Levi: No room for error off field

Left tackle Levi Jones called back late last night, past deadline for the newspaper version of the story on reaction by Bengals veterans to the arrest of cornerback Johnathan Joseph on marijuana possession.

Jones is a very bright man, well-spoken and insightful. He'd be the Bengals' Willie Anderson if Willie weren't there.

"When I found out, my first reaction was, `Here we go again,'" Jones said from Arizona, where he is rehabbing his knee at the Athletes First complex. "I sympathize with the player because you never know what the situation is."

Jones recalled his own arrest at the Super Bowl in Houston in early 2004. He was charged after an alleged altercation with a police officer outside a club. He later was exonerated.

Then Jones touched on coach Marvin Lewis' parting message at the end of the season regarding off-field behavior.

"He did emphasize that we had no room for error," Jones said. "As players, we're all grown men. We have to make decisions on our own."

On his health, Jones said he and his doctor had begun a rehab program for his knee and are hoping to avoid additional surgery. He had surgery in early October and missed 10 games.