By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Receiver Peter Warrick is entering his fourth NFL season. (Associated Press file photo) | ZOOM |

GEORGETOWN, Ky. - At first glance, Peter Warrick could be the unwitting poster child for the new-millennium Bengals.

Lots of talent, but unmet expectations for a fourth overall draft choice. A 12-36 composite record.

Though Warrick has averaged 58 receptions and 622 receiving yards in his three NFL season, his production often is considered sub-par. What's wrong with Warrick?

Now entering his fourth year, Warrick counts himself among those looking for his break-out season.

It was supposed to come in 2001, which he ended with 70 receptions but just one touchdown. Then 2002 was the year he was going to return to his Florida State days; he had six touchdowns but just 53 receptions.

What makes Warrick and his coaches believe 2003 can be different from the previous two years? Some would say Warrick's best year came as a rookie, when he had career highs in touchdowns (eight) and average yards per catch (11.6).

"It's a matter of me being here three years and just learning the system and knowing when to do the right thing at the right time," Warrick said Thursday.

"Every time I get the ball, I want to be, 'Uh-oh, Pete's got the ball,' " Warrick said. "I want to start out like that."

Warrick is in the best shape of his NFL career, having dropped to 192 pounds from almost 200 at times, which should improve his quickness. And he says the issue with his vision that had resulted in some dropped passes - a former coach wanted Warrick to get contact lenses - was not medical and is a matter of mental concentration.

Warrick even cut his oft-braided hair to get ready for the season. He has practiced more and harder this past offseason than any other.

"I never accept losing. I don't want to get used to it. I haven't been a loser my whole life, and I don't want to start now," Warrick said. "The last couple years have been hard on me, but everything takes a turn in life."

Jon Kitna will open the season as the starting quarterback, bringing stability to that position for the first time in Warrick's career. Warrick has played with four starting quarterbacks in three years with the Bengals.

"He's learned to be a technician instead of just leaning on pure athletic ability," Kitna said of Warrick. "I'm in that group that thinks he has done fine."

Warrick got hot in his final eight games of 2002 - he missed the 14th game against Jacksonville with a bruised lung and chest contusion - and collected 32 catches for 390 yards and five of his six touchdowns. He showed flashes of his FSU days on three catch-and-carry touchdowns, against Houston, Carolina and New Orleans.

"I would hope that we would get those early in the year," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said of Warrick's numbers in that spurt. "That would be a break-out year."

Warrick will play the slot receiver again this season. Chad Johnson is the deep threat. Warrick will work the middle and use his quickness in possible mismatches with linebackers.

"That's where he excels (in the slot), but there are other ways to use him, as well," Bratkowski said. "But we have to, week to week when we're game-planning, find ways to get him the ball and give him those opportunities."

One of those ways to is to have him return punts, a job he lost after a fumble inside the 5-yard line last year at Indianapolis. Warrick, listed as the team's first punt returner, appears to have learned a lesson, but he hasn't lost his big-play bravado.

"It wasn't that I was trying to do too much. I was just trying to make something happen," he said of the fumble. "I know I was wrong for making a bad decision at the wrong time. It would have gone the other way, and I had taken it for 95 yards, what would they have said? It always works both ways. But you still have to be smart about every situation at hand."

Training camp

Practice: 8:45-10:15 a.m.

Intrasquad scrimmage: 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Player autographs: 8:30 p.m.

Admission: Free.

Parking: $10 per car; $25 per bus.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com