Friday, May 19, 2000Bengals, Anderson try to hammer out deal today
By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati EnquirerWillie Anderson, the player with the biggest shoe size in Bengals history (19-EEE), is seemingly close to a super-sized signing.
The right tackle and agent Terry Bolar returned to Cincinnati Thursday night for meetings this morning with the team, which says it is offering the NFL's largest contract for an offensive lineman.
Bolar and Anderson met with the Bengals' lead negotiator, Katie Blackburn, two weeks ago in Cincinnati. They since have continued discourse daily. Bolar had said previously he hoped to get the difference between the sides' offers small enough to where a face-to-face meeting might help erase the gap.
“We had talked about them coming up, so I guess it's good news they are,” Blackburn said.
Are the sides close enough?
“We'll have to see what happens (today),” Bolar said.
The Bengals have offered a six-year extension in the $31 million range. Bolar has contended that since the Bengals won't rip up the 2000 contract of $1.04 million, the per-year average over seven seasons wouldn't be as high as other linemen have gotten.
Anderson could not be reached Thursday, but at minicamp three weeks ago he said: “I do want to be here. I would love to end my career in Cincinnati. Hopefully the Bengals come to the forefront and pay me what I'm worth.”
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