Report: Chase Coffman close to signing

You know the count, you know numbers. As of this posting, the Bengals have signed all five of their sixth and seventh round picks. Left are Andre Smith, Rey Maualuga, Michael Johnson, Chase Coffman, Jonathan Luigs and punter, Kevin Huber. We figure that Smith will be a long holdout and that Maualuga, Johnson, Coffman, Luigs and Huber will sign at the eleventh hour. Of those, Coffman is the most confident to sign soon with the Bengals, writes Carlos Holmes.

"There is no way I am not going to be signed before we go into training camp," Coffman said during a recent phone interview. "I'm making it there the very first day if not a couple of days early. I'm getting in there and getting as much work as I can. That's one thing that can really set a rookie back is not making it into training camp on time. I'm letting my agents handle that part of the business and I will continue to focus on what I need to focus on."

Perhaps the way Coffman thinks (you know, logically), head coach Marvin Lewis should pair him with Andre Smith during training camp. Maybe become pen pals. Or, better yet, Tweeting Pals. Everyone Tweets. Even I do, once a month. And that's being on the ball for me.