With three preseason games in the books, I wanted to take the time to review each position (in some cases, units) as we prepare this week to play the meaningless of meaningless of preseason games, as well as upcoming roster cuts. While I'm not trying to predict the roster -- and definitely not projecting depth chart -- I didn't include every player in some scenarios, but included more than what the team is expected to take (mostly because I'm just not sure who they take, or the play is pretty even between the competition).

Quarterback - Even though Palmer has been assaulted on nearly every play (it seems), he hasn't been sharp -- likely a result of being assaulted. Twice against the Saints, Palmer nearly threw interceptions because 1) the ball was overthrown and 2) the pass was too near the middle of the field intended for a receiver sprinting down the sidelines. With the assault by the opposing pass rush, Palmer is becoming too aware of what's going on around the pocket rather than what's going on downfield. Once protection flaws are worked out, and communication issues resolved, we're confident that Palmer will be Palmer and give the Bengals their best chance to win each week.

Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been one of the few successful offensive players, completing 70% of his passes, with a 6.8 pass-per-attempt average and a 101.3 passer rating (all team highs). His 44 yards rushing is third on the team behind Chris Perry and Kenny Watson. Fitzpatrick's performance proves he'll be a coveted unrestricted free agent next season as a "veteran" quarterback that so many teams need.

1. Carson Palmer
2. Ryan Fitzpatrick
3. Jeff Rowe

Running Back - While it's exciting to see Chris Perry back to full strength, we've been missing our primary feature back, Rudi Johnson due to another hamstring injury -- this time to the other leg. However, along with their troubles protecting their quarterbacks, the offensive line has struggled rush blocking for Perry -- mostly Eric Ghiaciuc. Since the first game, Perry's yards-per-attempt has fallen from 3.8 to 3.4. Watson's 4.7 yards-per-attempt is encouraging, but a majority of his attempts have come against second team defenses, with only one attempt the entire game against the Saints.

I think the Bengals keep Dorsey over James Johnson. Though neither have done much this preseason, Dorsey is a more explosive back while James Johnson is eligible for the team's practice squad. If the Bengals haven't cut Jeremi by now, they won't.

1. Rudi Johnson
2. Chris Perry
3. Kenny Watson
4. DeDe Dorsey
5. Jeremi Johnson

Wide Receiver - Talk about depressing. With Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh nursing and rehabbing injuries ("supposedly", if you believe in conspiracies), the Bengals have been searching for that evasive receiver we hoped would step up. Jerome Simpson's 144 yards receiving is far above Chatman's 63 yards among the yardage leaders at wide receiver. However, passes are being dropped and receivers are not separating from defensive backs, forcing Palmer to hold onto the ball longer. One has to appreciate this bit of irony. If Chad Johnson was traded, then this unit has absolutely no hope going into the season, even though the team signed Chris Henry to help.

I think Andre Caldwell's injury hurts him big. While he's not on the field battling for a spot, the Bengals would be more inclined to keep Holt for experience and versatility on special teams. Caldwell is another player eligible for the practice squad. This is all based on the assumption when Henry returns, not when the season starts. When Henry is reinstated after the fourth game, the Bengals will need to decide whether to keep Holt or Caldwell -- and it's doubtful, no matter what other writers suggest, that the Bengals will let Henry go.

1. Chad Johnson
2. T.J. Houshmandzadeh
3. Antonio Chatman
4. Jerome Simpson
5. Glenn Holt
6. Andre Caldwell

Tight End - Stable as stable comes. Ben Utecht, another glowing offensive player this preseason, leads the team with 10 receptions, second with 108 yards receiving and only one of two players with a receiving touchdown through three games. Reggie Kelly is the league's best tight end blocker, taking a lot of reps in the backfield. If the Bengals keep four tight ends (which includes long snapper Brad St. Louis), then Daniel Coats makes the team.

1. Reggie Kelly
2. Ben Utecht
3. Daniel Coats
4. Brad St. Louis

Offensive Line - We've talked about their struggles, and fantasized of a Jurassic Line. Still, the running game hasn't really taken off and the quarterbacks are struggling to focus downfield rather than the pass rush -- Bengals quarterbacks have been sacked 10 times, and knocked down three times as much. I'm not sure the Bengals will keep a second center, depending on Bobbie Williams to play that role. On the other hand, you could easily replace Nate Livings with Dan Santucci with limited fall in production. Something of note: Kyle Cook took some first-team snaps against the Saints in the third quarter.

