Seeking replacement for Henry as third WR
For a middle-of-the-pack NFL team, the Bengals have a relatively set lineup. There are few sexy position battles unfolding in training camp.
But there is one - the hunt for the third wide receiver - and it figures to take the rest of the preseason to be settled.
The first major on-stage audition will be Monday night in the preseason opener at Green Bay. The five principals for the role - rookies Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson and veterans Antonio Chatman, Glenn Holt and Marcus Maxwell - have been rehearsing at Georgetown College.
Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said none of the five has emerged as the favorite. "Time is going to tell. We'll make the decision based on consistency over time."
The starters are set in the base offense. Chad Johnson (ankle) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring) both have been slowed by injuries. Neither is likely to play much against the Packers, though Johnson might get a few snaps.
"I'm excited as I can be to see Andre and Jerome, Marcus Maxwell, and Chatman and Glenn Holt, and not everybody's going to make it," coach Marvin Lewis said.
Roster spots are at stake.
The Bengals normally have six receivers on their 53-man roster. Johnson, Houshmandzadeh, Simpson and Caldwell are locks. The Bengals aren't going to let go of second- and third-round picks Simpson and Caldwell; they are the team's future starters.
So not only are Chatman, Maxwell, Holt and the other receivers in camp vying for playing time; they're fighting for a job. The other three receivers in camp are all rookies: seventh-rounder Mario Urrutia and free agents Maurice Purify and Clyde Logan.
The role is important in the Bengals offense.
With the departed Chris Henry serving as the third receiver over the previous three seasons, the Bengals could almost overwhelm the opposing defensive secondary with options for quarterback Carson Palmer. Henry, waived April 3 after his fifth arrest while in the Bengals' employ, was especially productive in the red zone: 17 of his 88 career receptions were for touchdowns.
But the third receiver might not be on the field as much this season.
"We may be in more formations without three wide receivers," Lewis said this past week.
Instead, the Bengals envision using more two-tight end sets with newly acquired Ben Utecht working the middle of the field as a receiving-oriented tight end.
Utecht had 64 receptions the previous two seasons at Indianapolis, where he worked as Dallas Clark's backup. Utecht and five-year Bengals starting tight end Reggie Kelly have been busy as receivers throughout the spring and into training camp in practice.
Traditionally in Lewis' five years as head coach, the Bengals have not thrown to their tight ends frequently. That trend figures to be reversed this season.
"I think the key is that we make the quarterbacks have the confidence and feel good that we're going to be in the spots we're supposed to be in when we're supposed to be there," Bengals tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes said. "And if we do that our role will just grow."
The use of two-tight end formations complicates the defensive preparations for the opposition.
"You're preparing for maybe a percentage of four or five different personnel groupings as opposed to two or three," said Lewis, a former defensive coordinator in Baltimore and Washington. "You've got to allot practice time to that. It waters down what you can do in some of your base-downs. It certainly waters down what you can do in pressures."
Plus there is the return of tailback Chris Perry, a gifted receiver out of the backfield - Bratkowski has even lined up Perry as a wide receiver - who had 51 receptions in 2005.
Still, Bratkowski would like to have a No. 3 receiver emerge from the pack - as Henry did when he was with the Bengals.
"But maybe you're developing someone, and they're not there yet," he said in reference to Simpson or Caldwell.
"Having a good backup running back (Perry) and a good tight end (Utecht) takes a little bit of pressure off the third receiver because a lot of those balls can go to those guys in those matchup situations where the really is trying to double-team T.J. and or Chad."
Another option at third receiver is a by-committee setup.
For example, Chatman is smaller and quicker - similar to a Peter Warrick-type of receiver - who can get open on third-and-short situations by creating mismatches against safeties or linebackers. Maxwell and Holt have more physical size.
Clearly, Bratkowski and the offense have many options. Perry and Chatman are healthy. So is the offensive line, where tackles Levi Jones and Willie Anderson came to camp last year unable to play because of injuries.
The line is so deep this year that Anderson is currently working as the No. 2 right tackle behind Stacy Andrews.
And it's a line that allowed a single-season franchise low 17 sacks of Palmer last season.
