Harvey’s Holdout Over

The Jacksonville Jaguars, looking to build on a big 2007 season by shoring up a defense that was generally middling, finally agreed to terms with their first round pick, defensive end Derrick Harvey, on Wednesday.

Harvey has been holding out for the last 33 days, causing a rift between the team and agent Ken Kremer. Apparently, the stumbling block here was escalators that will pay Harvey a bonus if he played 70 per cent of the snaps. The team finally adjusted its offer, adding incentive clauses that kick in if Harvey plays 55 to 75 per cent of the snaps.

That’s a good thing for the rook, considering that after missing training camp and the entire preseason to date, he’ll likely be in no condition to handle a starting role out of the gate. However, the Jags believe that as the season progresses, he’ll become a bigger and bigger part of the defensive scheme.

The deal is for five years and includes over $17.1 million in guaranteed money, has a base package worth approximately $23.8 million and – with the incentives – could be worth over $33 million.

The Jags picked Harvey eighth overall out of Florida.

The signing of Harvey – he immediately reported to Jacksonville Wednesday to sign the deal and take his physical and could play as early as Thursday against the Redskins – removes one distraction from the Jaguar camp. But on the same day as that impasse was finally settled, it was reported that wide receiver Dennis Northcutt is being sued by his former girlfriend, a suit which alleges that Northcutt conspired to beat her up when she was four months pregnant.

Hey, what’s an NFL story without an alleged crime?