Bengals hit field for OTA practice

The Bengals are into their second week of organized team activity (OTA) practices. It is their fifth of 12 this spring.

They are on the field now for the one practice of this week open to the outside media.

Notes:

-- Running back Kenny Watson and safety Dexter Jackson are in street clothes, not participating, but they are on the field. Bigger news is tailbacks Chris Perry was watching in street clothes and Rudi Johnson was not here.

Perry said after practice he was just getting a day of rest after having gone for the first four OTAs. Coach Marvin Lewis declined to comment on the whereabouts of his missing players.

-- The rookies have returned, including linebacker Keith Rivers and wide receivers Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell.

-- One rookie not here is defensive tackle Jason Shirley, who has a court date today back in California, stemming from a DUI arrest last fall.

-- Starting wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are not present.

-- Second-year running back Kenny Irons is working on the side with a member of the strength and conditioning staff. He is attempting to come back from an ACL injury.

-- First-year defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is making his presence known. "We got to outwork them," he said while watching defensive linemen run to a blocking sled and linebackers to a tackling dummy.

-- Eric Henderson is working at defensive end, his college position. He is listed on the roster as a linebacker. He could be a swing player.

-- Defensive line coach Jay Hayes is sporting the latest message T-shirt handed out by head coach Marvin Lewis. It is orange with the team logo on the front and the word "NOW" in block, white letters across the back.

-- Florida coach Urban Meyer is at practice with his father. Meyer has ties to the University of Cincinnati.