League stops Rogers trade to Bengals

UPDATED: 10:25 p.m.
The NFL nixed the trade today of Lions defensive tackle Shaun Rogers to the Bengals for two draft picks because it ran afoul of league salary-cap rules.

The Bengals had agreed to trade third- and fifth-round picks to Detroit in April’s draft in exchange for Rogers, who plays at more than 360 pounds and had seven sacks among his 66 tackles in 2007.

The Bengals confirmed nothing today, even as reports swirled nationally that Lions officials had said they'd traded Rogers to the Bengals for third- and fifth-round picks in April's draft. The Bengals have the 77th overall pick in Round 3 but are expecting to gain compensatory draft picks in the third and fifth rounds for 2007 free agent defections.

Kennard McGuire, Rogers' agent, told The Enquirer in an e-mail this afternoon that Rogers had been traded to the Bengals.

Neither the Bengals nor Lions backed out. The league stepped in to prevent the trade.

The Detroit News is reporting tonight on its Web site that Rogers was headed to Cleveland for a third-round pick and cornerback Leigh Bodden. Browns coach Romeo Crennel said last week at the scouting combine that their priority was to upgrade their front seven defensively.

ORIGINAL POST:
I'm working now to get details on what I have learned is a Bengals trade with the Detroit Lions for defensive tackle Shaun Rogers. Rogers' agent, Kennard McGuire, confirmed the trade in an e-mail to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

The Bengals, though, as of 5:30 p.m., were not in a position to confirm it, public relations director Jack Brennan said.

Rogers, at 340 pounds, could play nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. He will turn 29 next month and is a seven-year veteran. He had 66 tackles last season for the Lions, seven of them sacks.

The Bengals are trading their third-and fifth-round picks to the Lions in exchange for Rogers.

After the 2004 season, Rogers signed a six-year, $46 million contract extension that made him the league's highest paid defensive tackle at the time. He has three years remaining on a contract that will pay him $4.25 million in 2008.

Rogers was suspended for four games during the 2006 season for violation of the substance abuse policy. He denied taking steroids and said the banned substance was in an appetite suppressant he was taking to control late-night cravings.

The Bengals are apparently set on remaking their defensive line. While it appears that end Justin Smith will sign with the 49ers -- or the Vikings if he doesn't do a quick deal in San Francisco -- the Bengals will entertain a prized free agent Sunday in Tennessee Titans defensive end Antwan Odom.

Odom, a four-year veteran from Alabama, is a 274-pound defensive end who had a career-high eight sacks last season for the Titans. He is an unrestricted free agent. The visit with the Bengals will be his first.