Saturday, February 10, 2001
Bengals need Akili insurance
Akili Smith was driving west on eastbound G Street when he was pulled over by police Thursday morning in San Diego. Could have happened to anyone. It was 1:37a.m., after all, and one-way streets can be tricky in broad daylight. They can get trickier, too, after a couple of cocktails.
When Smith emerged from his 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL 600, the officers on the scene picked up the scent of alcohol on his breath. They subjected the Cincinnati Bengals' $56 million quarterback to a field sobriety test and then escorted him to the county jail, where he failed a breath test and was booked.
This is not the sort of story a football team wants told
about its presumed savior. It is, instead, a story that should prompt the Bengals to start stockpiling suitable alternatives.
Where have you gone, Scott Mitchell?
Not giving up on Smith
It may be several seasons before we know whether Smith's arrest was a youthful indiscretion or a warning of worse. Yet Mike Brown & Co. can ill afford to wait for that answer.
They should assume Smith remains as callow and clueless as he appeared last season. They must act as if they have no quarterback they can trust.
“When something like this happens, it's natural to wonder,” said Jim Lippincott, the Bengals' personnel authority. “If I did it, it would be natural to ask how much confidence they've lost in me. It shows a flaw.”
Lippincott remains Smith's staunchest advocate within the Bengals' executive branch. He defended the decision to draft Smith in the face of a terrific trade offer, and he opposed the decision to bench Smith last fall. Lippincott is convinced a young quarterback learns more by doing than by watching, and he believes Smith still represents the Bengals' long-term solution.
That said, the Bengals' best short-term solution is to sign a veteran quarterback as Akili insurance — someone who can step in if Smith fails to step up. The Bengals have said they will sign such a player, but the only quarterbacks they have under contract are Smith and the inexperienced Scott Covington.
No talks with Mitchell
The obvious candidate is Mitchell, who started three of the Bengals' four victories last year yet has had no serious negotiations since the season ended. If unsigned, Mitchell becomes a free agent March 2.
“I haven't talked to anyone at all,” agent Tony Agnone said Friday. “That surprises me a little bit. It's not one of those things that keeps me up at night, but usually, if you want a player, you make a concerted effort before the free agent period starts.”
The price of persuading a player to forego free agency is often prohibitive, and the market for Mitchell may not require the Bengals to act hastily. Given their salary cap room, it might be possible to upgrade the position with a different free agent. Given Smith's salary, though, the Bengals may be reluctant to bid boldly for another quarterback.
Thus, Mitchell might not be the best man available, but he might be the best fit.
“I talked to Coach (Dick) LeBeau at the Senior Bowl,” Agnone said, “and I asked him flat-out about Scott. He said he'd like to have him back, and Scott would like to stay there. He's obviously enjoyed his time there. He likes the organization. He likes the team.”
Plus, he doesn't drink.
E-mail: tsullivan@enquirer.com.
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SULLIVAN: Bengals need Akili insurance