Updated: 4:35 p.m.
After pulling Levi Jones early in the second quarter of Sunday's game in Kansas City, Marvin Lewis said Jones would start at left tackle this week against the Jets.
"We're counting on Levi to bounce back and we think he will," Lewis said. "He's a very prideful young man and I know he's excited to get back and put his best foot forward."
Jones was benched after the Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen logged 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
The Bengals had a surprise participant at Wednesday's practice when right tackle Willie Anderson suited up. Anderson, who was able to log only three snaps October 1 against New England and then missed last Sunday's game in Kansas City to break a streak of 116 straight starts, was in shoulder pads and shorts along with the rest of his teammates as practice got under way and went in limited fashion.
It was believed Anderson would miss up to a month with his knee and foot injuries, but it looks like he's going to try to give his team a lift as the Bengals look to climb out of a 1-4 hole.
Anderson came back on a day that Lewis said, "We had a good, spirited practice. We're not walking around here as a team that's won one football game and that's the approach we have to take until we've won the second one, and begin to go one after one after one."
Running back Chris Perry, who is eligible to start practicing after spending the first six weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list (PUP), did not practice with his teammates. He was on the field and appeared ready to do some work on the side.
Lewis says he'll spring Perry soon, but won't say when.
"Yeah, I actually probably do know when. But we'll wait until we do that," Lewis said. "Chris has really done well. He's working hard. If he doesn't have any setbacks here with anything, it should be in short order."
One piece of good news for the depleted Bengals linebacker corps was the appearance of linebacker Rashad Jeanty, who has yet to play this season while nursing a lower leg injury.
But it looks like he's lost his position on the strong side to Robert Geathers, suddenly a former left end.
"He's a linebacker now," Lewis said. "Permanently right now. As permanent as right now can be."
Not dressed for Wednesday's practice were linebackers Ahmad Brooks and Caleb Miller, running back Rudi Johnson, tight end Reggie Kelly and wide receiver Antonio Chatman.
Also not working Wednesday were free safety Madieu Williams (back) and linebacker Corey Mays (hamstring).
Lewis said half of them will be back Thursday and Miller has a chance to practice Thursday. Jeanty said it's "iffy" if he plays after not practicing for nearly two months. But he participated fully Wednesday. Defensive tackle Jon Fanene (knee) also went full.
After going 1-for-18 the last two games on third-down conversions, quarterback Carson Palmer said the Bengals did some extra sets of third-down snaps in Wednesday's practice. Wide receiver Chad Johnson said they completed about 95 percent of the passes.
Johnson allowed that even though he's on pace to finish with 1,843 yards, he says he's been "horrible."
"I have to do more," he said. "If I'm on pace for 1,800 (with a 1-4 record), then it should be 2,800."
Lewis said that wide receiver Tab Perry had surgery Wednesday on his injured hip that has now cost him virtualy two full seasons. He says it's not career threatening.
"The doctors don't think so. When Tab originally hurt himself against Cleveland (in 2006), there was a certain diagnosis and a prognosis. And we've been able to follow that," Lewis said. "We waited a long period of time last year because they felt that if he rested, he would be able to come back and play. So, we waited for a period of time. It never seemed to come around and we needed the spot, so we made the move (to Reserve/Injured list).
"This year, he had a flare up in training camp and we shut him down, and had him looked at. It came back that nothing had changed. Go as long as you can go, as long as you're feeling good and want to do it, go for it. I think internally, he was having more problems than he let on to us. Then he hurt his hamstring and had a chance to come back. He spoke to someone else and they said. 'Why don't we try this now and maybe we can fix you for good."
Also Wednesday the Bengals signed linebacker Kevis Coley to the practice squad. The 6-1, 230-pound Coley is a first-year player signed as a free agent out of Southern Mississippi with the Giants in 2006. He did not start that season in the NFL, but was on Jacksonville's practice squad for the season's last eight games. Coley didn't begin this preseason on an NFL roster but was signed by Jacksonville Aug. 26 and released later that week.
With Miller and Brooks still not practicing, Anthony Schlegel could make his third straight start against the team that drafted him in the third round last year and cut him just before the start of this season
In a conference call with the Cincinnati media Wednesday, Jets coach Eric Mangini wouldn't comment on the move but allowed, "Anthony Schlegel is an impressive, impressive person. He's incredibly smart; he's got great, great instincts and just loves the game of football. I really like him as a person."
It's going to be like a practice reunion for Schlegel and Jets center Nick Mangold, Ohio State teammates before the Jets drafted each.
"He's got a real thick head. He comes down on you and he's not afraid to take on the blocks," Mangold said. "It's difficult because linebackers are usually running around, flying around and making tackles and Schlegel will take the opportunity to hit you if he gets the chance. It's going to be a long day for us."
Mangini considers it a coaching reunion from the last days of the Browns in Cleveland in 1995 and the first days of the Ravens in Baltimore in 1996, when Bengals wide receivers coach Mike Sheppard was also on both staffs, as well Panthers strength coach Jerry Simmons, the uncle of Bengals special teams coach Darrin Simmons. In '96, Mangini had an office across from Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis in Baltimore.
Mangini also revealed that he interviewed Bengals quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese for the offensive coordinator's job when he took over the Jets before the 2006 season, a post that eventually went to Brian Schottenheimer.
