Bengals tidbits

[stxbuck]

Carson+CJ=Super Bowl
Screw the Squeelers, Clowns, and Ratbirds!!!!!!

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/21/06

The Bengals were one of eight NFL teams who planned to go to an Alexandria, Va., training center yesterday to look at Jai Lewis, the George Mason senior basketball forward who recently decided to give pro football a shot as a tight end. He took the Wonderlic test, was weighed and measured, tested in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and standing broad jump, and performed agility and position drills for tight ends and linemen.

Lewis then was expected to go to Cincinnati for a workout with the Bengals.

It would be a mistake to read too much into it; it just means that Cincinnati could use a pass-catching tight end and it only makes sense to check out the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Lewis.
There is a precedent for what Lewis is trying to accomplish. Two years ago, Kent State basketball player Antonio Gates made a similar move, signed with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and has played in the last two Pro Bowls.

 

[GoBucks89]

Hooraaaaay!!!!!

It's so nice to see this organization being run well.

You can say that again. After living through 12 years of hell (1991-2002) it's nice to be talking about championships once again.

I know a lot of folks view CJ as a wise-ass.

But, screw them, he's our wise-ass and we like him.

Reminds me of the days when Pete Rose played for the Reds (before he went to Philly). The rest of the league hated him and he always got booed when we played on the road. He was a hot dog, but he was our hot dog and I loved having him on our team.

 

[stxbuck]

Dispatch

4/21/06

We will see this more and more-short PFs giving playing TE a shot. someone asked either Karl Malone or Charles Barkley why there weren't many good TEs in the NFL, and the answered that they are all playing PF in the NBA. I didn't realize Lewis weighed 290-that's Eric Green territory, he'll probably have to lose a few pounds.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/24/06

Draft has less certainty for Bengals

Team not likely to find starter with 24 th pick

Monday, April 24, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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The Cincinnati Bengals will not be on the NFL draft clock Saturday until 23 other teams have made their firstround picks.

Not since 1983, when Cincinnati took Nebraska center Dave Rimington with the 25 th pick, have the Bengals been so close to the back of the line.
It is a wait the Bengals are happy to endure rather than own another high draft pick thanks to another lousy season. But drafting 24 th means it’s unlikely the Bengals will take someone ready for the starting lineup.

"When picking fourth, you know from day one he’s going to be a starter," coach Marvin Lewis said last week. "Drafting later, that guy might not jump off the board 100 percent of the time."

When the 2005 season ended with a first-round playoff loss to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati’s draft needs appeared to be at safety and defensive tackle.

Then the Bengals signed Dexter Jackson and Sam Adams, meaning they will go into the draft without a glaring need.

Cincinnati’s biggest question — When will quarterback Carson Palmer recover from his knee injury? — can’t be addressed in the draft.

Lewis said the Bengals’ decision should be relatively simple. They will finish their draft board early this week, then take the highest-rated player remaining. Because the Bengals aren’t desperate for a particular position, they shouldn’t be tempted to reach for a player not worthy of the 24 th pick.

"I think you always get a good player," Lewis said. "It’s easy. You pick the next-best player."

Still, certain positions are more likely to be addressed than others.

"(Drafting a) running back is probably not going to happen," Lewis said. "I think we would consider a player at another position, depending on who that is."

Several cornerbacks, including Ohio State’s Ashton Youboty, South Carolina’s Johnathan Joseph, Virginia Tech’s Jimmy Williams and Florida State’s Antonio Cromartie, could be available when the Bengals pick.

Bengals cornerback Tory James, who turns 33 in May, seemed to age as last season progressed. Keiwan Ratliff believes he’s ready to win a starting job opposite Pro Bowler Deltha O’Neal, but Ratliff had a so-so year in his second pro season.

The Bengals also could address the front seven of their defense, particularly the line. Adams is 33, and the other tackles are ordinary. At end, Justin Smith is a free agent after the 2006 season and Robert Geathers is still developing.

