Free agency updates

1. On the proposed trade of defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson, I am told the deal could be official as soon as late afternoon today. If so, Robertson might already be in Cincinnati for a physical. Maybe not, but quite possibly.

2. The Bengals today confirmed weekend visits by Titans free agent defensive end Antwan Odom and former Chargers safety Marlon McCree, who was released last week by San Diego. No word on McCree's next move, but Odom is believed to have changed his itinerary to head to Minnesota, where the Vikings wanted former Bengals end Justin Smith, who signed instead with the 49ers. Odom originally was scheduled to go to Arizona after Cincinnati.

3. In terms of what went wrong with the proposed trade for Shaun Rogers, the best explanation I've seen -- and the one that best corroborates what I've heard from a variety of source -- is in this story today from Booth Newspapers in Michigan:

http://www.mlive.com/lions/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1204521314236420.xml&coll=6

(Some readers want my opinion on the defensive line: Robertson doesn't have the character issues Rogers does and is younger -- Robertson will be 27 Oct. 16; Rogers will be 29 a week from Wednesday. And if the fourth- and fifth-round picks stay in play as what the Bengals have to give up, they've held onto the third-round pick they would have traded to Detroit.

If the Bengals can stay get Robertson, stay in the 4-3 defense and win the sweepstakes for Odom. Robertson plays much better in the 4-3 than the 3-4, which is why the Jets are training him. All of a sudden, you can keep Robert Geathers at end, opposite Odom. With a rotation of Robertson, Domata Peko and John Thornton as the top three tackles, along with Michael Myers at tackle and Jonathan Fanene and Frostee Rucker in the mix inside and outside, the line is better. To boot, the Bengals could add even another defensive lineman with the No. 9 overall draft pick.)

4. More opinion: I was struck by what Smith said on a conference call Saturday after he signed with the 49ers; the Bengals, he said, did play some 3-4 last season, switching around given the down and distance. The scheme doesn't matter as much as the players. Get the best players possible, and then let their talent dictate the scheme.

5. Even more opinion: I criticized the Bengals for drafting a running back, Kenny Irons, in the second round last year, when they should have stayed on defense. Give them some credit in free agency this year: Their efforts are entirely on defense. Marvin Lewis said last month the A. defensive and B. offensive lines were the team's top priorities in the offseason. Agree or disagree, they used the franchise tag on offensive lineman Stacy Andrews. And the majority of their activity so far in free agency has been in trying to upgrade their defensive line.

6. Back to news: The Dhani Jones signing probably won't be official until Tuesday.