Friday, August 24, 2001
Bengals back where they started on D-line
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Bengals coach Dick LeBeau considered the pass rush among his team's top two or three shortcomings in the offseason.
To improve a defense that recorded an AFC-low 26 sacks a year ago, only 10 by linemen, the Bengals drafted the player, Justin Smith, they said was the best pure pass rusher available.
Trouble is, Smith is the last first-round pick unsigned, and even if he does sign soon, he will have missed all of training camp and will be less than full speed when he does play.
Jim Steiner, Smith's agent, said Thursday that Bengals president Mike Brown has suggested a “cooling-off” period of two to three days after three days of face-to-face negotiations didn't produce a deal.
The Bengals ended training camp Thursday night with essentially the same defensive line as last year. They did add right tackle Tony Williams, a known run-stopper, who replaces John Copeland, the eight-year veteran who was cut, re-signed at a lower price and now ranks as the team's No.1 right defensive end.
And in a late move Thursday, the Bengals claimed undersized pass-rush specialist Corey Moore off waivers from Buffalo. Moore, who's only 5-feet-11 and 225 pounds, had 17 sacks in 1999 at Virginia Tech, a Big East Conference record.
The team's spin is improved depth on the line.
“There's no question we're deeper,” LeBeau said. “We've gotten more done in the first two games on average than we did on average last year. Preseason is preseason. We hope it carries over. I think we're going to have an improved defensive line.”
The Bengals do have seven sacks, six by linemen, and are yielding just 2.9 yards per run.
The line's one speedy pass-rushing threat so far this preseason, Reinard Wilson, has two sacks, but he isn't even sure to make the team. Moore also is fast, but his size makes him a question mark.
The failure to sign Smith could send shock waves through the defense.
The Bengals are counting
on an improved pass rush to take pressure off their young, developing cornerbacks. Artrell Hawkins, who has gone two seasons without an interception, starts at one corner, and former free agent Rodney Heath tops the depth chart at left corner.
Backing them up are two second-year players, Robert Bean and Mark Roman. The Bengals were 23rd against the pass a year ago at 223 yards a game.
But there are reasons LeBeau and the Bengals are optimistic about the line, even without Smith.
Veteran ends Vaughn Booker and Copeland are healthy. So is veteran tackle Tom Barndt, who played last season with a pectoral injury. Newcomer Williams and holdover Oliver Gibson work well together in the middle of the line. And Wilson, a 1997 first-round bust at linebacker, has shown more signs of his pass-rushing promise than at any other time in his career.
“This is the most depth we've had on the defensive line since I've been here,” said Copeland, a ninth-year pro and the team's first-round draft pick in 1993.
The top eight, not counting Smith, are Copeland, Booker, Williams, Gibson, Barndt, Wilson, newcomer Bernard Whittington (who plays end and tackle) and Glen Steele. It's not clear who will go when Smith signs.
Kevin Henry, who played for the Steelers before signing with the Bengals, has suffered from elbow and hamstring injuries, limiting his exposure in training camp and leading to his likely release.
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Bengals back where they started on D-line 
