More than a week of unemployment isn't enough to convince Kerry Collins his days as an NFL starter are over. In fact he believes as strongly as ever that he'll be a starting quarterback somewhere this year.

"I think a starting job somewhere is very realistic for me," Collins told the New York Daily News on Thursday. "I feel like I'm a starter. I know I'm a starter. I'm confident, knowing what's going on, that there will be a starting job out there for me."

Collins said several teams have already spoken with either him or his agent, David Dunn, about "a variety of different roles, really." Though he declined to name the teams, several sources confirmed the Oakland Raiders and Chicago Bears are two of the most prominent suitors. The Green Bay Packers appear interested in signing Collins as a backup to Brett Favre.

And though he's not ready to accept a backup role just yet, the 31-year-old hasn't eliminated that as a possibility. "I'd want to go to the best situation for me," Collins said. "And if it means being a backup somewhere for a short period of time, then that would be great - if that's the best thing."

That may turn out to be best for Collins, especially now that several likely destinations - Dallas, Baltimore, San Francisco and Arizona - publicly have withdrawn from the Collins chase. His two best bets at a starting job still appear to be in Oakland, where he could replace Rich Gannon, or in Chicago, where he could battle Rex Grossman.

Wherever it is, Collins just figures someone could use a quarterback who has thrown for 16,875 yards and 81 touchdowns in the last five years.

"Oh yeah," he said. "I think a starting job somewhere is very realistic for me."
5/6/04