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Bengals tidbits

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Cincy

3/22/06

Chatman signed; QB next

Griese taken; Martin available

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->The Bengals officially signed wide receiver Antonio Chatman Tuesday and kept up their search for another quarterback.

The Bengals' focus appears to be swinging back to former Rams quarterback Jamie Martin. The Bengals had talked twice this week with Ralph Cindrich, agent for Brian Griese, who agreed Tuesday to a five-year deal with the Chicago Bears.

The Bengals have not talked since Friday with Tom Mills, Martin's agent.

"I think their intent depends on the outcome of what happens with Griese," Mills said Tuesday night.

"I think they are considering all of their options."

Former Steelers quarterback Tommy Maddox could be entering the picture.

The Bengals have talked with Vann McElroy, Maddox's agent.

At the same time, the Bengals remain on the radar of former Packers defensive tackle Grady Jackson. He played for Bengals defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan in Oakland.

Jackson is headed today for a visit in Atlanta. The Bengals, Giants and Rams all have expressed interest in the 345-pound, nine-year veteran.
Jackson and Chatman played together for most of the past three seasons in Green Bay.

Chatman, a former University of Cincinnati star, signed a two-year deal with the Bengals and saw actions in all of a possible 51 games, including the playoffs.

After the Bengals decided to let former team member Kevin Walter leave for Houston as a restricted free agent, Chatman enters the picture as the No. 3 or No. 4 receiver. Chatman is 5 feet 9, 185 pounds and is expected to play the slot receiver. He was tied for second in touchdowns (5) for the Packers. In Green Bay's 21-14 loss at Cincinnati, he had eight receptions for 97 yards and averaged 9.8 yards on four punt returns.

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GridironGrace said:
It's really getting me. Why they need another QB I dont know.. especially now that Griese has signed to the Bears.

We picked up Doug Johnson early, and we have Krenzel.... also Palmer is 4 weeks ahead of schedule with Rehab so I really dont see the point in a 4th QB at this juncture.
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You never know when Palmer may have an unexpected setback. I'd rather be safe than sorry heading into season. I don't know that I've ever seen Johnson play but I'm not confident in Krenzel to lead the team.
 
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Palmer Presser Link

Here is a link to the wcpo report of the presser.

LINK


In a Wednesday morning news conference, Carson Palmer said he expects to be ready to play in the upcoming season. <!--Video-->

Palmer is back in Cincinnati after undergoing knee surgery in Houston then rehab in Los Angeles.
He says he's working five hours a day to improve the strength in his knee, but he says he probably won't be ready to start full training with the team in May.
"I wish I knew when, exactly, I was coming back. You've just got to let the healing process take its place," Palmer said.
He hasn't addressed the media since January 9th, the day after Steeler Kimo von Oelhoffen crashed into Palmer's knee. "I don't I hold a grudge at all, I don't think he meant to do it. It's football, it's part of the game, it was a freak accident," Palmer said Wednesday morning. <!-- ----------------- --><!-- ----------------- --><!-- end story content --><!-- ----------------- --><!-- ----------------- -->
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Chris Henry Escapes Jail Time

Well not much on FA scene, Palmer's progress steady - let's see what's up with O'Henry ...

LINK


Rookie Bengals player Chris Henry won't go to jail for his December marijuana arrest in Covington.

On Wednesday, Henry pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and was ordered to pay a $250 fine.
In exchange, traffic charges were dismissed.
Henry addressed the court:
"I have learned something. From my drug treatment, I see I am responsible to my team and my coach and to all the Bengals fans to be completely drug free," Henry said.
"To all of them I can only say that I'm sorry."
Covington Police say they found marijuana in Henry's shoe when they pulled him over.
Henry was also ordered to 28 days in drug rehab program, which he's already served. He's also facing charges of gun possession in Florida for an incident earlier this year.
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Cincy

