AJ McCarron ready to return to Bengals practice

The Bengals are perfectly fine at quarterback, but in case they need another one, AJ McCarron is waiting in the wings. The fifth-round pick out of Alabama is still sitting on the PUP list as he recovers from a shoulder injury.

As Butch Hobson pointed out, McCarron has looked good throwing on the side in practice, and he's anxious to return to the field.

McCarron, the rookie quarterback who won two national titles at Alabama, says he’s ready to join the active roster after spending all season rehabbing his throwing shoulder. He’s eligible to return in a few weeks, but he’s looked crisp on the side for the last month.

"I feel great. It's up to them," McCarron said. "They've  talked to me about it, from Coach (Marvin) Lewis to Mr. (Mike) Brown and they want me to make sure I take it slow and take all the time I need. But I'm anxious to get out there and practice."

He'll be eligible to return to action in Week 7, that is, if Cincinnati needs him on the 53-man roster. After six weeks, measured from the start of the season, the Bengals will have a six-week window to evaluate McCarron. During that time, Cincinnati would have the option to place him on the reserve/injured list, release him or allow him to begin practicing with the team.