CBS Sportsline senior writer Pete Prisco names G/T Stacy Andrews his No. 1 potential breakout player of 2008.

Andrews, the brother of Philadelphia Eagles’ Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews, came into the league in 2004 as a raw fourth-round pick known more for his ability to compete in track and field then on the football field. In four seasons, he has become a physical force who plays with a mean streak like his brother.

The right tackle spot doesn’t get the glamour of the left tackle position, but Andrews might help change that. He is a drive-blocking, power player who should help spring Rudi Johnson for big numbers this season.

Well, here’s hoping that Prisco is right, but if he thinks Stacy was a “drive blocking power player” last year, he and I must have been watching different games. To my eye, Andrews seemed to hold up well in pass protection, but added nothing to the run game. If he can take the next step and become a complete tackle this year, he will deserve whatever fortune the Bengals bestow on him.

PFW’s Dan Arkush picks DE Antwan Odom as one of the top 10 free agent pickups of the offseason.

9) DE Antwan Odom / Bengals — He’s the Bengals’ new left end, replacing the more high-profile Justin Smith, who signed with the Niners. Odom registered eight sacks last season for the Titans (Smith had two for the Bengals). The guess here is that his long arms, sound technique and big-time motor will make him a surprisingly big hit in Cincy, even though he will no longer be benefiting from playing opposite the extremely underrated Kyle Vanden Bosch.

Former Bengals S Madieu Williams, now a Viking, also makes the list, as does almost-Bengals DT Shaun Rogers.

DT Domata Peko just barely makes Pete Prisco’s list of upcoming breakout players.

Carson Palmer currently has the sixth-best career passing rating of all time. Former Bengals greats Ken Anderson (28) and Boomer Esiason (35) also make the cut, as does one-time Cincy hurler Neil O’Donnell (30).

The Chickster wants the Bengals to go get Kevin Jones.

Bengals special teams coach Darrin Simmons says the competition at safety is tough and that the team will be forced to “let go a good player who can play in this league.”

The assault trial of former Bengals WR Chris Henry ended in a mistrial today.

Paul at WDR thinks the Cincinnnati Enquirer’s new Web site sucks. I agree wholeheartedly, and would add my own gripe: the horrible new blogs, which give you just a headline and require you to click on every entry to read it.

Geoff Hobson is stealing ideas from “Mr.” Kirkendall at Cincy Jungle.

AFC North Watch: Cleveland WR Joe Jurevicius has undergone another knee procedure and his status for the season is undetermined.

PETA objects to the Ravens’ plans to use live birds during pre-game player introductions at M&T Bank Stadium. In other Ravens news, CB Derrick Martin was busted with pot at the Cleveland airport.

After cutting RB Najeh “Dookie” Davenport, the Steelers were one of four teams attending a workout by former Lions RB Kevin Jones.

A major media outlet finally notices that the Ocho Imbroglio is…over.

Yes, it has been an offseason of Chad Johnson mood swings in Cincinnati. And the pendulum, the way we hear it, has swung toward peace.

Props to PFW’s Mike Wilkening for going against the grain. Now maybe the rest of the sports media will follow suit.

Not that I’m getting my hopes up…

While the Marvin Lewis-era drafts have brought little better results than ones under prior regimes, free agency has been much more productive on Lewis’ watch. His arrival in Cincinnati clearly elevated the team in the eyes of free agents, and his no-nonsense approach to free agency was a welcome change from years past.

During the Long Dark stretching from 1991 to 2002, the free agent period was an annual embarrassment. Every year, groups of quality free agent players would troop through town, meet with the Bengals, chat up the local media and generate excitement among the fan base. Then, their ticket stamped with “Bengals are interested,” those players would fly off to another city and leverage the Bengals’ interest into more money there. After which the Bengals would trot out their usual litany of excuses. Blah blah blah small market blah blah blah no money blah blah blah build through the draft. Blah blah blah whatever.
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Since the draft was next on my list of Marvin Lewis-era flashbacks, I suppose it’s only appropriate that a back-and-forth has broken out between Cincy Jungle and WDR over who’s to blame for Chris Henry and Odell Thurman. My view is that this debate constitutes a classic case of missing the forest for the trees. Odell and Henry are just two examples of a poor Bengals draft strategy that pre-dated Lewis’ arrival and hasn’t changed much since.

Lewis-era headcases like Odell and Henry are pikers compared to Carl Pickens, Corey Dillon and Tremain Mack. And the Bengals’ recent bad luck with injuries — from Chris Perry to Adam Keift to David Pollack to Kenny Irons — is just the latest chapter in a sad-sack saga stretching back through the likes of CB Charles Fisher and RB Ki-Jana Carter. SSDCDY: Same shit, different coach, different year.
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Continuing a review of the Marvin Lewis era in Cincinnati, here’s a look at the five best games — one from each year — of his tenure.

2003: My personal favorite from this season was the Bengals’ week 13 victory over the hated Steelers in Pittsburgh when, with less than a minute to play, QB Jon Kitna led the Bengals on a 52-yard TD drive to win the game. But the greatest Bengals game of 2003 — and one of the greatest of the Lewis era — was indisputably the week 11 victory over the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. It was also WR Peter Warrick’s finest hour in stripes. Early in the fourth quarter, with the Bengals clinging to a 10-6 lead, Warrick would take a punt back 68 yards for a score. The Chiefs responded with a 5-play, 92-yard touchdown drive of their own, but then it was Warrick’s turn again. Kitna hit him wide open over the middle and 77 yards later he was in the end zone. Though the Bengals would end the season at 8-8, their slaying of the 9-0 giant served notice to the league that the team was no longer a pushover.
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With about a month left until training camp starts, it’s a good time to review the Marvin Lewis era in Cincinnati. First up, the five worst games — one from each year — of his tenure. We’ll look at the five best games, plus some other stuff, in upcoming installments.

2003: In Lewis’ first year, the Bengals got off to a terrible start, dropping their first three games, including a heartbreaking 3-point loss in Oakland in week 2. But the team recovered, winning three of the following four games and coming into a week 9 contest at Arizona with the chance to pull back to .500. Instead, the Bengals would hand the Cardinals one of just 4 victories they would see all season. Cardinals RB Marcel Shipp gashed the Bengals “defense” for 141 yards on 29 carries, while former Bengals QB Jeff Blake tossed a pair of TDs in a 17-14 Cardinals victory. On the Cincy side of the ball, Rudi Johnson would rush just 8 times for 43 yards, while Jon Kitna put on one of his patented more-INTs-than-TDs performances. The Bengals’ offense was a pathetic 3 for 10 on 3rd downs, and lost TOP 35 minutes to 25 minutes.
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Explanation here. Moron.

It’s Chad Johnson video day. Here he is on ESPN with Stephen Smith, making little sense, as usual. Click here for Chad horsing around on the phone with Eisen and Portis on NFL Network.

Pro Football Weekly hears that FB Jeremi Johnson’s job is safe.

Agreed: It’s put up or shut up time for center Eric Ghiacuic.

Keep dreaming, Rexx. Shee-it, those dyed pigeons of yours couldn’t beat us opening day last year, when we were missing our starting LT, starting SSLB, No. 3 wideout, had an MLB playing with a groin tear and were coming off an even more tumultuous offseason! There’s going to be a Baltimore beat-down, all right, but it’s going to feature feathers, not cat fur, pounded into the turf.

Kirkendall and I have a roundtable discussion in the works. We have some topics already, but suggestions are always welcome!