Todd Frazier is getting a trial run as the Cincinnati Reds' starting third baseman and the rookie is making the most of it.

Frazier, 26, nearly single-handedly led the Reds to a 6-3 win over the host New York Mets on Wednesday with the first two home run game of his young career. He's now batting .293 with three homers and six RBIs. 

Keep in mind, Frazier was on a tear in spring training when he led the Reds with six home runs in Cactus League action. And last year, he hit a total of 21 home runs -- 15 with triple-A Louisville and six with the Reds in a late-season call-up.

Making Frazier's performance against the Mets even sweeter for Frazier is the fact that he's from New Jersey and estimated he had "30 or 40 family and friends" in the stands.

Frazier was a standout collegiate shortstop at Rutgers and many thought the Reds got a steal when they landed him in the supplemental round (between the first and second rounds) in 2007. It took a while for Frazier to make the Majors, but he's quickly proving to be a solid player and then some. In fact, I think he's pretty close to locking himself in as the Reds' 3B of the future. He's also the third baseman of the present, but Scott Rolen is going to get playing time when he returns to the DL; there's no question about that.

However, Rolen's contract runs out after this season and I think we could be looking at, at least, a platoon situation for the remainder of the year. And next season, Frazier is primed to take over as the everyday starter at third. Let's be honest: With Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips making an exorbitant amount of money from this point forward, the Reds need to have their share of starters that don't make much money, but are still productive. Enter Frazier at 3B and fellow 26-year-old rookie Zack Cozart at shortstop. Cozart is struggling right now, but I still like him as the starter for this season and beyond.

Beat Goes On For Chapman

It's getting beyond ridiculous in regards to the season Aroldis Chapman is compiling. The 24-year-old "Cuban Missile" might be having the best start to a season of any non-closer reliever in MLB history. Seriously, has any set-up man topped Chapman's statistics (19.1 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 34 K) 1.5 months into a MLB season?

We know he won't continue to be this good, but he could have a drastic drop-off and still be great. Well, maybe that's taking it a bit far, but the bottom line is the Reds are getting a nice return out of their 6-year, $30-million investment in Chapman (signed through the 2015 season). Chapman has a fastball that regularly sits at 98-99 MPH (and has been clocked as high as 104 MPH in an MLB game, which is believed to be the fastest pitch ever recorded in professional baseball) and a nasty slider to go with it. I still think his future is as a starter (not this season, but beginning in 2013) but there's also a chance the Reds will decide to make him a closer down the road.

The Cincinnati Reds moved over the .500 mark (13-12) with a 6-1 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

Johnny Cueto picked up the complete-game victory for the Reds and is now 4-0 with a 1.31 ERA on the season.

Any questions about whether Cueto was “truly an ace” have quickly been answered. His numbers this season are eye-popping, and this is after going 12-7 with a 3.64 ERA in 2010, and going 9-5 with a 2.31 ERA last season (an injury forced Cueto to miss a few starts in 2011).

Cueto, 26, certainly appears headed for his first All-Star game appearance this summer. Yes, it’s still early (this was his sixth start) but he’s been sharp as can be this season. He’s always been a good pitcher with a promising future, and it appears he’s reaching his prime. He’s a lot of fun to watch right now on the mound for Reds fans.

Chapman also on point

There is a crisis for Reds’ opponents this season. Aroldis Chapman, aka “The Cuban Missile,” has found his groove as the Reds’ left-handed set-up man out of the bullpen. Sean Marshall was expected to man that role, but was forced to be the closer after the season-ending injury to Ryan Madson.

Chapman’s future is still likely as a starter in my opinion, but unless there are injuries to current members of the Reds’ rotation, Chapman will likely stick in the ‘pen this season.

Chapman has been so dominant that he makes Cueto’s stats look pedestrian by comparison. Check out these Nintendo-numbers that the 24-year-old has compiled thus far in 2011: 13.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 23 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.68 WHIP.

Wow.

