TJ Jackson
05-21-2008, 01:40 PM
from: http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6803
Now
BY GEOFF HOBSON
May 21, 2008
Marvin Lewis is at it again with his inspirational T-shirts. The man who gave us "Do Your Job" in the 2005 AFC North title season has made it even more brief. One assistant coach sported a bright orange T-shirt with the word "NOW" emblazoned on the back during Wednesday's voluntary session and the ensuing locker-room session revealed Lewis handed them out to everybody.
"He said in the first meeting we had that we've got enough talent in this room right now to win the Super Bowl," said quarterback Carson Palmer. "I think his point is don't wait for things to happen. Don't think we're going to be a good team in years to come. ... We need to be aggressive, we need to want it, we need to go for it. Now's the time."
But for the umpteenth time, the 28-year-old Palmer said he doesn't sense windows closing.
"If you look at Tennessee a couple of years ago when they had all those salary cap issues. The 49ers for the last couple of years. We currently don't have any issues," he said. "We're not strung out in a bunch of contracts like the New York Knicks. Everybody has a window in their own career, but we have a young team.
"I don't think our window is closing any time soon."
Lewis refuted reports that he told one of Odell Thurman's representatives that Thurman's offseason absences from Paul Brown Stadium led to Monday's release. Safarrah Lawson has indicated that he believes the Bengals cut him because he didn't return to voluntary workouts after his grandmother's May 12 funeral.
"His grandmother has been a deal quite awhile," Lewis said. "Don't get into his whole family structure (as) an issue. We've been patient enough with Odell. He's no longer here."
Eight of the 10 Bengals draft picks were on the field Wednesday, including No. 1 pick Keith Rivers, one of the starting outside linebackers. Not on the field were fifth-rounder Jason Shirley and seventh-rounder Angelo Craig. Craig and his fellow University of Cincinnati rookies can't practice until June 11 because of the school's calendar.
Lewis looked to be giving a few veterans days off during the voluntary workouts. Not dressed Wednesday were running backs Chris Perry and Kenny Watson, safety Dexter Jackson and linebacker Corey Mays. Perry, coming off a dislocated ankle, looked sharp in the last week's workouts and it is believed he is just getting a rest, but had no comment after practice.
Coming off the field, Perry said he worked Tuesday and is just getting a rest but he doesn't know if they'll let hm work Thursday.
Wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, along with starting tackles Willie Anderson and Levi Jones weren't at the practice, which is the fifth voluntary workout of the spring.
One of the observers at practice was Florida coach Urban Meyer and his father. He watched his old wide receiver, third-round pick Andre Caldwell, run by cornerback Leon Hall for a long ball from Palmer.
Safety Ethan Kilmer, tryng to come back from a knee injury that wiped out all last season, had an ice bag on his knee before he left practice early.
Andrew Whitworth, at left tackle for Jones, and Stacy Andrews, for Anderson at right tackle manned the offensive line.
No changes looked to be in the offing at backer in the wake of the Thurman release. With Mays not practicing, Jim Maxwell backed up Dhani Jones at middle linebacker. Ahmad Brooks and Darryl Blackstock worked behind Rashad Jeanty at SAM.
Also working with the second unit, cornerback David Jones picked off a ball two snaps after he collided with a teammate and was slow to get up.
Now
BY GEOFF HOBSON
May 21, 2008
Marvin Lewis is at it again with his inspirational T-shirts. The man who gave us "Do Your Job" in the 2005 AFC North title season has made it even more brief. One assistant coach sported a bright orange T-shirt with the word "NOW" emblazoned on the back during Wednesday's voluntary session and the ensuing locker-room session revealed Lewis handed them out to everybody.
"He said in the first meeting we had that we've got enough talent in this room right now to win the Super Bowl," said quarterback Carson Palmer. "I think his point is don't wait for things to happen. Don't think we're going to be a good team in years to come. ... We need to be aggressive, we need to want it, we need to go for it. Now's the time."
But for the umpteenth time, the 28-year-old Palmer said he doesn't sense windows closing.
"If you look at Tennessee a couple of years ago when they had all those salary cap issues. The 49ers for the last couple of years. We currently don't have any issues," he said. "We're not strung out in a bunch of contracts like the New York Knicks. Everybody has a window in their own career, but we have a young team.
"I don't think our window is closing any time soon."
Lewis refuted reports that he told one of Odell Thurman's representatives that Thurman's offseason absences from Paul Brown Stadium led to Monday's release. Safarrah Lawson has indicated that he believes the Bengals cut him because he didn't return to voluntary workouts after his grandmother's May 12 funeral.
"His grandmother has been a deal quite awhile," Lewis said. "Don't get into his whole family structure (as) an issue. We've been patient enough with Odell. He's no longer here."
Eight of the 10 Bengals draft picks were on the field Wednesday, including No. 1 pick Keith Rivers, one of the starting outside linebackers. Not on the field were fifth-rounder Jason Shirley and seventh-rounder Angelo Craig. Craig and his fellow University of Cincinnati rookies can't practice until June 11 because of the school's calendar.
Lewis looked to be giving a few veterans days off during the voluntary workouts. Not dressed Wednesday were running backs Chris Perry and Kenny Watson, safety Dexter Jackson and linebacker Corey Mays. Perry, coming off a dislocated ankle, looked sharp in the last week's workouts and it is believed he is just getting a rest, but had no comment after practice.
Coming off the field, Perry said he worked Tuesday and is just getting a rest but he doesn't know if they'll let hm work Thursday.
Wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, along with starting tackles Willie Anderson and Levi Jones weren't at the practice, which is the fifth voluntary workout of the spring.
One of the observers at practice was Florida coach Urban Meyer and his father. He watched his old wide receiver, third-round pick Andre Caldwell, run by cornerback Leon Hall for a long ball from Palmer.
Safety Ethan Kilmer, tryng to come back from a knee injury that wiped out all last season, had an ice bag on his knee before he left practice early.
Andrew Whitworth, at left tackle for Jones, and Stacy Andrews, for Anderson at right tackle manned the offensive line.
No changes looked to be in the offing at backer in the wake of the Thurman release. With Mays not practicing, Jim Maxwell backed up Dhani Jones at middle linebacker. Ahmad Brooks and Darryl Blackstock worked behind Rashad Jeanty at SAM.
Also working with the second unit, cornerback David Jones picked off a ball two snaps after he collided with a teammate and was slow to get up.