NFL : Colts Trade for Top Pick in Draft, Providing They Can Sign George Today

The Atlanta Falcons agreed on Thursday to trade the first pick in Sunday’s National Football League draft to the Indianapolis Colts, who will choose quarterback Jeff George of Illinois.

The Falcons, who also will give Indianapolis a fourth-round draft pick this year, will get six-time Pro Bowl tackle Chris Hinton, wide receiver Andre Rison, the Colts’ first-round draft choice in 1991 and a fifth-round pick this year.

The deal is contingent upon the Colts signing George today.

George supplanted Keith McCants in the No. 1 draft position after the Alabama linebacker’s mediocre workout two weeks ago.

Agent Leigh Steinberg flew to Indianapolis earlier Wednesday to begin negotiations with the Colts.

“I’m very optimistic,” he said. “We will break out the caffeine and camp down until it’s done.”

Steinberg represented quarterback Troy Aikman last season, when the former UCLA star signed an $11-million, six-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys, who made him the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Steinberg said he will seek more than Aikman received.

“It’s a new year with a new television contract with enormous growth in it,” Steinberg said. “I would think that once we get started, no matter who we’re dealing with, we could get the thing done in five or six hours.”

With 72 hours to go before the draft, the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers reportedly are trying to trade up toward the top of the first round. The San Diego Chargers, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants are considering trading their No. 1 choices.

“I don’t mean that the first round is not a marquee-name round,” said General Manager George Young of the Giants. “But there are some pretty good people in the second and third rounds.”

The Chargers traded running back Gary Anderson, who sat out all of last season in a contract dispute, to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a third-round pick on Sunday and a conditional second-round pick in 1991.

The conditional pick is based on Anderson gaining 1,000 yards combined in rushing and receiving in 1990. Anderson reached 1,000 yards twice in four years with the Chargers. If he fails to gain 1,000 yards, the Chargers will get Tampa Bay’s third-round choice in 1991.

The 49ers traded running back Terrence Flagler and defensive end Danny Stubbs to Dallas for second-and third-round choices.