Monday, February 28, 2000
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Agent: Pickens may retire if Bengals don't trade him
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
INDIANAPOLIS — The agent for Carl Pickens raised the possibility Sunday his client would retire rather than play again for the Bengals.
“I talk to him three times a day and every time he says, "I want out,' so that's 21 times a week,” said Steve Zucker, in town to meet with cornerback Dwayne Goodrich, a client from Tennessee.
Zucker said he hasn't discussed retirement in depth with Pickens. But he's still hoping Baltimore will offer their second-round draft choice and that the Bengals will accept. Neither side has indicated they're ready, but both have discussed it internally.
“Anything is possible,” Zucker said. “I know this will be resolved sooner than it was last year when he signed three days before the season started.”
Zucker speculated Pickens might retire rather than pay the fines for missing mandatory camps. If he retired, Pickens would have to give back $2.8 million of his $3.5 million signing bonus.
Brown said if Pickens plans to retire, he should let the team know so the team can plan for the April 15-16 draft. Which may mean Michigan State's Plaxico Burress gets the nod instead of Penn State defensive end Courtney Brown.
“I'd be surprised (retiring) is what he's thinking about,” Mike Brown said. “I think if he plans to, he should let us know.”
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