Sunday, August 01, 1999Jones gains slight edge
Bengals like his talent, fret Sargent's health
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerGEORGETOWN, Ky. — Rod Jones, who has taken up chess the past few seasons, has made the first move in his duel with incumbent Kevin Sargent for the Bengals' left tackle job.
Offensive line coach Paul Alexander, reiterating the job is open, said Jones was his best player in Friday night's first practice. Meanwhile, Sargent complained of soreness in his neck after the workout and is on the shelf with spasms.
“I never come to camp expecting to be handed a job,” Sargent said Saturday. “This definitely hurts. They said I'm out a couple of days. They said the structure looked good and the spinal cord was OK.”
Sargent felt that same sting ing sensation in his arm that he felt a few days afer the 1996 exhibition opener. That's when he discovered he had a herniated neck disc, had surgery and went on to miss the next 25 games. He said he was worried as he underwent Saturday's magnetic resonance imaging test, but he has grown accustomed to such pain.
On the second play of his second season in 1993, he broke his arm and was lost for the year. In this past off-season he had surgery to remove bone chips in his left elbow that hampered his play down the stretch last year.
At 6-foot-6, 300 pounds, Sargent's spirit always has been willing, but his flesh hasn't always cooperated. When he's healthy, he can be very good, like he was in 1995 when he held such pass rushers as Trev Alberts and Greg Lloyd sackless.
“My health has always been a factor,” Sargent said. “If it's not one thing, it's something else. It's like you're always battling something and that can be frustrating.'
At 25, Jones is five years younger and 25 pounds heavier than Sargent and is called the Bengals' most athletic offensive lineman. Alexander has never doubted Jones' physical skills but has tried to hone his technique and mental approach.
“I like playing chess because it makes you think, it sharpens your mind,” said Jones, wearing the ballcap of his hometown Tigers. “I play a lot during the offseason with my brother and friends back in Detroit. During the season, we don't have much time, but I got to find a guy here who plays.”
Jones' favorite chess move is castling, so he can get his high-powered pieces in a corner: “I play defensively, but I'm also attacking at the same time. You've got to be thinking three or four moves ahead.”
Jones has backed off his attack on the field and credits his improvement to slowing his game down.
“I always wanted to dominate on every play and just bury people no matter what,” Jones said. “That's not the way the game's built. I'm letting the game come to me.”
The Bengals are concerned about Sargent because of his history and they're a little antsy about Jones because he has shown only flashes.
“He has shown to be a good player, but not a consistently good player,” said Bengals President Mike Brown.
“He may be at that point.”
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