Bengals Fantasy News

Trent Richardson (shin) held out of OTAs
Friday, May 24, 2013, 9:58am

Browns RB Trent Richardson sat out organized team activities today with a pulled muscle in his shin and might also miss the Browns' mandatory minicamp June 4-6, coach Rob Chudzinski said.

"It's precautionary,'' Chudzinski said. "We're holding him out. We've got minicamp in a week and a half. He may miss that. I'm not sure. We'll take it day-by-day.''

The Browns are being extra cautious with their second-year running back because of the injuries he battled through last season. He initially underwent a arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in February of 2012, a few months before the draft. He then had a second scope on the same knee a few weeks into training camp, on Aug. 9, to remove a loose piece of cartilage and sat out all four preseason games.

Richardson worked to be ready for the opener Sept. 9 against the Eagles, but wasn't 100 percent at the start of the season. Then, he broke two or three ribs in Week 6 against the Bengals, and was limited the following week to eight yards on eight carries in Indianapolis.

After the season, he revealed that he played much of the year in excruciating pain and had difficulty breathing and sleeping.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013, 2:24pm

Second-round pick Giovani Bernard is one of those pieces who will play a key role in the offense as a rookie.

The former North Carolina running back told "NFL AM" on Wednesday morning that he's excited to share the backfield with veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis. When pressed about his role, he said he is there to be a shifty complement to the incumbent.

"I think it's more so a complementary kind of thing," Bernard said. "I think we are both going to help each other out. I definitely had a chance to talk to him, and he's the leader of that pack, he's the leader of the guys. I'm going to be following his footsteps, so I'm going to do whatever I can to help him. He's going to help me."

Tuesday, May 14, 2013, 12:55pm

OC Jay Gruden certainly didn’t ease his picks into the flow of things. Starting with the first practice, he lined up tight end Tyler Eifert all over the field and also had a steady amount of screen passes for running back Giovani Bernard.

Bernard gives the Bengals a back that they haven’t had in Marvin Lewis’ 11 seasons here – one with speed who can also be dangerous catching the ball out of the backfield. There were a couple of times over the weekend where Bernard caught a screen pass and was gone up the sideline.

Sunday, May 12, 2013, 10:32am

Last season, the Bengals’ most effective personnel package might have been one tight end, three wide receivers and one back with Mohamed Sanu and Andrew Hawkins complementing A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham. OC Jay Gruden said the plan is still to feature that package quite a bit, probably in nickel.

“It’s just that our base package will probably feature more two tight ends (including rookie Tyler Eifert), two receivers rather than one tight end two backs,” he said. “We can get everything in our running game in that personnel group. It’s taking out a fullback and putting in a heck of a pass catcher and hopefully a good blocker. We like to mix up our personnel groupings and keep defenses off balance hopefully and be diverse in what we do. Our goal is to get our best players on the field.”

If the Bengals can force defenses to go nickel on first and second down with two tight ends on the field as the Patriots do, running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Giovani Bernard are going to see a lot of daylight. The key is Eifert being multi-dimensional—not just a pass catcher.

“If Tyler is a good blocker, that puts us in a good advantage in the run game,” Gruden said. “That’s what New England does so well. They get teams to match up nickel with them and they can run the ball effectively out of that two tight end set. They have an extra big body blocking. Tyler has a long way to go to prove he’s a good blocker. Training camp will help him. Coach [Jonathan] Hayes has been around tight ends for a long time and is a great tutor for him.”

Saturday, May 11, 2013, 11:57am

Tyler Eifert lined up here, there and just about everywhere during his first practice with the Cincinnati Bengals. Felt like old times.

The Bengals got started on their new tight end-heavy passing game yesterday at the start of a weekend rookie minicamp. A lot of the focus was on Eifert, chosen in the first round to give quarterback Andy Dalton another target.

Eifert lined up in a lot of different spots at Notre Dame. Judging by the first day of practice in Cincinnati, he’s going to be doing the same thing in the NFL.

