By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Though Corey Dillon's status with the Bengals remained cloudy Monday, coach Marvin Lewis said re-signing Rudi Johnson was a top priority looking ahead to 2004.

The torch appeared to be passing from one running back to the next.

YEAR IN REVIEW

• Lewis not satisfied, but says foundation is solid • Teammate: 'Good riddance,' Corey • The envelope please ... • 2003 season recap • 2003 storylines • Lewis plans no changes, credits his co-workers • 17th pick could bolster defense • Major free agent acquisitions pay off in starting lineup • Johnson a hot property • Kitna wants to stay Bengal • Rookie class makes immediate contributions • Season stats

Johnson's three-year rookie contract will expire March 2. He is a restricted free agent, which means the Bengals have the right to match any offer Johnson might receive on the open market.

They also could tender him a one-year contract worth an estimated $1.5 million that would require a first-round draft pick as compensation from any team that signs Johnson.

"Rudi would be a priority for us, one of our priorities," Lewis said. "Everything he did, how he approached it, his demeanor, his everything. It was good for us. It was good for him."

Johnson, who rushed for 957 yards and nine touchdowns, was inactive for the first three games.

"I want to be here. I'd love to stay here," Johnson said Monday before leaving the stadium. "Coach Lewis, as long as he's here, there's a bright future for this team. And I want to be a part of that and help him win more ballgames."

Lewis said Monday that it is important to him not to have "a dropoff from one guy to the next" in the backfield. That's why he liked the Dillon-Johnson combination.

Though Dillon has expressed his desire to play for another team next season, Lewis reminded Monday that the decision is not the player's. Dillon has two seasons remaining on a five-year contract.

Asked when he might make a decision on Dillon, Lewis said: "Decision? I don't have to make a decision. Corey has a contract here."

Dillon's base salary is $3.3 million in 2004 and $3.85 million in 2005. He received a $10.5 million signing bonus in May 2001.

And $2.1 million of that bonus will count against the Bengals' salary cap each of the next two years. If Dillon were to be released before June 1, the Bengals would have to absorb the remaining $4.2 million of signing bonus on the cap.

But they still would save $1.3 million of salary-cap space by terminating the contract.

---

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

Return to Bengals front page...