Thursday, March 30, 2000
Ravens' coach wants Dillon, Pickens
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PALM BEACH, Fla. — As he left the NFL's annual meeting here Wednesday, Ravens coach Brian Billick smiled when told he was being watched closely in Cincinnati.
After all, Baltimore is eyeing the Bengals' most decorated and disgruntled players in Pro Bowl running back Corey Dillon and former Pro Bowl receiver Carl Pickens.
And remember, these are the Paul Brown-Art Modell franchises that have never made a deal with each other.
On Monday, Billick said trading for Pickens is an option for his struggling offense.
On Wednesday, Billick said the Ravens have the juice to sign Dillon to an offer sheet that would cost them a first- and third-round pick because they have two first-rounders. But Billick sounded like he'd rather flat-out trade the picks for Dillon.
“They're good players,” Billick said. “We can do some things. That's why I'm optimistic.”
But Bengals President Mike Brown wants no part of a trade and reiterated Wednesday the team wants to sign Dillon despite his refusal to take an offer from the club this week. But the Bengals also know they would get the Ravens' 15th pick in the draft in exchange for him. That's a spot where they might have a shot at Wisconsin's Ron Dayne or Tennessee's Jamal Lewis after taking Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick No.4.
Virginia running back Thomas Jones and Boone County High School's Shaun Alexander figure to be gone by then.
“You could get a (running) back in the middle of the first round if you wanted to, but we want to sign Corey,” Bengals counsel Katie Blackburn said. “But at some point if they do a deal that doesn't make sense and the alternative is getting the first-round pick and having numbers that work, it's something you have to weigh.”
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