Report: Gresham to be on the Field by Tuesday

Joe Reedy makes it more official. Jermaine Gresham is now officially a Bengal and he should be showing us his stuff by Tuesday.

The deal is a 10.25 percent increase in guaranteed and around nine percent on base money, which is around where first-round picks have received. The base increase is also higher than what last year’s 21^st pick, Peria Jerry, received with Atlanta.

Gresham was placed on the Bengals depth chart as the number one tight end but after releasing the depth chart, head coach Marvin Lewis moved Gresham back behind Reggie Kelly and Chase Coffman. It is assumed that Gresham will change Lewis' mind very soon.

Gresham adds something to the Bengals offense that it has been lacking for.... well, a really long time; a big, strong and fast receiving tight end.

Gresham is expected to add a new dynamic to the offense when he arrives – a big, receiving tight end who is a threat in the middle of the field and the red zone. In his career at Oklahoma, he caught 111 passes for 1,629 yards and 26 touchdowns. As a junior, he had 66 receptions for 950 yards and 14 touchdowns and was a Mackey Award finalist as the Sooners advanced to the BCS Title Game before losing to Florida.

Gresham will be on the field tomorrow for the Bengals afternoon 3-5 practice. He's missed five days and eight practices which is the shortest holdout since 2007 when Leon Hall signed after one day of training camp. Gresham will get in four days and a few practices before the Bengals take on the Cowboys in the NFL Hall of Fame Game this Sunday night.

Will having Chad Ochocinco, TO, Antonio Bryant and Gresham on the field at one time make the Bengals passing game better? How could it not? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.