The Washington Redskins wouldn't let linebacker Marvcus Patton leave town this week without signing a contract.
Patton, 25, a five-year veteran with the Buffalo Bills, was the first unrestricted free agent to visit Redskin Park on Tuesday and planned to leave Washington that night.
That was before the Redskins surprised him with a four-year, $6.8 million offer that included a $2 million signing bonus.
Patton, whose only other visit was to Denver, decided he didn't have to check any other offers and signed the deal yesterday.
"I just wanted to look around for a good opportunity," Patton said. "I think I found one here."
Redskins coach Norv Turner said: "We're willing to do what we have to do to get a player."
Patton played in all four Super Bowl losses for the Bills, but his main claim to fame is that his mother is a former semipro football player.
The contract, which averages $1.7 million a year and carries a $1.4 million salary cap number this year, represented a huge raise for Patton, who had a $340,000 base salary last year that had a salary cap value of $458,300 when the incentives were included.
"He got an outstanding contract," Buffalo general manager John Butler said of the deal that makes Patton the sixth-highest-paid Redskin in salary cap value.
The Bills weren't willing to go higher than the $1 million to $1.5 million range for Patton, an eighth-round draft pick out of UCLA in 1990 who made 113 tackles in 1993 and 101 in 1994 for the Bills.
Patton, 6 feet 2 and 243 pounds, will have to make the adjustment from playing the 3-4 in Buffalo to the 4-3 in Washington.
He could play at outside linebacker if Andre Collins, whose salary cap number of $1.5 million is fifth highest on the team, declines a pay cut and leaves. If Collins stays, Patton probably will start at middle linebacker in place of Tyronne Stowe.
Collins' agent, Tony Agnone, said the Redskins haven't contacted him and declined to say what Collins will do if the Redskins want him to take a pay cut. But it seems unlikely Collins will accept a pay cut.
The Redskins, who have lost one free agent (punter Reggie Roby), have targeted several other free agents including fullback Kevin Turner of the New England Patriots and wide receiver Alvin Harper of the Dallas Cowboys.
CAP FIGURES
F:
The Washington Redskins' top six salary cap figures:
Name .. .. .. .. .. Pos. .. .. .. Salary
Ken Harvey .. .. .. LB .. .. .. ..$2,750,000
Jim Lachey .. .. .. OL .. .. .. ..$2,600,000
Heath Shuler.. .. ..QB .. .. .. ..$1,812,500
Bobby Wilson.. .. ..DL .. .. .. ..$1,669,900
Andre Collins .. .. LB .. .. .. ..$1,502,600
Marvcus Patton .. ..LB .. .. .. ..$1,400,000