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Despite all of the ticket stories and the coaching changes going around the NFL, the Cincinnati Bengals began practicing for this weekend's playoff game against the San Diego Chargers.
Tight end Jermaine Gresham is practicing with team after sitting out last week against the Baltimore Ravens with a hamstring. Lewis spoke optimistically following Cincinnati's win last week that Gresham and Tyler Eifert should be good to go. However, Tyler Eifert isn't practicing with the team.
In fact, he's one of several players that are sitting during Wednesday's session.
Remember, beat writers reporting on their practice observations are kicked out after 30 minutes. Meaning that anything that happens afterwards will go unreported until the team's injury report.
That being said, according to multiple team beat writers, joining Eifert are offensive tackle Anthony Collins, wide receiver A.J. Green, center Kyle Cook, offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, cornerback Terence Newman and defensive end Wallace Gilberry. Terence Newman, who was evasive this week when asked about his knee, is doing some work on the side.
On the offensive line, Cook, Whitworth and Collins sustained injuries against the Ravens last week.
Cook suffered a foot injury during Andy Dalton's second interception early in the first quarter. Seen wearing a boot and crutches on this week, Cook is, at best, the most questionable. Whitworth left the Bengals locker room Sunday evening wearing a boot after rolling his ankle midway in the fourth quarter, but it was described as a "precaution". Anthony Collins sprained his ankle in the first half but rotated until Whitworth's injury, forcing Collins to play for the rest of the game.
Newman's return was largely slated for the postseason, after spraining an MCL against the Indianapolis Colts earlier this season. Working on the side Wednesday provides a little hope for Sunday. Eifert suffered a neck injury against the Minnesota Vikings and A.J. Green is expected to be fine.