BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Bengals have formidable competition for Boomer Esiason's services, and he could find a new job sooner rather than later.
Esiason, the former Bengals quarterback who has entered the free-agent market, visited the Green Bay Packers on Monday. Jim McMahon's retirement forced the Super Bowl champions to seek an experienced, capable backup for Brett Favre.
Gerald Colton, Esiason's agent, would not confirm that his client was in Green Bay but said that the Pack
ers were among the teams that had expressed interest in the 13-year veteran.
Colton said he has had ''good conversations'' with a half-dozen teams, including four that meet Esiason's criteria. The Bengals, Colton said, are among this quartet. Aware that he's destined to be a backup, Esiason wants to join a team that has an apparent chance to contend for a title and a quarterback/coach combination with whom he'd feel comfortable.
Buffalo, Philadephia, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington are other teams that could suit Esiason's fancy.
A day after the Arizona Cardinals released Esiason March 17, Colton estimated that he probably wouldn't sign with any club before the NFL draft April 19-20. Now, Colton said, ''I might revise my time schedule a little bit,'' noting that some of Esiason's suitors ''want to move very quickly.''
Free agency stories
SIRAGUSA, SMITH ENCOURAGED; BORGELLA SIGNS March 26, 1997
SIMMONS SAYS NO TO BENGALS March 25, 1997
LAST DAY FOR SIMMONS March 24, 1997
OFFER TO SIMMONS EXPIRES THIS WEEKEND March 22, 1997
BRAHAM INTERESTS PATRIOTS March 21, 1997
SIMMONS MAY FIT IN BUDGET March 19, 1997
BOOMER COULD BE BACK March 18, 1997
SARGENT SIGNS FOR 2 YEARS March 13, 1997
SUTTER SIGNS; SIMMONS TO VISIT March 12, 1997
HEARST HANDS BALL TO CARTER March 8, 1997
HARRIS, COLLINS LOOK ELSEWHERE March 6, 1997
MAP FAVORS BENGALS WITH FREE AGENTS March 5, 1997
3 FREE AGENTS VISIT TODAY March 4, 1997
CB HARRIS SETS FREE-AGENT VISIT Feb. 27, 1997
BENGALS MAKING HEADWAY WITH FREE AGENTS Feb. 25, 1997
BENGALS HAVE CAP ROOM FOR FREE AGENTS Feb. 15, 1997
BENGALS WON'T CHASE TOP FREE AGENTS Feb. 14, 1997