The Bengals could consider players such as Penn State end Tamba Hali or Michigan tackle Gabe Watson. The problem is the number of linemen receiving first-round grades is down from most recent years.

The Bengals might face the same quandary if they use their first-round pick on an offensive player. For the second straight season, all 11 starters return. The most obvious need is for a pass-catching tight end, especially with Matt Schobel having left in free agency.

In offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski’s scheme, the tight end is not a frequent target. That’s largely by design, though a pass-catching tight end who could take some of the pressure off receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh would be helpful.

The premier tight end is Maryland’s Vernon Davis, who will be long gone by the time Cincinnati picks. The next most-touted prospects — UCLA’s Marcedes Lewis, Colorado’s Joe Klopfenstein, Southern California’s Dominique Byrd and Georgia’s Leonard Pope — are regarded as second-round talents.

The Bengals could look to trade down. That’s what they did two years ago. Originally supposed to pick 17 th, they traded down twice, taking running back Chris Perry with the 26 th pick and netting O’Neal and Geathers in the process.

[email protected]

 

[Padraig]

Bengals web site reports that Chad Johnson wants to play until he's 45 years old (the dude cracks me up). When an interviewer suggested that this latest contract extension (which expires when CJ will be 33) might make him a "Bengal for life", Johnson responded that he definitely forsaw another contract extention in his career since his plans are o play beyond his 40s.

Love the desire....hope he is a Bengal for life whether it's for a career that takes him to his late 30s or even 40s.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

4/25/06

QB Wright knows his role

Veteran backup just wants to do whatever Bengals need him to do

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->Anthony Wright brings to the Bengals knowledge of AFC North opponents, an understanding that it's Carson Palmer's job when ready and an attitude that he will do whatever the club wants from him.
Wright, the veteran backup quarterback with starting experience, met Monday for the first time with local reporters and participated in workouts.
"I understand the situation," said Wright, who signed a one-year contract. "I've played behind some very good quarterbacks. I may start one game, two games or no games."
Wright, with the Baltimore Ravens for the past two seasons, said he is impressed with the direction the Bengals are going as a team and organization.
"They have a good leader in Coach (Marvin) Lewis, they have a lot of weapons on offense - the receivers, running backs, offensive line," Wright said. "It makes me feel like I'm playing for the Cowboys when they were winning all those championships in the early '90s."
Wright had yet to meet Palmer or wide receiver Chad Johnson before his news conference, but he had been introduced to No. 2 wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
Wright played against the Bengals last season in the Bengals' 21-9 victory at Baltimore.
"Their defense kind of has the same philosophy that Cleveland has under Romeo Crennel: they allow you to make mistakes," Wright said of the Bengals. "We moved the ball up and down the field, but in the red zone (inside the 20-yard line) we couldn't do anything. They'd drop more guys in coverage; we'd dump it off, and they'd come up and make the tackle."
Wright's biggest challenge will be learning terminology specific to the Bengals' offense, though, he added, "Football is football as far as the schematics go. The routes are the same."
Wright also has played against the AFC North for four seasons. If Palmer is not ready and Wright needs to play, he would face the Browns and Steelers in Weeks 2 and 3. "I'm very familiar with the teams we're going to play," he said.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/26/06