Chapman is still a flamethrower – the hardest-thrower in all of Major League Baseball in fact – but he doesn’t seem concerned about setting MPH records every time he takes the mound now. He hasn’t been looking up at the scoreboard nearly as much to see how fast his latest pitch was. He seems to be only concerned about getting batters out … and that’s exactly what he’s doing.

Bruce continues to surge

Jay Bruce might be the streakiest hitter in Major League Baseball. Right now, he’s one a sizzling streak and is tearing up nearly every mistake a pitcher makes.

Bruce, the reigning NL Player of the Year, smashed his eighth home run of the season on Friday against the Pirates. He’s also batting .304 (OPS of .970) with 18 RBIs.

It’s also hard to remember at times that the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Bruce is only 25 years old. And not only has he developed into the threat at the plate that all Reds fans hoped, he’s always been an excellent defensive right fielder.

Need to get Latos going

I’m still confident Mat Latos will have a good season (and more-importantly a good career since the Reds have him under control through the 2015 season).

Latos, 24, turned in a forgettable first month with the Reds that saw him go 1-2 with a 5.97 ERA in five starts. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound right-hander has a good repertoire of pitches, but isn’t quite the power pitcher I expected. His fastball sits consistently at 92-93, which isn’t bad at all. However, I thought he was more of a 94-96 MPH guy. To be clear, Latos can reach 95-96 on the gun, but I’m talking about where his fastball is clocked consistently.

But as important as velocity is for a pitcher, command is paramount and it’s the latter category where Latos has been lacking this season. If he can shore up his command like I believe he will, he’ll be fine. But fans are quickly losing patience considering all the Reds gave up to the Padres to get him (first baseman Yonder Alonso, minor-league relief pitcher Brad Boxberger, minor-league catcher Yasmani Grandal and starting pitcher Edinson Volquez).

The Cincinnati Bengals appeared to land one of the biggest steals of the third day of the 2012 NFL Draft when they selected tight end Orson Charles from Georgia in the fourth round (No. 116 overall).

Charles (6-2, 251, 4.7) was ranked as the third-best TE in the draft by the vast majority of draft experts and was expected to be a third-round pick. Therefore, the Bengals continued their trend of getting excellent value in this draft. Charles is both a playmaker and an extremely-physical performer (35 reps on the bench at the combine, which set the all-time record for TE’s).

Why did Charles drop? Because of a DUI arrest in March. However, everyone that has studied his background lauds him for his high character and says it was an isolated incident. Charles was a first-team All-SEC selection as a junior in 2011 (second-team as a sophomore) and decided to leave early for the professional ranks. I think this was a great pick as the Bengals now have the makings of a solid 1-2 punch at the tight end position for years with Jermaine Gresham (first-round pick in 2010) and Charles. This also gives Cincinnati 300 players from Georgia on its roster. All right, the number is actually six (Geno Atkins, Clint Boling, Charles, Robert Geathers, A.J. Green and Dennis Roland).

The Bengals have liked them some Bulldogs for quite some time. Wow, it’s actually been seven years since the team selected UGA players David Pollack and Odell Thurman with their first-two picks of the draft? Neither player lasted more than two seasons in the NFL, although Pollack did have a legitimate excuse – something called a broken neck. (Honestly, he was looking like a bust even before the injury, though.) Pollack was the Bengals’ first-round pick in 2005, while Thurman was the second-rounder. Thurman starred as a rookie when he won the starting middle linebacker job in camp and helped lead the team to the playoffs. However, the Bengals eventually learned while he fell so far in the draft as his actions off-the-field led to a quick departure from the league.

Prater leads fifth-round selections

With their first of three fifth-round picks (No. 156 overall), the Bengals nabbed cornerback Shaun Prater from Iowa. Prater (5-10, 190) has very good speed – he tested at 4.48 in the 40 at his pro day. Mike Zimmer’s defense now has plenty of corners on the roster with first-round pick Dre Kirkpatrick, Nate Clements, Terence Newman, Leon Hall, Jason Allen, Brandon Ghee, Pacman Jones and Prater. Obviously Hall is a question mark, while Ghee and Jones will likely get cut. Well, at least I keep hoping Jones’ sorry ass gets the axe.

