By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

Peter Warrick, with a good block from Rudi Johnson (left), breaks free for a long gain against the Seattle Seahawks last year. (Michael E. Keating/The Enquirer)

The injuries of several Bengals players improved enough during the bye week to make them probable for the game Sunday at Cleveland.

But wide receiver Peter Warrick was categorized as questionable Monday with a left shin injury by coach Marvin Lewis.

Warrick did dress for practice but was limited. Other wide receivers ran deep, out patterns; Warrick ran only two-step hitch patterns and appeared to limp when he tried to run. He left practice a few minutes early and said he was going to have an X-ray on his shin.

"It's getting better, just not as fast as I want it to," Warrick said. "I'm ready to find out what it is."

In previous media briefings, Lewis has said Warrick suffered a shin bruise while making a reception in the opening game against the Jets.

Asked Monday after practice if Warrick's injury was more serious than a bruise, Lewis said, "We've known that it's more than a bruise. Again, that's not public knowledge. That's not able to talk about these guys' injuries to the public. There's a law against it. It's personal business. He has been told exactly what he has wrong and right."

Warrick is one of the most, if not the most, valuable offensive player. He has been limited to parts of three games. He has 11 receptions for 127 yards, four catches and 41 yards coming on third down. He played against Baltimore but had to leave in the first quarter.

"Peter does a nice job on third down of creating things that are a little bit off the script," Lewis said Monday. "You miss that when you don't have Peter in the game, things that coaching can't create, his athleticism.

"He and (quarterback) Carson (Palmer) haven't had the rapport because he and Carson haven't had the practice time."

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

Return to Bengals front page...