“A lot of the things I’m learning are a lot of the same plays we had in with two tight ends — move me around in different positions,” Eifert said. “Today I was out in the slot quite a bit. I think I’m picking it up pretty fast.”

OC Gruden: Gio Bernard will compete "for the third-down spot"
Saturday, May 4, 2013, 10:03am

OC Jay Gruden loves the pick of North Carolina running back Giovani Bernard in the second round. He's a three-down back, Gruden says, who upgrades the Cincinnati passing game with an exciting sizzle.

"We had a need and we filled it with two guys. Bernard and [Rex Burkhead] are both good in that role," Gruden says. "They'll be competing for the third-down spot."

Gruden covets Bernard's versatility, and his size, 5-9, 205 pounds, he says, is no different than three-down backs coming into the league. Like Tampa Bay's 5-9, 220-pound Doug Martin in the last draft: "(Bernard) ran the ball in and outside zones and caught it as well. A lot of guys his size are doing it."

Tuesday, April 30, 2013, 3:55pm

The Bengals are hoping that receiver Mohamed Sanu is fully recovered from a broken foot that cut short his rookie season. Sanu, a third-round pick from Rutgers last year, had worked his way into the starting lineup when he broke his left foot and needed surgery on Dec. 3.

Sanu caught 16 passes for 154 yards with four touchdowns in nine games last season, ran five times for 15 yards and threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Green out of a Wildcat formation.

Sanu expects to be at full speed for the team's offseason workouts in May.

Gruden: Jermaine Gresham "is our starting tight end"
Friday, April 26, 2013, 10:19am

Bengals OC Jay Gruden on TEs Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert: “I don’t think Jermaine has a lot to worry about; Jermaine’s our starting tight end. And Tyler’s going to come in here and add another element with the two tight end package or three tight end package. You know, everyone should be pushing themselves anyway. Jermaine should be working to get better whether we drafted Eifert or some slappy from New Haven. Jermaine should be pushing himself, and that’s the way our offense has been run and that’s the way our guys work in the room.”

Arians targeting 100 receptions, 10-15 TDs for Larry Ftzgerald
Thursday, April 25, 2013, 2:34pm

Cardinals HC Bruce Arians on WR Larry Fitzgerald:

“It was a down year, and it’s nice to see him on a mission right now to get back to where he was, and rightfully so. He’s a premier player and we need to have him back up over 100 catches and 10-15 touchdowns.”

Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 12:28pm

Bengals WR Mohammed Sanu confirms 100 percent: 'No nagging pain.'

Friday, April 12, 2013, 4:56pm

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com first reported Friday that Bernard Scott is headed back to the team. USA Today later reported Scott agreed to a one-year contract, according to his agent Scott Casterline.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013, 6:27pm

Bengals acquire QB John Skelton on waivers from the Cardinals

Redskins sign Fred Davis to one-year deal
Friday, March 29, 2013, 11:18am

The Washington Redskins expected to keep tight end Fred Davis all along. They weren't disappointed.

Davis has signed a one-year contract to remain with the Redskins, a source close to the player told NFL.com's Albert Breer on Friday.

Davis was one of the top free agents still available, and one of our favorite bargain pickups all along. He's a big injury question coming off a torn Achilles tendon, but has shown to be one of the most explosive players at his position when healthy. Davis didn't get the long-term love that he was hoping for in free agency, so he'll re-enter the market again next year at age 28, ideally in better health.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013, 2:24pm

Free agent running back Bernard Scott was cleared Monday by orthopedic surgeon Robert Scheinberg to begin cutting and doing "explosive weight training" on his surgically repaired knee, Scott's agent, Scott Casterline, told USA TODAY Sports.

Scott tore his ACL in Week 2 last season for the Cincinnati Bengals. Casterline said Scheinberg said Scott is right on track in his recovery.

Giants sign K Josh Brown
Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 10:59am

K Josh Brown is signing with the Giants this morning, per multiple sources. He was in camp with the Jets last year.