St. Louis — The Kansas City Chiefs have until Thursday to make a deal for St. Louis Rams backup quarterback Trent Green.
The Rams say they'll pull Green off the market if they don't get an acceptable offer from the Chiefs by then. Green is due a $500,000 roster bonus Thursday.
Green
If Green is dealt to the Chiefs before Thursday, the Rams will realize a salary cap savings of $1.875 million. That's money they could use to pursue free agents. If he's traded after the roster bonus is paid, the cap savings is $1.375 million.
The Rams don't think it would be worth it to trade Green after paying out the $500,000 bonus. Like many teams, the Rams are cap-strapped. They could use the $500,000 to help pay for a player or draft pick, or even sign one veteran player at the minimum salary level.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, citing Rams sources, said it's not worth it to trade Green after the roster bonus, even if the Chiefs agreed to the Rams' asking price of a first- and third-round draft pick. The Chiefs are said to be willing to make that deal, but only if the Rams also part with a second-round draft pick along with Green.
The Rams currently have two second-round picks. The Chiefs are believed to be asking for the one they gave to the Rams in January as compensation for signing Dick Vermeil as coach.
Green was to have his left knee examined Monday by Chiefs team doctors in Kansas City. It's the same knee that needed reconstructive surgery in 1999 and has since needed a couple of routine operations. Green had such an arthroscopic procedure about two weeks ago in Birmingham, Ala.
"He just had scar tissue removed," said Green's agent, Jim Steiner. "It was nothing structural."
The Chiefs lost starting quarterback Elvis Grbac when he signed as a free agent with Baltimore. Kansas City is also looking at Troy Aikman, released by the Dallas Cowboys last week.
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