Um, yeah, Alvin, thanks loads for the update.
We are also working on a deal for rookie A. Smith. Hard to speak on a time table with these rookie deals. Hopefully its done sooner vs later
Yeah, hopefully.
Dre has been working out hard and is motivated to prove the doubters wrong. Maybe things will pick up now that #5 & #7 are done. Stay tuned!
Maybe things will pick up? I just love the proactivity inherent in statements like that, don’t you? But hey, I guess I ought to be grateful for any scraps of information at all. Anyhow, I can’t say this [...]

Chase Coffman will get most of the attention at this spot even though it’s uncertain how soon he will be able to contribute in an actual game. Coffman has obvious receiving skills and was a steal in my opinion during the draft, but we all know the Bengals want their tight ends to be in-line blockers, so Coffman isn’t expected to make an instant splash. I do, however, think he can contribute in red-zone packages sooner rather than later. The Bengals were absolutely dreadful in the red zone – and everywhere else – last season and could use a 6-6 [...]

Chad Ochocinco has found a new toy and is using it like a kid on Christmas. Of course that’s assuming the toy is a pair of scissors and the kid is running around the house with them. Not satisfied enough by Twitter alone, Johnson has added streaming video to his Twitter page via Ustream. It’s only a matter of time before one of these things gets him in trouble, but in the meantime it should make training camp a little more interesting. Case in point, check out Chad’s  photo with Coach Lewis below, which I’m sure Marvin would rather not see floating [...]

The Oakland Raiders reached a five-year, $38 million deal with WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, today. $23.5 million of the deal is guaranteed. Total potential value of the deal is $54 million, if Darrius hits all his incentives and escalators.
With No. 5 pick QB Mark Sanchez signed for five years at $60 million, with $28 million guaranteed, the Heyward-Bey signing slots No. 6 pick Andre Smith at somewhere around $57 million in total contract value, with $26-27 million guaranteed.
Time for the Bengals front office and Smith’s agent, Alvin Keels, to get serious.
Update: Numbers are [...]

The Bengals are trickling into training camp with the HBO and NFL cameras documenting every move. Chris Henry carpooled in with Carson Palmer and the Ocho claims he’s “85 million times better” than last year, according to Bengals.com. The best news for the Bengals is that the team is fairly healthy heading into their first practices and everyone but Andre Smith is under contract. Smith’s negotiation should be sped up with the signing of seventh pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, which was reported by Adam Schefter earlier today. Bey’s signing establishes the floor for Smith’s deal, but the ceiling is still pretty [...]

It appears that the Cincinnati Bengals have all but one draft pick in the fold. LB Rey Maualuga signed earlier today, and DE Michael Johnson’s agent said they have reached agreement on a four-year deal with about $860K guaranteed.
PFT says Johnson’s deal is worth a bit less than $3.5 million, while Maualuga gets about $4.7 million over four years, roughly $2.8 million of which is guaranteed.
The Bengals’ only remaining unsigned rookie is sixth overall pick OT Andre Smith. In news that offers hope the ice will begin to crack soon on that front, the St. Louis Rams are reportedly close [...]

Lots of news from Bengals.com today. Tight end Chase Coffman agreed to what is believed to be a four-year deal with the team. “Saint” Mike Brown said the team will not pursue Mike Vick (thank goodness) and Chad Ochocinco was upbeat and optimistic during a meeting at the team facilities. That’s 3-for-3 in my book. I’m going to quit now while we’re all ahead.

This should be an intriguing position for the Bengals this year as some uncertainty looms not only with the starter, Cedric “The Skipper” Benson, but also his backups. Benson will look to prove last year’s performance wasn’ t a fluke (747 yards behind an average offensive line and a run-well, pass-poorly QB that Ohio hasn’t seen since Stanley Jackson played for the Buckeyes). Rookie Bernard Scott will look to prove his off-the-field problems are behind him. Kenny Watson, who was named the No. 2 running back today, will have to perform well in training camp to avoid getting cut. And Brian Leonard, a [...]

Update: TE Chase Coffman has signed.
OP: As Nate noted, we’re coming down to the wire regarding draft pick signings. The Cincinnati Bengals still have four outstanding rookies: first-pick Andre Smith, second-round selection Rey Maualuga, and third-rounders Michael Johnson and Chase Coffman. Rumor has it that the team is close with Maualuga and Coffman, and they could be in the fold by tomorrow.
To put those non-signings in perspective, here’s how the Bengals stand versus the rest of the league. Going from the bottom up, there’s no reason for Coffman not to be done, except asshattery on the part of one or [...]

This will start a series of position previews heading into the opening of training camp later this week.
The big story heading into training camp is Carson Palmer’s elbow. If Carson is fully recovered, and he says he is, this will be perhaps the strongest position on the team. It will be interesting to watch the battle for the backup spot.
J.T. O’ Sullivan was signed after starting eight games for San Francisco last year, throwing eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions. It’s hard to really evaluate O’ Sullivan since he was playing in what was basically a black hole for quarterbacks last [...]