Cornerback Mark Roman, the Bengals' second-round draft pick, will start for the first time Sunday against Jacksonville, and coach Dick LeBeau could end up making a total of four lineup changes.

        John Jackson will replace Rod Jones at left tackle, and Artrell Hawkins will return to the lineup ahead of Tom Carter at the other cornerback position. Danny Farmer could start ahead of Craig Yeast at wide receiver.

        Roman's rise up the depth chart was late in coming.He was inactive for eight of 14 games this season.

        The start will be against a team with one of the league's best receiving tandems. Jimmy Smith has 82 receptions and a 14.1-yard average, and Keenan McCardell has 79 catches and a 12.8 average. They have 12 touchdown receptions.

        “All I can do is play good technique,” Roman said. “They flip-flop. It's going to be a dogfight outside.”

        LeBeau called Roman's start against the Jaguars “baptism in fire.”

        Roman was inactive for five consecutive games before playing in the past four. Now, he starts.

        “I definitely made a lot of strides showing people that I'm ready to play,” Roman said. “Now I have to go out and play. I think I'm a complete corner. Making plays on the ball is something I'm going to have to do.”

        LeBeau was not happy with the cornerback play at Tennessee.

        “I thought we were in good position in the secondary Sunday, but the other team came down with the ball, and that's not very good for us,” he said.

        Hawkins started the Bengals' first four games before losing his job to Rodney Heath. Carter is on the bench again after being beaten several times on deep passes in the 35-3 loss to the Titans.

        If Robert Bean weren't injured with a sprained knee, the Bengals probably would be starting a pair of rookie cornerbacks. Bean has been the team's best cover man since winning a starting job four games ago from Carter.

        At wide receiver, Yeast could be held out because of a bruised shoulder. Farmer would start opposite another rookie, Peter Warrick, and Warrick would handle Yeast's punt return duties.

        “We're looking for more productivity in our passing game,” LeBeau said. “There's no secret about that.”

        The Bengals have the NFL's lowest-ranked passing game at 115.7 yards a game. Cincinnati gains, on average, 35 more yards a game on the ground.

        On the offensive line, Jackson replaced Jones once before, and now that his hamstring has healed, Jackson is in the lineup again.

        “Like I told you guys, I pretty much do what they tell me to do,” Jackson said Wednesday. “I'm up to the challenge. I'm excited because I grew up here. It means a lot to me playing here. I want to go out and have some fun, which means winning the ballgame.”

Jackson, Mitchell see what young Bengals don't Roman to get 1st start at corner No sellout, TV expected Jaguars' Taylor limited by leg injury

Big stakes, big reward in Shootout
SULLIVAN: Tickets few, hard to find
Fanaticism, new events spring from UC-XU rivalry
Satterfield pivotal for UC
Who will be the rising star?
Each team's keys to winning
Who's got the edge?
Highlights of recent Shootouts
Holley leaves UC women's team
UC's Ruffin named AP All-American
City submits Olympic bid
Where Olympic events would be held
Four annual festivals would precede Games
Georgetown back in NAIA title game
Boys basketball schedule
Girls basketball schedule
Reds get new groundskeeper
Reds will hold tryout camp

• Return to Bengals front page...