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BENGALS

Roster will take shape with 24 cuts next week

By Chick Ludwig

Staff Writer

Sunday, August 27, 2006

What do tight end Ronnie Ghent, tailback Quincy Wilson, defensive end Jonathan Fanene, linebacker Hannibal Navies and cornerback Patrick Body have in common?

All are perched on the Cincinnati Bengals roster bubble.

Extras

The club must make two moves Tuesday to reach the NFL's 75-man roster limit. Twenty-two more players must exit by Saturday — the day after the Bengals' preseason finale at Indianapolis — when rosters gets sliced to 53. So it's a big week for players on the bubble.

"These next two games are real important for you to separate yourself," Ghent said. "But you shouldn't think about what you have no control over, because you'll stress yourself out. Just go out, and execute the game plan the coaches give you, and everything will take care of itself. If it's meant for you to be here, you'll be here. If it's not, then life goes on."

On the eve of the Bengals' nationally televised preseason game against visiting Green Bay, it's time to predict the roster's "Final 53." Of course, some of this could change depending on injuries, but it's worth a shot. Here goes:

Quarterbacks (3): Carson Palmer, Anthony Wright, Doug Johnson.

Running backs (4): Rudi Johnson, Chris Perry, Kenny Watson, Jeremi Johnson. On the bubble: Quincy Wilson.

Wide receivers (7): Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Tab Perry, Antonio Chatman, Chris Henry, Kelley Washington, Reggie McNeal. On the bubble: P.K. Sam.

Tight ends (2): Reggie Kelly, Tony Stewart. On the bubble: Ronnie Ghent, Darnell Sanders.

Offensive line (9): Levi Jones, Eric Steinbach, Rich Braham, Bobbie Williams, Willie Anderson, Andrew Whitworth, Stacy Andrews, Eric Ghiaciuc, Scott Kooistra. On the bubble: Pete Lougheed, Adam Kieft, Ben Wilkerson.

Defensive line (8): Bryan Robinson, Sam Adams, John Thornton, Justin Smith, Domata Peko, Shaun Smith, Robert Geathers, Frostee Rucker. On the bubble: Jonathan Fanene.

Linebackers (8): Brian Simmons, David Pollack, Landon Johnson, Ahmad Brooks, Rashad Jeanty, Marcus Wilkins, Caleb Miller, A.J. Nicholson. On the bubble: Hannibal Navies. Note — Odell Thurman does not count against the 53-man roster. The club gets an exemption for Thurman, who is suspended the first four games, for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

Defensive backs (9): Deltha O'Neal, Tory James, Dexter Jackson, Madieu Williams, Keiwan Ratliff, Johnathan Joseph, Kevin Kaesviharn, Greg Brooks, Ethan Kilmer. On the bubble: Patrick Body.

Specialists (3): Shayne Graham, kicker; Kyle Larson, punter; Brad St. Louis, long snapper.

Practice squad (8): TB DeDe Dorsey, WR Bennie Brazell, OG Steven Vieira, OG Kyle Takavitz, DE Eric Henderson, DT Marcus Lewis, SS Herana-Daze Jones, SS John Busing. Note — DE Daniel Watts does not count against the eight-man limit. The club gets an exemption for Watts, a London, England, native who is part of the NFL's International Development Practice Squad Program.

Next game

Who: Packers at Bengals

When: 8 p.m. Monday.

TV: ESPN

Radio: WTUE-FM (104.7)

Key dates

Tuesday: Roster cut down to 75 players

Saturday: Roster cut down to 53 players

Sept. 3: Clubs may establish practice squad of 8 players

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