Tuesday, March 28, 2000
Pickens interests Ravens
Bengals must make 1st call
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PALM BEACH, Fla. — If the Bengals want to move unhappy wide receiver Carl Pickens, the Baltimore Ravens are interested.
“He's an option,” said Ravens coach Brian Billick during a break Monday here at the NFL meetings. “It's our understanding he has a great work ethic. We keep hearing he's willing to pay the price in practice and do the right things. Sometimes a guy just needs to change his environment.” “ ... If they do decide to a parting of the ways, certainly we'll be interested.”
Billick said the Bengals must make the call to Ozzie Newsome, Baltimore's vice president of player personnel. Plus, Baltimore's interest in Pickens could be diminished if they take a receiver with the fifth or 15th pick in the first round of next month's NFL draft.
On Monday, Bengals President Mike Brown sounded more adamant than ever that he would keep Pickens despite the receiver's open contempt for the club — even if the Bengals take Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick with the fourth pick.
“Nowadays, you need three receivers,” Brown said. “We can do more three and four-receiver sets, and St. Louis just proved how effective that can be. Why shouldn't we look at that if that's going to help us?”
Brown said the Ravens haven't told him of this latest interest.
“It's not something we're actively going to go to Cincinnati and say, "What would it take?'” Billick said. “It's going to be because they decide that's the move they want to make, and then they negotiate with Ozzie.”
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