Akili Smith arrived at training camp in July as the Bengals' No.1 quarterback. The situation will be different next year.

        The team wants to re-sign veteran quarterback Scott Mitchell to compete with Smith for the starting job, team president Mike Brown said Wednesday afternoon after watching Mitchell's first practice in 10 days.

        Mitchell, who has a sprained knee ligament but is expected to start Sunday against Arizona, shared practice snaps with Smith and appeared to move and throw better as practice went on.

Quarterback Scott Mitchell was out Sunday with an injury, but he may be in the Bengals plans for 2001. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM |

        “I think it's clear there's going to be a competition next year at that spot,” Brown said. “We're not go ing to put all our chips on one guy.”

        Mitchell started Nov.19 against the Patriots and threw for 236 yards in the 16-13 loss.

        “I felt good about how he played against New England,” Brown said. “He played well enough for us to win that game.

        “And if he can go out

        there and suddenly give us 200 yards a game throwing the ball, and if we keep on running the ball like we're running it, we're a competitive football team.”

        That means Mitchell could get an extended audition and start the final four games for the 2-10 Bengals.

        Brown dismissed reports the Bengals are not playing Smith because they can save millions in incentive payments: “We play the guys we play because we think they give us the best chance to win. And that's all there is to it.

        “We have gotten to the point of looking at Mitchell because we played him in one game and he did well. We want to see if he can play at that level. If he can, that's going to be an interesting thing to us.”

        Smith, 25, has started 11 games and has completed 44.2 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and six interceptions. He is in the second year of a six-year contract that is worth a potential $56 million, including incentives.

        Smith, who hasn't spoken to the media since after the Dallas game Nov.12, called reporters together at the end of practice and said he was going to grant an interview. Then he said, “Psych,” smiled and walked away.

        Mitchell, 32, was paid $200,000 to sign a one-year, $600,000 contract in March. He has completed 46.3 percent with one touchdown and five interceptions.

        “There are still some throws I'm having a little trouble throwing,” Mitchell said. “But it really wasn't too bad actually. I was kind of pleased. It's just getting used to being back in there.”

        Told that Brown said he wanted to bring him back, Mitchell said: “I'm just worried about getting through the rest of the year, and we'll take next year when it gets here. It's nice to know they like me and feel comfortable with me.”

        Mitchell was brought in to be Smith's backup. The team didn't want the heat of competition to disturb Smith's development.

        But what's clear now is Brown agrees with coach Dick LeBeau that Mitchell, at least for now, gives the Bengals their best chance to win.

        “We are doing it with the thought if (Mitchell) shows he can make our team competitive, we would want to sign him for next year,” Brown said. “I think we have to look for a way to go that can get us back to a competitive level. We haven't been that. We've tried, and it hasn't worked. It doesn't mean it can't turn around at some point in the future.

        “A lot of quarterbacks come on later in their careers, unexpected, and be good quarterbacks. We can all name them — (Terry) Bradshaw, (Vinny) Testaverde.”

        Quarterback has been one of the Bengals' most unstable positions of the 1990s. Since 1992, the Bengals at various times have hoped that David Klingler, Jeff Blake, Neil O'Donnell and Smith were the answer.

        “It has been are our Achilles' heel we have not gotten the quarterback thing up and running,” Brown said. “It's gone on and on. We had moments when Jeff Blake was here that we got close, but we never quite got up to that point where the quarterback is carrying the team, which is what you want.”

        The team's quarterback question was just one of several topics Brown addressed during a candid media session at the end of practice:

        • On a published report that friends advised him to resign as general manager: “I don't have five friends,” Brown said. “I don't plan to step down. That's a story that's out there. I don't really know how it started. I will just tell you it's not well-founded.”

        • On free agent running back Corey Dillon: “We want Corey back, and we're going to work to have him here. But I'm not going to get into a public negotiation. He has done a great job. We're very, very pleased with how he has played and how he has conducted himself off the field with us internally.”

        • On LeBeau, whose status for next year remains undecided: “I think Dick has done an outstanding job. I'm very pleased with how he is handling the situation. He's good with the players internally. He's good with the public and the media. I can't think of one thing he's done that displeases me. I wish we could win some games. That would help all of us here.”

        • On the half dozen anti-Mike Brown banners hung simultaneously Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium: “The criticism I get is understandable. People are disappointed. Their patience has been overtested. And I don't fault them for criticizing me.

        “I criticize me, too. I'd probably unfold my own banner if I could only do so. It would probably say something like: "You jerk. How could you be so stupid?' We have hurt ourselves with our fans and the public. When you do that, you pay a price, and we know we will.”

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