By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Armegis Spearman will remain a member of the Bengals for the next three seasons after the team chose Monday to match Green Bay's offer sheet for the fourth-year linebacker.

Spearman, who had said he would participate in only mandatory offseason minicamps, changed his mind and will report Sunday for the start of the team's strength and conditioning program Monday.

Spearman received $550,000 to sign the three-year contract with a potential value of $2.975 million.

"He is flattered that the (Bengals) think that highly of him," agent David Levine said. "Not only did they agree to pay the money, they turned down a trade."

The Packers wanted Spearman badly enough to offer a player or draft pick in trade Monday after the Bengals indicated they would match, Levine said.

Spearman is still considered a backup in Cincinnati. In Green Bay, his former Bengals position coach, Mark Duffner, now the Packers linebackers coach, said Spearman would start.

"It's very positive for Armegis to have someone else pursue his services, but we think it's in our best interest to match the offer and retain him," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said in a statement "I think he's got a very bright future."

Before Spearman signed his offer sheet with the Packers last week, the Bengals had offered to trade linebacker Adrian Ross.

Spearman, 24, is 6-feet-1, 251 pounds. He made an all-rookie team in 2000 when he played 15 games with 11 starts and 70 tackles.

He did not play in 2001 because of a torn pectoral muscle and played in only seven games last year because of a high ankle sprain.

The position is crowded. The Bengals confirmed Monday the visit of former Ravens and Panthers linebacker Brad Jackson, who played college ball at UC.

Beside Spearman and Ross, the Bengals have seven linebackers under contract: starters Brian Simmons, Kevin Hardy and Steve Foley, and reserves Canute Curtis, Riall Johnson, Tito Rodriguez and Dwayne Levels.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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