T O P   N E W S

Scott Mitchell was one of the few veteran quarterbacks in the unrestricted free-agent market still looking for a job. The Cincinnati Bengals were one of the last teams in the league with a hole in the middle of their depth chart.

Of such mutual needs are some couplings consummated, and that was indeed the case Thursday afternoon when SportsLine.com learned the Bengals and the 10-year veteran passer finally completed the contract agreement originally reached last Saturday. As first reported by SportsLine.com over the weekend, the one-year deal will pay Mitchell about $800,000.

Mitchell, 32, worked out for coach Bruce Coslet and offensive coordinator Ken Anderson on Friday and, despite weighing in at 265 pounds and throwing the ball inconsistently, the Bengals decided to pursue him. The team desperately needs a veteran backup to second-year veteran Akili Smith, who will go to camp as the starter, and the pool of proven reserves is quickly shrinking.

Cincinnati had courted, and failed to land, several potential veteran backups to Smith during the free-agent signing period. Among those contacted by Cincinnati were Kent Graham, Gus Frerotte and Eric Zeier. But Graham signed instead with Pittsburgh, the Broncos got Frerotte and Zeier re-signed with Tampa Bay.

And certainly the Bengals had to battle to land Mitchell, who also was talking with the Dallas Cowboys. He flew to Dallas on Sunday, in part out of courtesy to new Cowboys offensive coordinator Jack Reilly, his college quarterback coach at Utah.

But what was supposed to be just a formality, Mitchell honoring his commitment to meet with Dallas officials, became an out-out war when the Cowboys vigorously pursued him. For two days, Mitchell wasn't certain where he wanted to play, but finally opted for the Bengals late Tuesday afternoon. At that point, he told agent Tony Agnone to have Cincinnati officials overnight a copy of the contract to him.

Mitchell phoned Coslet and Anderson on Wednesday night to personally inform the man of his decision.

The Bengals represent a third different team in three seasons for Mitchell, whose NFL career has gone into a downward spiral since the beginning of the 1998 season. After starting the first two games of that season for the Detroit Lions, he lost his job to then-rookie Charlie Batch and never took another snap for the team. Ironically, the final pass of his tenure in Detroit was intercepted by Bengals cornerback Corey Sawyer and returned for a game-winning touchdown in overtime.

Mitchell was traded to Baltimore for a third-round choice in the 1999 draft and opened last season as the Ravens' starter. But once again he was replaced after two games, this time replaced by the journeyman Stoney Case. With Case and Tony Banks starting the balance of the season, he never got back on the field in '99 for the Ravens.

Always a notorious streak-shooter as a passer, Mitchell's career now has followed the same kind of roller coaster ride. He entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in the '90 draft and, while still property of the team, became a star in the World League. He started seven games for Miami in 1993, when Dan Marino sustained a season-ending Achilles' injury, and then signed with the Lions as an unrestricted free agent in 1994.

The high point of his career came a year later, when he threw for 4,338 yards and 32 touchdowns. In the four years since, he has thrown just 38 touchdown passes. Last season, Mitchell completed 24 of 56 passes for 236 yards, with one touchdown and four interceptions before getting the hook from Ravens coach Brian Billick.

In 10 seasons, Mitchell has appeared in 90 games, with 66 starts. He has 1,208 completions in 2,147 attempts, for 14,688 yards, with 92 touchdowns and 70 interceptions. Coslet has made it clear that Smith, the Bengals' first-round choice in the '99 draft, will go to camp as the starter.