3/23/06

So far, so good for Palmer

He's confident of comeback - the only question is how soon

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->If his rehabilitation were a football game, Carson Palmer said Wednesday he would be through the first quarter and heading into the second.
"Probably the first quarter is getting the flex and the extension back in your leg, and I have done that fairly quickly," Palmer, recovering from surgery on his left knee, said Wednesday. "I was ahead of the game on that. Now I'll move into the second phase, which is strength and conditioning, and then I'll move into running and jumping, and then I'll be ready to go."
Palmer made his first public comments since Jan. 9. He had surgery Jan. 10 to replace torn knee ligaments, the anterior cruciate and medial collateral.
He recalled the injury and the eerie sensation of being driven away from Paul Brown Stadium with the game still going on. He also displayed the mature perspective that has endeared him to Bengals fans, and he vowed to be back as soon as he can - preferably, he said, in time for the regular-season opener.
His injury forced the Bengals to sign free-agent quarterback Doug Johnson and search for another veteran QB to replace departed free agent Jon Kitna.
Asked several times by reporters when he would be back, Palmer said, "If I had a crystal ball and I could find out exactly the day I'm 100 percent and ready to play, we wouldn't be going through this backup quarterback thing. ..."
Joel Segal, the agent for Anthony Wright, a seven-year veteran most recently with the Ravens, said his client would visit Cincinnati today. The Bengals already have met with Brian Griese, who signed with the Bears.
Former Rams backup Jamie Martin is waiting in the wings.
Palmer walked into the Paul Brown Stadium interview room without crutches. There was no sign of a limp and little visible evidence of atrophy in his left leg.
Palmer had been working in Anaheim, Calif., but switched his base to Cincinnati. He returned two weeks ago and is working with four people, including Bengals strength coach and assistant trainer Billy Brooks.
There is no such thing as a typical day in rehab, Palmer said, but he does up to 40 different exercises in a period of 41/2-5 hours.
"A lot of leg presses, flexibility - got to try to fire your quad a lot - hamstring curls, leg extensions, just a number of things, a process going from building muscle up in your leg," he said. "As the muscle atrophies in your leg, you have to get that stimulated and firing, and from there it's just getting the rest of the leg strong."
Palmer understands the interest in his rehab and his prominent role on the Bengals. But he has a refreshing viewpoint on the situation.
"It's not like I have cancer or have lost a limb or anything like that," he said. "It's just knee surgery. It's not that bad, it's not that hard. ... I'll get better and I'll get back."
Palmer has received encouragement from Bengals fans. They flooded his California home, relatives' homes and agents' office with get-well cards. He also has heard from Chiefs quarterback Trent Green, who came back from the same type of injury. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has called repeatedly to check on Palmer and offer encouragement.
Palmer was hit from the side on his first pass play by Steelers defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen in the 31-17 loss to Pittsburgh in an AFC wild-card playoff game Jan. 8.
Palmer said he has not spoken to von Oelhoffen, who since has signed as a free agent with the New York Jets.
"Football is a very physical game; things happen," Palmer said. "I don't hold a grudge at all. I don't think he meant to do it. It's part of the game. ... It's a freak accident."
Palmer earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 2005, throwing a franchise-record 32 touchdown passes. He was second in the league with a 101.1 passer rating.
Suffering a major knee injury and working to come back from it have changed him.
"I think I learned how quickly things can be taken away from you," Palmer said. "When I was driving away from the stadium in the third quarter (of the playoff game), I'm listening to the game on the radio and just looking back, and ... it was a really weird experience; I was just on that field. I roll down the window and I can hear the crowd.
"I think I'll take something from this, and that will be you can't take it for granted. When you don't want to practice on a Wednesday afternoon - you've been in meetings for six hours - you're excited about the game, but you're tired. That's when I (will) realize, 'Hey, this was all taken away from me last year. Don't take this for granted. Realize how special this opportunity is and how lucky I am just to be here.' "
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http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=5152

Agent: Arrington to visit
By GEOFF HOBSON
March 22, 2006

Posted: 7:30 p.m.
<TABLE width=345 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD>
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Arrington: In for a visit (Getty Images)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>One of the agents for Pro Bowl linebacker Lavar Arrington said his client is headed to Cincinnati Wednesday night for a visit with the Bengals.
Carl Poston said Wednesday afternoon that Arrington is intrigued with the possibility of reuniting with Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, but the sides have yet to talk money for the best linebacker on the free-agent market.

With the Bengals talking to some of their offensive linemen about contract extensions, Arrington’s price could be prohibitive given Julian Peterson’s deal in Seattle that has been reported at $54 million over seven years with $18.5 million guaranteed.

Plus, reports out of Miami say the Dolphins have heightened their interest in Arrington, the second pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.

But the 6-3, 255-pound Arrington had the best season of his career under Lewis in the one season his fellow Pittsburgh product served as the Redskins defensive coordinator. In 2002, Arrington had 11 sacks, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. In a new system in 2003, he had six sacks and seven forced fumbles while going to his third straight Pro Bowl and earning an eight-year, $64 million extension before enduring injury-plagued seasons in 2004 and 2005 marked by conflicts with how he was used.