For a middle-of-the-pack NFL team, the Bengals have a relatively set lineup. There are few sexy position battles unfolding in training camp.
But there is one - the hunt for the third wide receiver - and it figures to take the rest of the preseason to be settled.
The first major on-stage audition will be Monday night in the preseason opener at Green Bay. The five principals for the role - rookies Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson and veterans Antonio Chatman, Glenn Holt and Marcus Maxwell - have been rehearsing at Georgetown College.
Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said none of the five has emerged as the favorite. "Time is going to tell. We'll make the decision based on consistency over time."
The starters are set in the base offense. Chad Johnson (ankle) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring) both have been slowed by injuries. Neither is likely to play much against the Packers, though Johnson might get a few snaps.
"I'm excited as I can be to see Andre and Jerome, Marcus Maxwell, and Chatman and Glenn Holt, and not everybody's going to make it," coach Marvin Lewis said.
Roster spots are at stake.
The Bengals normally have six receivers on their 53-man roster. Johnson, Houshmandzadeh, Simpson and Caldwell are locks. The Bengals aren't going to let go of second- and third-round picks Simpson and Caldwell; they are the team's future starters.
So not only are Chatman, Maxwell, Holt and the other receivers in camp vying for playing time; they're fighting for a job. The other three receivers in camp are all rookies: seventh-rounder Mario Urrutia and free agents Maurice Purify and Clyde Logan.
The role is important in the Bengals offense.
With the departed Chris Henry serving as the third receiver over the previous three seasons, the Bengals could almost overwhelm the opposing defensive secondary with options for quarterback Carson Palmer. Henry, waived April 3 after his fifth arrest while in the Bengals' employ, was especially productive in the red zone: 17 of his 88 career receptions were for touchdowns.
But the third receiver might not be on the field as much this season.
"We may be in more formations without three wide receivers," Lewis said this past week.
Instead, the Bengals envision using more two-tight end sets with newly acquired Ben Utecht working the middle of the field as a receiving-oriented tight end.
Utecht had 64 receptions the previous two seasons at Indianapolis, where he worked as Dallas Clark's backup. Utecht and five-year Bengals starting tight end Reggie Kelly have been busy as receivers throughout the spring and into training camp in practice.
Traditionally in Lewis' five years as head coach, the Bengals have not thrown to their tight ends frequently. That trend figures to be reversed this season.
"I think the key is that we make the quarterbacks have the confidence and feel good that we're going to be in the spots we're supposed to be in when we're supposed to be there," Bengals tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes said. "And if we do that our role will just grow."
The use of two-tight end formations complicates the defensive preparations for the opposition.
"You're preparing for maybe a percentage of four or five different personnel groupings as opposed to two or three," said Lewis, a former defensive coordinator in Baltimore and Washington. "You've got to allot practice time to that. It waters down what you can do in some of your base-downs. It certainly waters down what you can do in pressures."
Plus there is the return of tailback Chris Perry, a gifted receiver out of the backfield - Bratkowski has even lined up Perry as a wide receiver - who had 51 receptions in 2005.
Still, Bratkowski would like to have a No. 3 receiver emerge from the pack - as Henry did when he was with the Bengals.
"But maybe you're developing someone, and they're not there yet," he said in reference to Simpson or Caldwell.
"Having a good backup running back (Perry) and a good tight end (Utecht) takes a little bit of pressure off the third receiver because a lot of those balls can go to those guys in those matchup situations where the really is trying to double-team T.J. and or Chad."
Another option at third receiver is a by-committee setup.
For example, Chatman is smaller and quicker - similar to a Peter Warrick-type of receiver - who can get open on third-and-short situations by creating mismatches against safeties or linebackers. Maxwell and Holt have more physical size.
Clearly, Bratkowski and the offense have many options. Perry and Chatman are healthy. So is the offensive line, where tackles Levi Jones and Willie Anderson came to camp last year unable to play because of injuries.
The line is so deep this year that Anderson is currently working as the No. 2 right tackle behind Stacy Andrews.
And it's a line that allowed a single-season franchise low 17 sacks of Palmer last season.
