Mark Curnutte

Football's hot-stove league is burning up, just as the weather is warming.

Question, from Fred in New Market, Tenn.: I think we got some good players in the draft, but most of our picks were projected to go much lower than where the Bengals selected them.

We could end up with a bunch of nobodies. The one positive thing I can say about this draft is that it shows the supreme confidence of Marvin Lewis. With eight picks in the first four rounds, the fans are justified in having big-time expectations.

With all of this extra pressure, it took some real courage to pick against most of the "experts." Don't you agree that the success or failure of this draft will be a major factor in determining the future of Lewis in Cincinnati?

Answer: Lewis doesn't seem too concerned about what the media or other outside draft-nicks think about the Bengals' picks. He clearly disagrees with the assertion that the team's draft picks were selected too early. He has said they actually grabbed a couple of them later than they'd thought they'd be available.

The point about Lewis' self-confidence is an important one. These are his players, all 11, just as the nine picks from 2003 are his, too. The 2004 draft could easily be the one that makes or breaks his future success with the Bengals, though Lewis would appear to have the head-coaching job here for as long as he would want it.

Lewis had commented in March at the league meetings in Florida that the Bengals had too few players on their roster that they had drafted (now down to 12 from the 1996 through 2002 drafts). He said a better range for seven year's worth of drafts was 21 or 22 players.

Lewis has had 20 draft picks now with the Bengals, and he can't blame what happened before he arrived. This coming season could be another step in the rebuilding process - not the destination. In other words, the playoffs might be asking too much from a team filled with rookies and second-year players.

The 2004 Bengals could be improved over 2003 and still finish 7-9 or 8-8. Who really knows? But watch out in 2005. The view from here is that's when this team will truly come of age.

Q, from Bob in Franklin: How many of the first six drafted players will make this year's team?

A: All of them.

Chris Perry will be the second running back behind starter Rudi Johnson.

Keiwan Ratliff will be the third cornerback and nickel back and end up pushing for a starting job late in the season.

Madieu Williams will be a backup safety, play a lot on defense and be a staple on special teams.

Linebackers Caleb Miller and Landon Jones will increase the overall speed on kick coverage teams and begin to work their way onto the field on defense. And Matthias Askew is the likely fourth member of the defensive tackle rotation behind John Thornton, Tony Williams and June-arrival Daryl Gardener.

Q, from Greg in Independence: Why don't the Bengals sign Rudi Johnson to a longer-term contract? Is it a salary cap issue, they can't agree on a number, or are the Bengals are not sure if he's the real deal?

By drafting Perry and then not signing Rudi to a longer-term deal it sounds like the Bengals don't have total confidence in Rudi.Sounds like something the old regime would do, not the new Bengals.

A: It appears to come down to dollars. Johnson is the ultimate team player and has expressed his desire to be a Bengal for life.

No one is saying, but there might be a hint of doubt about Johnson's ability to be a 16-game featured back. He does, however, appear to be durable.

There might be a difference of opinion on worth at this point. But, again, nobody from the Bengals is saying anything but niceties about Johnson at this time.

Drafting Perry gives Lewis what he wants, though: Two solid running backs.

Q, from Richard at Miami University, Oxford: What do you think of Scott Rislov's chances of making the roster as the third quarterback? I've seen both him and (Casey) Bramlet play, and I would think Rislov's a better prospect.

A: The Bengals probably disagree because they drafted Bramlet and signed Rislov as an undrafted rookie free agent.

One of the rookies looks practice squad bound. The favorite to win the third quarterback job would appear to be two-year veteran Kurt Kittner, whom the Bengals almost drafted in 2002.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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