The Bengals showed up Monday for the first day of voluntary workouts with a first-round pick looking for a job, a franchise wide receiver not looking for a deal just yet, and a quarterback finding one of his big targets ready to go.
Four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green, heading into his contract year, said his agent has talked to the Bengals once about a new deal but he has no concerns if he doesn't have an extension by the regular-season opener.
"I handle the part of playing. I'm not hurting for money,' said Green, who has a one-year, $10.4 million deal for this season. "I got my option. That's enough for now. I'm just focused on football. Next year will take care of itself."
The newlywed Green (March 21) is focused on regrouping after what he called his most disappointing season. He still led the club with his fourth straight 1,000-yard season. But it was a career-low when he had no catches in six games because of injury and that included the postseason.
"I was not out there like I need to. I was never 100 percent. I felt like I never played like I should have," Green said. "Yeah, I'm a 100 percent."
Green says he no longer has to tape his inflamed big toe that cost him a couple of games.
Cincinnati Bengals begin team's voluntary workouts 04/20/2015
Meanwhile, last year's No. 1 pick, cornerback Darqueze Dennard, took note of the departure of starter Terence Newman, said he sees "blood in the water," and said he expects to start.
Quarterback Andy Dalton is buoyed by the return of wide receiver Marvin Jones, his 10-TD man from 2013 that didn't play a snap last year because of ankle surgery on one foot and another foot that was broken.
On Monday, Jones said he originally hurt his ankle in March workouts a year ago and it was never healthy when he began training camp a week late in early August. He says it's the best he's felt in 13 months and that he's full go.
The Bengals had a robust turnout for the voluntaries. Only two players didn't show. Defensive tackle Devon Still is out for family reasons with daughter Leah and defensive end Michael Johnson graduates from Georgia Tech May 1.
