GEORGETOWN, Ky. — By his own admission, Bengals rookie cornerback Robert Bean isn't the best practice player. It's not a lack of focus, he says, but more a lack of the excitement that accompanies real games.

        At 5-foot-11 and 178 pounds, Bean isn't that big by normal-person standards, much less those of the NFL.

        And in his first professional game, Friday's loss at Buffalo, Bean was chewed out on the sidelines by special teams coach Al Roberts for a perceived lack of effort.

        Despite all this, it looks to the Bengals as if they may have a steal in Bean, a fifth-round pick who signed a three-year deal worth a little less than $1 million. He possesses something — “Moxie,” coach Bruce Coslet said — that has caught the eyes of Bengals coaches and teammates at training camp.

        “Bean's one of those guys you notice,” Coslet said. “He's always around the ball, always making things happen.”

        Bean has made the most of limited opportunities so far. In last week's intrasquad

        scrimmage, he intercepted a pass and blocked an extra point. Against the Bills, he had three defensive tackles and one special teams tackle.

        Always being around the ball, however, has sometimes gotten Bean into trouble.

        “A couple of times he was making things happen when he shouldn't have been around making things happen, because his guy was over here,” said Coslet, pointing across the room.

        Bean earned a reputation as a standout special teams players in his two years at Mississippi State, which followed two years at Georgia Military College. With the Bulldogs, Bean blocked five punts and two field goals.

        Roberts blamed rookie nerves when he saw Bean struggling on special teams against the Bills. His shaky play on punts and field goals prompted a quick tongue lashing from the coach.

        “As many plays as the fans saw, he also made some boo-boos,” Roberts said. “Coming off the edge on punt blocks and field goal blocks, he didn't come hard every time, because he got discouraged. I told him, "They're going to choke you; they're going to hold you; they ain't going to let you block that kick.'”

        Bean's stature is a concern for the coaches, who have questioned his ability to stop the run. Bean is trying to compensate by working hard in the weight room. He said he wants to get stronger to prove he can make big tackles.

        Fellow cornerback Tom Carter said Bean's size won't matter on the field.

        “He's still going to make his plays,” Carter said. “Besides, no corner in the league is going to butt chests with a back.”

        As for the gap between his play in practice and in game situations, Bean and Carter pointed to the usual struggle of a rookie trying to master the complicated X's and O's of his new team.

        Once he has those down, Bean has a chance to become a solid contributor on Sundays in both special teams and the secondary. And it seems to be during game time when Bean really excels.

        “Once the game starts, it's time to play — it's business,” Bean said. “No messing up, no making mistakes. I just try to make plays.”

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