go back to Texas, where he grew up, he wanted to land in Jacksonville.

"I had been here, was comfortable with the fan base, the coaching staff, and I didn't want to move my family," he said. "I'm not out to prove anything. I'm here to play as a team and win the Super Bowl."

Also cut from the roster were defensive tackle Barron Tanner, tight end Steve Bush, defensive back Justin Lucas and quarterback Preston Parsons.