At 6-6, Matt Jones would officially be Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer's tallest NFL target and he's intrigued via this text Thursday night from the Left Coast: "I'm excited to see what Matt can do. Any time you add a big fast guy there's more potential for big plays, which is what we're looking for."
Palmer should have another 6-6 guy waving at him as rookie tight end Chase Coffman rehabs from his ankle scope late last season. Head coach Marvin Lewis came out Friday singing Coffman's praises.
"I'm excited about how Chase will help us; he's a big-time receiving threat," Lewis said. "He catches every ball thrown near him. It's uncanny how he catches the ball. He'll help us down in the scoring zones, he'll help us in medium yardage situations, he'll help us on first and second downs."
LEWIS LOOKING AT '10: With Lewis heading into the last year of his contract, his status has become the subject of national speculation but he said Friday he has no desire to elaborate.
Lewis, who ties Paul Brown and Sam Wyche atop the franchise's all-time coaching list with eight seasons this year, wouldn't say if the Bengals have approached him about an extension.
"I enjoy living and coaching in Cincinnati," Lewis said. "It's the same thing I tell my players. You can only focus on what's out there. I'm only thinking about 2010."
Lewis, a month removed from being named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year, said he doesn't think his lame-duck status hurts his ability to coach. He also said his relationship with Bengals president Mike Brown "hasn't changed."
Back in November Lewis told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Brown had approached him.
"Mike has talked to me about the future," Lewis told his hometown paper. "I just told him I'd rather wait and relax and not worry about it now. We'll talk again, I'm sure."
Brown, who rarely grants interviews, gave Lewis an endorsement in the same story.
"When things went wrong here, I never believed they were Marvin's doing. Others were in the kitchen with him, including me," Brown said.
Lewis is scheduled to appear at a news conference next Friday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, but he indicated he won't be discussing his contract.
