Linebackers still not practicing

Linebackers Ahmad Brooks and Caleb Miller are not practicing today. The team is on the practice field now.

Brooks has a groin injury that has caused him to miss the last two games. He hurt himself early in the Cleveland game.

Miller has a back injury.

Rashad Jeanty (calf) already is declared out for the game Sunday at Kansas City.

The Bengals have four healthy linebackers: Looks for Landon Johnson, Dhani Jones and Anthony Schlegel to start if Brooks and Miller can't play. The newest Bengals linebacker is Corey Mays. Mays will play a lot of special teams.

Jones will probably be in the middle and calling defensive signals. Johnson said he is impressed with Jones' experience and strong personality, which have helped him make a quick transition into the Bengals' defensive and special teams schemes.

In the New England game Oct. 1, end Robert Geathers and safety Chinedum Ndukwe played snaps at linebacker.

This week, a guest linebacker might be John Busing. Though he is a safety, Busing -- signed to a two-year contract Wednesday from the Bengals' practice squad -- was a star linebacker at Miami in the Mid-American Conference. He is 6-feet-2, 221 pounds.

Also today, tailback Rudi Johnson (hamstring) is not practicing.