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Cincy

3/16/06

WR could fill 2 Bengals holes

Packers punt returner-receiver Chatman to meet with team

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->The Bengals might be able to fill two needs in one move when they visit with former University of Cincinnati receiver Antonio Chatman Friday.

If he signs with the Bengals, Chatman could become the No. 4 receiver and punt return specialist. He was a restricted free agent, but the Packers did not tender him, meaning he is able to make a deal with any team.

The Bengals have a few more days to decide whether to match the four-year, $6.4 million offer sheet RFA wide receiver Kevin Walter signed with Houston. If the Bengals sign Chatman, who received an offer from the Jets, they might choose not to match the Texans on Walter.

Chatman might provide more offensive firepower than Walter and give the Bengals a better threat on punt returns. No. 3 receiver Chris Henry is expected to return, despite legal problems in two states.

Beside the appeal of a potential return to Cincinnati, Chatman also is close with several Bengals players. He works out in Los Angeles with Charles Collins, who also trains Bengals starting receivers Chad Johnson and T.J Houshmandzadeh, as well as No. 5 receiver Tab Perry, in the offseason.

"He knows those guys," said Mark Mersel, Chatman's agent. "It's more of a homecoming than you might know."

The 5-foot 9, 183-pound Chatman had 49 receptions for 549 yards and four touchdowns in 2005 for Green Bay. He also had an 8.5-yard average on punt returns, with one touchdown and a long gain of 85 yards.

"And Green Bay had horrendous blocking on special teams," Mersel said.

Chatman had eight receptions for 97 yards in the Packers' 21-14 loss Oct.
30 at Cincinnati, and a play at the end of the game that was interrupted by a fan running on the field was a post pattern that was intended for Chatman.

NFL free agency: Day 5<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=storytext bgColor=#eeeeee>A glance at the fifth day of free agency for the Bengals:

Visits confirmed by the Bengals:

Quarterback Jamie Martin, Rams. He left town without a deal.

Linebacker Kevin Bentley, Seahawks.

Bengals visits confirmed by other sources:

Wide receiver Antonio Chatman, Packers, will visit Friday. The former UC player is a restricted free agent.

Linebacker Rocky Boiman, Titans, will visit today. The St. Xavier product is an unrestricted free agent.

Retention:

Anthony Mitchell, an unrestricted free agent, re-signed with the Bengals.

The Bengals are nearing a deal to re-sign unrestricted free agent cornerback Rashad Bauman, according to the team-owned Web site.

The agent for unrestricted free agent linebacker Marcus Wilkins called the Bengals' first offer low. "Other teams are showing interest in letting him play more defensively," agent Mark Mesel said.

--Mark Curnutte
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