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Cincinnati Bengals

Purify waiting for his shot

By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted November 10, 2009 9:16 PM ET

At halftime of Sunday's victory over the Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer sought out Maurice Purify.

"I told you to be ready, we're going to have to come to you," Palmer told Purify, according to the practice squad wide receiver.

After the game, Palmer said Purify was the Bengals' best choice to take over for the injured Chris Henry, who suffered a broken forearm in the second quarter of the game and had surgery on Monday morning.

"If he just said that, that's not the first time I've heard him say that," Purify said on Monday. "He's always on me, telling me to stay ready, stay on top of my stuff. When my time comes, just be ready for the moment and know my stuff. He's been telling me that for two or three weeks."

Despite the words of encouragement from the Bengal quarterback, Purify said he wasn't going to get ahead of himself, he still knows he's on the practice squad and is guaranteed nothing: "I don't get excited until something actually happens," Purify said.

It's a good thing. On Monday, the Bengals placed Henry on the Reserve/Injured list, but instead of signing Purify to fill that spot, the Bengals re-signed offensive lineman Scott Kooistra because of concerns about the guard spot with the injury to Evan Mathis. With Mathis out and Nate Livings sliding into his spot, the team had no backup at guard.

However, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said Monday that Purify could still get a chance this week - if so, Purify said he'll be ready.

"I've been feeling like I'm game-ready since game two, I didn't really feel game-ready coming out of training camp," Purify said. "Doing the practice squad stuff, I feel like I'm ready for a game."

If it's not his time this week, Purify said he wouldn't be surprised - it would fit in with the trail he's traveled so far.

Purify went from a junior college in his native California to Nebraska, where he not only found himself in the Cornhuskers' record book, but also in the police blotter. Purify was suspended for the first game of his senior season after agreeing to a plea in an assault charge and being arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was cited in an incident after his senior season and later served a week of house arrest for violating probation.

Purify's off-the-field issues caused him to go undrafted and he signed with the Bengals as a college free agent. He spent the 2008 season on the team's practice squad roster.

"It helped me getting in trouble and going undrafted, it taught me that football isn't everything," Purify said. "I feel like if I got drafted I wouldn't be as good as I am now. I feel like I worked harder and have had to do things the long way, with me and my life I had some things going on in my life and it seemed like the best thing for me. I've never had a shortcut in my life."

Purify was impressive in the preseason on special teams and also had four catches for 46 yards.

However, Purify's better known for his part in the HBO series Hard Knocks in which Purify beat veteran safety Roy Williams in an Oklahoma drill featured on the show. It showed Purify's physical side. The 6-foot-3, 236 pound receiver said he takes the most pride in blocking, something that shouldn't surprise anyone who saw Purify bury Williams on TV.

"My game is more of a possession receiver, I'm not the fastest guy, I'm just going to get open. I'll sneak behind the defense once in a while," Purify said. "I love to block, it's what I do. I take more pride in blocking than I do catching the ball. I just love dirty work, anything somebody else doesn't want to do, I'll do."

Now, Purify is just hoping for his shot. It could happen this week or next or not at all, but he said that's what drives him.

"Taking the long way, you're never relaxing, you can't relax. You get better every day and stay on top of your work," Purify said. "I'm not trying to be out here ad be a star, I'm coming out here to win games and do whatever they needed me to do, do my job."

Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories, Features

Tags: Caarson Palmer, Chris Henry, Jerome Simpson, Maurice Purify, Roy Williams