Wednesday, April 12, 2000
Ravens offer for Dillon
Bengals would get 15th pick, later-rounder
BY Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Corey Dillon, burning Bengal bridges with every breath, has coerced a trade offer. Yet despite the possibility of an extra first-round draft pick, the Bengals haven't ruled out signing their estranged running back to a long-term contract.
An NFL source said Tuesday that Baltimore has offered the Bengals two draft picks — the 15th pick in the first round and an undetermined later-round pick — for the Pro Bowler.
CBS Sportsline reported that Bengals president Mike Brown called Ravens vice president of personnel Ozzie Newsome Tuesday to discuss the trade. But Brown wouldn't state his opinion on the offer to The Enquirer, saying, “We won't comment on any trades until they're done.”
Though Dillon is making every effort to force a trade — “They have no other choice. I have no intent of going back,” he said Monday on a Seattle radio show — Brown doesn't believe his negotiations with Dillon have halted.
“I don't know that that's true, that nothing can happen for a long time,” Brown said. “Marvin Demoff (Dillon's agent) indicated he was prepared to talk to us. I just don't know when.”
A trade would be tricky. If they ship Dillon, the Bengals probably would want to draft his replacement, and there's no guarantee any of the four marquee running backs available — Virginia's Thomas Jones, Alabama's Shaun Alexander, Tennessee's Jamal Lewis and Wisconsin's Ron Dayne — would still be there by the 15th pick.
They probably wouldn't want to use their original pick, the No.4 spot in the first round, on a running back. That's still figured to be spent on Florida State wideout Peter Warrick.
A trade with the Ravens would have to be a conditional deal, with the Bengals watching Saturday to see if any of the backs they want are still there at No.15. If not, the deal probably would die.
Also, the fact Dillon is unsigned could be problematic to the Ravens.
“Any player who doesn't have a contract makes it more difficult (for a trade), because you have those negotiations in the mix,” Brown said.
Then, of course, there's history to hurdle. These two franchises have never agreed on a trade.
Dillon's tirade in the media Monday (Story) surprised two of his closer friends on the team, backup tailback Michael Basnight and running backs coach Jim Anderson.
Anderson had called Dillon Saturday, a conversation Dillon recounted Monday on the Seattle radio show.
“We went over the whole ordeal,” Dillon said on the air. “The reason they want me back is so other players won't want to hold out. That's ... for the wrong reasons. I don't want to play under those conditions.”
Anderson thought their conversation had been in confidence.
“When men talk, I like to think you keep it between men,” Anderson said.
Basnight said he figures Dillon is merely worried about being paid his fair share.
“Corey just wants to make sure his little daughter can eat, and I understand that,” Basnight said. “Of course some of the things he's been saying are out of frustration. Obviously there's a lot of tension right now.”
If Dillon stays, he's threatening to sit out all but the season's final six games. The Bengals would have to play 10 games using four tailbacks who have a combined 10 seasons of experience and 1,556 yards.
“I guess I'm second in line,” Basnight said. “I don't think the running game would suffer, but of course it's going to lack Corey Dillon. But that's not to say I can't come in and perform or Brandon (Bennett) can't come in, because regardless, the show must go on.”
It's not over. And may not be for a while.
“I'm not going to worry about it until it becomes a problem, and right now that would be half-a-year away almost,” Brown said. “I've been through a lot of negotiations over a lot of years, and I would say it's premature to take alarm in this situation.”
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