Dickerson Wants New Pact: Agent

Ram running back Eric Dickerson will ask the team to renegotiate his current contract to bring his salary in line with the top backs in the National Football League, his business representative said Tuesday.

Charles Chin said Dickerson will request from the Rams a yearly salary of $1.5 million, more than double his present salary.

“It’s going to happen,” Chin said of the request for renegotiation. “Absolutely. I don’t mean two years down the line. I mean this year.”

A recent survey of NFL salaries revealed that Dickerson, who earned $400,000 in base salary last season, was the 11th highest paid running back in the league in 1986.

In comparison, Marcus Allen of the Raiders will earn $900,000 in 1987. Last year, Herschel Walker signed a five-year, $5 million deal with the Dallas Cowboys.

Dickerson has led the NFL in rushing three times in his four seasons, including last year when he rushed for 1,821 yards.

“I don’t want to comment on Dickerson’s contract,” Chin said. “But he feels he could have done better, a lot better. He should be paid in excess of $1.5 million. His value to the team is greater than (Miami quarterback) Dan Marino’s value to his team.”

Chin said Dickerson hired him to be his business manager in July of 1986, about two months after Dickerson fired agent Jack Rodri of the Ken Norton Personal Management Agency, Inc. Dickerson recently filed a $12.5 million lawsuit against Rodri, alleging that he mismanaged the running back’s finances.

In 1985, Rodri and former heavyweight boxing champion Ken Norton negotiated a three-year extention of Dickerson’s contract through the 1989 season. Dickerson received a $500,000 signing bonus and will receive a base salary of $683,000 in each of the next three seasons.

But, in his lawsuit, Dickerson claims that Rodri misled him by insisting the new contract was a “fantastic” deal and would make Dickerson the “highest-paid back.”

Chin said he is not yet certified as an agent by the NFL Players Assn., though he said he would get his license before Dickerson and the Rams began negotiations. Chin formerly worked for Rodri and Norton.

Dickerson confirmed Tuesday, through the Rams, that Chin was working for him, though Dickerson referred to Chin as his “booking agent.” Dickerson didn’t comment further.

Chin, in fact, is just one member of Dickerson’s growing financial entourage. Steve Zucker is Dickerson’s commercial agent, Sandy Friedman handles public relations and Arn Tellem, who filed the lawsuit for Dickerson, is his attorney.

Chin said Dickerson will not hold out of training camp, as he did in 1985 when he missed the first two games of the season.

Chin said Dickerson will approach the Rams about his contract once he has settled into the season.

John Shaw, the Rams’ vice president of finance, had no comment Tuesday, but the Rams have traditionally refused to renegotiate player contracts. Not even for star players.