One would think that the Bengals are entering a season of put up or shut up. They have a wealth of talent, from QB Carson Palmer, WR Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and running back Rudi Johnson and Kenny Watson. They have been under the direction of coach Marvin Lewis since 2003, yet have just one playoff appearance. So entering 2008, is Lewis on the hot seat? If not, should he be?

Lewis has spent more time it seems trying to play police officer for a group of undisciplined players than being a coach. The one year he was really able to sit back and coach, the team went 11-5, but were derailed by a Steelers team in the playoffs that had history on their side as they swept through the AFC en route to their fifth Super Bowl back in 2005. It’s now 2008, the Bengals haven’t been in the playoffs since, and it’s time for Lewis to put up or shut up.

Sure you can start the excuses with the way that Chad Johson has toyed with the emotions of the team through the offseason, one day saying he’ll be there, the next day saying he wants out. You can point to the team cleaning house of players with tainted pasts like LB Odell Thurman and WR Chris Henry, and even the fact that the team plays in a tough division with a good Steelers team, an up and coming Browns team, and an always physical Ravens team.

Make all the excuses you want - Lewis and the Bengals better deliver, and now.

Carson Palmer is entering the prime of his career. He’s 28, has been in the system for five seasons, and last year threw for a career-high 4131 yards with 26 TD’s and 20 picks. He has total control of the offense, and is like a surgeon when he gets time. With the wide outs and running game, the Bengals offense has the potential to be very good, and able to score a lot of points.

So Lewis’ big job this season will once again to get the Bengals defense shored up. They drafted LB Keith Rivers in the first round, sending a message that they realize that unit must be upgraded. The run defense allowed over 4 yards per carry, and close to 350 yards per game. The Bengals future, and the future of Lewis sits in the success, or lack thereof of this unit. They play well, the team likely will be competitive. They don’t, those footsteps may get even louder.

Make no mistake, Lewis’ job should be talked about. He is still highly regarded as a good coach and one that has turned the franchise around, but another down year and there may not be many more excuses left as to why this Cincy team can’t get the job done.

It is hard to believe, but it appears that no less than seven teams are interested in the services of former Saints and Browns OL LeCharles Bentley, who asked for and got his release from the Browns two weeks ago.  Bentley feels that he is healthy and can be a starter on a team this season, but it’s going to up to the team that he eventually signs with to figure that out.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network put out a list of the seven teams, breaking down as follows:

Buffalo - The Bills O-line was better in 07 than 06, but could use some help.  They need to make sure to get Jason Peters signed, and they have Melvin Folwer as their center, a good, but not great player.

Cincinnati - They need some help up front, and if Bentley is going to line up at center, it’s a position they can use, with right now Eric Ghiaciuc listed as the starting snapper.  Staying in the North means he can stick it to the Browns as well.

Miami - Bentley can teach some traits to #1 pick Jake Long, and probably take some playing time away from center Samson Satele.  The line needs some experience, and Bentley can add that.

Oakland - The silver and black were 6th in the league in rushing last year, and while they could use some depth, I can’t see him wrestling away a starting job on this already pretty good line.

Pittsburgh - The issues on the O-line were well documented for the Steelers in 2007, and now that Alan Faneca is gone, it’s still a problem spot.  They will have 2-3 new starters on the line this year, and while they already brought in a center in Justin Hartwig, Bentley might be an interesting fit here.

St. Louis - This is the top spot in my opinion for Bentley to land.  The Rams lost out on Barry Sims this week to the Niners, and have been looking hard at the O-line market since they were so banged up there last year.  Mark Setterstrom will be the center in 08, and he can be displaced if Bentley signs.

San Francisco - This may have been a more pressing need before they got Sims this week, but the Niners want to upgrade the O-line still, and would love to add someone like Bentley that can teach youngsters like Chilo Rachal and last years #1 Joe Staley.

Seattle - Walter Jones is coming off another shoulder surgery, and the middle three spots are trouble issues, which is why Bentley is getting consideration here. Center Chris Spencer has offseason thumb surgery, making a run at Bentley even more of a possibility.

It’s been an offseason filled with what seems more players refusing to practice or show up for OTA’s and minicamps than those that are there doing there jobs. Below we give a quick breakdown of 10 players that have chosen the stance to stay away and/or practice and where they may be come training camp come July.