* With the No. 166 overall pick, Cincinnati selected WR Marvin Jones from Cal. Jones (6-1, 199, 4.46) is a big guy that can run well, and will likely make the active roster as a rookie. He’s also not related to Pacman as far as I know. Marvin Jones had a good showing at the combine when he not only ran in the 4.4’s, but led all wideouts with 22 reps on the bench. He was also among the leaders in the 3-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle. Once again, a good value pick for the Bengals. What is going on here?

* With their final fifth-rounder – the 167th overall pick of the draft – the Bengals took safety George Iloka from Boise State. NFL.com said the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Iloka “carries a third-round value.” He’s huge for a safety and this reminds me a lot of the Robert Sands pick last year. Speaking of huge safeties, the Bengals also have Taylor Mays on the roster. The other safety on the roster is sure-fire starter Reggie Nelson who the team re-signed this offseason. The team definitely needed another safety and Iloka is a safe bet to make the active roster. Now the question is who will line up as a starter opposite Nelson.

* The Bengals' final pick of the draft was Ohio State running back Boom Herron who they took in the sixth round (No. 191 overall). I know Boom personally, so I’m highly biased here (full disclosure) but I love this pick this late in the proceedings. The Bengals needed a running back and Herron (5-10, 213, 4.5) is a hard-nosed runner with good vision who I think will make the active roster. (I’m Jon Gruden-like in thinking that all 10 draft picks will make the 2012 active roster.) Herron was a first-team All-Big Ten selection as a junior in 2010 and would have been drafted higher if not for a six-game suspension which greatly affected his numbers as a senior.

* Overall, it was a strong draft from the Men in Stripes. Analysts such as ESPN’s Mel Kiper are already touting the Bengals’ draft as one of the best in the league. In fact, Kiper called it “perhaps the best.” They did have three extra picks, which made things a bit easier, but the bottom line is the front office did a good job.

On the second day of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected defensive tackle Devon Still from Penn State, wide receiver Mohamed Sanu from Rutgers and defensive tackle Brandon Thompson from Clemson.

The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Still – who was projected as a late first-round pick by some – was taken in the second round by the Bengals with the No. 53 overall selection. The Bengals are well-stocked at DT with Domata Peko, Geno Atkins and Pat Sims, but I’m all about BPA (best player available) and Still was a solid pick.

Sanu (6-2, 211) was widely projected as a second-round pick, but the Bengals got him in the third round (No. 83 overall). He will likely open his rookie season as a starting wideout opposite A.J. Green, who turned in a Pro-Bowl season as a rookie last year.

With their final pick of the third round (No. 93 overall), Cincinnati selected Thompson, who is a nose-guard type at 6-foot-2, 311 pounds. I personally think running back Lamar Miller from Miami should have been the pick there. The team has plenty of D-tackles, but still needs a true speed threat at running back. (Unless you think Bernard Scott is good, which I don’t. I used to think he was, but do no longer.)

With their two first-round picks in the 2012 NFL Draft – Nos. 17 and 27, respectively – the Cincinnati Bengals chose cornerback Dre’ Kirkpatrick from Alabama and offensive guard Kevin Zeitler from Wisconsin.

The Bengals originally had the 21^st overall pick, but traded it to New England for the Patriots’ first-rounder (the Zeitler pick) and their third-rounder (No. 93 overall).

Kirkpatrick was clearly the third-best corner in the draft, behind Morris Claiborne from LSU and Stephon Gilmore from South Carolina. Claiborne was taken sixth overall by the Dallas Cowboys and Gilmore was selected with the 10^th pick by the Buffalo Bills.

