Jevon Langford is a defensive end two seasons between sacks. He enters the last year of his contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on the third string of a three-deep depth chart.

        His position was already precarious before he became a professional boxer. His exact position now is harder to pinpoint. Langford says boxing should enhance his football career. Mike Brown fears it might endanger it.

        “Our concern is he might get roughed up, knocked out or injured in some way,” Brown said Tuesday afternoon. “I don't think these two endeavors are mutually compatible.”

        Langford scored the second first-round knockout of his fledgling fight career Friday
night in Denver, dispatching the unfortunate Chris Trueblood with a hook to the ribs and another to the head. The 27-year-old lineman thus far has applied a lot more punishment than he has absorbed in the ring, and his fighting weight of 265 pounds is 25 pounds trimmer than his football weight of last fall.

LeClair "rassled' bears

        The Bengals appreciate that Langford is in terrific shape. They worry that he has placed himself at unnecessary risk.

        “We've had players wrestle bears,” Brown said. “Jim LeClair managed to pin a bear in a great upset. But this is a little more dangerous. The bear was muzzled.”

        Brown says defensive line coach Tim Krumrie has been asked to remind Langford “that his obligation is to the football team first.” Langford, who had been contemplating a third fight June 18, said Tuesday he would desist if the club demanded. He's not inclined to jeopardize an NFL paycheck for the sake of a $600 purse.

        “If that's what they want me to do, then I have to respect that,” he said. “That's what pays my bills right now. (But) As long as I'm ready to do my part on defense with being smaller and quicker, there's no room for people to criticize.

        “I work out all year long. I use (boxing) as a football tool to get in shape. I'm not out getting high. A lot of guys on our team are riding motorcyles or hanging out in clubs where they can get shot at. I'm doing positive things.” ;

Can anyone stop him?

        For five seasons, Jevon Langford has been a remarkably unremarkable performer on a consistently dismal defensive line. If he thinks trading punches can improve his play, then it's probably worth the gamble. If he doesn't show some football improvement soon, Langford probably will be a full-time fighter by the close of training camp.

        Perhaps boxing is his true calling. Langford claims to be a direct descendent of Hall of Fame fighter Sam Langford. Though there is some dispute about his lineage, there is little doubt about his aptitude.

        “This guy is so strong,” Denver promoter Steve Mestas said, “he's going to demolish anything in front of him.”

        Aurelio Martinez, Langford's manager and trainer, says his fighter is already better than half the heavyweight division. When Langford removed his robe Friday night, agent Peter Schaffer thought his client so imposing that he told a friend, “You need to call the ambulance right now.”

        “I'm having a great time,” Jevon Langford said. “If they told me to stop, I'd have to stop. But I'm fighting next year. Ain't nobody going to stop me.”

        E-mail tsullivan@enquirer.com. Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/sullivan.

SULLIVAN: Bengals' Langford turns to boxing

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