Updated: 12:20 p.m.
As Shayne Graham recovers from a sore groin, the Bengals opted to sign a kickoff man for Sunday's 1 p.m. game against the Jets in The Meadowlands when they inked four-year veteran Dave Rayner and released fullback Reagan Maui'a.
Rayner, who has kicked in 41 NFL game and made 71 percent of his 58 field-goal tries, has touchbacks on 41 career kickoffs.
 Graham |
That's why the Bengals didn't practice him Thursday and after Friday 's practice head coach Marvin Lewis reiterated what Graham said by indicating that they felt he could kick field goals. But with the Jets boasting one of the NFL's top returners in Leon Washington (ranked second with a long of 94 yards, the Bengals want to make sure they're covered on kickoffs.
Graham called the groin problem "a typical injury for a kicker. That's one of the main muscles that gets stressed."
The 6-2, 210-pound Rayner played with Indianapolis in 2005, Green Bay in 2006 and Kansas City and San Diego in 2007. He has made 41 field goals with a long of 54 yards.
Rayner became a free agent for 2008 when his San Diego contract expired with no qualifying offer. He was signed and later released by Miami in June, and signed with Detroit Aug. 9. He played in two preseason games and was seven-for-eight before the Lions released him Aug. 26.
Maui'a signed with the Bengals as a free agent Sept. 3 and was active for two games with no carries.
