By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

NFL CUT DAY

WHO GOT CUT: Click here for a complete list of NFL cuts Sunday.

Rookie head coach Marvin Lewis continued a dramatic roster turnover on Sunday when he cut 13 players to meet the mandatory 53-player limit.

More changes could come this morning when the Bengals, as holders of the league's worst 2002 record, have first claim on players waived by the other 31 teams.

But as the roster stood Sunday night, 22 of the 53 players were new compared to the opening day roster from 2002 - a 41.5 percent change.

The 22-player change from a year ago is almost twice as great as the 13-man change between the 2001 and '02 opening day games.

Between the 2000 and '01 openers, 12 of 53 players were new.

Of the 53 players on the Bengals' season-ending roster dated Dec. 30, 2002, 21 are new.

"We kept people who, when you look at the 46 people you dress on Sunday, they have the opportunity to be there or have some promise for the future," Lewis said Sunday.

Topping the list of releases were defensive end Reinard Wilson - the Bengals' first-round draft pick in 1997 - and former starting linebacker Steve Foley, a third-round pick in 1998. Their contracts were terminated.

Other high-round draft picks also were among the casualties. Gone are two of the top four draft picks in 2002 - second-round free safety Lamont Thompson and fourth-round punter/kicker Travis Dorsch. Free agent center-guard Thatcher Szalay was the third member of the Class of 2002 waived.

Dorsch's waiving, Lewis said, means that incumbent Nick Harris remains the punter and holder for Sunday's opener against Denver.

Also waived was tight end Sean Brewer, the third-round pick in 2001. Matt Schobel, the third-round pick in 2002, wins the third tight end job.

A pair of fourth-year players who had started, wide receiver Danny Farmer and linebacker Armegis Spearman, were waived as well.

Spearman (hamstring) and Farmer (leg bruise) missed extensive time because of injuries.

"It's hard to evaluate them if they don't play," Lewis said. "We're kind of putting ourselves at risk having people who haven't played because we don't know what they can do."

Spearman received a $550,000 signing bonus March 17 when the Bengals matched the free agent offer he had received from the Green Bay Packers.

Rookie free agent Lawrence Hamilton, picked up off waivers from Arizona on Aug. 6, earned the fifth wide receiver spot that a month ago seemed destined to go to Farmer or Ron Dugans. Lewis waived Dugans (Achilles tendinitis) with an injury settlement last week.

Completing the releases were five rookies, all of whom were placed on waivers: former UC tailback Ray Jackson, defensive end

Ja'Warren Blair, offensive tackle Belton Johnson, defensive tackle Langston Moore and wide receiver Kevin Walter.

Lewis said the Bengals would like to retain Walter on their practice squad and let slip that he wouldn't mind getting a total of five released players back on the scout team. Chief among them would be Moore, the team's sixth-round pick in April.

Asked if he agonized with any of the releases, Lewis said, "It's part of the business."

Wilson didn't register a sack last year after having a team-high nine in 2001 and earning a new contract.

Foley had missed the last 20 consecutive regular season games because of assorted injuries and lost his starting strong-side linebacker job to Adrian Ross in training camp.

Riall Johnson moves into the backup role behind Kevin Hardy at middle linebacker.

Johnson, like fellow backup linebacker Dwayne Levels and rookie Khalid Abdullah, will see extensive time on special teams.

Special teams units had struggled in the preseason, Lewis said, in part because he was trying different combinations of players.

"Now we're going to put our teams together," Lewis said. "We kept a mix of guys (in the preseason). I know now we'll have an opportunity to play better on special teams, which is definitely one of our goals."

The Bengals kept 10 defensive backs, including undrafted rookie free agent cornerback Terrell Roberts and second-year cornerback Reggie Myles; both are expected to contribute on special teams.

Thompson, the 41st overall pick in 2002, was handed the starting free safety job but lost it to Mark Roman at the end of training camp last year. Thompson played in 13 games as a rookie with one interception.

Stay tuned this morning for more possible roster moves. The Bengals have until noon to make their waiver-wire claims.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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