By Bill Koch and Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Frustrated in their attempts to sign either Troy Vincent or Bobby Taylor in free agency, the Bengals made a move Friday to strengthen their cornerback position by trading with the Denver Broncos for five-year veteran Deltha O'Neal.

THE DELTHA O'NEAL FILE

Height: 5-10 Weight: 196 College: California Year Games Tackles Int. 2000 16 7 0 2001 16 69 9 2002 16 69 5 2003 13 23 1 Total 61 168 15 * Tackles include assists

O'Neal, 27, was the Broncos' first-round draft pick out of California in 2000 and played in the Pro Bowl in 2001 with nine interceptions, but his play slipped in recent years and he fell out of favor with Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan during the second half of last season.

He's expected to compete for the starting cornerback job opposite Tory James and will enable the Bengals to take their time in developing second-year cornerback Dennis Weathersby.

In exchange for O'Neal and the Broncos' fourth-round pick (No. 117 overall) in the April 24-25 draft, the Bengals traded their No. 17 first-round pick for the Broncos' No. 24 pick.

The Bengals then signed O'Neal, who had one year left on his contract with Denver, to a new five-year deal that runs through the 2008 season.

O'Neal said he's eager for the chance to resuscitate his career and to play for Lewis.

"I watched him build a team in Baltimore and do his thing with the group he had," O'Neal said. "I was like, I'd love to play for that guy and this is my opportunity to do it. I'm going to run with it."

In addition to playing cornerback, O'Neal also returns punts and kickoffs. In four seasons with Denver, he averaged 10.4 yards per punt return, including two for touchdowns.

He gives the Bengals another option as a punt return man to go with Peter Warrick. Last year, O'Neal averaged 9.5 yards on 33 punt returns with one touchdown. He average 16.0 yards on eight kickoff returns.

"We'll have two guys who are obviously tremendously capable," Lewis said. "We can use them both if we need to. That's another weapon we have. His ability to return kicks is another part of why he's here."

But the main reason he's in Cincinnati is to help shore up the secondary. The Bengals are hoping that a change of scenery will help O'Neal reach the potential he displayed in college and during his Pro Bowl year.

"He's going to get a chance to compete just like the guy on the other side, Tory James," Lewis said.

That's fine with O'Neal, who says he will enter the season expecting to be the starter.

"My expectation is to be on the field," O'Neal said. "That's the only expectation I want and the only one I need."

Shanahan lost so much confidence in O'Neal last year that he was actually switched to wide receiver, where he caught two passes for 4 yards.

Deltha O'Neal (24) returns a punt for a touchdown against the Patriots in this Nov. 3, 2003 photo. (AP/file photo)

"It was pretty bad," O'Neal said. "I played a little bit of receiver in college, so they expected that I could play receiver in the pros. But I felt if I was drafted as a corner, why would you want to play me as a receiver?"

O'Neal said he still doesn't know why he fell into such disfavor in Denver.

"I really can't tell you," he said. "Probably I was just having a bad season. That's the only thing I can see. Me and Mike Shanahan have always been good friends. It's about business, I guess.

"I have no bad blood against him. I started out my career in Denver. I've got to provide for my family, too. I'm moving on."

O'Neal, 5-11, 190 pounds, played in 61 games with the Broncos, 36 of which he started. He has 15 career interceptions. He started six games last year and was inactive for three.

Despite his bad experience in Denver, O'Neal said he never lost his confidence.

"I was just devastated not being on the field," he said, "watching my teammates play. My confidence has never left and it's always going to be there. If you give me the opportunity, I'll show you."

O'Neal said he watched from afar as Lewis transformed the Bengals last year from perennial league doormat to playoff contender.

"Over the years, I heard awful things about Cincinnati," he said. "When Jimmy Spencer was here, he was complaining. He said this is the worst place to be.

"On the flip side, I talked to Peter Warrick and Chad Johnson last year and they said they were doing wonderful things here, that Marvin is changing the whole program here. And then for things to pan out the way they did last season, they believe him."

But O'Neal didn't realize just how bad the Bengals had been until Lewis arrived.

"I know they made the playoffs in what, '97?" he said.

When told that the Bengals haven't been in the playoffs since 1990, he said, almost incredulously "That was the last time?"

"For them to turn that around and this is (Lewis') first year," O'Neal said, "I can only imagine what we're going to do in the next five or six years. It'll be a sight to see."

New draft plan?

The trade with Denver for Deltha O'Neal frees the Bengals from having to consider taking a cornerback early in the draft, enabling them to address other needs.

The Bengals will pick 24th in the first round. They will then pick No. 49 overall in the second round, Nos. 80 and 96 in the third round and Nos.  113 and 117 in the fourth round.

Here's a look at several directions the Bengals could take in the April 24-25 NFL Draft and the players who might be available:

Defensive tackle - Marcus Tubbs, Texas; Randy Starks, Maryland.

Running back - Kevin Jones, Virginia Tech; Greg Jones, Florida State; Chris Perry, Michigan.

Offensive line - Guard Vernon Carey, Miami (Fla.); Center Jake Grove, Virginia Tech.

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