Wednesday, November 24, 1999Bengals give up on Brice
Oft-criticized punter cut; Costello back
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerSo much for Bengals punter Will Brice's break-out game Sunday.
After nailing five punts for nearly a 50-yard average and holding dangerous Baltimore returner Jermaine Lewis in check, Brice was cut Tuesday after Brad Costello secured a two-year deal following a solid workout at Spinney Field.
Brice, who has been released by several NFL teams, may take up Cincinnati's invitation to next training camp. But he wasn't happy the Bengals sent him home without paying for his plane ticket.
“All the other teams paid my way home, and that surprised me,” Brice said. “I think I took some undeserved criticism, but I took the blame and worked to get better. Sunday was the first day I went out there not worried about protection or getting it off fast, and now it's over. It's a shame.”
Brice took his share of responsibility for four blocked or deflected punts but said things finally got squared away last week when he showed coach Bruce Coslet his release times were comparable to or better than the best NFL punters.
“They had been saying I was deliberate, so all I was thinking about was getting it off quick instead of punting. I just went to Bruce and asked him what they wanted,” Brice said. “He said it wasn't so much time, but I took too many steps, and so we worked on that, and it helped.”
Costello punted in the Bengals' final three games last season, and when he tore his hip flexor in August, it wrecked the timing on special teams, because he was also kicker Doug Pelfrey's holder. Pelfrey has had two field goal attempts deflected and the worst percentage of his career.
“Costello is the guy we expected to be with us this year, and he's over his physical problems,” Bengals President Mike Brown said. “He's able to kick off, and that's what probably decided it. But we liked how Brice came on.”
With Coslet underhanding snaps, Costello punted between 40 to 45 times Tuesday and showed no effects of the injury. He also kicked off 20 to 25 times.
“There's a little rust, but you can work it out in a day or two with the snapper and getting in with the team,” Costello said.
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