Head Coach Marvin Lewis Expects Adam Jones To Go On PUP To Start The Season

We pointed out over the weekend that since Bengals cornerback Adam Jones isn't expected to practice this week, he could be placed on Reserve/PUP when the season starts. Jones claims that he's medically cleared, working with the team's trainers to get ready, and due to the seriousness of spinal injuries, it makes sense from a team perspective that Jones be allowed additional rehabilitation. Putting him on the Reserve/PUP list gives Cincinnati a roster exemption for at much as nine weeks before a choice is needed on reactivating him or placing him on season-ending Injured Reserve.

On the other hand, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis disputes that Jones is medically cleared, confirming that Jones is a likely candidate to be placed on the Reserve/PUP list to start the season:

"By the medical viewpoint, that is probably the likely way, because he is not going to have any type of clearance prior to the beginning (of the regular season). I don't see a clearance coming down in the next week that would change my feeling right now on him, and he hasn't practiced football. He is progressing well in everything, and all indications are to this point that things will work out very well for him. I try to keep telling him he should be grateful for those things because that wasn't necessarily the prognosis at different points since he’s been injured. He has worked hard and there has been a total improvement in where they see him being and how quickly and how early (he can recover). He should feel good about that."

This leaves the Bengals with a cornerback roster of at least Leon Hall, Nate Clements, Morgan Trent and Kelly Jennings with additional roster spots being fought between Jonathan Wade, Brandon Ghee, Korey Lindsey and Rico Murray (though he could return for being versatile enough to play every secondary position and special teams).