Kirkpatrick (6-1, 186, 4.51) started all three seasons of his collegiate career for the Crimson Tide and is an extremely-rangy player. He will likely be the team’s No. 3 corner as a rookie behind starters Nate Clements and Terence Newman. (Or the No. 4 corner if Leon Hall comes back healthy from a ruptured Achilles.) And in the future, there’s no question the Bengals project him as a long-term starter.

Clements is near the end of his career and in the final year of his contract. Hall is a huge question mark. Newman is a one-year stop-gap option. The team also signed Jason Allen as a free agent, but he’s more of a solid backup, at best.

As for Zeitler (6-4, 314), he’s a physical performer who was never believed to be on the Bengals’ radar. But as it turned out, the team had targeted him all along.

My reaction to both of these picks? Well, I was hoping for Stanford guard David DeCastro when the Bengals were on the clock with the 17^th pick, but I don’t mind getting Kirkpatrick. I’m not a fan of drafting based on need, but it’s not like he was a reach. The team unquestionably needed a corner and he was definitely the best one available. So, now that I’ve had time to digest the Kirkpatrick pick, I like it.

However, the Bengals might have erred by trading the 21^st pick. They could’ve had Kirkpatrick AND DeCastro, but they went in a different direction. Not sure what they were thinking there. Was a late third-round pick really worth it?

Not only did the Bengals miss out on DeCastro due to the trade, they enabled the Pittsburgh Steelers to steal him with the 24^th pick. It’s not the NFL Draft without the Steelers getting lucky and having a player who was projected to go much higher fall right in their lap.

That said, I don’t hate the Zeitler pick by any means. At that point in the draft, I actually believe he was a solid pick (although it was surprising he went ahead of Cordy Glenn). But the point is that the Bengals could’ve had DeCastro, but wound up with a guard that’s not as highly regarded.

Overall, not a bad first day of the draft, but not the home run I was hoping for.

In the second round, I'd love to see the Bengals nab running back Lamar Miller from Miami. I’ll check back in tomorrow night with the second and third-round results and my thoughts.

The Cincinnati Bengals have made three more key signings and a trade since last we left you. The free-agent signings included offensive guard Jacob Bell, outside linebacker Manny Lawson and cornerback Terence Newman. The trade sent 2008 first-round draft bust Keith Rivers to the New York Giants in exchange for a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft.

* Suddenly, the corner depth looks solid with Jason Allen, Nate Clements, Brandon Ghee, Leon Hall (who is trying to return from a torn Achilles), Newman and Pacman Jones. Also, chances are good that the Bengals will use one of their first-round draft picks (No. 17 or No. 21) on a corner. If Cincy does draft a corner early – or even if it doesn’t – Ghee and Jones likely won’t make it out of training camp without a pink slip. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part, especially when it comes to Jones.

* Interestingly, The 6-foot-5, 304-pound Bell has started exactly 100 games during his seven-year NFL career. He was a fifth-round draft pick by Tennessee in 2004 and played four seasons for the Titans. The 31-year-old played his last four years with the St. Louis Rams, all as a starter. As of now, you would have to think Bell and fellow free-agent signee Travelle Wharton are penciled in as the starting guards (which side doesn’t matter, they’ve both played LG and RG). However, they will be pushed by second-year pro Clint Boling, who was the Bengals’ fourth-round draft pick in 2011. Also, many have predicted that the Bengals will draft guard David DeCastro out of Stanford with one of their first-round picks later this month. By the way, there is no long-term commitment between Cincinnati and Bell. He signed a one-year deal.

* Lawson was re-signed after playing well at times as a first-year Bengal in 2011. I’m not a huge fan of his play, but I like this signing because the Bengals need linebacker depth and Lawson’s potential might come to the surface more during his second year working with defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.

* Speaking of Zimmer, he was a key component in the signing of Newman. The No. 5 overall pick of the 2003 draft by Dallas flourished under Zimmer when Zimmer was the Cowboys’ D-coordinator. Has Newman lost a step? Yes. Is he still a Pro-Bowl-caliber corner? Absolutely not. Do I like this signing? Heck yes. I look for Newman to have a bounce back year in 2012 playing for his former coach.

