By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The interior of the Bengals' offensive line should get off to a faster start in 2004 than it did last season.

Rich Braham was re-signed early and will be a fixture at center for at least one more year.

Left guard Eric Steinbach is entering his second season after an impressive first year that landed him on Pro Football Weekly's All-Rookie Team. He said he would be stronger after undergoing surgery to correct an old elbow injury. And newcomer Bobbie Williams will be the right guard in place of departed free agent Mike Goff.

Both Steinbach and Williams participated in the offseason workout session Wednesday morning at Paul Brown Stadium.

"I'm looking for big things out of myself," said Williams, signed as a free agent from the Eagles. "That's why I came here, to get a fresh start, to try to help the team and let the team help me."

Williams, 27, said his specialty is run blocking. Improving the Bengals' rush offense, especially against AFC North opponents, is one of coach Marvin Lewis' goals.

"The best feeling is to lay a block on somebody and look up and see the back of your running back's jersey," said Williams, who is 6 feet 3, 320 pounds. "That's our reward as offensive linemen."

Steinbach, who is only 24, could not lift weights because of the elbow injury.

"The goal now after surgery is not to have any pain or limitations," said Steinbach, who started 15 games.

Goff, who signed with San Diego, started the 2003 opener at center and was moved to right guard for the second game. Braham was promoted from a backup job to start at center, and Matt O'Dwyer, who started the season at right guard was benched. O'Dwyer signed with Tampa Bay last month.

TIME FOR TIMING: Carson Palmer has a full stable of receivers to throw to during offseason workouts.

The second-year quarterback - named starter a month ago - threw Wednesday morning to wide receivers Chad Johnson, Peter Warrick, Kevin Walter, Patrick Johnson and Adam Ziesel and tight ends Reggie Kelly and Tony Stewart.

"It's only April, and we've got a long way to go, but it's going well," Palmer said.

RFA UPDATE: Restricted free agent Victor Leyva signed the team's one-year tender offer of $628,000 on Tuesday and showed up for the workout Wednesday morning.

Stewart, another RFA tendered $628,000, said he would sign the offer within the next week.

Though he's not signed, Stewart has been working out in the offseason program because, he said, he doesn't want to fall behind.

The deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets is April 16. Leyva is looking to establish himself as an NFL regular in 2004 after battling injuries last year.

"It's a good year for me to try to get in there," he said. "I mean, the last couple of years, I've been hampered down at key moments by injuries. ... I want to get all that out of my system and be ready to compete."

TRYOUTS: Lewis, assistant coaches and team scouts were on the Paul Brown Stadium field to watch three players go through tryouts Wednesday morning.

Of note was Brandon Miree, a former Winton Woods High School star who played at the University of Pittsburgh.

He is 5-11 and 230 pounds and has run a 4.62-second time in the 40-yard dash. He rushed for 573 and six touchdowns for the Panthers in 2003.

Another former Panther, Jon Schall, a Turpin graduate, also was at the stadium Wednesday for a tryout. The 300-pound guard played in 24 games in three seasons at Pitt. He and Miree are both draft-eligible.

The third player working out was former Tulsa linebacker Ashon Farley, a street free agent with experience playing in Europe.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

Return to Bengals front page...