Clinton Portis wants to stay in Washington. But is he willing to take a pay cut to do so?
Considering his age (he turns 30 in September), the fact that he will have missed 19 games in two seasons, and that he’s scheduled to make approximately $7 million next season, a pay cut is almost a necessity. Don’t forget, one reason Mike Shanahan traded him to the Redskins in 2004 was because he didn’t want to pay him a lot of money to remain with Denver.
But Portis didn’t sound like a guy anxious for such a scenario.
“I played for pennies in Denver and I would be considered awesome,” he said. “I gave everything I had in Washington and was supposedly overpaid and the last two years, when I’ve been on IR it’s like he’s overpaid and don’t deserve it. There’s plenty of people around the NFL whose stats don’t come close, who making the same kind of money as I’m making. So that’s up to them. I can’t sit here and say, ‘Oooh, I want to take a pay cut.’
Then he laughed and said: “I really want a pay raise, to be honest. That’s up to them.”
Portis played in just five games this season, rushing for 227 yards and averaging 4.2 yards per carry. But a groin injury sidelined him for five games and then he injured his lower abdomen when he returned, ending his season.
But he does want to return.
“I did everything I was asked,” Portis said. “I showed I could continue to play. I showed I was dedicated to this program and turning this team around. I flew under the radar and moved from the forefront and let everyone else do their thing and I did my work quiet. It was tough early on not getting the ball and being healthy and then once we established the running game I was done.
“It’s out of my control. If they want to keep me they have the first option. If they want to let me go then I’m OK, understanding the business side of this. It will be a bittersweet moment, but life has to go on.”
He also doesn’t sound like a back ready for a reduced role.
“I don’t think I’ll be just a contributor on any team,” Portis said. “Where I’m playing at, I think the defensive coordinator is going to game plan. I don’t think he’ll look and say, ‘That’s Portis, don’t worry about it.’
“But when you put so much time into an organization – I helped with the rise and with the fall and when it was good it was like, Portis is awesome and when it got bad it was like, Portis is horrible. So just being part of this organization and knowing it will turn around and that things will get better, you would love to see the good side of it.”
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