After his 2008 season many people started to think that he was nearing the end of his career.  But, Ocho Cinco came back with a vengeance in 2009 for the Bengals.  He played in 16 with the Bengals last season and he caught 72 passes for 1,047 yards (14.5 avg) with 9 TD grabs.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 32 yards (10.7 ypc) last season.  Ocho Cinco has now played 9 years for the Bengals in which he has played in 137 games and caught 684 passes for 9,952 yards (14.6 avg) with 62 TD grabs.  Ocho Cinco has also carried the ball 24 times for 175 yards (7.3 ypc) in his career with the Bengals.  He has had at least 90 catches in a season 4 times for the Bengals and he has had at least 1,047 yards receiving 7 times in his career.  If the Bengals sign, draft or trade for a quality WR to play opposite of Ocho Cinco there is no reason to think that he can’t still play at a high level for the next couple of years.

27-year old Cedric Benson proved that he is the real deal last season for the Bengals.  He played in 13 games for the Bengals last season and he carried the ball 301 times for 1,251 yards (4.2 ypc) with 6 TD runs.  Benson also caught 17 passes for 111 yards (6.5 avg) last year for the Bengals.  Benson really has stepped up for the Bengals the last couple of years as he has paid them back for giving him another chance to be a feature back after failing for the Bears.  Benson has now played in 25 games (2 years) with the Bengals and he has carried the ball 515 times for 1,998 yards (3.9 ypc) with 8 TD runs.  Benson has also caught 37 passes for 296 yards (8.0 avg) for the Bengals.  Look for Benson to be the main man in the running game for the Bengals as long as he can stay healthy.

The Bengals have signed 27-year old kicker Dave Rayner.  Rayner last played in the NFL in 2008 with the Bengals.  He played in 2 games for the Bengals that year and he connected on his only field goal attempt and he also made all three of his extra point attempts to finish with 6 points.  Rayner has now played in 43 games in his NFL career and he has made 42 of 59 field goals (71.2%).  He has also made 48 of 49 extra point attempts in his NFL career as he has 174 points.  The handwriting appears on the wall for Shayne Graham who did not kick too well for the Bengals last season.

The Bengals have signed WR Matt Jones to a 1-year deal.  Jones did not play in the NFL last season.  He last played with the Jaguars in 2008.  He played in 12 games that season for the Jags and he caught 65 passes for 761 yards (11.7 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Jones has now played in 54 games in his NFL career and he has caught 166 passes for 2,153 yards (13.0 avg) with 15 TD grabs.  The converted QB has also carried the ball 14 times for 36 yards (2.6 ypc) in his NFL career.  Jones will give the Bengals a big target opposite of Chad Ocho Cinco.  Jones should fit right in on the Bengals as he has had serious issues with the law and a serious drug problem.

The Bengals found some keepers in last April’s NFL Draft.  OT Andre Smith (1st round, #6 overall) out of Alabama came into training camp out of shape and he only played in 6 games (1 start) last year.  The Bengals still have high hopes for Smith is he doesn’t put too much weight on.  Inside linebacker Rey Maualuga (2nd round, #38 overall) out of USC got injured before the season was over missing the playoffs and he celebrated his injury by getting arrested for drunk driving which means that he fits right in on the Bengals.  Maualuga played in 15 games for the Bengals last season and he finished up with 63 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 3 forced fumbles and he defensed 2 passes.  DE Michael Johnson (3rd round, #70 overall) out of Georgia Tech showed a lot of promise as a rookie last season for the Bengals.  He played in all 16 games for the Bengals as a rookie and he finished up with 17 tackles, 3 sacks and 5 passes defensed.  Johnson could develop into a starter down the road for the Bengals.  TE Chase Coffman (3rd round, #98 overall) out of Missouri missed his rookie season as he spent it on the Injured Reserve List.  Center Jonathan Luigs (4th round, #106 overall) out of Arkansas played in 8 games (0 starts) for the Bengals as a rookie last season.  He could also be a starter down the road for the Bengals.  The Bengals didn’t have to look far for punter Kevin Huber (5th round, #142 overall) as he played for the Cincinnati Bearcats in college.  He played in all 16 games for the Bengals last season and he punted the ball 86 times for 3,713 yards (43.2 avg).  He also had 10 touchbacks (11.6%) and he pinned the opposition inside their own 20-yard line 24 times (27.9%).  Huber looks like a keeper for the Bengals.  CB Morgan Trent (6th round, #179 overall) out of Michigan provided the Bengals with nice depth at corner.  He played in all 16 games for the Bengals as a rookie and he made 28 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, had 1 sack and he defensed 4 passes.  RB Bernard Scott was a true find for the Bengals in the 6th round (#209 overall) out of Abilene Christian.  Scott played in 13 games for the Bengals last season and he carried the ball 74 times for 321 yards (4.3 ypc) and he also caught 5 passes for 67 yards (13.4 avg).  Scott helped out on special teams for the Bengals last season as he returned 16 kickoffs for 504 yards (31.5 avg) with 1 TD return.  The Bengals had three picks in the 7th round and none of them played in any games for them last season.  RB Fui Vakapuna (#215 overall, BYU), DE Clinton McDonald (#249 overall, Memphis) and WR Freddie Brown (#252 overall, Utah) were the 7th rounders for the Bengals last April.

GRADE FOR 2009:  C+

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  B+