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Dolphins general manager says Wilkinson trade still in limbo

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published March 27, 2007 at midnight

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PHOENIX - The clock continues to tick on the Broncos' trade for Dan Wilkinson, and Miami Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller said he didn't believe the reluctant defensive tackle was any closer to arriving in Denver.

Mueller said he had not spoken with Broncos officials regarding the March 16 trade since he arrived for the league meetings, but he said he believed the Broncos still were trying "to make it happen."

The Broncos traded a sixth- round pick in April's draft to the Dolphins earlier this month for the 34-year-old defensive tackle.

But Wilkinson, who has been hesitant to leave his offseason home in Maryland to attend workouts in the past, has not yet decided if he will play in the 2007 season.

When the Broncos could not get Wilkinson to Denver for a physical by the original March 16 deadline that had been written into the trade, the teams agreed to extend the deadline until Friday.

Wilkinson has had knee troubles and the Broncos would like to see if he will need any surgery before the season.

The teams could agree to extend the deadline again before the draft. But if Wilkinson doesn't report to the Broncos for a physical before any deadline that remains - including Friday if it's not extended - the trade would be rescinded and the pick would be returned.

SPREAD THE WEALTH: In what has been a contentious issue among owners since the collective-bargaining agreement with the NFL Players' Association was announced in March 2006, commissioner Roger Goodell announced a new revenue sharing plan.

The plan will aid smaller-market teams or teams in older stadiums that feel the divide between the league's big revenue teams and the others is growing too fast.

The owners voted 30-2 in favor of the plan. Cincinnati and Jacksonville voted no.

To qualify for the funds, a franchise also must have gate revenues equal to at least 90 percent of the league average and not play in a stadium that is new or renovated in recent years at a cost of at least $150 million.

A qualifying team also can't have recently been sold. Those teams will then split $100 million for the just-completed 2006 season to go with $110 million in each of the next three seasons.

TUNE IN: New Orleans at Indianapolis will open the regular season Thursday, Sept. 6. The two nationally televised games Sunday, Sept. 9 will be Chicago at San Diego and the New York Giants at Dallas.

The league again will have a Monday Night Football doubleheader on the first week with Baltimore at Cincinnati and Arizona at San Francisco on Sept. 10.

The Thanksgiving games will be Green Bay at Detroit, the New York Jets at Dallas and Indianapolis at Atlanta.

ETC.: The Broncos received no compensatory picks for April's draft based on their losses in free agency in 2006. Defensive end Trevor Pryce, running back Mike Anderson and tight end Jeb Putzier did not count because they were released by the team. The league awarded 32 picks to 16 teams, with Baltimore and New England - both with four - receiving the most. . . . Running back Marshall Faulk formally announced his retirement at the meetings. Faulk leaves the game as the ninth-leading rusher all time with 12,279 yards, and his 19,154 yards from scrimmage rank fourth all time.