Numerous reports have indicated the Cincinnati Bengals have made an offer to controversial cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones and a deal could be made official later this week. The offer comes on the same day he visited Cincinnati for his second workout with the team in three months.

ProFootballTalk.com first broke the story that Jones would sign with the Bengals, but according to the team site, he went home to New Orleans to discuss the offer with his family and nothing has been made official. However, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com claims Tuesday’s meeting went well enough to believe a deal is likely to come by the end of the week.

If a deal is reached, he could compete with rookie cornerback Brandon Ghee for a backup role to Leon Hall or Johnathan Joseph—who will be the starters at cornerback for Cincinnati next season. A few analysts are taking into speculation of the possibility of Mike Zimmer giving Pacman a shot at safety, one of the top priorities entering the 2010 NFL Draft that was left unfulfilled.

Jones received his first workout from a NFL team with the Bengals back in February, but he left Cincinnati without an offer, leaving many to believe Marvin Lewis and company had no interest in him. After his agent listed the Bengals as one of four teams still showing interest, it still seemed unlikely a deal would be reached considering his previous visit.

Now, it seems as if the Bengals will bring in a player who was once considered one of the most dangerous players in the NFL not only because of his ability as an effective cornerback, but on special teams as well. Before his 2007 suspension, Jones reached the Pro Bowl in just his second season with the Tennessee Titans after recording four interceptions—including one returned for a touchdown—and three punts returned for touchdowns.

Following his suspension from the ’07 season, Jones was traded to the Dallas Cowboys prior to the 2008 NFL Draft in exchange for a fourth-round pick. After playing in just nine games, in which he recorded a combined 31 tackles and averaged 4.5 yards-per-punt return, Pacman was eventually released in February 2009.

Read more

For the second time in three months, controversial cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones worked out with the Cincinnati Bengals as he attempts to make his return to the NFL. According to a report from John Clayton of ESPN.com, the former Dallas Cowboy and Tennessee Titan traveled to Cincinnati on Tuesday for a workout.

Jones received a workout from the Bengals in February, but left without an offer. His agent has listed Cincinnati as one of four teams recently showing interest in the troubled cornerback who has not played since the 2008 season.

If Jones were to sign with the Bengals, he would most likely be used on special teams as a returner and compete as a backup cornerback since Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph are lock-ins as the starters. Cincinnati has a history of taking gambles on players with troubled pasts—no matter how serious the previous matters have been. Clearly, they are aware of his off-the-field issues, but are more interested to see if he can return to the talent level from 2006 in which he was arguably one of the top defenders in the NFL.

In his sophomore season with the Titans, Jones was considered a threat not only on defense, but special teams. Along with his four interceptions, he returned three punts for touchdowns during the ’06 season. He seemed to be the type of player with a bright future ahead of him as one of the most dangerous cornerbacks in the NFL.

Instead, Jones was unable to stay out of trouble off the field and would eventually face a year-long suspension before his trade Dallas.

After one season with the Cowboys, Jones was released by Dallas in February 2009. He was ineffective on defense and special teams, finishing after with a combined 31 tackles and averaging just 4.5 yards-per-punt.

Jones was suspended for the 2007 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as a result for his off-the-field behavior and had been arrested six times. He was acquired by the Cowboys through a trade with the Titans before the 2008 NFL Draft in exchange for a fourth-round pick.

Read more

One week after displaying his best performance of the season with the Argentine Tango, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and his partner Cheryl Burke danced to the Viennese Waltz on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars. The Pro Bowl wide receiver gave the birthday girl an extra gift—along with the diamond necklace—by receiving his best score of the season with 25 out of 30.

For the second straight week, the competition added a new twist on top of each couple's individual performance. Along with the Waltz, Chad and Cheryl took part in the Cha-Cha challenge in which they joined Pamela Anderson, Damien Whitewood, Nicole Scherzinger, and Derek Hough as "Team Gaga" to perform her classic hit "Telephone." The six dancers received a score of 27 for their energetic performance to be combined with each of their individual dance scores.

