Raiders Said to Be Close on Dickerson

The Raiders were reportedly close Saturday night to obtaining running back Eric Dickerson in a trade from the Indianapolis Colts, but sources close to the negotiations insisted that a deal has not been finalized.

Dickerson’s agent, Marv Demoff, acknowledged that the chances of completing the trade are tied directly to today’s NFL draft.

“I believe that if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen before the draft or during the draft,” Demoff told the Indianapolis News. “If it doesn’t happen then, I think the trade is a dead issue.”

The Colts reportedly want a third-round draft choice in today’s draft, while the Raiders are offering fourth and eighth-round picks.

Dickerson apparently has agreed to accept a pay cut to join the Raiders. He was due to earn $2.2 million with the Colts next season, but reportedly will accept a salary as low as $1.3 million, plus incentives, to play for the Raiders.

Jim Irsay, the Colts’ general manager, said a deal involving Dickerson remains a possibility.

“The options are many,” Irsay told the News. “I really can’t address what would be enough to do a deal. We’re not in a situation where we’re trying to trade Eric Dickerson, but if someone offers us something that will help us, we’ll give that all some thought.”

Dickerson and the Colts have been at odds in recent seasons and the tailback has made it clear that he no longer wants to play in Indianapolis. The Colts obtained Dickerson in a 1987 trade from the Rams.

The Colts won the AFC Eastern Division title in Dickerson’s first season but have not made the playoffs since.

Demoff conceded Saturday night that it would be best if Dickerson and the Colts parted company.

“I think in many respects, it’s time for both parties to close that book,” he said. “It just hasn’t worked out for the last couple of years. The Colts are going in a direction that’s new. I think the fair thing for Eric would be to give him another chance, but I just don’t see that working out here.”

The Raiders could not be reached for comment regarding Dickerson.

The Raiders, perhaps more concerned about the future of Todd Marinovich than they acknowledge, have entered into negotiations for San Francisco 49er quarterback Steve Young, sources confirmed Saturday.

The price tag is steep. The 49ers reportedly want Raider receiver Tim Brown, plus first- and second-round draft choices.

Young is also due to make $2.5 million in 1992.

Young has become expendable because of the probable return next season of quarterback Joe Montana after elbow surgery and the emergence of backup Steve Bono. Bono replaced an injured Young late in the season and led the 49ers to five consecutive victories.

The 30-year-old Young won the NFL passing title with a rating of 101.8 and averaged 6.3 yards as a runner.

The Raiders’ interest in Young comes in the wake of an ESPN report that Marinovich, the team’s second-year quarterback, tested positive for a banned substance last December. Marinovich denies the report, which claimed the quarterback spent six weeks in a rehabilitation center during the winter.