1. Levi Jones
2. Andrew Whitworth
3. Eric Ghiaciuc
4. Bobbie Williams
5. Stacy Andrews
6. Willie Anderson
7. Nate Livings
8. Scott Kooistra
9. Anthony Collins
10. Dan Santucci

Defensive Line - Domata Peko has impressed me this preseason against the rush. He's working the line, challenging double teams and finding ways to stuff gaps at the point of attack. Other than that, I think this unit is just down right dreadful. Fanene and Rucker appear like average ends with limited upside, while John Thornton and Jason Shirley have made a library seem like a Metallica concert. Pat Sims, before his injury, impressed me with his aggressiveness and motor-style play. Hopefully we get him back when the season starts. While Angelo Craig has made plays, I've labeled him a practice squad player until either Rucker or Fanene (even though he signed an extension this offseason) are let go. I see no scenario in the world in which Eric Henderson makes this squad -- nor did I see any scenario that the Bengals sign Chris Henry.

1. Antwan Odom (DE)
2. Robert Geathers (DE)
3. Johnathan Fanene (DE)
4. Frostee Rucker (DE)
5. John Thornton
6. Domata Peko
7. Jason Shirley
8. Pat Sims
9. Michael Myers -- I'm adding Myers here for two reasons. The team could be concerned about Shirley's upcoming court case and keeping Myers adds an insurance policy in case Pat Sims' rehabs slowly.

Linebacker - I'm actually more impressed with this unit than I thought I would be before training camp. At WILL, Keith Rivers and Brandon Johnson have combined for 28 tackles and a sack -- Rivers accounts for 17 tackles and that sack. Corey Mays has been solid at backup middle linebacker and Darryl Blackstock's two sacks leads the team. The thing I would be most concerned about is Dhani Jones' nine total tackles through three games. Ahmad Brooks had some first-team snaps at defense when Blackstock suffered a cramp against the Saints. Also expect Carl-Johan Bjork to make the team as he's exempt from the 53-man roster.

1. Dhani Jones
2. Keith Rivers
3. Darryl Blackstock
4. Rashad Jeanty
5. Corey Mays
6. Brandon Johnson
7. Jim Maxwell
8. Ahmad Brooks
9. Anthony Hoke (?)

Secondary - For the most part, I think our starting cornerbacks have done a decent job working on an island. For the plays that you see them get beat, either a dump-truck named Calvin Johnson used his super-size advantage, or the quarterback found a hole in zone coverage. I don't like the play of our safeties -- Dexter Jackson is Dexter Jackson and Marvin White still struggles keeping the receiver in front preventing long plays. White is a hitter though, and his efforts to make sure-tackles have improved greatly since the first game.

David Jones scares the hell out of me, and I don't see much of an improvement with Castille. O'Neal has accepted his role, and done well, as the team's third cornerback giving the Bengals good depth at the position.

1. Leon Hall (CB)
2. Johnathan Joseph (CB)
3. Deltha O'Neal (CB)
4. David Jones (CB)
5. Simeon Castille (CB)
6. Dexter Jackson (S)
7. Marvin White (S)
8. Chinedum Ndukwe (S)
9. Corey Lynch (S)
10. Herana-Daze Jones (S) -- mostly for his special teams work.

Anyway, those are my impressions at this point. If you have more, or want to adjust my impressions because I always miss at least one player (or two) when I do these things, it's all yours.

In truth, I was shocked and disappointed that the Bengals signed Chris Henry back; but what exactly can anyone do about it? It's not like the Bengals listen to you, anyway; considering Marvin Lewis said pointedly that the fans "can be frustrated all they want....it's a waste of time". Though likely that was in frustration with the front office, rather than the fans or even the media -- oh, how Marvin loves Chick Ludwig. T.J. too! Is there going to be a call for another boycott? Brown paper bags? No, not likely. Mike Brown has assured a legacy that will never be endearing -- and he deserves it.

My point isn't to suggest that you have to accept the signing Henry. It never was. For the six years I've done this gig I've always wrote with a style to angle, examine and bring up any arguments for the issue and let you develop your own opinion. I'm not arrogant enough to think that my opinion is all that you're interested in. It's something I learned when I did political commentaries "back in the day" that Dave (Stripe Hype) was always so fond of -- and always agreeable.

At this point in the process, what can anyone do or say that will make the team understand why we cringed when the Bengals signed Henry, or why the nation of NFL fans laugh at our ridiculous missteps, or understand why we've demanded for almost two decades that Mike Brown reconsider the process in which the team acquires players? He won't change, he's too fond of accomplishments that few "successful" business owners ever accomplish -- a lengthy period of a failing product, and yet able to make good money. You know, like Microsoft.

Chris Henry is a small story this season accelerated and inflated by the media that's surprised it actually happened, the fans exploding anger against Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis doing an excellent job promoting hope, but failing at translating that into success on the field. There's more to this season than Chris Henry. There's always Carson Palmer, his famous receivers and an offensive line that protected Palmer so well, that they'll go down in the books for lowest sack numbers in franchise history. There's the project of continual growth (KOOL-AID ALERT) of a better-than-last year defense that we keep hoping for with this season being the most promising. There's an exciting return of Chris Perry that seems like the '05 version, a pass-catching tight end for the first time since the Reagan administration and decent depth on the offensive line. There's the promising pass-rushing tandem of Robert Geathers and Antwan Odom, or the promising secondary tandem of Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall. There's Keith Rivers and Brandon Johnson cooperating as the team's most promising WILL linebacker duo in recent memory.

