Saturday, February 19, 2000
Bengals fill four-man line with Barndt
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Mike Brown put his money down, giving two defensive linemen nearly $10 million this season in 72 hours.
And Dick LeBeau saw his stock go up Friday when Chiefs defensive tackle Tom Barndt joined old Kansas City teammate Vaughn Booker for five years on the Bengals defensive line.
“This is the best line we've had since I've been the defensive coordinator with the Bengals,” said LeBeau, who has spent a dozen years in the role. “And as good as the one we had in 1980.”
That was LeBeau's first year in Cincinnati when he was the secondary coach and the Bengals lined up Eddie Edwards at left end, Wilson Whitley at nose tackle and Ross Browner at right end.
Now the Bengals line up Booker at left end, Barndt and tackle Oliver Gibson in the middle and John Copeland at right end as LeBeau commits fully to the four-man line.
“Now try to run the ball on us boys,” said Jim Lippincott, the club's director of college/pro personnel.
The defense was rated 16th against the rush this season and last in 1998.
Brown is putting his money where his new stadium is. Counting the re-signing of left tackle Rod Jones last week, the Bengals have doled out $9.1 million in signing bonuses. Not counting what they think it takes to match an offer for running back Corey Dillon, the Bengals figured they had about $7 million under their salary cap this season for free agents.
The five-year, $11 million Barndt deal — the same as Booker's — brings the 2000 cap count for Jones, Booker and Barndt to $5.9 million.
And Brown isn't done, even though he has to drop at least a $2 million cap count on Ravens cornerback DeRon Jenkins for $3 million annually. Bengals scout Duke Tobin assured Jenkins agent Mitch Frankel Friday the Barndt deal didn't eliminate Cincinnati.
“I would say they know we're interested,” LeBeau said. “What if we get him? Christmas in February.”
Brown won't say if he borrowed from Dillon's stash to sign Barndt and offer Jenkins. But he said, “You have to move things around, because things constantly change.”
What changed Friday morning is that after Barndt visited the Cardinals Thursday, the Bengals were surprised he was still unsigned. Barndt's agent, Ron Del Duca, mindful of his client's high regard for Bengals defensive line coach Tim Krumrie and enthusiasm for the new practice facility, called Lippincott to see if the Bengals would re-open talks.
Barndt ended up signing in a Phoenix hotel room. Revenge for 1994, when cornerback Ray Crockett signed with the Broncos while snowbound in a Cincinnati hotel.
“I'm not the type of guy who's going to say, "I'm going to change everything around,' ” Barndt said. “I watched a lot of film on these guys because we had a lot of common opponents with the Bengals, and I thought they had a defense that really got after it. I'm just here to help.”
The 300-pound Barndt, who made $429,000 last season, rotated with big-money players Dan Williams and Chester McGlockton after a 1998 season he played 91 percent of the plays on a three-man line.
“I like Krumrie because he's a straight-shooter, no frills,” Barndt said. “I knew of him as a player; he's done the things I want to do. Play in a Super Bowl, go to a Pro Bowl.”
The Bengals now have three linemen known for their down-to-down, all-out intensity in Barndt, Booker and Gibson. Barndt felt guilty he couldn't work out because of travel.
“That's why I like living in (Las) Vegas,” Barndt said. “They have 24-hour gyms. (The gym) is what I'm all about.”
Del Duca, who also said his client was impressed by coach Bruce Coslet's introductory letter, was glad he made the call to Lippincott.
“This time,” he said of his client, “the good guys won one.”
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