Spring Workouts Cooling Down

As the weather here in Cincinnati is heating up, the spring OTA's are cooling down. The Bengals take the field tomorrow and Thursday before they end their spring workouts June 15-17 with their mandatory minicamp. As the team heads into the spring home stretch, there are some recent developments:

• Adam Jones missed a couple days due to a small injury. Jones says:

"I’ve been busting my butt since January and haven’t given myself a break. I think it kind of caught up to my body," he said in last week’s media session. "I think my body should be healthy enough to hold up. I’ve been out a year and I’ve only had this tweak. You kind of expect those things. Just don’t let them get you down. Keep working at it. I’m busting my butt on the side."

• Speaking of Adam Jones, he loves himself some Zim.

"I’ve played with a lot of good defensive coordinators. Especially the one I had in Tennessee. Coach (Jim) Schwartz," Jones said. "But I’ve never seen a guy as smart as Zim. He gets all over you and all that, but when you get out there and you just think about it, he makes it so much easier. Then you go out there and play without thinking. It’s going to work out."

• Reggie Kelly is back on the field and is surprised about how well he feels and about how he hasn't lost his touch.

"I feel excellent. To be honest with you, my technique is a lot better than I thought it would be right now," Kelly said last week after one of his first on-field sessions. "Obviously I have a lot work to do to get back where I was. But it definitely feels great. I’m able to push off with it with no problems."

• The Bengals have the highest player retention rate in the AFC North between last season and this season. Second is Pittsburgh, third is Baltimore and Cleveland brings up the rear...as usual.
• Rey Maualuga had surgery yesterday to remove a calcification that was growing on his fibula. He should be back at full strength by the time the Bengals take the field in Georgetown.
• Pat Sims (arm), Jonathan Luigs (hip), Rashad Jeanty (leg), Andre Smith (fat.. I mean foot), Jason Shirley (Achilles) and Tom Nelson (knee) are all out right now. Dez Briscoe (groin) should return to the field soon.
• And with the 12 pick in the MLB draft, the Cincinnati Reds select: Yasmani Grandal of the Miami Hurricanes. Catcher and switch-hitter.