By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

INDIANAPOLIS - Up and down the quarter-mile hallway leading from the Westin Hotel to the RCA Dome, Sam Wyche held court Thursday with reporters.

Wyche, the former and highly quotable Bengals coach, made his first league-wide appearance as Buffalo's quarterbacks coach at the annual scouting combine.

Out of NFL coaching since 1995, his final year in Tampa Bay, Wyche clearly is enjoying life back in the league.

"I had an 800 number and there were no calls coming in, 1-800 CALL SAM," he said before smiling. "That's a joke."

His new job will prevent Wyche from returning April 3 to Cincinnati for Ohio Valley Life Center's fund-raising event for organ donation. Wyche said he has filmed a video presentation for the center.

Bills rookie head coach Mike Mularkey, given his first NFL job by Wyche in Tampa Bay in 1994, hired Wyche in Buffalo.

"Besides being a good football coach, he cares about people," Mularkey said. "I'm glad to have him back."

DRAFT PERSPECTIVE: Gil Brandt was vice president of player personnel in Dallas and worked for 30 years with the Cowboys. He now is with nfl.com and helps organize the combine.

"There are a lot of wide receivers," Brandt said of the 2004 draft. "Last year, we had a lot of defensive linemen. But if you look at the draft over a period of time, about the same number of players make it in the league and end up in the Pro Bowl."

CAP UP: The salary cap will be $1.8 million more this year, compared to earlier estimates. Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, will make the announcement this afternoon.

The salary cap for each team will now be $80.5 million in 2004. It was $75 million in 2003.

The Bengals have an estimated $70.6 million committed to player salaries in 2004, giving them roughly $9.9 million of cap space at this time.

FAMILY TIES: Three combine participants are related to current and past Bengals players.

Bowling Green quarterback Josh Harris is the son of former Bengals tight end M.L. Harris. Florida offensive lineman Max Starks is the son of former Bengals defensive end Ross Browner. And TCU defensive end Bo Schobel is the cousin of Bengals tight end Matt Schobel.

ETC.: Kurtis Shultz, Minnesota's strength coach and former Bengals assistant, wore a Vikings sweat shirt while walking through the RCA Dome. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said he might announce Shultz's replacement as early as next week. ... The Bengals seem to be paying close attention to Notre Dame running back Julius Jones, Florida State running back Greg Jones, Virginia Tech center Jake Grove and Ohio State center Alex Stepanovich.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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