BENGALS

Defensive alignment hinges on personnel

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — It all depends on what the definition of "impact" is.
The Cincinnati Bengals pick 24 th in the NFL draft Saturday. The Bengals don’t need a savior with that pick, which is a good thing.
"I think where we’re picking, we’re going to have very few guys that we feel are going to come in here and have an immediate impact," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said at his predraft news conference yesterday.
But then he said something toward the end of his 16-minute session that belied that. Asked whether he was contemplating switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense, Lewis replied, "We’ll just wait and see how we come out with things through the draft."
In other words, the players the Bengals draft this weekend aren’t expected to play a huge role on the team this season, but they could cause the team to change its base defense. That might qualify as impact.
Why would the Bengals change after winning their first divisional title in 15 years? For one thing, coaches recognize the offense carried the defense most of last season. Cincinnati’s defense ranked 28 th in 2005. Only its ability to create turnovers kept that side of the ball from being a complete liability. But when the turnovers stopped coming late in the season, so did the victories.
In addition, a switch to a 3-4 might better suit its personnel. Last season, the Bengals didn’t have anyone who could serve as an anchor at nose tackle. They do now after signing 340-pound (at least) Sam Adams as a free agent. The Bengals also have a number of young linebackers and might want to get one more of them on the field. David Pollack, last year’s first-round pick, was used at end in passing situations last year. The Bengals might believe he can be more successful in the 3-4, which puts a premium on linebackers who can rush the passer.
Lewis said the Bengals are likely to stick to their philosophy of drafting the best player rather than picking for need. If it turns out that the new additions are better suited to a 3-4, that could be what the Bengals do.
The Bengals have used a base 4-3 defense under Lewis, and that was the scheme he used as defensive coordinator for the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens in 2000. But Lewis began his NFL coaching career as linebackers coach for Pittsburgh, which uses a 3-4.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be an either/or proposition. Even last season, , the Bengals occasionally used a 3-4 look. The Bengals could well stick with the 4-3 as their base defense and incorporate the 3-4 as a bigger part of their overall scheme.
According to Lewis, the team’s direction will be made clearer by what happens this weekend. [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/28/06

BENGALS
Cromartie’s career lasted one game

Friday, April 28, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Antonio Cromartie has the tools NFL teams crave in a cornerback.

At 6 feet 2 and 208 pounds, he has the size to match up with big receivers. He also has exceptional speed and athleticism, so much that some Florida State coaches have described him as the school’s best athlete since Deion Sanders.

Yet Cromartie’s entire college career consisted of one game in 2004. He missed all of last season after tearing a hamstring and anterior cruciate and medial collateral knee ligaments in July.

Is he the next Deion, or a guy who will make a team look foolish for taking him in the first round?

That could be a question the Cincinnati Bengals ponder with their 24 th pick if Cromartie is still around. With Tory James aging and the Bengals unsure whether third-year corner Keiwan Ratliff is ready to assume a starting role, Cincinnati will consider taking a cornerback. As many as seven could go in the first round, but none of them is a sure thing.

"There are a lot of guys with stories," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said.

Some guys, like Cromartie, have been hurt. Some missed time because of academics. Some may be more natural safeties. Some lack size. Some would have benefited from remaining in college an additional season.

Guys with stories may be good for writers; teams are less enthralled.

Still, for teams such as the Bengals, drafting later in the first round, there are few sure things. The reward may be worth the risk.

"I think they would like to have a corner or a safety, somebody to work next to Madieu Williams," ESPN draft (take your pick) guru/blowhard Mel Kiper Jr. said in a conference call Wednesday. "I think they’ll be looking at Jimmy Williams from Virginia Tech, Jason Allen from Tennessee (or Cromartie)."

Cromartie, expected to be a mid-to-late first-round pick, is the subject of a lot of draft buzz, Kiper said.

"Some people think he could be a great wide receiver if he put his mind to that position," he said. "If he’d played this year at Florida State, the speculation is that he would have been a top-five pick. I would agree with that. Now if you get him in the 20s, you get yourself a major value. They’re in a good spot to get a corner or safety at that spot."

Cromartie said his family’s finances — or lack thereof — caused him to leave school early.

"It was always a problem for us, family-wise," Cromartie said two months ago at the NFL combine. "I feel like I’m taking on this opportunity now (so) we won’t have any financial problems for the rest of our lives."

Like Cromartie, Allen is returning from a serious injury. He missed the second half of last season with a dislocated hip. Some have projected him as a safety.

Williams, a converted safety who could move back there in the pros, is considered a cocky boom-or-bust type.

Other cornerbacks whom the Bengals might consider include Clemson’s Tye Hill, South Carolina’s Johnathan Joseph, Ohio State’s Ashton Youboty and Fresno State’s Richard Marshall.

Of those players, only Hill played four college seasons.