As impressive as their group performance was, it was Chad and Cheryl's individual performance that impressed the judges for the second straight week--especially for Ocho's use of his arms. Here's what the judges had to say about Chad's performance of the Waltz:

Bruno Tonioli: “Chad I can’t believe you can be so graceful and so gentle. Truly a gentle giant I’m telling you. You really maintained your focus. Just a couple of things, I can see you worked a lot on extending your lining, but make sure it travels through your fingers.”

Carrie Ann Inaba: “When you’re aware of your arms, they’re breathtaking. They’re so elegant and there is nothing sexier than watching a man find out how to be tender and graceful.

Len Goodman: “You’re arms to me we’re full of fluidity. Chad, remember this day, May 3 2010…the night you became a contender.”

The judges were harsh on Ochocinco during the first few weeks of the show because they knew he was capable of living up to higher potential. After two straight impressive performances, it seems like No. 85 is finally living up to that potential as he continues to get better and better each week.

For two weeks in a row, Chad and Cheryl have set their highest scores of the season—making their chances of returning next week highly likely. Of course, the only way to guarantee their return is if they receive enough votes from the fans.

Fans can vote for Chad Ochocinco and Cheryl Burke by clicking here or calling 1-800-VOTE4-01.

Read more

ESPN released their 2010 NFL Power Rankings for the offseason with the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 11. With an already stellar defense, the defending AFC North champions received a high ranking after adding key members on offense through free agency and the draft to improve last year’s 26th ranked passing game.

Last season, the Bengals were ranked No. 24 before the start of the regular season. There were many questions surrounding a Cincinnati team coming off of a 4-11-1 season and a quarterback in Carson Palmer returning from a serious elbow injury that allowed him to play in just four games in 2008.

Instead, the Bengals shocked the NFL world by winning their first division title since 2005 thanks to a powerful running game (ranked 8th overall) led by Cedric Benson and a strong defensive unit (ranked 4th overall) that surrendered just 18.2 points per game. Unfortunately, the passing game was still a major issue, averaging just 180.6 yards per game through the air with their only consistent wideout being Chad Ochocinco.

Head coach Marvin Lewis knew for his team to not only compete for their second-straight division title, but their first back-to-back winning seasons in 28 years, the Bengals would need to add a few more targets for Carson Palmer to throw to. They started the 2010 offseason on the right path by signing Antonio Bryant after Laveranues Coles’ release and continued to head in the right direction in this year’s draft. Not only did they add a dangerous pass-catching tight end by selecting Jermaine Gresham with the 21st pick, but third-round pick Jordan Shipley may see some early action during his rookie season as an effective slot wideout.

The Bengals have been making all the right moves during the 2010 offseason and will not only be considered contenders within their division, but playoffs as well. However, defending their division title won’t come easy with the fourth toughest schedule with eight games against teams who made the playoffs a year ago. Not to mention their six games within the division against the Steelers, Browns, and Ravens—who are currently No. 7 on ESPN’s list after adding key members to their passing game as well.

Read more

The Cincinnati Bengals wrapped up their rookie minicamp this weekend with rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham making a well enough first impression to make him the early favorite to start once the regular season kicks off against the New England Patriots September 12.

Marvin Lewis conducted five practices over the weekend and seemed to be most impressed with his first-round pick out of Oklahoma. Most teams were hesitant towards selecting Gresham after a knee injury prevented him from playing his final season with the Sooners, but he’s made it clear through workouts at the Combine and during individual team workouts that it won’t be an issue. Even tight ends coach Jon Hayes seemed impressed with his ability after an interview with Geoff Hobson on the team’s site.

“We understand we’ve got a lot of work in front of us, but it’s only going to get better,” Hayes said. “He’s been out for eight months, but I was very impressed. His suddenness, his power, his ball skills, movement skills are the things that just flash and stick out to you. From a football aptitude and athletic standpoint, he did a great job.”

One of the key highlights from Gresham’s first weekend with the Bengals was his ability to transition into lining up in the left-hand stance after Hayes grilled him during one of the practices over the weekend. While most players would take some time to adjust to the new formation, he seemed a pro later that day with the new stance—which shows Gresham’s ability to learn as a football player.