1. Albert Haynesworth, Titans - The All-Pro DT is a big reason the Titans defense played so well last season, and word is a long-term deal that he hoped to get from Tennessee seems not likely to happen by July 15th. Expect Haynesworth to sign the teams one-year franchise deal during training camp and play out his last season before hitting free agency in 2009 and moving elsewhere.

2. Chris Simms, Buccaneers - The QB hasn’t played since a spleen injury in 2006, and his relationship with the Bucs seems to be over. Simms is not even listed on the depth chart, and with a bunch of QB’s on the roster, it seems like a slam dunk that Simms will eventually get his wish to be released and move on to another team. He has said if he’s still a Buccaneer in July, he’ll report to training camp.

3. Jason Peters, Bills - The teams best O-lineman wants a new deal, and won’t show up till he gets one. He’s watched lesser players on the O-line get bigger contracts then him, and simply wants what he feels he’s owed to him. He deserves a new deal, and look for he and the Bills to get on the same page before training camp starts.

4. Ryan Grant, Packers - Grant came out of nowhere in 2007 and saved the teams floundering running game, and now wants a deal that will pay him like a feature back. He showed up to minicamp, but refused to practice. Reports say the two sides are close, and a deal may even take place before the end of the camp for he and the Packers.

5. Chad Johnson, Bengals - C.J. should simply realize that the Bengals are not going to move him, and he’s not going to get a new deal, pure and simple. He did man up a little bit by showing up to minicamp last week, and after some early drama did practice and make some grabs. He’d be smart to put on a happy face and be at camp on time and try and be the best player he can be for the stripes.

6. Earnest Graham, Buccaneers - The back came in for the Bucs last season and kept their running game afloat when injuries hit hard. Now he, like Ryan Grant, wants a deal to fit what he did in 2007. He’s already showed up to the Bucs fanfest and now minicamp, so look for something to be done for him rather soon.

7. Terry Glenn, Cowboys - The veteran WR is being asked to sign an insurance policy since he’s prone to injuries, and Glenn is using that as a sounding board to demand a trade or release to play elsewhere. He should realize that he’s damaged goods at this point, and his best shot at getting some playing time and a ring is in Dallas, but for whatever reason he wants no part in signing that policy.

8. Plaxico Burress, Giants - Another unhappy WR that wants a new deal based on gutting it out on one foot last season for the Super Bowl champs. It was poor timing on his part to complain last week in the middle of Michael Strahan retiring and Jeremy Shockey also playing whinner. Burress said on WIP in Philly Tuesday he feels a deal will get done before camp. If so, they why make a scene like the one made last week?

9. Anquan Boldin, Cardinals - Our 4th WR on the list, Boldin saw Larry Fitzgerald get a big deal from the Cards, and now he wants one too. I can understand his desire for more money, but he had just gotten a deal not that long ago, and the Cardinals can’t overpay two WR’s when they have other concerns. He says he hasn’t decided if he’ll be at training camp, but if he is smart he’ll avoid fines and be there.

10. Jeremy Shockey, Giants - The mouthy tight end probably should be in a Saints uniform today, and likely he and and the Giants will regret not making that deal on draft day. While the team has said from day one that he’s the starting TE, Shockey claims the Giants are leaking info about him not being happy and demanding a trade. Not so. Seems that the TE may have pushed the button too far, and he’d better be careful what happens next as Kevin Boss seems more than ready to be the Giants starting TE.

Bengals wide out Chad Johnson will have ankle surgery Wednesday; this to clear out some bone spurs in his ankle. Both ESPN News and NFL Network are reporting that the receiver will be ready to go come training camp. Johnson made news last week when he did show up at Bengals minicamp, but the first few practices did little, but by the end of the week was catching passes like normal.

The rivalry between Johnson and coach Marvin Lewis for now seems to be at a calm state, the question now will be once training camp kicks off on July 27th, what will the tension be like between the two if things get off to a slow start. Johnson has said recently that he will be at camp come late July, but we’ll see if he uses the ankle surgery as a reason to take it easy or even skip practices.

