$3.35 Million Man -- Mcgwire Deal Leaves 19 Seahawks Unsigned

With the largest quarterback in NFL history signed, the Seattle Seahawks still have plenty of signatures to collect before the players report Thursday. Seven draft choices and 12 veterans remain unsigned.

No. 1 draft pick Dan McGwire signed a three-year contract yesterday worth $3.35 million, including a $1.15 million signing bonus. The figures are like McGwire himself - hefty. At 6 feet 8, 243 pounds, the younger brother of the Oakland A's All-Star first baseman, Mark McGwire, is bigger than any quarterback ever to take an NFL snap.

McGwire and 12th-round draftee Ike Harris, an offensive tackle from South Carolina, are the Seahawks' only 1991 draft picks to sign so far.

McGwire instructed his agent, Leigh Steinberg, to get him signed before camp opened.

"It means the world for me to be in camp on time," said McGwire, the first quarterback taken in the draft and the 16th pick overall.

Many key details of McGwire's contract were worked out Saturday in California by Steinberg and Tom Flores, Seahawk president, and were finalized Sunday. Steinberg said he wanted to avoid playing the wait-and-see game known as "slotting," in which first-round draftees wait for the others taken ahead of them to sign.

"We're very happy we're able to break the NFL's slotting stranglehold, this syndrome of late signings," said Steinberg, who later said agents are as responsible as the clubs for "slotting."

Flores said some holdouts are likely when camp opens.

Veterans who don't have contracts, Flores said, are linebacker Dave Ahrens, wide receiver Jeff Chadwick, linebacker Darren Comeaux, running back Derrick Fenner, strong safety Nesby Glasgow, tight end Ron Heller, place-kicker Norm Johnson, fullback James Jones, quarterback Jeff Kemp, free safety Vann McElroy and linebacker Rod Stephens.

Tight end Mike Tice said yesterday he has reached agreement with the team. "I'll be at the opening practice," he said.

A major unanswered question is whether John L. Williams, last year's Seahawk most valuable player, will show. Williams has a contract but wants more money. He was a no-show at May's mini-camp.

The Seahawks also have seven draft picks who are unsigned. They are: Doug Thomas, wide receiver from Clemson (second round); David Daniels, wide receiver, Penn State (3); John Kasey, place-kicker, Georgia (4); Harlan Davis, cornerback, Tennessee (5); Michael Sinclair, defensive end, Eastern New Mexico (6); Erik Ringoen, linebacker, Hofstra (10); and Tony Stewart, running back, Iowa (11).

Flores said the Seahawks made early offers to all the draftees.

The team apparently hasn't been as fast with offers to veterans.

Steve Zeiger, agent for Comeaux, said he got his first offer from the Seahawks yesterday.

Zeiger said because of the late offer, he doubts that Comeaux will report on time but said "that doesn't represent any acrimony." Zeiger noted that Comeaux, 31, is a veteran for whom early attendance at camp isn't as important as it is for a rookie.

The Seahawks have 92 players on their roster but can have only 80 under contract at one time. If everyone signed by Friday, 12 players would have to be cut before they practiced.

McGwire, the newest Seahawk millionaire and seventh NFL first-rounder to sign this season, stressed that he wants to be "the best role model I can" as a Seahawk.

He and the Seahawks each will contribute $5,000 to fund a scholarship at his Southern California high school, Claremont. He also will endow an athletic scholarship at San Diego State University, where he threw for 7,484 yards and 43 touchdowns in two seasons after transferring from Iowa. In addition, he said he will donate "a couple thousand dollars" to an as yet unselected Seattle-area charity for each Seahawk victory.

Steinberg, whose last Seahawk client was safety Ken Easley, has represented former Washington Husky quarterbacks Warren Moon, Steve Pelluer, Tom Flick and Cary Conklin. Steinberg joked that it was only fitting that he finally represent a quarterback who was going to play in Seattle instead of leaving town.

Steinberg also represented pitcher Shawn Estes, the Mariners' recently signed top draft choice.

Flores said the Seahawks tried to sign McGwire to a four-year contract but settled for the three-year span preferred by Steinberg. The agent foresees free agency, the end of the draft and pay-per-view television on the NFL horizon and said they should increase paychecks for quarterbacks within a few years.

McGwire moved to the Seattle area two weeks ago and has been working out at the team's Kirkland complex and huddling with Ken Meyer, Seahawk quarterback coach, who praised McGwire's early signing and work habits.

Asked how McGwire fits into the Seahawks' quarterback plans, Meyer said that is a subject that will be discussed this week with Coach Chuck Knox.

"He'll get his share," Meyer said, apparently referring to practice repetitions and time in preseason games.

Other Seahawk officials said as early as April that the quarterback whose job is most threatened by McGwire is Kelly Stouffer.

McGwire's signing follows two straight years in which the Seahawk No. 1 choice was a camp holdout. Cortez Kennedy held out until just before last year's regular-season opener. Andy Heck missed a week of training camp in 1989.

Notes

-- The Seahawks will report to camp Thursday at the team's Kirkland complex and will begin two-a-day practices Friday, with workouts at 9:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Practices are closed to the public.

-- Ticket prices for the July 26 scrimmage in Portland at Civic Stadium against the Atlanta Falcons are $25, $15, $10 and $7. Tickets for the 7 p.m. scrimmage are available at TicketMaster locations. Proceeds benefit the Portland State University scholarship fund.

-- Trey Junkin, nine-year veteran tight end who is listed as No. 1 deep snapper on punts, recently agreed to a one-year contract.

-- Seahawk cutdown dates are Aug. 20 (to 60 players) and Aug. 26 (47 players).

. NFL FIRST-ROUND SIGNINGS. . 1. Dallas Russell Maryland Miami, Fla. DL.

$8 million, 5 yrs.. . 2. Cleveland Eric Turner UCLA S.

$6 million, 4 yrs.. . 6. Phoenix Eric Swann (no college) DL.

$4 million, 5 yrs.. . 12. Dallas Alvin Harper Tennessee WR.

$5 million, 3 yrs.. . 15. Pittsburgh Huey Richardson Florida LB.

$2.8 million, 4 yrs.. . 16. Seattle Dan McGwire San Diego St. QB.

$3.35 million, 3 yrs.. . 22. Chicago Stan Thomas Texas OT.

$3.25 million, 5 yrs.. . 24. L.A. Raiders Todd Marinovich USC QB.

$ undisclosed, 3 yrs.. . 25. San Fran. Ted Washington Louisville DL.

$ undisclosed, 4 yrs..