Doug Flutie NFL.com profile

        Doug Flutie is the latest free agent quarterback who could be on his way to Cincinnati for a visit. But Troy Aikman won't join him.

        Aikman was waived Wednesday by the Dallas Cowboys, but Bengals officials said they had no inter est in the concussion-prone three-time Super Bowl winner because of his health.

        The Bengals have made contract offers to quarterbacks Gus Frerotte and Jon Kitna — and said the first to say yes will freeze out the other one.

        “We were at the top of the market for Elvis (Grbac). We're at the top of the mar ket for Gus,” Bengals executive Troy Blackburn, who is handling quarterback negotiations, said Wednesday night. “We're a little more preliminary with Doug.

        “We've extended an offer (to Kitna). We hope to build on that. We're going to talk more tomorrow (Thursday).”

        The Bengals also are talking with the agent for Super Bowl champion quarterback Trent Dilfer, who won't return to the Baltimore Ravens because they signed Grbac. Flutie is the sixth free agent quarterback the Bengals have expressed interest in since free agency started Friday. Former Redskin Brad Johnson was the other, and he signed with Tampa Bay.

        “They (Flutie's representative) called us,” Jim Lippincott, Bengals director of pro/college personnel.

        The 38-year-old quarterback - waived last week in a salary-cap cut by Buffalo after the Bills decided to make Rob Johnson the starter - has visited San Diego, where he would be a tutor for Michael Vick if the Chargers use the first overall pick on the Virginia Tech star.

        But Flutie still wants to start and says he has four good years left. The Bengals' pursuit of quarterbacks in the past six days indicates they are not comfortable with Akili Smith unless he beats out proven players in training camp.

        With Smith starting 11 games last season and throwing primarily to rookie wide receivers, the Bengals averaged only 121 yards a game passing, last in the NFL.

        Another quarterback, former Seattle starter Kitna, was one of three players paraded Wednesday by the Bengals through Paul Brown Stadium. The others were former Atlanta center Evan Pilgrim and defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield, the former Taylor High School star from Cleves who was cut by the Redskins.

        Though mainly Warren Moon's backup, Kitna made six starts over two seasons, 1997-98, with the Seahawks when new Bengals coordinator Bob Bratkowski was running Seattle's offense.

        Kitna said he would enjoy a reunion with Bratkowski, but that another Bengals coach was the major attraction.

        “The drawing factor here is Coach (Dick) LeBeau,” Kitna said of the head coach. “Players respect him and want to play for him. That's the draw.”

        Stubblefield leaned into the microphone and said, “I ditto that.”

        LeBeau said Stubblefield would “fit perfectly” into the defense and that Kitna is a “proven quarterback who's taken his team to the playoffs.”

        Kitna has a visit scheduled Monday and Tuesday for Denver, and his agent said Kitna will finish all his visits before signing anywhere. So far, Denver is the only visit scheduled, but fellow AFC West members Kansas City and Oakland also have inquired about Kitna.

        “It's a great time when you're being recruited,” said Carl A. Taylor-Lopez, Kitna's agent. “You've got to step away sometimes.”

        The Bengals had entertained former Kansas City quarterback Grbac and even offered him two deals worth more than the five-year, $30 million contract he signed Tuesday with Baltimore.

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