"Kind of Chad-like," Lewis said, referring to the All-Pro receiver Chad Johnson, who had a checkered college career. "That’s their resume right now. It’s not as long as a guy who came out the conventional way by playing four seasons. These guys really had some other issues. I think there’s really a high percentage of guys like that in the secondary, higher than I’ve ever been around."

[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/30/06

Bengals bolster defense

South Carolina’s Joseph has talent but limited experience

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>DANNY JOHNSTON ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>South Carolina cornerback Johnathan Joseph breaks up a pass intended for Arkansas receiver Cedric Washington last season. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals made it clear they don’t need their first-round draft pick to make a huge, immediate impact.
What mattered more was taking a player with immense potential at a critical position.
They believe they did that by selecting South Carolina cornerback Johnathan Joseph with the 24 th pick of the NFL draft yesterday.
"He’s got the ability to be something special in this league," Bengals defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan said. "He was our highestrated guy at that point, and there was not even a question about it."
The Bengals followed that pick by taking LSU offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth in the second round and Southern California defensive end Frostee Rucker in the third round.
Joseph was available late in the round largely because he has a slim resume. He played one year in junior college at Coffeyville (Kan.) College before heading to South Carolina. He became a starter his first year but broke his right foot in the second game and missed the rest of the 2004 season. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Joseph intercepted four passes last season.
Joseph solidified his first-round status by running a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, the second-fastest time there.
"He’s a guy who has the height, the speed and the athleticism to make the cuts in and out of the breaks that you look for in a tall corner," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. "It gives us a guy to come in here and compete with the players we already have."
Joseph will be given the chance to win the starting job opposite Pro Bowler Deltha O’Neal, but it’s more likely he’ll be worked in gradually. Tory James is the incumbent but turns 33 in May and seemed to tail off late last season. Third-year cornerback Keiwan Ratliff also expects to make a strong bid at winning the job.
"I’m going to do everything I can to get into the rotation and make an impact," Joseph said from his hometown of Rock Hill, S.C. "They drafted me high so I can come in right away and contribute. Whether it be on special teams or wherever, I’m going to do it."
Lewis said the idea of taking a cornerback was especially appealing because of the cost of acquiring one in free agency.
Those players get paid a good premium, and most of the time over the premium," he said.
The Bengals bucked tradition with the pick. Cincinnati had never taken a cornerback in the first round. In 1988, the Bengals drafted Oklahoma cornerback Rickey Dixon as a safety.
He has all of the physical attributes of what the great corners have," Bengals defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle said of Joseph. Now we’ve got to bring him along, and he’s got to get the playing experience. The one thing he doesn’t have is playing experience. If he was three years into (Division I), I think he would’ve been picked a lot sooner than what we were able to get him today. So, hopefully, this will pan out over the next couple of years, but we feel very fortunate to get him."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/1/06

