Published: March 22, 2008 08:49 pm         

Colts lose Ben Utecht to Cincinnati Bengals

INDIANAPOLIS — Heading into the veteran free agent signing period earlier this month, Indianapolis Colts team president Bill Polian knew that there was a pretty good chance that the defending AFC South champions would be losing a handful of players to other National Football League teams.

First, offensive guard Jake Scott — an unrestricted free agent — agreed to a four-year, $19.5 million (with a $4 million signing bonus) contract with the Tennessee Titans on March 10. Then the Colts saw defensive tackle Dan Klecko, also an unrestricted free agent, ink a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles last week. Financial terms of that deal have not been disclosed.

On the same day that Klecko moved east, veteran tight end Ben Utecht signed a multiyear offer sheet with the Cincinnati Bengals. Indianapolis officials had seven days (the official deadline was Friday at midnight) to either match the offer, which turned out to be a three-year contract worth $9 million, or risk losing him to Cincinnati for no draft compensation.

Since the Colts failed to come up with a deal of their own for the restricted free agent, Utecht is now heading to a new team. Indianapolis officials have not commented publicly about the decision not to match the Bengals’ offer, but Polian admitted recently that the free agency system often makes for some very tough decisions.

“I don’t know that we do better or worse than anybody else [in regards to signing their own free agents]. And we certainly love the players [on the team]. As I’ve said before, I’ve got to separate the personal from the professional and it’s awfully hard to do,” Polian said recently.

“When you draft a guy, Jake Scott is a prime example, and you see him develop over time, you see him play extremely well for you over time and be part of a championship operation. And then you speak to the agent and it’s pretty clear that you’re probably not going to retain him, that’s hard to swallow. On the other hand, you recognize that a player has a right to seek his fortune. That’s the system. The system requires that teams like us disgorge players. It doesn’t allow you to keep them. That’s what [the system] is designed to do. So you know going in you’re going to lose players. To think otherwise is just foolish. So you say ‘we’re going to lose players.’ And we’re going to lose players we value and that we will miss. So you just accept it, move on, do the best you can to construct a team each year, and then say to the players that leave, ‘You’re welcome back at anytime. You’re always a Colt. And you’re part of the family.’ “

Utecht, along with several other restricted free agents (safety Matt Giordano, defensive tackle Darrell Reid, tight end Bryan Fletcher, and offensive guard Dylan Gandy), had been given a one-year qualifying offer of $927,000 by the Colts at the beginning of the free agency period.

Now that it’s official that he will be catching passes from Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer instead of Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning, the former University of Minnesota standout is ready to move on.

“The emotional roller coaster, the last few weeks, is over,” Utecht told the Cincinnati Enquirer Saturday. “It’s finally good to be graduated and know where I’ll be.”

The Bengals are scheduled to begin their offseason strength and conditioning program Monday. But their new tight end won’t be making his first appearance with the team for a few more days. He is currently back home in Minnesota and was planning on spending some time visiting with his family over the Easter holiday.

“I was on the Colts’ [offseason] schedule, and they don’t start until March 31,” Utecht said. “[Cincinnati] Coach [Marvin] Lewis understood.”

After catching 31 passes last season for 364 yards and one touchdown, the 6-foot-6, 251-pound tight end is ready to add a new dimension to the Bengals’ offense. He has caught 71 passes for 800 yards and three TDs in four seasons with Indianapolis.

“I want to help take some pressure off the outside guys [wide receivers],” Utecht said. “I’m excited to be moving on to Cincinnati.”



Tom James writes for The Tribune Star in Terre Haute, Ind.