By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Corey Dillon could be an ex-Bengal within 48 hours.

The Bengals and Raiders are nearing an agreement on a trade that would send Dillon to Oakland in exchange for a draft pick, most likely in the third or fourth round, multiple sources close to the situation said on Wednesday.

FREE AGENCY: Day 8

Bengals free agent action Wednesday: BENGALS CONFIRMED: The team released no information. OTHERWISE CONFIRMED: The Bengals continue to negotiate with CB Troy Vincent, who ended a two-day visit to Kansas City on Wednesday without an offer. ON THE RADAR: The Bengals have expressed interest in former Bills guard Ruben Brown, a salary cap casualty. Bobby Taylor, like Vincent, an Eagles free agent CB, has expressed interest in playing for the Bengals. GOING: Bengals safety Rogers Beckett visited Tampa Bay. GONE: The Bengals terminated the contract of CB Jeff Burris, saving $1.3 million in 2004.

The Bengals are believed to be pushing for a second-round pick, though the Raiders are unlikely to budge from their position.

The Bengals are not commenting further on efforts to trade Dillon, the seven-year veteran running back who has asked to be traded or released.

The Raiders, who need an every-down running back, had hoped to re-sign Charlie Garner. Instead, Garner signed a multi-year deal Tuesday with Tampa Bay, increasing the Raiders' urgency to acquire Dillon.

Oakland is left with 32-year-old Tyrone Wheatley and the injury-Justin Fargas in the backfield.

Steven Feldman, Dillon's agent, did not return a phone message Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, the Denver Broncos emerged as a second possible trading partner for Dillon.

The Broncos, who traded featured tailback Clinton Portis to Washington for cornerback Champ Bailey, also had been interested in signing Garner.

A trade or release would relieve the Bengals of the final two years of Dillon's contract, which is worth $3.3 million and $3.85 million in base salaries in 2004 and 2005. The Bengals still must absorb a total of $4.4 million of Dillon's $11 million signing bonus on their salary cap.

Getting Dillon's base salaries off their books would free space for the Bengals to sign a free agent cornerback - most likely Troy Vincent - as well as one of two safeties. The Bengals have made an offer to Rogers Beckett, one of their own unrestricted free agents, and former Dolphins safety Brock Marion has said he wants to play for the Bengals because of coach Marvin Lewis.

The Bengals cleared more cap space Wednesday when they terminated the contract of 10-year veteran cornerback Jeff Burris. The move saves the Bengals the $1.3 million he was due to make in the third season of a three-year contract.

Vincent visited the Chiefs on Tuesday and Wednesday but left Kansas City without a contract offer.

The Bengals and Vincent have exchanged proposals. And if that deal fails, the Bengals also have drawn the interest of Vincent's Philadelphia teammate, free agent Bobby Taylor, though he is believed to be more expensive than Vincent.

Bengals defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier was Taylor and Vincent's position coach in Philadelphia.

Taylor, 30, visited Seattle earlier this week. Vincent, 32, went home to suburban Philadelphia late Wednesday to discuss his options with his wife.

"In Cincinnati, I think I'm No. 1 on their priority list," Vincent told the Kansas City Star before leaving. "I did tell them I had a commitment to coach (Dick) Vermeil to come here and look at the (Chiefs) organization because it was highly recommended."

Vermeil was lukewarm about Vincent in comments to reporters on Tuesday, saying Vincent would be an insurance policy in case the Chiefs lost cornerback William Bartee in free agency.

In releasing Burris and Hawkins, the Bengals have let go of 17 starts and 27 games played. Burris started eight games and played in 13 with two interceptions.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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