Bengals take risks with some picks

Nicholson has checkered past; McNeal will switch from QB to receiver

Monday, May 01, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>The Bengals will try to make a receiver out of former Texas A &M quarterback Reggie McNeal. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CINCINNATI — If players were considered sure things, they would have been drafted Saturday.
So on the second day of the NFL draft, teams usually take flyers on guys with potential but question marks in their games or characters.
At first glance, the Cincinnati Bengals took that to a new level yesterday, exemplified by their second and third picks of the day. After taking Michigan State defensive tackle Domata Peko in the fourth round, Cincinnati selected Florida State linebacker A.J. Nicholson in the fifth round and Texas A &M’s Reggie McNeal in the sixth.
Nicholson probably would have gone much higher if not for several off-the-field incidents. Two of them involved alcohol, and he was suspended for the Seminoles’ Orange Bowl game against Penn State after a woman in his hotel room accused him of sexual assault.
No charges were filed, and Nicholson said the suspension was for a curfew violation.
"I had a young lady up in my room and I shouldn’t have had a young lady in my room," Nicholson said.
Last June, police used a Taser stun gun on him in what he described as a case of mistaken identity.
"It doesn’t feel good, let me tell you that," Nicholson said. "Not polite."
Misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest were dropped.
Nicholson said his off-field problems aren’t indicative of his character.
"I was never a knucklehead off the field," Nicholson said. "I was a person who abided by the rules and had been an upstanding guy you could count on, and still am."
Bengals coaches believe that.
"We had to see if it there was anything else more to it than smoke, and there wasn’t, so we feel good about that," coach Marvin Lewis said.
McNeal was a quarterback considered comparable with Vince Young until a disappointing senior season. The Bengals will convert him to receiver, a position he hasn’t played since his freshman year of high school. The Bengals envision him as a player with Antwaan Randle El-like potential.
"His athleticism makes you find ways to get the ball in his hands, get him touches and let him do the special things he does," Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said.
Peko is a more conventional pick, but he also comes with questions. A junior-college transfer, he started full time only as a senior.
"He’s a guy on the rise," Lewis said. "That was the big attraction that we had toward him. He’s a big, powerful, strong man who stays on his feet and plays. He’s like (Bengals defensive end Jonathan) Fanene was last year in the fact he doesn’t have a whole lot of football behind him, so he doesn’t have a lot of bad habits you have to fix."
Peko described himself as a runstuffing tackle who occupies blockers so linebackers can run to the ball.
He had one moment in the spotlight last year. Against Michigan, he returned a fumble 74 yards for a touchdown, hurdling Wolverines tailback Michael Hart in the process.
"Everywhere I go, people recognize me for that," Peko said. "They say, ‘Oh man, that was a crazy run. That’s the longest run we’ve seen a D-lineman make.’
"We went to Ohio State to play the next week and everyone at Ohio State was congratulating me."
The Bengals did not address their need for a pass-catching tight end in the draft but agreed to terms with former OSU tight end Ryan Hamby last night.
"I’m just excited to even get the opportunity to make a team," said Hamby, a Cincinnati native who graduated from Moeller. "That’s all I can ask for. With the Bengals roster, there are some open spots. I’m just going to try to go there and make an impact any way I can."
The Bengals lost tight end Matt Schobel to Philadelphia in free agency. Hamby will compete with former Ohio State player Darnell Sanders, who spent the past two seasons with Atlanta. [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

cincy

5/1/06

Bengals go long

With draft picks, team has luxury of not being desperate for quick help

ANALYSIS BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->While draft gurus are giving the Bengals' 2006 draft class C and B grades, this class is more about S and P - speed and potential.
With the exception of first-round pick Johnathan Joseph, a cornerback from South Carolina, none of the eight players selected Saturday and Sunday will have much of a chance to start as rookies.
Andrew Whitworth, the second-round pick, could be a long-term starter at right tackle or either guard position.
This draft is one for the future.
Or, as Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said Sunday in summary, "It's not as if we went into this draft saying, 'We have to get this player or draft at that position.'
"We went into this draft to get the best guys who can help us now and down the road. We wanted to look three years, and beyond."
An 11-5 record had the Bengals picking at No. 24 overall, their lowest earned first-round position since 1989. With a more talented and deeper roster in place than any Bengals team since the late 1980s, Lewis & Co. didn't have to fill holes in the lineup.
Their first three picks - Joseph, Whitworth and defensive end Frostee Rucker - all play positions where starters' contracts are due to expire after the 2006 season.
If anything, the Bengals went for speed. They drafted an Olympic hurdler, LSU wide receiver Bennie Brazell, in the seventh round to go with three other picks that could form a relay team.
One of the speedsters is Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal, whom the Bengals plan to convert into a wide receiver. He is a luxury pick, an offensive threat who can throw and run. They also used a late pick for Penn State's Ethan Kilmer, who is listed as a wide receiver, but is a specialist on kick return and cover teams.
McNeal and Kilmer are the type of players that can "fill in something we don't have," Lewis said Sunday after the final pick. "That is what we want these guys to do. We have the opportunity to get better in many ways."
Everything the Bengals do, including the draft, is shrouded by the uncertainty of quarterback Carson Palmer's ability to return from reconstructive knee surgery in January. Had Palmer not been injured, fans and analysts might look differently at Lewis' 2006 draft. They might not be as edgy about the team's chances heading into the season.
This draft, the fourth under Lewis' direction, was different than his first three. He had to rebuild a roster previously. Now he can tinker.
He said the 2003 class, which included Palmer and left guard Eric Steinbach, has "pretty much run (its) course and (its) hands played out. For the guys in the second draft (2004), it's now their time to step up and do things."
The 2004 class includes running back Chris Perry, defensive backs Keiwan Ratliff and Madieu Williams and linebackers Caleb Miller and Landon Johnson.
The immediate questions about the new crop of Bengals are character and the absence of a pick at tight end.
The Bengals would pick up at least one more tight end and take five to training camp, Lewis said.
"As the draft went along, where we had our guys evaluated and the time we made the picks," Lewis said, "we could never take the plunge."
The character issue is more important.
Before the draft, Lewis said he would be more likely to avoid players who had experienced off-field problems. Third-round pick Rucker pled guilty to a reduced charge after being accused of sexually assaulting a female student at Colorado State. He was given a one-year deferred sentence. And fifth-round pick A.J. Nicholson, a Florida State linebacker, was suspended by the team for its bowl game after being accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman; no charges have been filed.
"A.J.'s off-the-field brush obviously is something that hasn't materialized with anything significant," Lewis said. "When the truth be known, it all went away."
As for Rucker, Lewis said, "The coaches at (Southern Cal) told us everything we needed to know about that situation. Everything with regard to Frostee is on the straight and forward."
E-mail [email protected]
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

