Patriots get Corey Dillon from Bengals

Tuesday, April 20, 2004 | 9:35 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

Tebucky Jones for Corey Dillon.

It took a year, and three trades among three teams, but the "transaction" finally was completed Monday, when the Patriots dealt the first of their two second-round picks in this weekend's draft to Cincinnati in exchange for Dillon, a three-time Pro Bowl running back and the Bengals' career rushing leader.

A year ago last Wednesday, New England traded Jones, its "franchised" safety, to New Orleans for third- and seventh-rounders in the 2003 draft and a fourth-round pick in the '04 draft. The Patriots then traded the Saints' third-round choice to Miami for the Dolphins' second-round selection this year.

There had been speculation the Patriots would trade up in the first round to get a marquee back. If they were considering such a move, they no longer may find it necessary with the acquisition of Dillon, 29, one of four players in league history to run for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons and once the owner of the record for rushing yards in a game.

new England still has eight picks, including two firsts, and now less of a need for a back early in the draft. Cincinnati, building under second-year coach Marvin Lewis, has seven picks in the first four rounds with which to continue the project. The Bengals also rid themselves of a disgruntled star who was frustrated after seven consecutive non-winning seasons and expendable thanks to the emergence of Rudi Johnson, who stepped in last year after Dillon suffered a groin strain in the third game.

Dillon, who turns 30 in October, has two years remaining on a five-year, $26.1 million deal. Dillon was to earn base salaries of $3.3 million this season and $3.85 million in 2005, but to facilitate the trade, he agreed to a pay reduction this year. He can make up the difference through not-likely-to-be-earned incentives, which, if achieved, apply to the following year's cap.