Seahawks Leave Warner Off List -- Running Back Becomes NFL Free Agent

Running back Curt Warner of the Seattle Seahawks will be among several NFL stars left unprotected in the league's Plan B free-agency system.

The league office received each team's list of unprotected players yesterday and was scheduled to release the names today.

Warner, who has a $1.1 million contract for next season, likely will be joined by Joe Morris of the New York Giants and Freeman McNeil of the New York Jets.

Warner had his least productive season since suffering a severe knee injury in 1984. The Seahawks were expected to protect two young running backs, Elroy Harris and Derrick Fenner.

Morris, a star in the Giants' Super Bowl victory three years ago, missed all of last season with a foot injury. He will be 30 in September.

Age also caught up to McNeil, 31, the Jets' all-time leading rusher. McNeil was paid $965,000 last season, and the Jets are said to be eager to sweep out a number of aging, highly paid veterans.

There was speculation the Los Angeles Raiders would not protect Marcus Allen, who soon will be 30, but Coach Art Shell denied the report. Allen, who made $1.1 million last year, played in only eight games after suffering a knee injury. Allen reportedly would like to be traded to the Rams and his former college coach, John Robinson.

The Seahawks left Mike Wilson, 35, left offensive tackle, off its protected list along with another starter, strong safety Nesby Glasgow. Glasgow, 33, also was unprotected last year but returned to the club and earned a starting assignment.

Warner, who will be 29 next month, rushed for 631 yards last season, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. Seattle averaged only 87 yards a game rushing, lowest in team history.

Wide receiver Paul Skansi also was expected to be unprotected. Like Glasgow, he was not protected last year but signed a new contract last summer and had his best season for the Seahawks.

Seattle was expected to protect several young players, including offensive lineman Warren Wheat and safety Thom Kaumeyer, who was activated off the development squad for the last game. Development players not activated automatically become unrestricted free agents.

Among the name players expected to become unrestricted free agents around the NFL: Doug Williams, Joe Jacoby and Russ Grimm of Washington; Art Still, Joe Devlin and Fred Smerlas of Buffalo; E.J. Junior and Paul Lankford of Miami; Zeke Mowatt and Terry Kinard of the Giants; Ed Jones and Everson Walls of Dallas; Marty Lyons of the Jets, and Walter Stanley of Detroit.

Williams, 35, was the Super Bowl MVP two years ago; but he packs a $1.2 million contract as a backup to Mark Rypien. Stanley led the NFL in punt returning with a 13.8-yard average.

The Seahawks may be interested in several Plan B players, including safety Vann McElroy of the Raiders. McElroy, 30, a two-time Pro Bowler, played in only five games last season because of an injury.

``We're going to look at all of the players available, see which ones we think might help us and zero in on them,'' said Tom Flores, Seahawk president.

There are some possibilities from the world-champion San Francisco 49ers, who were expected to leave guard Terry Tausch, linebackers Keena Turner and Matt Millen, cornerback Eric Wright, wide receiver Mike Wilson and nose tackle Jim Burt unprotected. Seattle was interested in Millen last year.

However, most of the 49ers say they want to remain with the club despite being unprotected.

``I know it's a business decision,'' Turner told a Bay Area reporter. ``I'm not looking to go anywhere else.''

One reason is that the 49ers have the highest player payroll in the NFL, $20.1 million, almost double that of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are 28th.

Plan B free agents will be unrestricted, free to deal with any other team in the league, until April 1. After April 1, their contract rights revert to their original club.

A year ago, Seattle signed nine players, none of whom lasted beyond Week 2 of the regular season, and lost eight.

Green Bay was the most active team, signing 20 players. Nine made the squad, including ex-Seahawk center Blair Bush. Now Bush, who announced his retirement, is on Green Bay's unprotected list, along with another ex-Seahawk, cornerback Dave Brown, 37.

Tight end Mike Tice, whom the Seahawks lost last year to Washington, is expected to be unprotected by the Redskins.

Of 619 players left unprotected last year, 229 changed teams and 30 became starters. Green Bay spent the most, about $900,000, in bonuses to Plan B players.

Agent Bob Woolf of Boston, who represents quarterback Joe Montana and many other star players, said he expects NFL owners to take a cautious approach to Plan B.

``It's been so successful that I don't think the owners like it very much,'' Wolf told The Associated Press. ``I think they'll be less aggressive this year.''