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Bengals have holes to fill on offense

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090...70381/1066

You would hope in free agency that you could get one or two of those positions solidified," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. "It could be a current player and a new one, two current players or two new ones."

• Read more on Joe Reedy's Bengals blog.


Both of the team's unrestricted free agent linemen - tackle/guard Stacy Andrews and center Eric Ghiaciuc - will test the market.

It appears one would-be option for the Bengals isn't going to hit the market. The Colts agreed Thursday to a contract with center Jeff Saturday, who reportedly had interest in the Bengals, Steelers and Eagles.

Other players who might bolster the Bengals' line could be Minnesota center Matt Birk; San Diego guard Mike Goff, who was drafted by the Bengals in 1998; Baltimore guard/center Jason Brown; Oakland center Jake Grove and Pittsburgh guard Chris Kemoeatu.

The Bengals' situation at running back is also dire. After they cut Rudi Johnson last year during the preseason, the Bengals were without an established back until they signed Cedric Benson on Sept. 30. After posting three games of 100-plus yards, Benson expressed an interest in returning to Cincinnati, but his agent, Eugene Parker, has decided to see if his client could get more on the open market.

If Benson does not re-sign, the Bengals' best option at running back would be the Giants' Derrick Ward, who was used mostly on third downs but has shown he has the tools to step up and be a No. 1 runner.

Some other running backs available are New England's LaMont Jordan, New Orleans' Deuce McAllister, Chicago's Kevin Jones or Tampa Bay's Warrick Dunn.

And with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick also going to free agency, the Bengals also are shopping for an experienced backup to Carson Palmer.

On defense, the Bengals would like to upgrade with a pass rusher on the line or at linebacker, but it is possible they could get that through the draft. The one player they would like to re-sign is safety Chris Crocker, who came in at midseason and emerged as a starter. But his asking price might be too high, as his side is seeking starter-type money.

"I don't know where you put a free agent player on defense," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "... We've got some good young players, we've got the draft upcoming, so I don't see where that's going to be a good fit for us defensively. We have some more, I think, apparent needs offensively - whether it be tackle, a center, a running back, and obviously with (free agent wide receiver) T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) in the situation he is in."

Every NFL team is facing new rules during the last capped year, which has triggered some significant changes that have teams counting more against this year's $123 million salary cap. That will give them less room to maneuver in free agency.

"As we have been every year since I have been in Cincinnati, we will be at the cap - at or above," Lewis said. "We will have some spillover into the next year, which obviously this coming season you can't do. So you have to stay at the cap and can't go beyond it anymore. "... We need to go into the market and look at what's the best fit for us."

Bengals need more than just a few more holes.