BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The New England Patriots assured offensive lineman Rich Braham of a nifty raise, though the Bengals will be paying it.
Cincinnati matched New England's three-year offer to Braham, ensuring the restricted free agent will remain with the Bengals.
''It baffles me why (the Patriots) bothered to do it,'' Bengals General Manager Mike Brown said. ''They should have known we would have matched the offer, barring something totally ludicrous. Why bother to run up the cost, unless they want to do a favor for the player or the agent?''
Braham, who earned $202,500 last year, will receive a $200,000 base salary this year along with a $600,000 bonus. He'll earn $300,000 in 1998 and is eligible for bonuses of $300,000 if he participates in 50 percent of the offensive plays or $600,000 if he's in 75 percent of the plays. He participated in 99.4 percent of Cincinnati's plays last year, starting the first three games at center and the last 13 at left guard.
Braham's base salary for 1999 will be $1.5 million, with a $500,000 bonus if he's on the roster on Feb. 15.
Now that the Bengals have secured free-agent fullback Scottie Graham, Brown said that he doesn't ''expect anything to happen'' in the free-agency realm before the draft.
Brown said that Graham, 27, an ex-Ohio State Buckeye who spent the last four seasons with Minnesota, will compete for one of the reserve running-back spots and could be a factor on special teams.
LB SEARCH NEAR AN END April 16, 1997
Previous draft stories
'IMPACT' PLAYER, TRADE UNLIKELY April 13, 1997
14TH PICK NOT TOO LATE TO GRAB GOOD PLAYER April 13, 1997
Recent stories
PATRIOTS MAKE OFFER TO BRAHAM April 15, 1997
BRUMFIELD GETS OK TO PLAY April 11, 1997
TWO MORE FREE AGENTS VISIT April 9, 1997
BEN-GALS TRYOUTS BEGIN SUNDAYApril 9, 1997
McCULLOUGH TRIES AGAIN April 8, 1997
BOOMER FEELS AT HOME April 6, 1997
ESIASON ACCEPTS 2-YEAR DEAL April 5, 1997
WITH BOOMER, BENGALS ARE BETTER Sullivan column - April 5, 1997
PACK WAITS AS ESIASON MEETS WITH BENGALS April 4, 1997
PLAYERS MIX FUN, SUN AND FOOTBALL April 3, 1997
ESIASON TALKS WITH GREEN BAY April 1, 1997
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
