Agent says Bryant will not be cut from Bengals
With Antonio Bryant’s ongoing injury woes and Carson Palmer building his chemistry with Terrell Owens, the idea that Bryant will get cut by the Bengals has slowly become the subject of speculation. Bryant signed with Cincinnati as a free agent in March after the Bengals initially passed on Owens, only to sign him the day before training camp.
When T.O signed with the Bengals, it was believed that Owens would be the third receiver after Bryant and Chad Ochocinco. After all, the Bengals invested a lot more in Bryant, giving him a four-year contract worth $28 million whereas Owens was only given a one-year deal worth $2.5 million plus incentives.
Bryant’s agent Lamont Smith said the Bengals have shown no signs of getting ready to cut Bryant. Due to his injuries, the Bengals would have to work out a settlement with Bryant if they were to release him.
“That would be the protocol,” Smith said. “Because you would think they would call and say, ‘This isn’t going the way we thought and let’s try and do something.’ From what I understand, things have progressed the past week.”
Bryant hurt his knee last year while with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He said he is getting really close to reaching 100 per cent and his career production shows that he is a great receiver when he’s healthy. After sitting out the 2007 season, Bryant came back in 2008 with 83 receptions for 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns.
“When I’m healthy, I’ll be playing football in this league,” Bryant said. “It’s like the year I sat out watching other people play and knowing in my heart I should be playing football due to circumstances I had a lot to do with. When I got my opportunity the next year, you saw the results and that’s how I roll. It could be a situation where I feel like I’ve got a gun to my head. Hey, the great players break records under pressure or they break. It’s got be one or the other.”
Bryant says that he will be in the field when he is 100 per cent and that he doesn’t want to return if he can’t contribute to the best of his ability. Time is running out as the Bengals cuts continue and Bryant still hasn’t practiced with the full squad since day one of training camp. Owens and Ochocinco have looked good in preseason and the pressure is starting to build on Bryant to return soon. The target date for his return is for the 12 September opener against the New England Patriots.
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