After taking the wraps off Arrington last November as he came back from a balky knee, the Redskins saw him help fuel their play-off run that was capped by his interception that set up Washington’s first score in the Wild Card win over Tampa Bay.

But the Redskins hardly ever used him in passing situations the past two seasons as a weak-side linebacker. When Lewis convinced him that he could be effective rushing with his hand on the ground as a third-down end back in ‘02, Arrington flourished with his career-high 11 sacks. Bengals linebackers coach Ricky Hunley served on that staff as the defensive line coach.

Now Arrington, who turns 28 in June, is looking to revive a career that began with such promise.
Poston said Arrington has visited Miami and the Giants and could visit the Jaguars.

The Bengals are also continuing their search for a backup quarterback. The agent for the Ravens’ Anthony Wright said his client is coming to Cincinnati Wednesday night to visit, but the agents for Tommy Maddox and Jay Fiedler have not heard from the club since free agency has opened.

Wright, 30, played in nine games last season in place of the injured Kyle Boller and finished with a 71.7 passer rating and a 61.7 completion percentage while throwing six touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Bengals kept him out of the end zone in their 21-9 win in Baltimore last season, but he does have eight victories in 19 NFL starts and possesses good size at 6-1, 215 pounds along with a good arm and good mobility. He arrived in Baltimore via Dallas the year Lewis left Baltimore to go to Washington.
Joel Segal, Wright’s agent, wouldn’t get specific with other teams involved, but he said his client is comfortable with the Bengals’ quarterback situation dominated by the health of Pro Bowler Carson Palmer.<SCRIPT> <!-- var FiltersEnabled = 1 // if your not going to use transitions or filters in any of the tips set this to 0 applyCssFilter() var link_text=[]; //--> </SCRIPT>
 
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Cincy

3/24/06

No visit yet from Arrington

But LB Wilkins is re-signed

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->Oops - LaVar Arrington did not visit Cincinnati on Thursday, but the Bengals re-signed another linebacker, Marcus Wilkins.
Wilkins signed a one-year contract and received a $40,000 signing bonus, agent Mark Mersel said.
Wilkins tied for second on the team with 17 special-teams tackles last season. He also forced one fumble.
"He wanted to come back. He's excited," Mersel said of Wilkins, a four-year veteran who was an unrestricted free agent. "He wants to force them to give him a bigger look on defense."
The Bengals last week re-signed safety Anthony Mitchell, another unrestricted free agent, who led the team with 18 special-teams tackles in 2005.
As for Arrington, agent Kevin Poston said Thursday the former Redskins linebacker probably would visit Cincinnati.
"I do anticipate that," Poston said. "But I can't say if or when that would happen. If he's there, he's fooling me."
Arrington's agents said miscommunication resulted in confirmation that the player arrived Wednesday night for a Thursday meeting with the Bengals.
Arrington has visited the Dolphins and Giants and could be headed to see the Jaguars, Poston said.
Arrington had the best season of his six-year NFL career in 2002, when Bengals coach Marvin Lewis was defensive coordinator with the Redskins and Arrington had 11 sacks.
Also Thursday, the Bengals confirmed the visit of former Ravens quarterback Anthony Wright.
But the Bengals will talk again today to Tom Mills, agent for Jamie Martin, a former Rams quarterback. Martin was a backup in St. Louis and a spot starter when Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger were injured.
Martin has the ability, price tag and temperament to play if starting quarterback Carson Palmer is forced to miss any time for the Bengals as he rehabilitates his surgically repaired left knee.
E-mail [email protected]
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Cincy

