The Bengals Blog is back

Hello. It’s Monday night, March 28. I’m sifting through a backlog of letters from Bengals fans and Enquirer readers. Let’s get to a few.

Question, from Dennis in Amelia: I’ve heard rumors that the Bengals and Texans are working on a Peter Warrick-for-Jamie Sharper trade. Any truth to that rumor? And are there any other big-name free agents the Bengals are trying to get?

Answer: Haven’t heard that one, though the Bengals are in the market for a linebacker. Word out of Houston is the Texans will release Sharper after June 1, in order to absorb the rest of his salary and signing bonus on the salary cap this year and next. Sharper definitely had some excellent seasons when Marvin Lewis was Ravens defensive coordinator.

The Bengals probably will snag another veteran or two after the June 1 deadline -- the second wave of free agency.

Q, from Kristopher in Milford: How will the Bengals do next year?

A: I’m already on record as saying they are a playoff team. I said when Lewis was hired as coach in January 2003 that Year 3 of his program would be the one in which he leads the franchise into the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

Nothing that has occurred the past two years dissuades me from my thought that 2005 will finally be the season Bengals fans are delivered from their 14 years in the desert.

Q, from David in Wilberforce: Trent Cole of UC would be a considerable draft pick. A few reasons: quick pass rusher, ticket sales, a motor that doesn’t quit. What do you think?

A: Taking nothing away from Cole, who made several big plays for the Bearcats last season, but he is too small (245 pounds) to play end in the NFL. And he’s not ready to make the leap to linebacker, scouts say. As for the potential to drive up ticket sales for the Bengals – who sold out their home schedule in 2004 for the first time since 1992 – about the local hero who could make a tangible difference would be Shaun Alexander.

Catching up with wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who re-signed for four years with the Bengals.

Yahoo! Football Analyst Cris Carter says Houshmanzadeh's decision to stay with the Bengals was a good one.

Writes Carter: “T.J. Houshmanzadeh made a smart decision to stay with the Cincinnati Bengals. Guys make mistakes all the time getting out of the shadow of others and trying to be a No. 1 receiver – Peerless Price (Buffalo to Atlanta) being the prime example of that – when they're really a No. 2 receiver.

“Houshmanzadeh is definitely a No. 2 on the Bengals because they already have one of the NFL's best receivers in Chad Johnson. With Johnson, Houshmanzadeh never has to worry about being double-teamed. There's also continuity between him, Chad and quarterback Carson Palmer. That's the main reason why I think Houshmanzadeh will be even better in 2005.”