Wednesday, March 29, 2000
Dillon talks put on hold
Bengals RB to miss mini-camp, maybe part of season
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PALM BEACH, Fla. — Corey Dillon's agent told the Bengals Tuesday his client won't negotiate with Cincinnati until after the NFL draft, won't attend mini-camp and might sit out the first 10 games of the season if he can't move to another team.
The agent, Marvin Demoff, said Dillon's priority is to be signed to an offer sheet by another team before the April 10 deadline.
“We met, but we didn't negotiate — which is more of Corey's request than anything else,” Demoff said after huddling with Bengals Vice President Paul Brown at the NFL's annual meetings here.
Demoff said he'll recommend to Dillon that he comply with the Bengals' request to meet with him in Cincinnati after the draft.
But the timing has the Bengals considering deals with other players that would prevent signing Dillon to a multiyear contract. The Bengals have tendered Dillon a one-year deal for $1.37 million, which means a team would have to give up a first- and third-round pick if the Bengals chose not to match their offer.
“Assuming he doesn't get an offer sheet (from another team), Corey is going to look at all his options under the collective bargaining agreement,” Demoff said.
“That includes anywhere from signing a long-term contract with Cincinnati to playing six games. All range of options would be open at this point. But he's not thinking about that until after April10. He wants to see how it unfolds.”
If Dillon holds out until the last six games of the season, he still would gain a full season under the labor agreement, making him a fourth-year unrestricted free agent in 2001. Or, he could report following the trading deadline in Week 6.
Bengals President Mike Brown said it's too early to start talking about holdouts. But he also said the club is reviewing its options.
Among them: figuring on Dillon for just one year and trying to secure a long-term deal with right tackle Willie Anderson and signing a veteran cornerback such as Steve Israel of the New England Patriots or Phillippi Sparks of the New York Giants.
“We would prefer to deal with (Dillon),” Mike Brown said. “But we don't intend to be frozen into a negotiating position where we have unused (salary) cap room and lose other options waiting for him to make a deal. (Those deals) could preclude us from doing a deal with Corey.”
Brown indicated the meetings with Demoff were pointless.
“In our opinion, it was not an effort to negotiate,” he said. “It was a demand they knew was unacceptable to us and wouldn't help bring us together but would rather drive us apart.”
Neither side is talking about numbers, but the gap appears to be about $2 million a year.
Demoff set up visits with the Giants and Chiefs but wouldn't comment on them. Dillon has targeted Kansas City as his preference, and Demoff plans to speak with Chiefs boss Carl Peterson next week. But neither club seems willing yet to give up a first- and third-round pick. Baltimore is reportedly ready with an offer sheet, and Demoff is to meet with Ravens vice president Pat Moriarty in the next few days.
Dillon, who has rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons, could be influenced by the $5 million-a-year contract James Stewart got from Detroit. In five seasons, Stewart has yet to rush for 1,000 yards.
But the Bengals say that's not comparable, because Stewart was an unrestricted free agent.
The Bengals are optimistic about meeting with Dillon on their turf after the draft to remind him how much they want him. The club said Tuesday's events don't mean it will draft a running back because Mike Brown said, “We think he's going to be here, and if not, we've got others behind him.”
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