5/3/06

Rookie free agents get Bengals deals

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->The Bengals agreed to contract terms with several rookie free agents, including wide receiver Brandon Hussey (Winston-Salem State), linebacker Wyatt Gayer (Anderson University), tight end Bristol Olomua (Texas Tech), tight end David Jones (LSU) and defensive end Eric Henderson (Georgia Tech).
The Bengals also made official the dates of their spring minicamps: May 13-15 (rookies) and June 15-17 (mandatory full-squad).
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[studepaber]

It's nice to see the Bengals get a few TE's in that mix (along with Hamby earlier in the week). I doubt any would replace Kelly, Stewart or Ghent in the near future though. Guess the Bengal's aren't passing to their TE's again this year! :(

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

5/4/06

Bengals, lineman working on deal

Steinbach says focus now is on the money side

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->Starting offensive lineman Eric Steinbach said Wednesday that his agent and the Bengals have agreed on the length of a possible contract extension.
"But right now we're talking the money situation," said Steinbach, the starting left guard and one of four starting offensive linemen whose contracts will expire after the 2006 season. Steinbach is a three-year starter.
But Jack Bechta, his agent, painted a different picture.
"We can't agree on anything," Bechta said. "We are nowhere. The good news is we're talking. Both sides are going to continue to talk."
Steinbach started 15 games in 2005 at left guard. He started Game 16 at left tackle in place of injured Levi Jones. Steinbach played center for much of the Houston game after starter Rich Braham and backup Larry Moore were injured.
"You try to keep it separate," Steinbach said when asked if the business side interferes with the game. "Football and business are two different things when you're negotiating contracts. You can throw the whole team thing into it, but the next guy, when he's negotiating a contract - it's all about the money, really.
"I would love to stay in Cincinnati, I'm happy here, so we'll just see. Things like this take time."
Steinbach, starting tackles Willie Anderson and Jones and starting center Braham all can be unrestricted free agents in March.
Steinbach, who turned 26 last month, might be the most valuable of all the Bengals' offensive linemen because of his versatility and age.
He could be switched to left tackle because of his natural quickness and athleticism. He is effective as a pulling guard. He is entering the final season of his rookie deal and will earn a $460,000 base salary. Second NFL contracts are traditionally the largest for players.
"It's your turn," Steinbach said of players trying to score a second contract.
E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer .com
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