Earlier today we wrote that Bengals wide receiver Antonio Bryant worked out on the side field on Wednesday, drawing closer and closer to his eventual return to practice. He even suggested that he's ready to go now.
That being said, a Bob Glauber Newsday report indicates that the Bengals are "ready to release Antonio Bryant." Unfortunately, nothing in the "free" section of the report gives us much information, so we have to rely on those that are willing to pay for Newsday's premium service for the details.
But we can suspect as much.
If the Bengals are ready to release Bryant, that could only suggest an injury settlement is close to being agreed upon. However, it wouldn't make sense. Bryant's knee is progressing, making it appear that he's on pace to at least make his debut at some point in September. Furthermore, if that were the case and the Bengals would be able to have Bryant for a majority of the season, then deciding to agree on an injury settlement, along with the guaranteed money given to the receiver already, it doesn't sound very much like a move that Mike Brown would make.
Furthermore, the Bengals only have to trim five players off the roster by August 31, while cutting the roster from 75 to 53 on September 4. The roster currently stands at 80, with Bryant taking a spot. There's time to continuing waiting, if you're fine with Bryant taking a roster spot.
However, unless discussion about an injury settlement were initiated after Thursday's practice, then Bryant provided no indication that he'd be in any uniform other than the Bengals.
“Time is only running out if you’re not making progress and I’ve been able to progress and do things I wasn’t able to do,” said Bryant before Thursday morning’s practice. “It’s been encouraging and made me a little anxious.”
“I think it’s just going to happen one day I’ll show up in pads and just start practicing,” he said
If you remember, Bob Glauber is the one that suggested Marvin Lewis "had more reservations" signing wide receiver Terrell Owens, when in fact Peter King saying soon after that he had "just spent 70 minutes with Lewis. I'd heartily disagree."
However, siding with Glauber's report is Joe Reedy's speculation that giving Bryant an injury settlement is a distinct possibility.
But the truth is, the Bengals could use his spot for an active wide receiver. We'll see how this turns out.