Texans sign Kevin Walter

[Randall]

Bengals notebook

Texans make Walter offer; Wideout signs 4-year, $6.4M offer sheet

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

The Bengals face a difficult decision on wide receiver Kevin Walter.

 

Walter, a restricted free agent, signed an offer sheet on a four-year, $6.4 million contract Sunday with the Houston Texans.

 

The Bengals have seven days to decide if they will match and sign Walter to that contract.

 

"We'll tell you that in six and a half or seven days," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said Monday.

 

The Bengals tendered Walter at the lowest level, one year for $712,000, which would entitle them to a seventh-round draft pick (Walter was the Giants' seventh-round pick in 2003) if the Bengals chose not to match Houston's offer.

 

The Texans envision Walter as a No. 3 receiver.

 

"They wouldn't have offered him that kind of money if they didn't see him as a solid No. 3," Clifford Brady, Walter's agent, said Monday.

 

Brady said the Bengals have not contacted him about their plans for Walter.

 

"Usually a team will call and ask what the player wants to do in a situation like this," he said.

 

Brady also said Miami and Baltimore had expressed interest in Walter, a three-year veteran who has 30 career receptions, all with the Bengals. He had a single-season career best 19 catches and his first career touchdown reception in 2005 with the Bengals.

 

At best, Walter rose to the Bengals' No. 4 wide receiver behind Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry. Henry's legal problems strengthen Walter's position as a proven insurance policy for the Bengals.

 

Walter has 37 career special teams tackles in three seasons with the Bengals but wants an opportunity to play more offensively, his agent said.

 

"In four years from now, he could be a 50-, 60-catch receiver," Brady said.

 

Walter, his wife and Brady had dinner with new Texans coach Gary Kubiak on Saturday night in Houston. Kubiak, the former Denver offensive coordinator, kept comparing Walter to former Broncos receiver Ed McCaffrey.

 

QUARTERBACK DERBY: The Bengals will entertain Rams unrestricted free agent quarterback Jamie Martin today.

 

"Jamie's excited for the visit," agent Tom Mills said Monday afternoon. "It certainly makes sense to explore."

 

Martin played for the Rams most recently and worked with Bengals quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese in St. Louis.

 

Jon Kitna, a Bengals quarterback for the past five years, has informed the Bengals that he is not returning. He visited Monday with the Jets after completing a weekend trip to Detroit.

 

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

[Hat Trick]

I was about to say, never heard of him, but see that it was a simple spelling mistake. I wouldn't match if I were the Begals.

[The Irish Doggy]

Well he isn't a Texan just yet if the Bengals decide to match. But I doubt they will.

 

Walter is a good special teams guy and I think can be a solid #3 WR - maybe a #2. He came up with a quite a few clutch catches as well as difficult leaping catches. The guy has a nose for the ball.

 

I wonder how the Texans would use him/if he'll have a chance at the #2 spot? Could be some value there.

 

As a Bengal, his fantasy value is non-existant behind Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmanzadeh, and Henry (if he stays out of jail).

[Big John]

Title edited to correct the spelling of Walter.

[Randall]

Title edited to correct the spelling of Walter.

 

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Thanks.

[Guest Sores]

What's up with Kelly Washington? RFA? Had a ton of talent coming into the league but with a reputation as a bad locker room guy....hold true?