It's unlikely that we'll ever experience the intensity that we did last week. Once the lockout was lifted, all of the activity that typically takes place during a six-month offseason was accelerated into a week. Trades, free agency, training camp, rookie signings, undrafted free agent signings, a testosterone-filled explosion that put the lockout so far in the rear-view mirror you have to squint to see if anything is even there. And it's still going on.
Yet the lockout still resonates today. Upwards to 15 players signed by the Bengals aren't allowed to practice until the new league begins on Thursday (Aug. 4). While the ceremonies remain, the Hall of Fame game turned into a casualty.
Even with all that's happened, the Cincinnati Bengals still plan to conduct a variation of the scrimmage and mock games this weekend. According to Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the team won't keep score for either game but officials will be hand for both days with Friday's practice (7 p.m.) in full pads and only shoulder pads on Saturday (noon).
“We want to get out and get the function of doing football on Saturday (at the mock game),” Lewis said. “We’re not going to divide up into teams. But we’re going to get in and out of flow, and I expect to give each quarterback at the end a series or so of football. But we’re going to do some segmented stuff prior to that.”