* Can’t wait for the draft in less-than two weeks. (The first-round is Thursday, April 26; second and third rounds are Friday the 27^th and rounds 4-7 are Saturday, April 28.) Personally, I’m holding out hope that the Bengals will land DeCastro and South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore. ESPN’s Todd McShay’s latest mock draft has the Bengals getting DeCastro and Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright. I wouldn’t be down with taking a WR at pick No. 21. Then again, in McShay’s mock, Gilmore and Alabama corner Dre Kirkpatrick are projected to go right before the Bengals pick at No. 21. McShay has Gilmore going 19^th to the Bears and Kirkpatrick going 20^th to the Titans.

* I like the Rivers trade. The guy was a complete bum. Soft, bad tackler, not the playmaker he was billed to be. (Other than that, he was just fine.) I figured he would get cut, so getting a fifth-rounder for him is actually a pleasant surprise. And believe me, the only reason Cincy even got that much for him is because he is a former first-round pick.

* The Bengals now have eight picks in the first five rounds of the draft: two first-rounders, one second-rounder, a third, a fourth and three fifths. One of the fifths came from the Chad Ochocinco trade with the Patriots last year, which ended up being steal for the Bengals. The team has several needs, namely: cornerback, offensive guard, running back, safety and wide receiver. Should be fun! You know, as long as they don’t screw it up.

Here are some quick notes on the Cincinnati Reds, who are off to a 3-4 start to the season.

* It was great to see the team sign Brandon Phillips to a 5-year, $60 million extension (6-years, $72.5 million counting the $12.5 million Phillips is making this year) right on the heels of the huge Joey Votto deal. I honestly thought the team would let Phillips walk after this season, but I’m glad they worked out a deal for one of the game’s elite second basemen. Definitely market value for Phillips; maybe a tad under in fact.

The 30-year-old Phillips is now signed through the 2017 season. Sure, his production is bound to decline the last couple years of the contract, but I still think he’ll be an All-Star caliber player for the majority of the deal. Another aggressive and bold move from owner Bob Castellini. It sure is refreshing to have an owner that values winning more than he does lining his pockets. Castellini is plenty rich; he just wants to win. (Wouldn’t it be nice if Mike Brown had a similar attitude?)

* The best sign for the Reds through the first seven games of the season is the pitching of Aroldis Chapman. In five innings, he has given up just two hits, has walked no one and has given up no runs. He’s also struck out 10 batters. Yes, the 24-year-old “Cuban Missile” seems to have found his groove. However, he still needs to prove he can do it on a consistent basis.

By the way: Should part of Ozzie Guillen’s punishment be that he has to step in the batter’s box and face an angry Chapman? Yes, yes it should. Seriously, even the Ghost of Marge Schott is surprised someone would make a pro-Fidel Castro comment in Miami.

* Am I worried about Mat Latos? Heck no. He’s actually looked good through his first two starts, although the numbers don’t reflect it (0-1, 5.59 ERA). The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Latos, 24, has an impressive repertoire of pitches and I think he’ll eventually be the ace of the staff. And that’s coming from someone who is very high on Johnny Cueto.

* Zack Cozart is a keeper and then some. The 26-year-old rookie is the first legit shortstop the Reds have had since future Hall-of-Famer Barry Larkin retired. Cozart is mature beyond his years (although he is “old” for a rookie), handles himself well in the field, and is an actual weapon at the plate. The Reds appear to be set at short for years. Wow does it feel nice to say that.

* Todd Frazier should not be in Triple-A right now. With a starting third baseman in Scott Rolen who is going to get a day off every third game, the Reds need a legit backup 3B. In other words, not Miguel Cairo. As aggressive as the front office has been, I don’t think eating Cairo’s $1 million contract for this season would be a big deal in the least. Or, the Reds could cut relief pitcher Alfredo Simon, who has looked terrible thus far. It’s a not-so-subtle reminder that if the Baltimore Orioles cut a player, he sucks. It’s really that simple.

