Friday, April 16, 1999Bengals want more for No. 3 pick
Won't trade unless Saints increase offer
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerThis weekend's NFL draft is turning into the Battle of New Orleans with the Bengals in the crossfire of the Saints' bid to get Texas running back Ricky Williams.
If the Saints want to trade up and pick Williams in front of the Colts, who pick fourth, they may have to talk to the Bengals, who hold the third pick.
The Saints would have to bowl over the Bengals with a huge offer, and apparently New Orleans has ruled out trading its best players.
Complicating a trade is the fact the Bengals are poised to get a player they have coveted, Oregon quarterback Akili Smith. Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch is earmarked for Cleveland with the first pick, and Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb is headed to Philadelphia with the second pick.
But Bengals President Mike Brown wouldn't rule out a trade Thursday. The Saints are willing to give teams their 12th overall pick and picks in rounds 3-7, as well as future picks. But they didn't accept Cleveland's price of first-rounders in 2000 and 2001.
Brown wouldn't divulge what he wants for future picks. Asked if he would go after Saints All-Pro tackle Willie Roaf, Brown said the Saints “have players who would be attractive to us.”
But Brown also said a trade is “a long shot.” With the Bears making noises about taking UCLA's Cade McNown with the seventh pick, Brown knows there's a chance the draft's top five quarterbacks will be gone by No.12, the Saints' position.
Plus, Bengals insiders walked out of Thursday's meetings with no indication Brown has changed a stance in which he has called for a quarterback for months.
“Unless (the Saints' offer) is real attractive, we're inclined to stay where we are,” coach
Bruce Coslet said. “It depends on the future picks. ... Now, if they offered a first, second and third next year, we'd have to seriously consider it.”
The Saints were forced to deal with the top three teams when Indianapolis traded running back Marshall Faulk to St.Louis on Thursday, allowing the Colts to stay in the fourth spot and take Williams or Miami running back Edgerrin James.
Saints officials were pessimistic anything could get done after learning of the trade.
“The door was cracked. It's now closed, but it's not locked,” said Saints President Bill Kuharich. “Until Ricky Williams is picked up by someone, we will continue to dialogue, but I think it will be difficult, because the the top three teams are focused on quarterbacks.”
Last year's No.3 pick, Arizona defensive end Andre Wadsworth, was a full-time player. Linebacker Keith Brooking, selected No.12, hardly played for Atlanta.
Coslet made an impassioned case for taking a quarterback.
“I see (John) Elway. I see (Dan) Marino. I see (Drew) Bledsoe. I see (Troy) Aikman. I see Steve Young,” Coslet said. “I see they're all high, high draft choices.
“If you don't try, if you don't take the chance, if you say, "It's going to be David Klingler again,'” Coslet said, “you want to go through life just scared to death all the time? We have to take a chance.”
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