Cincinnati Bengals
Notes: Good first day
By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted April 30, 2010 1:17 PM ET
Not a whole lot can be gleaned from the first day of rookie minicamp, but Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis did like what he saw on Friday.
"I think I'm pleased with what we're doing. Little things, such as Jermaine (Gresham) having to line up in a left-handed stance and things like that he's not used to having done. Small things like that," Lewis said. "I noticed this morning, every time he went out on the other side of the line, he was changing and he was having to think about it, whereas this afternoon he just went out and did it. Things like that were cool to get done right now. So when they come back, those things are all out of the way and he has a chance in two weeks to reiterate that and focus on that and lock that down."
For many of the players, there was that moment when they realized they were finally on an NFL field.
"It was crazy to have an NFL helmet, a Bengals helmet on, it's a dream come true," said third-round pick Brandon Ghee. "You're nervous out there, but after the first 20 minutes, it's just football the way you've been playing all your life."
The team will practice twice more on Saturday and one more time on Sunday.
NOT A TWIT -- Soon after Jordan Shipley was drafted, Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco sent a tweet to @Jordan_Shipley, a Twitter account with pictures of the Texas receiver.
The only problem was, that wasn't Jordan Shipley, the Bengals' third-round pick.
"That is a dangerous thing nowadays, people can get on there and make up fake accounts and pretend that they're you and get you in trouble and all kinds of stuff," Shipley said.
The account is no longer active. He'd also heard that there was a MySpace page that was purporting to be his; it was not.
Shipley said he doesn't see himself Twittering anytime soon, "that's not my deal," he said. But he is looking forward to meeting Ochocinco - for real.
CHECKING IN -- Several Bengals were on hand to watch at least part of the rookie minicamp. Among those spotted on the sideline were Carson Palmer, Andrew Whitworth, Nate Livings, Andre Smith, Maurice Purify, Rey Maualuga, Chase Coffman and Brandon Johnson.
Also spotted was former Bengals defensive lineman John Thornton, who checked out minicamp.
Butch Jones and much of the University of Cincinnati football staff was also on-hand to watch part of practice. Three Bearcats were on the field, long snapper Mike Windt was signed as a college free agent and defensive end Curtis Young and running back Jacob Ramsey were invited to minicamp for a tryout.
ZIMMER ON SAFETIES -- Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said the workouts of free agent safties Ken Hamlin and C.C. Brown went well, but didn't commit to anything more than that.
"We'll see," Zimmer said. "I think any spot needs to be addressed if we can find the right guy. The thing that gets me is that a year ago, going into camp, our safties were our strong suit - we've got so many safties we'll have to cut one. We ended up cutting Corey Lynch and now it's a weakness. I don't know. We had two guys get hurt last year, so now it's a weakness, I don't know."
NEW STRIPES -- Former Steeler Dermontti Dawson will be an intern coach at training camp for the Bengals.
Dawson, who went to the University of Kentucky, played for Pittsburgh from 1988-2000, reaching the Pro Bowl seven times and was a six-time AP first-team All-Pro. A native of Lexington, Ky, Dawson still lives there.
"Dermontti will add for our young guys and our offensive linemen for the time that he's with us a great perspective on being a pro and being a great professional. Here's a guy who was a very talented overachiever and who is talented as he was he was the hardest working guy there," said Lewis, who coached with the Steelers when Dawson played. "First one in and last one out. Best student, best studier, best knee bender you would pick Dermontti first. It's great. I told him we were going to use the hell out of him and to mentor both our center and young guys who are here and our first-round pick from a year ago. We're just going to use him up and feel exploited when we're done with him and that we were going to use up all of his ability and that's the thing. He'll be an outstanding football coach if that's what he decides he wants to do."
Lewis pointed out that Dawson will work with center Kyle Cook, as well as last year's first-round pick Andre Smith.
Lewis not only coached Dawson with the Steelers, but coached against him when he was in Baltimore as a defensive coordinator.
"You didn't scheme against Dermontti. Dermontti was scheming you," Lewis said.
Dawson is part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship. Lewis said he'll be with the team through training camp and as much as he wants to be around the team.
"There were plays you watched Dermontti block three - sometimes four - players on the same snap," Lewis said. "He was an excellent player, high energy, high effort. A smart guy, and he was a leader. That's what he has to bring to help Kyle and Andre and the young guys we drafted this year and the rest of the offensive linemen. It's a good fit. He kind of carried that workman type attitude that our guys have."
Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories
Tags: Butch Jones, C.C. Brown, Chad Ochocinco, Curtis Young, Dermontti Dawson, Jacob Ramsey, Jermaine Gresham, Jordan Shipley, Ken Hamlin, Marvin Lewis, Mike Windt, Mike Zimmer
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