Bengals Try to Keep Spikes, Make Him Transition Player

Cincinnati linebacker Takeo Spikes, among the Bengals’ top defensive players and emotional leaders, was tagged Tuesday as the team’s transition player.

Spikes, the Bengals’ top draft pick in 1998, wants to leave as a free agent because he is tired of losing.

New Coach Marvin Lewis talked to Spikes several times but couldn’t convince him to accept a contract extension.

The tag allows the Bengals to match any offer from another team, keeping Spikes in Cincinnati for another season.

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The contract of injured offensive tackle Tony Boselli has been restructured by the Houston Texans.

Boselli said last week he was willing to restructure to lessen the burden of his $7.55-million contract for 2003.

Houston was believed to be asking the veteran, who has yet to play for the Texans, to take a $4.5-million cut in his base salary with the opportunity to earn the remainder through incentives, the Houston Chronicle reported.

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A judged approved a deal by which Seattle Seahawk offensive lineman Chris Terry must undergo counseling and perform community service to defer prosecution of a charge that he assaulted his wife in August, while he was with the Carolina Panthers.

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San Francisco 49er cornerback Mike Rumph testified at his Miami trial for alleged drunken driving that he passed all five sobriety tests given after he was stopped in Miami Beach last summer.

Rumph refuted testimony offered the previous day by a police officer.

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Miami Dolphin running back Ricky Williams had minor arthroscopic shoulder surgery Monday.