By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

A less secure man would worry.

Carson Palmer isn't even a Bengal yet - although the team is expected to use the first pick of the draft on him - and he's already got Jon Kitna's job. But Kitna is not fretting his football future.

New coach Marvin Lewis and QB Jon Kitna talk during minicamp Friday. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Though Kitna is the team's starting quarterback today, Palmer would be drafted as the quarterback of tomorrow.

"It would be nice if they went out and got me a 4.1 blazer (wide receiver) or something like that, but right now I'm not concerned about that much at all," Kitna said Saturday, the second day of the team's minicamp. It will conclude with two practices today at Paul Brown Stadium.

Palmer will be there. His pre-draft visit, scheduled for Saturday, was pushed back a day.

Palmer is the consensus No. 1 pick from a big-time college football factory, Southern California. He won college football's major award, the Heisman Trophy. Kitna was an NFL rookie free agent from NAIA Central Washington and sometimes refers to himself as a football cockroach.

"They can't get rid of me," he says.

Yet Kitna, the incumbent, would welcome Palmer, Byron Leftwich or any other first-round quarterback the Bengals might bring in to replace him.

"That's the type of person I am," Kitna said. "If a person has a question, I'm willing to sit down with them and tell them. Whoever the three quarterbacks are, I try to have a good positive relationship with them. ... I'm not going to be keeping things from people."

Kitna has earned the job. After enduring quarterback competitions the past two training camps, he is in control of the offense.

Kitna started 12 games and threw for 3,178 yards. Projected to 16 games, that's a 4,000-yard season - the gold standard. The team averaged 21.3 points in his starts, and he threw 16 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions.

"The team is comfortable with Jon, and the new guy would have to come in here and show a lot to earn the respect of his teammates," said seven-year veteran right tackle Willie Anderson, a past offensive captain.

Anderson said he would hope the starting job would not be given to a first-round quarterback just because of draft status.

The plan would be to let the rookie quarterback learn while watching. He would not be rushed.

"We have a smart coaching staff now that knows that this guy can't come in here and help this team this year and next year," Anderson said. "Kitna is in the position right now, if we get the rest of the guys around him playing (well), he can get us to the playoffs."

He got the 1999 Seahawks to the playoffs. But a coaching change - Mike Holmgren in, Dennis Erickson out - led to his Seattle departure.

Kitna has two years remaining on his contract and would like to stay with the Bengals beyond that time. When the Bengals unexpectedly gave Kitna a $1.625 million playing-time bonus in January - by adding two, two-point conversions to his ledger - Kitna said he had the feeling he "was their guy."

"But security is a fleeting thing," he said. "If you're looking for security from this business or from your coaches, or from how much money you make, or what people say about you, or whether the fans like you, you'll drive yourself crazy.

"My security comes from knowing at the end of the day, I'm still saved, I'm still in heaven. That's security."

Kitna knows how to achieve as much job security as possible in the NFL.

"I don't know why people have decided I can't be the long-term solution," he said. "If you go and prove you can win in this league, the perception of you changes quickly."

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com