His heart is with the Cleveland Browns , but Todd Boeckman now hopes to play for his favorite team's cross-state rival.
The former Ohio State quarterback and 2007 All-Big Ten player is headed to Cincinnati this weekend for a tryout.
"I'm a Browns fan," Boeckman said yesterday, a bit sheepishly, "but it's nice just to get an opportunity to go somewhere and get a chance. I'm looking forward to it."
Cincinnati has three quarterbacks on its roster: starter Carson Palmer, journeyman veteran J.T. O'Sullivan and third-year pro Jordan Palmer, Carson's younger brother.
Boeckman is one of eight former Buckeyes who will have NFL opportunities despite going undrafted last weekend. Offensive tackle Alex Boone signed with San Francisco, and punter A.J. Trapasso signed with Tennessee.
The others, like Boeckman, have not signed deals but are hopeful of getting one after their upcoming tryouts. They are defensive tackle Nader Abdallah (Jacksonville), tight end Rory Nicol (Washington), offensive linemen Ben Person (Detroit) and Steve Rehring (Cincinnati), and fullback Brandon Smith (Chicago). \
kgordon@dispatch.com
