With Craig Yeast waived Monday by the Bengals, Peter Warrick moves to the top of the team's depth chart at punt returner.

        Warrick averaged 17.6 yards on seven returns last year, including an 82-yard touchdown against Jacksonville.

        But cornerback Rodney Heath, No. 2 on the depth chart behind Warrick, will return most of the punts in Thursday night's preseason finale against Indianapolis.

        Coach Dick LeBeau said he doesn't want Warrick and Heath to go into the season without having returned a preseason punt. Neither player has returned one in the preseason. Yeast had an 11.4-yard average on five returns.

        CUTS: Yeast, the former Kentucky star, was one of seven players waived Monday. The others were kicker Richie Cunningham, running back Michael Basnight, punter Will Brice, quarterback Scott Covington, cornerback Kenny Bryant, wide receiver/cornerback Ramondo North and linebacker Kamal Shakir.

        The Bengals also placed third- year fullback Nick Williams (knee) on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list and rookie tackle Freddie Moore (knee) on the injured reserve list.

        The moves leave the Bengals with 67 players on the roster. NFL clubs must trim rosters to 65 by 4 p.m. today, but the Bengals have two players with NFL Europe exemptions, so they're in compliance with the deadline.

        VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: The Bengals aren't giving up on quarterback Akili Smith, unlike Chicago did with Smith's fellow 1999 first-round draft choice, Cade McNown. The Bears recently traded McNown to Miami for low-round future draft picks.

        Smith, battling tendinitis in his right shoulder, will start the season as the third quarterback behind Jon Kitna and Scott Mitchell.

        “We have absolutely no plans to move Akili,” Bengals president Mike Brown said. “We have not given up on him. He is still young, and he'll get his chances here before it's all through. Don't count him out.”

        INJURY REPORT: Already declared out for the Indianapolis game are tight end Sean Brewer (groin) and wide receiver Chad Plummer (torn hip cartilage).

QB Kitna's real work lies ahead Warrick inherits punt-return role Bengals reject new Smith proposal Bengals rookie to endow scholarship

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