There’s a party going on right here. A celebration to last throughout the years (2023 to be exact).

So bring your good times and your laughter too, we’re gonna celebrate your party with you.

Come on now, cel-e-bra-tion. Let’s all celebrate and have a good time.

(Fast-forward a bit…)

Cel-e-brate good times, c’mon! Let’s celebrate.

Cel-e-brate good times, c’mon! Let’s celebrate, it’s all right

Yes, Kool & the Gang’s classic hit pretty much encapsulates how Reds Nation is feeling right now. Even the most optimistic of fans thought inking first baseman Joey Votto to a long-term deal was a long-shot at best. Now it’s reality.

The 2010 National League MVP re-signed for 10 years and $225 million. He is locked up through the 2023 season and it looks like his hometown Toronto Blue Jays will have to look elsewhere for their future franchise player.

What a shocking development. The excellent website MLBTradeRumors.com was first to report that a Votto deal was close on Monday.

Soak it up, Reds fans. Owner Bob Castellini (B-Cast if you’re nasty) continues to prove he’s in this business to win, not just make money. What a refreshing attitude, especially with Mike Brown and his ineptitude just a short walk down the road.

The Cincinnati Reds will open the 2012 season carrying just 11 pitchers as the team set its Opening Day roster on Monday.

The season-ending injury to Ryan Madson, coupled with the trade of third baseman Juan Francisco to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Triple-A reliever JJ Hoover, made the final cuts somewhat easy for the Reds' brass.

Todd Frazier of course made the team as expected -- he mashed five home runs this spring after clubbing a total of 21 last season (15 at Triple-A Louisville and 6 with the Reds). Frazier will be Scott Rolen's backup at third base, which obviously means he's going to play a lot, and will be a uber utility man that can play several positions.

Other backups that made the squad include outfielder Willie Harris (the lone left-handed bat on the bench), and infielders Miguel Cairo and Wilson Valdez. The Reds will use platoon situations at catcher (Ryan Hanigan and Devin Mesoraco) and in left field (Chris Heisey and Ryan Ludwick).

The rest of the starters will be playing close to every day, barring injury (sans Rolen who will certainly get plenty of days off just to preserve his aging body). They include first baseman Joey Votto, second baseman Brandon Phillips, Rolen, shortstop Zack Cozart, centerfielder Drew Stubbs and right fielder Jay Bruce.

The starting pitching staff will include Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Mike Leake, Bronson Arroyo and Homer Bailey. Aroldis Chapman will begin the season in the bullpen and left-hander Bill Bray is expected to go on the disabled list.

Manager Dusty Baker still hasn't announced who will be the team's closer, but my money is on Sean Marshall. The rest of the bullpen will include Chapman, Nick Masset, Jose Arredondo, Logan Ondrusek and Sam LeCure.

Votto locked down for the long-term?

The best news of the day is that the Reds are reportedly close to re-signing Votto to a long-term contract. I won't celebrate until that's official, but I'll be blaring the Kool & the Gang once it is. Votto is scheduled to be a free agent after the 2013 season and almost everyone assumed he would not re-up with Cincinnati. Surprise, surprise. Bob Castellini continues to do a good job as the Reds' owner. 

Mea culpa!

Just when it looked like the Bengals were having an extremely-poor offseason – even for their cheap/incompetent standards – they finished somewhat strong on the free-agent front. They didn’t make any earth-shattering moves, but they made some solid signings. Among that group included five free agents from the outside, and five players that were retained by the Bengals.

The list goes a little something like this:

* CB Jason Allen (6-1, 200) Allen was a first-round pick (No. 16 overall) by the Dolphins in 2006. He has 15 career interceptions during his six NFL seasons (4.5 years with Miami, 1.5 with the Texans). Allen will definitely be in the two-deep at corner and will challenge for a starting spot with Leon Hall coming off a torn Achilles. Nate Clements will be one starting corner and the team is hoping Hall will be back in time for training camp. Allen was a good signing to provide depth. The Bengals will also likely take a corner early in next month’s draft (such as Alabama’s Dre Kirkpatrick).

