Kanell, Giants Agree To New Deal

Danny Kanell of the New York Giants is no longer the lowest-paid starting quarterback in the NFL.

Kanell, who was to make the league minimum of $216,000 in the final year of his original three-year contract, signed a new contract Thursday reportedly worth $10 million.

The quarterback will receive a hefty signing bonus in addition to his $216,000 salary this year. He also got a two-year extension, keeping him under contract through 2000.

Neither Kanell nor the Giants would discuss financial terms of the deal. Marvin Demoff, Kanell's attorney, did not immediately return a call from his office in California.

"I think is very fair," Kanell said after the Giants finished practice for their regular-season opener on Sunday against Washington. "I didn't want to ask for a whole lot. I didn't feel like I am one of the top quarterbacks in the league, but I definitely felt I should be getting more than league minimum, what a lot of backups and third-stringers are making.

"So I think it was fair," he added. "I always trusted the Giants organization that they would take care of me and pay me what I deserved."

Getting the contract done now leaves the Giants with a happy player on the eve of the season. And Kanell would have been a restricted free agent after this season and an unrestricted one after next.

Accorsi said the team did not want Kanell worried about a contract and his futurduring this season.

"Distractions are always a concern," Accorsi said. "In the old days you would never do a contract during the season. Now you almost have to. ... A player worrying about a contract, even though he turns it over to his agent, it's on his mind and it's not good."

Accorsi said the Giants restructured the contract of one unidentified player to fit Kanell under the salary cap. He also added the team has talked with offensive tackle Scott Gragg about extending his deal.

Kanell was one of the major catalysts as the Giants surprised by winning the NFC East with a 10-5-1 record. The third-year pro out of Florida State replaced Dave Brown near the midpoint of the season and had a 7-2-1 record as a starter.

Kanell completed 156 of 294 passes for 1,740 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season.

The 24-year-old Kanell said he wasn't worried about either getting the contract finalized or the added pressure it might bring.

"Now I have to make them proud and show them that I am worth every penny they're going to spend on me," he said. "I am going to work hard, as hard as I have ever worked. I am going to keep moving and keep performing the way I have been."

Giants coach Jim Fassel said while he has some concerns about his team, Kanell isn't one of them. He has become a good student of the game, with the coach noting he even took a $40,000 videotape system to his home to study last year.

"I never sit around thinking what if Danny doesn't play well?" Fassel said.

"He brings leadership. He brings confidence in the offense," added receiver Ike Hilliard. "He is a great player. He is our coach while he is out there on the field."

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