Yea, I know, a lot of promising, nothing truly known. But that's my point, there's more to this season than just Chris Henry.

Moving on...

Marvin Lewis on T.J. Houshmandzadeh:

"I think T.J. needs more time than he thinks he needs (to be ready to play). I'll tell you that. I think for the runner, it's not quite as significant. We want to see him and make sure he can withstand it. I think for T.J., there's more to it. Things change, things have changed. When you're not out there and doing it, things move within the snap of the football, so it's important that T.J. gets some snaps going and gets going here. He's a very smart guy, he understands football very well, and understands the offense and the nuances of what we're doing very well. But until you're doing it, there are going to be some things. Now, you start working to a game plan and everything's limited and it comes down, but yeah, it's important for them to get some snaps and some time."

I'm not exactly sure how you look into this. But do you get the impression that Lewis is talking about an injury? If you were a casual fan of any NFL team, and replaced "T.J." with some unknown (let's call him Frank), would you think that the head coach is talking injury or prepping for the speed of an NFL game?

Geoff Hobson reacts to the Ludwig piece that Houshmandzadeh is "sandbagging his injury" (which wasn't something we wrote -- just responded to). "But isn't guessing about a person's integrity merely on gut instinct strike you as irresponsible?"

You guys were pretty split. Of the 99 that voted, 51 of you said that Houshmandzadeh was "sandbagging" while the other 48 said no.

Marcus Maxwell on being lost for the season:

"I'm sick to my stomach, because you think of all the hard work you put in," Maxwell said. "I put in a lot of hard work in the off-season, I made 100 percent of my workouts in the off-season. And then there's training camp, that was the hardest training camp I'd been in and then for this to happen. I felt like I had a lot of room to grow, I'm not near my max potential, that's what gets me as well. There's a lot of things mentally and physically I could improve upon. Now, it's more mental, which I know will make me a better player in the future."

I agree with those that say Joe Horn won't (and shouldn't) be a receiver in Cincinnati. He's talented, no doubt. But he's not the type of receiver that would be third or fourth on the depth chart, and be cool about it.

A season ticket holder writes to PFW in response to the Bengals signing Henry. "My only concern is the affect it may have on the players perception of Marvin Lewis – he was definitely over-ridden on this issue by Brown."

Rudi Johnson intends on keeping his starting job responding to Lewis' declaration that Perry would start if the season starts now. Johnson says, "The season doesn't start now." Touche.

However, Chris Perry is set on becoming the team's feature back. And you have to love this guy's attitude. "I want to make it so they (the coaches) have to make a decision. I want to be taken seriously.”

As long as Bob Bratkowski actually uses the running game, and doesn't freak when the team doesn't rush successfully in the first quarter, this could be the team's best core of feature backs during the Marvin Lewis era. Nah, I'll actually go out on a limb and say it is the best core of feature backs during the Marvin Lewis era.

Marcus Maxwell tore his quad muscle while working with Jeff Rowe after practice on deep routes. Maxwell worked his ass off this entire off-season, getting more work in after practice and gets hurt for the season. That's depressing irony.

The Bengals will wear black at PBS this Saturday night.

Paul Alexander says that "Eric Ghiaciuc is unquestionably the No. 1 center."

Pine Riders project the Bengals as most people are. "I have this team pegged for about 7 wins, but that 7 could easily be 8 or 9." I agree. But it could easily be only five wins, too. Or ten.

Fantasy Football experts are high on Kenny Watson this year. Matthew Berry suggests that Watson will be the team's leading rusher by gaining over 1,000 yards rushing.

While little white uniforms and little green uniforms distracted from ESPN's Monday Night broadcast, The Aaron Rodgers Story, it was noted that the Bengals showed their hand regarding the team's third quarterback. With six-plus minutes left in the third quarter, the Bengals sent in Jeff Rowe to relieve Ryan Fitzpatrick, taking 18 snaps, completing two of eight passes for 24 yards and an interception. Rowe showed he had decent arm strength and truthfully, his receivers didn't come through for him. He even showed decent accuracy rolling out.

Jordan Palmer joined the game late in the fourth quarter, and took five snaps, including the game-winning knee. His one pass attempt was a completed two-yard shovel pass to James Johnson, on third-and-11.

Our guess: Provided that the team isn't already set with their quarterback's depth chart, roles could reverse against the Lions; Rowe coming in late for a two-yard shovel pass while Jordan Palmer gets work in half the third quarter and half the fourth quarter. Then again, we still haven't figured out why the Bengals picked Rowe in the fifth-round of the 2007 NFL draft, if not to have a good backup quarterback. And the team figures keeping Ryan Fitzpatrick around gives them more chance than with Rowe backing up. Maybe that changes next year when Fitzpatrick figures to check out the free agency market as an unrestricted.