Saturday, February 13, 1999
Bengals quiet on first day
Show interest in Jerry Ball, Henry Thomas
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
For once, the Bengals were in step with the rest of NFL free agency Friday.
Except for Jacksonville, teams approached the first day of free agency with Bengalish caution.
Cincinnati contacted a slew of offensive and defensive linemen and defensive backs to gauge interest, but didn't expect to make offers. They refuted reports they had lined up visits from Green Bay guard Adam Timmerman and Atlanta backup safety Devin Bush.
The Bengals' initial feelers ran the gamut: among them Timmerman and Bush, standout Jacksonville defensive tackle Kelvin Pritchett, Tennessee defensive end Anthony Cook (who was on injured reserve), Falcons Super Bowl cornerback Ronnie Bradford, Vikings defensive back Orlando Thomas and New England center Dave Wohlabaugh.
But the most intriguing calls came from the agent for two 34-year-old former Pro Bowlers, Vikings nose guard Jerry Ball and Patriots defensive tackle Henry Thomas. Agent Jeffrey Durand likes that the Bengals are interested in both clients and have young, talented linebackers.
The Bengals are trying to upgrade at nose guard on a defense that finished near last in the NFL against the run and have always liked Ball.
But Durand hoped for a proposal by day's end and didn't get it, probably because the Bengals didn't like the parameters of a deal. Those parameters no doubt rose after defensive tackle Gary Walker inked for five years at $18 million with Jacksonville.
“They've expressed sincere interest in Henry Thomas and Jerry Ball,” Durand said. “It's not a package deal, but they would like to play together.”
Timmerman, 27, who hasn't missed a game in three years for the Packers at right guard, visited St. Louis Friday. But don't look for the Bengals to drop a big number on him with $3 million to spend.
“We're not going to expand the cap with money on an offensive lineman,” said President Mike Brown.
Looming in the background is the semi-uresolved status of Boomer Esiason. He has told everyone but Brown he's going back to TV, so Brown is “pursuing other things for now. I don't know where Boomer is. These things are always changing.”
If they spend, it's in the middle of the defensive line. They contacted another nose guard — the Steelers' 300-pound Oliver Gibson — as they search for an anchor familiar with the 3-4 defense. Bengals defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau drafted Gibson.
Cincinnati doesn't seem to care how old the anchor up front is. They also contacted 32-year-old Shawn Lee, a 300-pounder from the Bears who can play both end and tackle.
The Bengals also hooked up with a long-time nemesis on the defensive front in Pritchett, but didn't drop an offer and may be falling behind in AFC Central recruiting. Pritchett, poised to visit the team that drafted him (Detroit), may head to Tennessee. Thomas already has a visit lined up with the Titans.
“I'm not going to set up a visit until we're close on a contract,” said Jim Lippincott, the Bengals' director of college and pro personnel. “As I called around the league today, even the agents weren't very eager to make a deal. Everyone's waiting to see what Cleveland does.”
The expansion Browns are waving $30 million at free agents, and Mike Brown expects things to fall when they start spending.
“Not much is happening now because a lot of teams have seen what's happened to them in free agency,” Brown said. “But at some point, there will be activity.”
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