Sunday, August 18, 2002
Booker's career enters last years, but he's not done
Bengals notebook
By Mark Curnutte, mcurnutte@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
INDIANAPOLIS — At age 34 and entering his ninth season, Vaughn Booker can see the sunset of his football career. The defensive end, now in his third year with his hometown Bengals, says he has a greater appreciation for life in the NFL.
“I'm really trying to change my whole attitude,” he said. “I don't know if this is going to be my last year or if I'm even going to make the team.”
Booker is the starter at left end, and he has earned the respect of his defensive line coach, Tim Krumrie.
“He's healthy, and he's playing good football right now. Up in Buffalo, he made some great plays and showed quickness,” Krumrie said of the preseason opener. “He hasn't fallen off at all from last season. He's a great leader for me. He plays the game on Sunday the way the game is supposed to be played, wide open.”
Booker has endured a variety of injuries in his two seasons with the Bengals. In 2000, he had a fainting spell in Jacksonville, and his season ended after nine games (all starts) because of a painful knee cyst.
Last year, which might have been the finest season of his career, Booker started 13 games but was sidelined by an ankle sprain and hip contusion. He had a career-high 54 total tackles, two pass deflections and 1.5 sacks.
“He's hustling and running all over the field,” Krumrie said of Booker. “He's a dominant force when he's on top of his game. All the old pros know you have to play hurt. Sunday comes around, if you're hurting, you have to play if you're able. He understands what he has to do to survive.”
What Booker will miss most, when it's over, is his teammates.
“I'm just trying to enjoy these last days as much as I can,” said Booker, who supports athletic programs at his alma mater, Taft High School. “I want the guys to know that the NFL is fun. It's hard work, but once you learn what you're supposed to, you can go out and have fun and play with confidence.”
NEXT: With last week's signing of middle linebacker Brian Simmons to a six-year contract extension, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn has turned her attention to outside linebacker Takeo Spikes.
The Bengals also want to extend Spikes' five-year contract, which expires at the end of the season.
“I wish I could say that I had a definite plan at this moment,” Blackburn said. “The only thing I know is that we want to work to keep Takeo. The timeline itself is going to have to work itself out. There are a number of factors that go into it. It's just hard to know how some of those are going to play out.”
Blackburn also said she was trying to set up phone conversations with Spikes' agent, Todd France.
NEXT, PART II: Blackburn and other members of the Bengals' front office have had a busy training camp.
In addition to Simmons, the Bengals have extended the contracts of safety JoJuan Armour and offensive linemen Brock Gutierrez and Scott Rehberg.
The club is still looking at 17 players whose contracts expire at the end of the season, including Spikes.
Blackburn said the club now is talking to agents for fullback Lorenzo Neal and backup linebacker Canute Curtis.
“For us, we've used the little bit of cap room we thought we had - it wasn't a lot - but it was enough to get some guys under contract,” Blackburn said. “It helps for planning purposes to be able to build some continuity.”
The remaining players whose contracts will expire at the end of the season are cornerback Robert Bean, center Rich Braham, quarterback Scott Covington, Curtis, wide receiver Ron Dugans, wide receiver Danny Farmer, quarterback Gus Frerotte, safety Cory Hall, running back Curtis Keaton, Neal, kicker Neil Rackers, long snapper/tight end Brad St.Louis, linebacker Armegis Spearman, Spikes, offensive tackle Jamain Stephens, defensive lineman Bernard Whittington and H-back Nick Williams.
END IN SIGHT: The Bengals have just four more days of camp before returning to Paul Brown Stadium.
The Bengals have two practices Monday through Wednesday (11 a.m.-noon skills session and 3-5 p.m. practice). Thursday's final practice is 7-9 p.m.
Camp will close Friday, and the Bengals will play their first home preseason game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against New Orleans.
Game 3 traditionally is the best of the preseason, with many starters playing into the second half.
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Booker's career enters last years, but he's not done
