Lil Red Machine

On the positive side, the Bengals have found a sufficient replacement for TJ Houshmandzadeh.

However, the bigger question is, who will block for them?

In a move that basically wipes away at their salary cap, Cincinnati signed 10-year vet Laveranues Coles to a 4-year, $28 million dollar contract Thursday.  In a photo posted in the Cincinnati Enquirer website, neither the former Jet, nor Marvin Lewis looked to be too thrilled as Coles held up his number 11 jersey at his press conference.  The Bengals have had a long, dramatic fall since their brief run of success in 2005.  Coles is a smart veteran, who not only can act as a posession receiver, but is also capable of catching the deep ball as well.  It’s a move in the right direction to turn the collective organizational frown upside down, as Coles had a respectable 70 catches for 850 yards last season.

Carson Palmer should be healthy and ready to go next season, with his offensive supporting cast now place.  However, there is still much work that needs to be done, and a strengthening of the offensive line that needs to occur.