It looks as if Chad Johnson is going to do the right thing, and be at Bengals training camp on time.  Today at minicamp, Johnson’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus said that C.J. will be at camp, and on time.  “Chad is going to do the honorable thing,” Rosenhaus said in an ESPN interview. “He’ll be at training camp.”  Johnson’s every move has been the story of the last few days at minicamp, and the statement from Rosenhaus seems to point that the wide out is going to put all the off field stuff behind him and be there.

Today Johnson put in a full day at camp for the first time, as the first two days he was limited due to injuries.  “I think it’s been good for him to get back into the flow of things,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “We still have to get some clarity on the ankle and being able to deal with that because it is something we dealt with a year ago.”

One coach that Johnson did speak to on Saturday was offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski, who said that the wide out was a little off being out there for the first time.  “He’s rusty,” Bratkowski said. “I told him he looked rusty. Nobody likes to hear that. He’s going against guys who have been out here for 14, 16 (voluntary) practices, you know. You’re going to look that way.”

Much like former teammate Odell Thurman, it looks as if it will be a long time before former Bengals WR Chris Henry plays in the NFL again.  The league today announced that Henry has been suspended pending the outcome of his latest trial later this month.  He faces at least a one-season suspension under the league’s conduct policy if convicted.

He had gotten permission from a judge to leave house arrest to try out for a couple of teams, but it appeared that whatever teams he tried out for have turned the page and did not consider him to be a WR on their team.  The issue against Henry this time is he’s accused of punching a man in the face and breaking his car window with a beer bottle.

Henry has been arrested five times since the Bengals made him a third-round draft pick out of West Virginia in 2005.  The team finally severed ties with him and gave him his walking papers April 3rd after his fifth arrest.

Day two of the Chad Johnson show rolled into Cincy today as the team went through another round of minicamp.  Reports say that Johnson was much more in the mood to be a part of minicamp today, and that he was even seen talking with some of the coaches - unheard of normally.

He did speak a few words when it was finally time to talk to the media.  “I was in a good mood yesterday (Thursday). I’m happy. I don’t have anything to be mad about.”  Hmmm…maybe Chad is finally realizing that he is not going to be moved, and that he had better make the most of a situation that he has not exactly made pleasant for anyone involved.

Johnson was the first player in line for wide receiver drills, put did not take part in team drills.  We’ll see how the remainer of the camp goes for C.J., and if things continue to be on the mend between he and the rest of the team that he has made it known to he does not want to play there anymore.

DT Domata Peko is not a household name in the NFL yet, but he is an up and coming player in the league, and today the Bengals rewarded him with a new deal - expected to be announced at 5 years, $29.3 million. Mike Curnette of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported the signing earlier in the day as the Bengals held their minicamp in Cincy.

Peko is entering his third season, and last year played well for a team that struggled, starting 16 games, making 52 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He was the teams fourth round draft pick in the 2006 draft out of Michigan State. “Domata is a fine, young player who has fully proved his worth over the last two years and still has a tremendous upside,” Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said in a statement. “We are extremely pleased to have him signed to a long-term deal that ensures his future with our team. He has the ability to give us strong support against the run and good pass pressure up the middle.”

The 6-4, 319 pound Peko is now signed to be with the team through the 2014 season. He has played in all 32 games in his first two years in the league.

Bengals QB Carson Palmer is taking on more of the role of team leader, and on the teams site today he spoke out about the season and WR Chad Johnson, saying in so many words that C.J. will not break the team this season and that he would like to see him be a part of what the Bengals hope will be a winning year.

“What he’s not going to do is come in and break apart what we have going right now. That sure as hell is not going to happen,” Palmer said. “I don’t know how big of a circus, how little of a circus. I like where we’re at. Hopefully he comes in and fits in with what we’ve created here.”

Johnson has spent a lot of time in the news recently and most of the offseason for that matter, talking about wanting out of the Queen City.  When it became apparent that was not going to happen by what the team stated, Johnson started to change his tune, saying that despite what he had previously said, he would be at camp with the team.

Palmer, who always in the past seemed to get along with Johnson, said that he does not feel all that bad for the wide out: “They re-paid Chad a top deal. … They rewarded guys. Guys signed contracts, so they obviously thought it was a good enough deal to sign.”  For now, Palmer just wants the team to get back to where it was a few years back when it was 11-5.  Getting Johnson in and happy will go a long way in doing that.