For weeks, Bengals coaches have said a team strengths is the return of the starting five offensive linemen. But one of those five, right guard Brian DeMarco, was among 11 players released Sunday to get down to the 53-man roster limit.

SUNDAY'S CUTS

VETERANS   G Brian DeMarco   DT Andre Purvis   RB Sedrick Shaw   S JoJuan Armour   T Mike Doughty   CB Sirr Parker   DT Chad Pegues   ROOKIES   WR LaVell Boyd   WR Marvin Chalmers   CB Brian Gray   G Roger Roesler

        “We were excited going into the season with the same five guys back,” line coach Paul Alexander said. “We're even more excited because we've had some other players come on and pass one of them up.”

        Mike Goff, the backup left guard and center, moves into the starting role at right guard.

        “That was his position in college and as a rookie,” Alexander said. “In the final analysis, we felt Goff was significantly better.”

        Coaches also thought backup right guard Scott Rehberg, a free agent who played with the Browns last season, played better than DeMarco in the preseason finale Friday against the Lions.

        Goff will start on the right side alongside tackle Willie Anderson. Rod Jones is the left tackle. Matt O'Dwyer is the starter at left guard, but he will miss the Sept. 10 opener against Cleveland because of a league suspension.

        The Bengals have two possible combinations to fill two line positions against the Browns.

        Rehberg might start at left guard, and center Rich Braham — who is recovering well from knee surgery — will play center. Or Braham could return to left guard and backup center Brock Gutierrez would stay at center. Gutierrez has impressed coaches.

        The other offensive linemen remaining after Sunday's cuts are veteran tackles John Jackson and Jamain Stephens.

        DeMarco, who started the first seven games in 1999 before being sidelined with elbow injuries, was signed by the Bengals from Jacksonville in 1999 and was in the second year of a three-year deal estimated in the $3.3 million range.

        “Brian was just one of a lot of difficult decisions we had to make,” Jim Lippincott, Bengals director of pro-college personnel said. “I'm sure Brian will end up in the league somewhere. ... It's time for some of the young offensive lineman here to come through.”

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