Tuesday, March 21, 2000
Bengals are interested in Warrick
Receiver may be available at 4th pick
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Bengals may get the chance to add the nation's most exciting college player if the NFL's conventional wisdom holds up at the April 15 NFL draft.
Last week's combination of an alleged disappointing 40-yard dash time by Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick and a stunning workout by Penn State defensive end Courtney Brown flipped the prospects.
Now Cincinnati is staring at Warrick at No.4, with Brown slotted No.1 to Cleveland.
The Bengals won't mind at all because they aren't concerned about the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Warrick's speed and dispute the supposed 4.5-second 40 time on a gym floor.
Rain forced the workout indoors, but Warrick is scheduled to run outdoors Friday.
“I won't go back down. I know he's fast because you can see that on tape,” said Bengals coach Bruce Coslet, the only NFL head coach at Warrick's workout.
“I wouldn't hold (last week's time) against him. The floor was slick. He runs away from people in games. He's really quick, and he showed that. He caught everything (in the workout). Look at the film. Plus, he's a hell of a punt returner. He's what I call a difference maker.”
Jim Lippincott, the Bengals director of college/pro personnel, said it's his understanding Warrick ran in the 4.4s and that the club was told one-tenth of a second was subtracted from all the Florida State prospects except Warrick.
“When you start worrying about workouts, it's time to go back and look at tape to see what guys do in games,” Lippincott said.
Cleveland is fascinated with the 267-pound Brown's 40 time, which supposedly rivaled Warrick's, and the Browns need a force on a defensive line that generated the fewest sacks in the league.
Brown could be the first defensive lineman to go No.1 since the Bengals took Dan Wilkinson in 1994. The Bengals now wish they had paid less attention to Wilkinson's workout and more to his college tapes.
At Nos.2 and 3, conventional wisdom has the Redskins taking Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington and Alabama left tackle Chris Samuels.
“All we know is what we read in newspaper accounts, and they change every day,” Bengals President Mike Brown said. “That's why I think we haven't received any calls about a trade yet. In order to do that, you have to have a specific player in mind and I just don't think anyone knows yet how that first three is going to go.”
No matter which of the four players are there, Brown figures to get plenty of calls offering to trade the pick for two later first-round choices. The Jets covet Courtney Brown. Tampa Bay wants Warrick. But Mike Brown may not listen. He's an offensive guy, and he can't help but be taken by Warrick's playmaking. The prospect of quarterback Akili Smith throwing to two receivers who can score on any play in Warrick and Darnay Scott won't hurt ticket sales in a new stadium, either.
“He would be fun to have and work with,” Brown said. “It's what he does after he catches the ball. In that regard, he may be as fine a wide receiver as any coming out of the draft in a long time.”
Drafting Warrick may also end the Carl Pickens fiasco because he would replace the disgruntled wide receiver, allowing the Bengals to cut or trade Pickens.
But Mike Brown said, “That wouldn't necessarily mean we'd get rid of Carl. ... He's under contract, we expect him to fulfill it.”
DILLON UPDATE: The Bengals' pursuit of a veteran cornerback and a contract extension for right tackle Willie Anderson is on hold until they can get a good read on the Corey Dillon situation.
Mike Brown said the team's salary cap hinges on Dillon signing a one-year contract at $1.37 million or a long-term deal.
“If he takes the one year, then we can do some other things,” Brown said. “If we can sign him (multiyear), then we'll probably be out of the market for other free agents and our own.”
Dillon, a Pro Bowl running back who is a restricted free agent, has three more weeks to sign an offer sheet with another team.
If he doesn't, his rights revert to the Bengals. The Bengals hope to get an idea soon if Dillon is willing to sign for more than one year. Dillon's agent, Marvin Demoff, couldn't be reached for comment.
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