Bengals among suitors for Kolb?
As Wednesday's hearing approaches and we wait to find out what the next step is with the NFL lockout, the Kevin Kolb rumors continue to surface.
ESPN's Adam Schefter Tweeted on Monday that the Cincinnati Bengals are a potential suitor:
Add Bengals to list of teams interested in Kevin Kolb. Connect dots: Bengals WR coach is James Urban, who was Eagles QB coach last year.
The Urban-Kolb connection has been mentioned before. Urban spent seven seasons with the Eagles, including the last two as quarterbacks coach. In other words, he worked closely with Kolb on a daily basis, and Cincinnati has likely asked him about the potential of the Birds' backup quarterback.
The Bengals as a possible landing spot for Kolb is not necessarily a new idea either. A few weeks ago, I put together a list of 14 teams that could use a new quarterback. The Bengals were one of them, and they have the fourth pick in April's draft. By my count, nine of the teams that hold the top 10 picks could be in the market for a quarterback.
Carson Palmer has been pushing for a trade, but is still on the Bengals' roster.
Joe Reedy, who covers the Bengals for the Cincinnati Enquirer says a trade for Kolb is unlikely for a variety of reasons, the main one being that deals likely won't be allowed until after the 2011 draft. Per Reedy, the Bengals are generally conservative and reluctant to trade away draft picks.
Beginning on Wednesday, we'll get a better idea of what the chances are that trades and free agency could start before the 2011 draft. SI.com's Peter King wrote today that the hearing/appeal process will likely take three weeks. The draft is scheduled to start on April 28.
Considering all the information, it does not appear that the Bengals are any more likely to deal for Kolb than any of the other teams that have been mentioned.
And it also seems more and more likely that the Eagles will have to decide whether they're willing to trade him for 2012 draft picks. I'm still not ready to rule that out as a possibility.
One other note from King today. He thinks the Vikings make the most sense Donovan McNabb. I still argue that they might make the most sense for Kolb. Of all the teams that have been thrown into the mix, they seem like the one that could really make a nice leap with the right quarterback.
A couple links from earlier Monday:
Eagles mock draft roundup
Birds work out TCU QB
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