The Bengals entered the 2010 NFL Draft with a number of players in mind to use their 21st pick on. Cincinnati knew the decision would be based off player availability, and with Gresham still on the board, they found it hard to pass on a player drawing comparisons to San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates.

With the status of Reggie Kelley’s return still up in the air and Chase Coffman still unproven as an effective tight end, the Bengals had questions at the tight end position entering this year’s draft. They bring in a player in Gresham who not only has the size and strength to be an effective blocker, but a pass-catching tight end. He finished his final two seasons at Oklahoma with 156 catches for 1,664 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Read more

After adding three new members to the passing game—Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gersham, Texas WR Jordan Shipley, and Kansas WR Dezmon Briscoe—during last week’s NFL Draft, no member of the Cincinnati Bengals will face more pressure during the 2010 season than offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski.

From 2005-07, Gratkowski had the Bengals offense ranked in the top 10 each season. An offense led by Carson Palmer, he had a dynamic duo at wideout in Chad Ochocinco—who went by Johnson at the time—and T.J. Houshmandzadeh along with a strong running game with Rudi Johnson. After finishing the last two seasons with the 32nd and 24th ranked offense, the 2010 season could be the deciding factor on Gratkowski’s future in Cincinnati.

Gratkowski received heavy criticism last season for his inability to utilize Palmer and the passing game. The loss of Houshmandzadeh and his ability as a slot wideout left a major gap in the passing game, but the Bengals were still expected to flourish with the addition of Laveranues Coles. After a disappointing first—and only—season in Cincinnati, he was released by the Bengals in March to make room for Antonio Bryant.

The addition of Bryant provides the Bengals with arguably one of the top free-agent wide receivers in this year’s class. The former Tampa Bay wide receiver may have struggled last season—in which he finished with 39 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns—after dealing with knee injuries, but if 2008 is any indication of the type of potential he has, the passing game should see a drastic improvement next season.

Cincinnati contained one of the top running games last year and set a franchise record with eight games in which a running back broke the 100-yard mark. With key members of the offensive line returning—along with the potential of Andre Smith—and Cedric Benson entering his second full season as a starter with the Bengals, the running game should be just as effective in 2010 as it was last season.

All of the weapons seem to be in place for Cincinnati to finish with their first back-to-back winning seasons in 28 years. The defense is solid, the running game is strong, and the passing game has the potential to return to the dominant level it was at a few years ago with the addition of key free agents and rookies.

With the amount of talent on this year’s roster, there are no excuses for the Bengals’ offense to struggle with putting up points this season. Cincinnati averaged just 19.1 points per game in 2009 and will need to find more ways to score if they want any chance of competing in the AFC North next season.

Of course, if the Bengals continue to struggle like last season, the fingers shouldn’t be pointed at Marvin Lewis; they should be directly pointed at Bratkowski.

Read more

The Cincinnati Bengals claimed safety DeAngelo Willingham off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks. The move comes after visiting with Ken Hamlin and C.C. Brown earlier this week.

Roy Williams—who signed another one-year deal this offseason—and Chris Crocker may be the Bengals top safeties entering next season, but they are still shopping for more help at the position. While Crocker still has three years remaining on his contract, Cincinnati re-signed Williams in what some are considering a second test-run for the former Dallas Cowboys standout that made five-straight Pro Bowls from 2003-07. He played in just four games last season after fracturing his forearm and eventually placed on season-ending injured reserve

After last weekend’s draft, many were surprised to see the Bengals pass on a safety when it was one of their top priorities. With Eric Berry selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the fifth overall pick, many wondered if Cincinnati would trade up to acquire Earl Thomas or take a shot at Taylor Mays if he was still available with the 21st pick. Instead, they selected Jermaine Gresham and used four of their next eight picks on defense—but none on a safety.

Willingham, the former Tennessee Volunteer, was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an unrestricted free agent following the 2009 NFL Draft. He played in three preseason games before his release and joined the practice squads for the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and Seahawks. Willingham has never participated in a NFL regular season game.

Read more