BY GEOFF HOBSON - GEORGETOWN, Ky.
Bengals President Mike Brown has been in the game 40 years, but he can't remember one of his teams getting hit so hard by so many serious injuries heading into a preseason opener. The Bengals, who will leave 10 injured players at home Thursday, found out today another player is out for Friday's game in Buffalo. Defensive tackle Tom Barndt won't make his Bengals' debut for another two to three weeks because of a torn chest muscle.
"I've never seen so many who were going to be out four weeks or more," Brown said.
The list:
Wide receiver Darnay Scott was put on season-long injured reserve today with his broken leg. Center Rich Braham (knee) is out three to five weeks, defensive end Michael Bankston (thigh, knee) is out three to four weeks, running back Michael Basnight (wrist) is out eight to 10 weeks, safety JoJuan Armour (groin) is out three to four weeks, and cornerback Charles Fisher (knee) won't be ready until at least the sixth week of the season. Other players who can't play Friday are cornerback Sirr Parker (hamstring), safety Lawrence Wright (rib) and linebacker Armegis Spearman (chest).
But Brown said he doesn't see anything wrong with the way the camp is run. He's not happy with the way tight end Marco Battaglia accidently flung the man he was blocking on the back of Scott's leg, but other than that, the injuries are just plain injuries.
"He didn't mean to do it," Brown said. "It was an accident. But I don't excuse it. Players have to be responsible for their safety and the safety of others. But that's been the only one that's been out of the guidelines of practice. We still don't know how Basnight got hurt and that was in the scrimmage. I didn't know Braham's knee was as severe as it was until we got here. I don't think anybody did. I haven't seen anything being done out there that arouses my concern."
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SCOTT RESTING: **Scott plans to remain at Deaconess Hospital for a few more days following Tuesday night's surgery to put a rod in his broken tibia. He also broke the other bone in his lower left leg, the fibula, but trainer Paul Sparling said the surgery confirmed what X-Rays saw and there is no cartilage or ligament damage.
* RECEIVERS LINEUP:*You can't tell the players without a scorecard, so here's how receivers coach Steve Mooshagian plans to run out his wideouts in Buffalo. First-rounder Peter Warrick will play split end and Craig Yeast will play flanker in the first half. When they go three wides, Warrick or Damon Griffin will go in the slot. Griffin will play split end and James Hundon will work at flanker in the third quarter with Yeast getting a shot in the slot. Third-rounder Ron Dugans is questionable with a hamstring pull, but Mooshagian said the four wideouts will probably get rolled through the first three quarters.
