You would think (the trade) enhances our chances, Clark said. I’m sure it has to help that Deion will be playing baseball right up the road.

Sanders is expected to negotiate with the 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelpia Eagles. The Denver Broncos also have expressed interest.

The 49ers and Dolphins appear to have the inside track. Sanders thoroughly enjoyed playing in San Francisco last year and has developed friendships with several players. But he also has expressed an interest in joining the Dolphins, who play in his home state.

Advertisement

Then again, Sanders may decide he wants to play only one professional sport. I’ve got to think about what I really want to do with myself, if not just retire from one sportwhich I have been contemplating all year anywayand do whatever my heart decides to do, Sanders said.

In the end, the decision could even come down to his mother. Connie Knight, who lives in Fort Myers, Fla., would like nothing more than for her son to play closer to home for the rest of his football career.

If it’s possible, I’d like him to play in Miami, Knight said. Those flights to San Francisco are too long

Cleveland Browns quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who last year put together his first winning season as an NFL passer, has even bigger hopes for 1995.

It’s my third year in the same system with the same coaching staff, and I’m really looking forward to it, said Testaverde, who led the Browns to an 11-5 regular-season record and the second round of the playoffs. We’ve made some nice additions in free agency, and I think we’re going to be in good shape.

Some of the key additions in Cleveland are wide receiver Andre Rison, running back Lorenzo White and nose tackle Tim Goad.

Browns Owner Art Modell can hardly contain his enthusiasm about the possibilities.

Advertisement*

I’m very, very bullish about this team, he said. Browns over Steelers in the American Football Conference Central? You bet.

Arizona Cardinals officials believe third-year running back Garrison Hearst is ready for a breakout season in 95. He has spent the past two years battling knee problems but appears to be close to 100 percent going into training camp. Is St. Louis Rams rookie defensive end Kevin Carter, the fourth pick in the draft, as good as advertised? Some NFL executives aren’t so sure. Too one-dimensional, one general manager said. All he can do is rush the passer. And you have to question his motivation. The guy held a personal (offseason) workout and quit. What does that tell you about the guy? One of the more intriguing draft-day decisions was the Oakland Raiders’ seventh-round gamble to select BYU offensive tackle Eli Herring, one of the most coveted linemen in the nation. But don’t expect Herring to change his mind about refusing to join the NFL. While Herring has said he won’t play because he believes his Mormon background precludes him from performing on Sundays, 49ers center Bart Oates believes there’s more to it than that. Oates, also a Mormon, has spoken to Herring about his decision to stay away.