Injuries leave Bengals scrambling Friday, August 14, 1998
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- Two major injuries have suddenly put the Bengals' roster fights in sharper focus.
Injured linebacker Jerry Olsavsky was waived Thursday.
(AP photo)
| ZOOM |Fullback Brian Milne is expected to miss at least the Sept. 6 season opener against Tennessee with a bulging lower disk in his back. Because doctors don't believe surgery is necessary now, the Bengals hope he can play in the second game.
On Thursday, the Bengals financially settled with injured inside linebacker Jerry Olsavsky (dislocated wrist) and waived him, indicating the club is satisfied with the progress of its two first-round draft picks, Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons.
The Bengals signed Olsavsky because he brought knowledge of defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's 3-4 defense from Pittsburgh. If Olsavsky isn't picked up by another club, the Bengals can re-sign him in Week 10.
Jim Lippincott, the Bengals personnel director, said "We can live without him. . . . The kids are doing pretty good. They're still missing some calls, and there are some assignment errors, but not as many as you think."
There's a shot Spikes and Simmons could start the season side-by-side. Spikes is already starting at right inside linebacker, and Simmons is pushing veteran Tom Tumulty at left inside linebacker. Lippincott rates the three as close as "1A, 1B, 1C."
"I didn't find out about (Olsavsky getting waived) until I came out for practice tonight," Spikes said Thursday. "It surprised me. He helped me out a lot learning the defense and getting me running. I'm sorry to see him go."
Some linebackers are now on the bubble. Eleven are still with the club and eight or nine should make the final cut. Players who are under the microscope during the last three exhibition games are six-year veteran Steve Tovar, Canute Curtis, Adrian Ross, Tim Terry and Billy Granville. The only locks are Spikes, Simmons, Tumulty, rookie outside linebacker Steve Foley, and outside linebackers James Francis and Reinard Wilson.
The fate of the bubble players is tied directly to the Milne situation.
The Bengals are trying to find a big fullback, but they don't expect to find one on the waiver wire until closer to the final Aug. 30 cutdown.
Until then, coach Bruce Coslet is going to use a combination of three-wide receiver sets, a backfield of Dillon and Ki-Jana Carter, and take a long look at using tight ends at fullback, notably Steve Bush. The club is going to give La Salle High School's Ty Douthard a shot to win the job, but they fear he is too light (225 pounds) to be an effective blocker.
"There's a lot of things we can do," Coslet said.
The Bengals are considering keeping all four of their tight ends while Milne is hurting. Because Milne would have to be put on the final roster of 53, he would probably be the only fullback to make the team. It also might mean the Bengals can keep just eight linebackers.
But Milne's back is an iffy proposition. Trainer Paul Sparling said it must be treated based on symptoms. But the club doctors and Milne's Erie, Pa., doctor agree surgery isn't necessary and that they will try to treat it with shots of epidural steroids, which Milne had Wednesday night.
"These injuries throw a new light on everything," said Bengals President Mike Brown. "We're a long way away from knowing which way we're going to go with some of these moves."
Notebook: Braham out 4-6 weeks