* SSDE/DT Jamaal Anderson (6-6, 272) Anderson was the No. 8 overall pick in 2007 by the Falcons. He only has seven sacks in his five-year career, but three of those came last season in his only year with the Colts. Although Anderson has been a disappointment thus far in the NFL, this was a much-needed signing after the Bengals lost a pair of versatile D-linemen in Jonathan Fanene and Frostee Rucker. I especially hated to lose Fanene who was always an underrated player in my opinion. Fanene went to the Patriots and Rucker went to the Browns.

* LT/RT: Anthony Collins (6-5, 315) This signing was great for depth up front as Collins – the Bengals’ fourth-round pick in the 2008 draft – is one of the top backup tackles in the league. If something should happen to Andrew Whitworth on the left side or Andre Smith on the right, it’s a luxury having a guy like Collins waiting in the wings. I thought some team would gobble him up as a starter, so it’s good to see that the Bengals were able to retain his services.

* RB: BenJarvus Green-Ellis (5-11, 215) “The Law Firm” inked a three-year deal and I think he’ll be a solid, not spectacular, addition. He’s not a great running back by any means, but he’s a steady, hard-nosed player who has never fumbled in his three-year NFL career (all with the Patriots). I think the Bengals will go with a three-headed monster at RB this season with Green-Ellis, Bernard Scott and a draft pick. However, that said, I fully expect Green-Ellis to be the unquestioned starter. In 2010 for the Patriots, he had his breakout season with 1,008 rushing yards (4.4 per carry) and 13 touchdowns. In 2011, his numbers dropped to 667 yards (3.7) and 11 scores. By the way, the former undrafted free agent out of ‘Ole Miss is only 26 years old (turns 27 on July 2) and has only logged 510 career carries.

* DE: Derrick Harvey (6-5, 268) Mike Brown loves him some former first-round picks on the cheap. In a stunning similarity to Anderson, Harvey was the No. 8 overall selection in the ’08 draft. Ohio State fans will remember Harvey as the MVP of the 2006 national championship game when he played for Florida and tore up Buckeye offensive tackles all evening. Harvey had a total of eight sacks in his first three seasons in the league – all with the Jaguars. But last year with the Broncos, Harvey only played in five games due to injuries and did not register a sack.

* CB: Pacman Jones (5-10, 185) What a turd. (Also, he’s bad at football.) Wish they didn’t re-sign him. I know there is a need for corners, but Jones represents everything that is wrong with the Bengals. That is all.

* S: Reggie Nelson (5-11, 206) It was extremely important for the Bengals to re-sign Nelson and I’m relieved they were able to pull it off. It looked for a while like he was headed to the Jets. The former first-round pick out of Florida was traded to the Bengals by the Jaguars for cornerback David Jones just before the 2010 season. Nelson was a solid starter for the Bengals the last two seasons and it’s great to know he’s sticking around.

* K: Mike Nugent (5-10, 183) I don’t mind the Bengals using their franchise tag on Nugent this year, but as I blogged about recently, it’s still amazing they didn’t tag Johnathan Joseph last year. If Nugent has a good 2012 season, look for him and the Bengals come to terms on a lucrative (for a kicker) long-term contract. Nugent will make $2.4 million this season.

* DT: Pat Sims (6-2, 335): This was an under-the-radar re-signing that was very important from my point of view. Sims missed the last part of the 2011 season with an injury, but proved he’s a very-effective plugger in the middle. It’s good to see the Bengals were able to come to terms with their 2008 third-round pick.

*RG: Travelle Wharton (6-4, 312): Wharton is penciled in as the Bengals’ starting right guard, but he can play tackle as well. Chances are good he will be strictly a guard for Cincinnati though. