The Bengals made eight roster moves Tuesday, trimming seven players and adding offensive tackle Kris Farris, who was waived Monday by Pittsburgh.

        Waived by Cincinnati were punter Brad Costello and linebacker Ben Peterson.

        Costello played in five games in 1999 and three games in 1998 with Cincinnati. Peterson played in three games with the Bengals last season.

        Also waived were three college free agents: fullback Ricky Brown, linebacker Alan Buckwalter and defensive tackle Mike Willetts.

        Cornerback Charles Fisher was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Fisher, the team's second-round draft pick in 1999 out of West Virginia, suffered a serious knee injury in the 1999 opener at Tennessee and has not played since. He is eligible for roster activation after Week 6 of the season.

        To make room for Farris, the Bengals released center Doug Dorley, a college free agent.

        The roster stands at the NFL-mandated 65 players. The roster has to be at 53 players Aug.27.

        Farris, who was the Stee lers' third-round draft choice in 1999 out of UCLA, spent his rookie season on the injured reserve list with a stress fracture in his left foot. He played in all four of the Steelers' preseason games with a broken bone in his hand.

        Pittsburgh had tried to trade Farris, who was no better than a third-string tackle there. He was the Outland Trophy winner at UCLA as the nation's top offensive lineman. The Bengals assume his minimum salary of $275,000.

        HURTING: Linebacker Takeo Spikes, offensive tackle Willie Anderson, cornerback Artrell Hawkins and strong safety Cory Hall are dinged up and may not play in Friday's preseason finale against Detroit.

        “We've got some of our guns who are limping around this week,” coach Bruce Coslet said.

        TUNEUP: Coslet wants to see better play from the defense and the running game against the Lions.

        “The one thing I want to see from our defense is no more allowing the big play,” he said. “I'm getting kind of tired of that. We're pretty salty on defense We're better. But when we pound and pound and pound them (on offense), that's not consistent enough to be a competitive, good team. People aren't just gashing us the whole day, so we have seen improvement.

        “Offensively, we've got to get our running game going. It was not very good.”

        HARD TO DO: Cutting players is never easy.

        “You get attached to these players. We spend more time with these players than we do with our wives. And they work hard for you and do what you ask them to do,” Coslet said. “Normally, what I do, when we release players, I don't meet with them. It's kind of an embarrassing situation.

        “I don't necessarily talk to him that day. For a veteran player that I've been around for a while, I'll call him two or three days later, after everything simmers down.”

        As a sign of respect, Coslet broke the news to Doug Pelfrey, the popular veteran kicker, that the team had waived him.

        Coslet, a former pro tight end with the Bengals, was cut once in Edmonton of the Canadian Football League and twice in Cincinnati by Paul Brown.

        “But that was when they had recallable waivers and they never told you,” he said. “But if you were claimed (by another team), they could elect to bring you back, so they brought me back twice. In 1972, I was cut, and the Miami Dolphins claimed me. I found out years later from Paul and Don Shula. The undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins.”

        The Dolphins were 17-0 and won the Super Bowl.

        FORMER BENGAL UPDATE: Tight end Damian Vaughn, the former Miami University player waived by the Bengals last week, has been signed by the Dolphins.

        SIRR STIRRING: Cornerback Sirr Parker, a waiver-wire pickup from Carolina, is finally practicing after injuring a hamstring.

        He was busy Tuesday afternoon, seeing action at running back and wide receiver (his position at Texas A&M) and on punt coverage and kick return teams.

        “Whatever it takes,” Parker said. “I can do it all.”

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