Friday, September 10, 1999Pickens deal is stunner
Prodigal star likely to sign rich five-year contract
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Wide receiver Carl Pickens left the Bengals in December happily singing “This Is It,” after what he thought was his last game in Cincinnati. But less than 72 hours before Sunday's NFL opener, Pickens returned Thursday to the Bengals locker room where he has spent the last seven controversial seasons. And he could have been singing “I'm In the Money” after one of the most bizarre chapters in franchise history.
![[pickens]](http://bengals.enquirer.com/img/photos/1999/09/091099pickens_150x131.jpg)
Carl Pickens listens as Mike Brown discusses the signing of the receiver on Thursday.
(Michael E. Keating photo)
| ZOOM |In a three-hour session at Spinney Field, Pickens and the Bengals closed in on what looks to be a five-year deal that could be announced as soon as next week. A club source said it makes Pickens one of the five highest-paid receivers in the NFL with an estimated $4.6 million average annual salary.
NFL figures put the Bengals $4.6 million under the salary cap, so the deal can be sweetened with more than $6 million this year in bonus and salary.
Agent Steve Zucker couldn't wrap up the deal, so Pickens signed the club's one-year offer of $3.53 million. Now, after vowing to his agent that he would never play for the Bengals again and would sit out the season if not traded, Pickens hopes to prove to the coaches in his first practice today that he's ready for spot duty against the Titans in Tennessee.
After a hastily arranged news conference, Pickens shrugged off the suggestion he caved into Bengals President
Mike Brown when Brown refused to trade him for less than a first-round draft choice.
“Are those people making $3.5 million that are saying that?” Pickens asked. “That's kind of hard to turn down that kind of money. I'm a football player. I'm a competitor. This is the time of year I'm supposed to be working. I'm not used to sitting around all year. I think it's going to work out. I honestly believe that.”
The Bengals didn't sign a long-term deal Thursday probably because that would mean they would lose their franchise designation on Pickens for the duration of his new deal. After Pickens signed the one-year offer, the Bengals kept the franchise designation to use on another player when free agency opens in February.
After the whirlwind day, Brown sat in his office and said: “Strange. One of the strangest here.”
Given the Bengals' last long-term offer to Pickens was 13 months ago for $3.3 million a year and coach Bruce Coslet had questioned Pickens' lackluster effort in the 35-0 loss in last season's finale to Tampa Bay, Thursday's announcement was a stunner.
“A person has the right to change his mind,” Pickens said.
And an NFL team has a right to upgrade a woeful passing game. The Bengals basically said the weak play of the receivers behind Darnay Scott loosened their purse strings for a 29-year-old receiver to whom they usually don't give long-term deals.
“He's been a very productive player for a team that's not always been on the cutting edge offensively,” Brown said. “He competes like a tiger. He balances our pass offense. They can't unload on either side now. I think we will have a very good chance of getting open. ... I don't downgrade our other guys. But we needed another front-line receiver. Now we like our depth. We've got solid guys at Nos.3, 4 and 5.”
The Bengals figure to keep six receivers, including Akili Smith's college teammate, Damon Griffin. The Bengals can get a two-week roster exemption if Pickens doesn't play. But if he can go by 4p.m. Saturday, the Bengals probably will shift a player to injured reserve. The leading candidate is tackle Mike Doughty. Whatever happens, Pickens will get paid for the first two games.
His teammates greeted him with open arms Thursday, dismissing his reputation as a locker room cancer.
“He can help us,” linebacker Brian Simmons said. “Games aren't played in the locker room.”
Pickens is reunited with quarterback Jeff Blake, with whom he has hooked up for 43 touchdown passes in the past five seasons. Blake, the starter for the first time since the second half of the '97 season, thought it was about time.
“What they offered him was an insult, to me,” Blake said. “He's a two-time Pro Bowler, set all the records here. No question you sign a guy like that. If the man deserves it, give it to him. ... They shouldn't have (broken us up) in the first place.”
Coslet, who ripped Pickens for his behavior during the Tampa Bay game, literally came to his side at the news conference when Pickens was asked about the “cancer” rap. It was given to him by former Bengal and current broadcaster Solomon Wilcots.
“I'll take that one,” Coslet said. “That's bull (expletive) Some guy about two years ago said that. When (Pickens) practices, he practices 100 percent. When he plays, he plays 100 percent. You talk about the Tampa game, what happened, that wasn't Carl. That was somebody else. Like he said, that's water under the bridge. Leave it alone. That's not fair at this point.”
Pickens appreciated Coslet's defense.
“This is a new year,” Pickens said. “This is a new time.”
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![[pickens]](http://bengals.enquirer.com/img/photos/1999/09/091099pickens_500x436.jpg)