C. Perry has surgery; Washington re-signs

By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

Chris Perry sat in a locker this afternoon, just as the NFL draft was starting.

He had a crutch on each side of his body.

Perry had knee surgery Friday in what Marvin Lewis described as a clean-out.

"It will be a couple-week process," the Bengals coach said of Perry, the team’s first-round pick in 2004. "He’ll probably be out for our on-field stuff this offseason."

The on-field work starts May 16.

"It bothered him, and he didn’t want to have the surgery," Lewis said, "but we were able to get the nagging out."

Perry played in 14 games with two starts in 2005. He rushed 61 times for 279 yards and had 51 receptions for 328 yards and two touchdowns.

Perry was inactive for Games 14 and 15 because of a high ankle sprain suffered in Game 13 against the Browns.

Perry, approached Saturday in the locker room, was downcast and referred questions to Lewis.

"We found something that wasn’t showing up in the scan," Lewis said. "It was kicking around in there and causing some irritation. I know he’s happy it’s over with. No we all move forward."

WASHINGTON SIGNS: Restricted free agent wide receiver Kelly Washington re-signed with the Bengals to a one-year contract.

Washington has played in 39 games in three seasons with five starts. He has 63 career receptions in three seasons for 778 yards and eight touchdowns.

San Francisco had displayed some minor interest in Washington during free agency.

Washington is the third restricted free agent to re-sign with the Bengals. The team also signed offensive lineman Scott Kooistra to a one-year deal and re-signed starting fullback Jeremi Johnson to a six-year contract, tearing up a one-year tender.

The Bengals lost wide receiver Kevin Walter to Houston. The Bengals chose not to match the Texans’ offer sheet and received Houston’s seventh-round pick as compensation.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com