By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Tuesday's practice

GEORGETOWN, Ky. - Eric Steinbach couldn't wait to get on the field.

At 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, when he received the call in Cincinnati that his agent had reached agreement on a four-year contract with the Bengals, Steinbach jumped in teammate Carson Palmer's pickup and drove the 70 miles to Georgetown. Only traffic could slow him down.

By 5 p.m., after signing his four-year, $3.630 million contract, Steinbach put on his No. 65 practice jersey and started drills.

"I thought it was going to get done the day before camp, but a day and a half (lost) is a lot better than a week or two," said Steinbach, who missed three practices.

The contract includes a $1.8 million signing bonus that goes up $460,000 if Steinbach plays in 35 percent of the snaps as a rookie, and the Bengals win three or more games.

"Any time you sign a four-year deal and get as much as a five-year deal, that's great," agent Jack Bechta said.

Steinbach, the team's second-round pick and No. 33 overall, is the projected starter at left guard.

The No. 34 overall pick, Boss Bailey of the Lions, received a $2.2 million signing bonus on a five-year deal. Steinbach's bonus will be $2.26 million if he reaches the incentives.

Steinbach's deal leaves the Bengals with just one unsigned rookie draft pick, third-round wide receiver Kelley Washington.

Earlier Tuesday, Washington's agent, Glenn Rosenberg, said, "We just want a fair market deal."

Of the Bengals' $5.24 million rookie pool, $404,000 remains for Washington's first-year salary cap number. The two sides must decide how the money will be paid.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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