Thursday, September 16, 1999BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Contract talks limited
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerThe Carl Pickens deal has taken a $5.2 million chunk out of the Bengals' salary cap for 1999, greatly reducing the chances of the team extending the contracts of other potential free agents.
But the Bengals believe the structure of the Pickens deal puts them in good shape for next season as they make their top priority securing running back Corey Dillon to a long-term deal. They don't want to go into the 2000 season without Dillon wrapped up.
“We feel Corey is a very valuable player and we want to lock him up for the long term, and there is no question about that,” said Troy Blackburn, one of the club's negotiators. “And we have every intention of paying him for what he produces and every intention of getting a long-term deal.”
That's a good thing, because Dillon indicated Wednesday he has no desire to play next season with a one-year deal. He becomes a restricted free agent after this season and remains one of the NFL's top bargains as a $500,000-per-year No.1 running back.
Dillon has said he doesn't want to negotiate during the season, but he said Wednesday if the Bengals want to get it done, they could come to him and get talks going.
But the Bengals don't have much left for this year. They gave Pickens a $4.5 million salary for this season, plus a $3.5 million signing bonus. He's scheduled to make $3 million, $3.5 million, $4.3 million and $4.54 million the next four seasons, computing to a $5.2 million cap number for '99.
That leaves the Bengals with about $2.6 million under the salary cap, and they are bracing for an injury grievance from former tackle Kevin Sargent, which would take it down to about $1.5 million.
“We want to get Corey done,” Bengals President Mike Brown said. “I don't know that we have room to do much more this year, but we have sufficient cap room for next year.”
HALL MARK: Meet the Bengals' new nickel corner following the season-ending knee injury to cornerback Charles Fisher: rookie safety Cory Hall, who pulled similar duty in a similar defense at Fresno State.
“He was a pretty effective blitzer in college,” defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. “He's a 200-pounder, and if we can get him on (the running back) from that position, he could be an effective guy there. He's been playing corner in the dime (six defensive backs instead of the nickel's five), and it's kind of the same position. It's just on the other side of the formation.”
ON THE RADIO: The Bengals don't see a Cinergy Field sellout imminent today, which means Sunday's home opener against the Chargers won't be televised. How close are they to a Sunday sellout?:
“There are a plethora of tickets left,” business manager Bill Conlly said.
Bengals Stories
Blake's feet a headache for foes
Pickens set to start Sunday
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
REDS 5, CUBS 4
Thrill of race keeps Vaughn going
Phillies 8, Astros 6
Mets 10, Rockies 5
How Reds, Astros, Mets finish
Box, runs
Pinch of Sweeney goes long way
REDS NOTEBOOK
Baseball kicks out Schott, dog
Owners OK Reds sale
The end of Schott is near, and it's good
UC braces for Great Dayne
UC Hall of Fame to add six
XU recruit declared partial qualifier
IRL will race in Kentucky
Rambo, Germany catching on
CINCINNATI HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS
CINCINNATI HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS
N.KY. HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS
N.KY. HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS