By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

Nate Webster is carted from the field late in the fourth quarter of the Bengals' Sept. 26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. (Michael E. Keating/The Enquirer)

NEXT FOR BENGALS

Sunday: Bye week. Oct. 17: At Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Middle linebacker Nate Webster showed up at Paul Brown Stadium on Thursday for the first time since suffering a season-ending knee injury Sept. 26.

Webster, walking on crutches, stopped to talk with rookie Caleb Miller, who is starting in Webster's absence.

Webster, signed in March to a five-year, $11.3 million contract, is already looking forward to the offseason conditioning program.

"Four to six months," he said when asked how long he would be out.

Webster had surgery on the patella tendon in his right leg. He suffered the kneecap injury at the end of the Baltimore loss. He was placed on the season-ending Injured Reserve list Sept. 29.

"Bad day for the dog, but he will bounce back," he said.

The injury came at an especially frustrating time because he was starting to adjust to the new defensive scheme. He led the team with 26 tackles at the time.

The mental anguish of not playing is as painful as the physical injury.

"I'm just having mood swings," Webster said.

Webster said he plans on spending more time with Miller in the near future.

"Once I get a little more flexibility, I'll get more involved," he said.

In the meantime, watching games on television is difficult.

"Cussing, cussing," he said of his reaction to the loss Sunday at Pittsburgh.

How did Miller do?

"We lost," Webster said. "I won't even grade an individual."

The only bright spot is spending more time at home with his wife and children.

But he misses his teammates.

"Heck, yeah," he said.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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