3/25/06

Bengals talk with QB Martin

Bengals notebook

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->The Bengals talked contract Friday with the agent for quarterback Jamie Martin, but Tom Mills said late in the day not to expect a deal any time soon.
"We did exchange contract proposals," Mills said of his conversation with Bengals vice president Troy Blackburn. "There is mutual interest."
But Mills said a possible contract probably won't be completed for a week or two.
Mills was 3-1 in games he started and finished last season for the Rams. He is an unrestricted free agent.
The Bengals had an official visit Thursday with former Ravens quarterback Anthony Wright.
The Bengals are trying to sign a quarterback to compete for a potential part-time starting role if starter Carson Palmer is not ready to return from knee surgery.
The team currently has two healthy quarterbacks, Doug Johnson and Craig Krenzel, under contract.
READY, SET: The Bengals' offseason strength and conditioning program will begin April 3 at Paul Brown Stadium.
Some players already are working out at the stadium.
SALARY DETAILS: The Bengals have yet to announce the official re-signing of linebacker Marcus Wilkins, who was an unrestricted free agent.
Wilkins is believed to have agreed to a one-year contract worth $585,000. His agent said Wilkins will receive a $40,000 signing bonus.
The new collective bargaining extension increased minimum salaries $40,000 across the board. The minimum for players with five through seven years of experience is now $585,000.
NO DEAL: Defensive tackle Lional Dalton, who made a free-agent visit to Cincinnati, has re-signed with the Chiefs. He received a four-year contract.
CANDIDATE? Former Bengals linebacker Reggie Williams surfaced Friday in a Philadelphia Daily News story as a candidate to replace retiring NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
Williams, who is recovering from an infection following knee-replacement surgery, told the Daily News that he has not spoken directly with anyone from the league about the commissioner's job.
"It's very humbling and flattering to be even mentioned as a potential candidate for those very big shoes," Williams told the newspaper. "They're familiar with what I'm doing here with Walt Disney World and Disney's Wide World of Sports. I've had the great fortune to be a part of something very special here."
Finding a replacement for Tagliabue is one of the topics on the agenda for the league meetings in Orlando, Fla., next week.
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Cincy

3/27/06

Bengals mull revenue options

Stadium naming rights possibile

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->ORLANDO, Fla. - The new NFL labor deal, which increased the salary cap $16.5 million over last year and $7.5 million ahead of original projections, will force the Bengals to find new sources of revenue.
One of the most obvious places to start would be selling the naming rights to Paul Brown Stadium.
"We'll be thinking about a lot of things," Brown said Sunday, the first day of the NFL annual meeting. "We're going to have to adapt to this deal, and the best way to do that is find whatever revenue streams wherever we can find them."
Brown paid $5 million for the rights before the stadium opened. That $5 million went toward the Bengals' $44 million contribution to construction. If a company had wanted the naming rights, the next $11.67 million would have gone to the Bengals. Anything beyond that was to be split, with the county getting 30 percent and the team receiving 70 percent, according to stadium documents.
"Some things you have to assume we tried," Brown said. "It just doesn't do much good to dwell on this than we have."
The naming-rights question came up again earlier this month in Dallas, where NFL team owners met to discuss and then vote on a players' union proposal to extend the collective bargaining agreement. The owners, by a vote of 30-2 - Brown and Buffalo's Ralph Wilson were the nays - ratified the union proposal and adopted additional revenue sharing measures to help small-market clubs, such as the Bengals. The Bengals rank among the 17 lower-revenue teams in the league. The top 15 revenue producers will share limited profits with the other 17 clubs.
But one of the contentions by high-revenue teams, such as the Cowboys, was lower-revenue clubs like the Bengals don't work hard enough to create revenue.
At one point during the often contentious negotiations, the Boston Globe reported, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones mockingly offered to buy the naming rights to Paul Brown Stadium for $5 million. Jones said, "I can double that in about five minutes, Mike." Brown, reportedly, did not respond.
"I don't remember that; I really don't. I don't have any recollection of it," Brown said of the reported exchange with Jones. "If I had, I could have rejoined, 'I tell you what, I'll pay you 5 million bucks for yours. Let's swap.'
"Half of the teams (in the NFL) don't have naming rights to their stadiums, and probably for a lot of different reasons. Some of it is due to the fact is it isn't easy to sell naming rights in some markets. Others have legal commitments. Dallas hasn't sold naming rights, just to pick an example at random."
Another idea being discussed is possibly to sell the naming rights to the playing field inside Paul Brown Stadium.
"I guess all those things are possible," Brown said.
"I haven't sorted them out to that extent. Heck, the good news is we have so many millions of blades of grass, so we have great opportunities."
Success on the field, coupled with a second-year uniform re-design that appeals to younger fans, improved Bengals' merchandise sales in 2005.
"It's done well. The fact we had a good year, by our standards, it doesn't necessarily mean by NFL standards it was exceptional," Brown said. "It certainly went well up the chart from where we had been.
"We had an exciting team. I'm proud of what they did. We had some players (wide receiver Chad Johnson) who caught, not just the fancy of Cincinnati, but the whole country. So we had lots of sales. I have to ask myself am I really against this touchdown demonstration stuff and River Dancing? He's just smarter than I am."
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Coach Marvin Lewis has been named to the 8 member competition comitee (replacing Mike Holmgren) which acts as the voting body which approves or denys new rules proposals / changes.
 
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