By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Silence surrounded the impending signing of free agent defensive tackle Daryl Gardener on Wednesday, but incumbent starter Tony Williams spoke out in anger and frustration.

Williams, who will be 29 in July and started all 16 games at right defensive tackle in 2003, will be the player replaced in the lineup if Gardener signs and wins the job.

"It (expletives deleted) me off," Williams said after a workout at Paul Brown Stadium. "They have to build for the future, I guess. Obviously they want to go in a different direction. I could see right away, actually, that I'm not going to be around (after the 2004 season). It's the business. The organization has to worry about their future."

Williams, who has started all 45 games in which he has played in three seasons with the Bengals, has one year remaining on his contract. He is due to make a base salary of $2.2 million in 2004.

Asked if he thought the Bengals would keep him, Williams said: "That's their decision. My decision is staying healthy and being in the best shape of my career."

If he does not sign a new contract, Williams is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in March. He had a career-best 61 tackles and two sacks in 2003.

Before signing as a free agent with the Bengals in March 2001, Williams played four seasons in Minnesota and played in eight playoff games with seven starts.

In 2003, the Bengals defense ranked 28th in points allowed and yards allowed.

"I don't know if it's me as the reason we haven't been winning; it takes 11 guys to play defense," Williams said. "I started on a defensive line (in Minnesota) with Jerry Ball, John Randle and Chris Doleman. You think I'm going to worry about this defensive line? No way. I'm not worried about these guys. I really don't think we've won enough games for me to be on the sideline. I don't think we've got to that point where we've got an all-star team."

Still, Williams added, "I'm going to be helping this team to win whether I'm in there or whether I'm on the sideline rooting the guys on."

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