Sunday, March 03, 2002
Bengals' QB pool gets smaller
Dilfer stays with Seattle, so team focuses on Grbac
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
INDIANAPOLIS — Even though Trent Dilfer was the quarterback the Bengals wanted most in free agency, team officials weren't too upset Saturday after Dilfer re-signed with Seattle.
The Bengals have turned their attention to Elvis Grbac, to whom they made an offer a year ago before he signed with Baltimore. The Ravens released Grbac when efforts Friday to restructure his contract failed.
“They made him a (heck) of an offer last year,” Jim Steiner, Grbac's agent, said Saturday. “Had it been any other team but the Super Bowl champion, he would have been in Cincinnati. Elvis was intoxicated with the Ravens.”
Mike Sullivan, Dilfer's agent, said the Bengals did not make a “solid” offer to Dilfer.
“The Bengals did seem to be more concerned about the number of quarterbacks on the market than on getting a particular quarterback,” Sullivan said.
The Bengals made a multiyear proposal to Dilfer that was worth more than the $8million base he will receive in Seattle over four years, Bengals president Mike Brown said Saturday while attending the annual NFL scouting combine at the RCA Dome. But Dilfer could earn another $10 million with the Seahawks if he reaches a series of performance incentives this coming season with the Seahawks, and the Bengals' total proposal was well short of that $18million total.
The Bengals also were hurt by their reluctance to name Dilfer their starting quarterback ahead of incumbent Jon Kitna. Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren satisfied Dilfer by making him No.1 on the team's depth chart ahead of Matt Hasselbeck.
“It's a hard thing to say, "You're the starter,'” Brown said. “We don't tell anyone; we don't tell Corey Dillon he's the starter. Everyone's in there earning it without guarantees. And I don't think guarantees of that kind are something we want to get in.”
If a deal can't be reached with Grbac, it's likely the Bengals will not try to sign a quarterback in free agency and instead will draft one. The Bengals have spoken openly about Kurt Kittner of Illinois as a second-round pick, and if Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington slips to the 10th overall pick, he might be too attractive for the Bengals to pass up.
“There are other hens in the henhouse, and we'll see if we can break in and get one,” Brown said.
Other position needs the Bengals would address in free agency, other than quarterback, are cornerback and tight end.
The Bengals made a multiyear proposal to Dilfer that was worth more than the $8 million base he will receive in Seattle over four years, Brown said. Dilfer could earn another $10 million if he reaches a series of performance incentives this coming season, but the Bengals' total proposal was well short of $18 million.
Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren also satisfied Dilfer's primary interest and named him the starter ahead of Matt Hasselbeck.
The Bengals weren't prepared to tell Dilfer he would start ahead of incumbent Jon Kitna or anyone else.
“It's a hard thing to say, "You're the starter,'” Brown said. “We don't tell anyone, we don't tell Corey Dillon he's the starter. Everyone's in there earning it without guarantees. And I don't think guarantees of that kind are something we want to get in.”
Mike Sullivan, Dilfer's agent, said the Bengals did not make a “solid” offer.
“The Bengals did seem to be more concerned about the number of quarterbacks on the market than on getting a particular quarterback,” Sullivan said.
The Bengals offered Grbac $12 million to sign last year and $16 million total over the first two seasons, a team official confirmed Saturday, but he took less money from the Ravens.
But Brown said not to expect a similar offer this year.
“The market this year is a different market,” Brown said. “I don't think any team out there would make that deal.”
Grbac, who signed for $30million over five years with the Ravens, won nine of his 16 starts in Baltimore but committed 26 turnovers. He lost five fumbles, and three of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns. But he also won a playoff game.
“There's no reason to think a guy who has grown, grown (and) grown is not going to continue to be a real productive quarterback,” Bengals coach Dick LeBeau said of Grbac.
Neither Brown nor LeBeau would discount the possibility of trading for New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe.
“He's a proven talent over the long run,” LeBeau said of Bledsoe, who lost his starting job with the Patriots to Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. “He's attractive to any coach in the league if you said, "Do you want a pure passer like Bledsoe?' You'd say, "Yeah, but what do I have pay to get him?' Everything would be tempered with what it would take to get (him).”
Minus the signing of a free agent or a trade for Bledsoe, Kitna would be the likely starter in 2002. The Bengals appear comfortable to move forward with Kitna.
“I think Jon's productivity will increase with his second year,” LeBeau said. “Lost in the fact we weren't as productive as we wanted to be, the fact is we were more productive in every appreciable offensive category. We finished the season strongly. Those are pluses.”
Kitna, who was 6-9 in 15 starts but threw 22 interceptions, said Saturday he's not worrying whether the Bengals sign another quarterback.
“I've spent other offseasons doing that, and I'm not going to ruin my offseason,” said Kitna, who will return to Cincinnati for minicamp and voluntary veteran workouts in May. “I've been doing this killer workout every morning. I think stability wins in this league. But if they want to sign somebody, it's their prerogative.”
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Bengals' QB pool gets smaller
