Tuesday, March 02, 1999Bengals want Ambrose, Sawyer back
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerThe Bengals are refocusing on re-signing two of their top three cornerbacks after they learned cornerback Ken Irvin is committed to returning to Buffalo.
It's believed Irvin will sign a four-year, $10 million contract with the Bills. Meanwhile, Ashley Ambrose expects his agent to talk to Baltimore about his $4-5 million annual price.
Ambrose, the left cornerback, and Corey Sawyer, the third corner, apparently are more attractive to the Bengals at the moment than Darrien Gordon and Ronnie Bradford.
Ambrose has visited Kansas City, but lately has only heard from the Chiefs' secondary coach. His name has yet to surface in Minnesota. NFL sources say the Vikings remain hot on trading up in the draft to get Georgia cornerback Champ Bailey.
The Bengals talk to Ambrose's agent daily, but apparently he is asking for more than $5 million to sign.
Sawyer's agent, Joel Segal, said he talked with the Bengals Monday and plans to talk to them next week: “Corey has always wanted to come back if it could be worked out.”
Cincinnati made another attempt Monday at Vikings nose tackle Jerry Ball. The Bengals desperately need an anchor, and although Ball has strictly become a first- and second-down run-stopper and rarely played on passes last season, he led the NFL with 15 tackles for loss in 1998.
Agent Jeff Durand said the Bengals increased their two-year offer to $1.6 million a year, but with too many incentives. Ball, 34, wants a three-year deal approaching the $1.75 million per year, two-year contract the Vikings offered.
“There's no incentive to take less from Cincinnati than what Minnesota had out there,” Durand said.
Before the Vikings re-signed safety Orlando Thomas and linebacker Ed McDaniel land virtually shut the door on Ball, Minnesota had offered Ball $1.5 million to sign. It's believed Cincinnati's offer is about $750,000.
Durand would like to see the Bengals get into a seven figures bonus for three years. The proration eases the club's hit against the salary cap, but still pushes his deal closer to a $2 million average.
“We're having good talks and we're going to keep talking,” Durand said. “Jerry has definite interest there.”
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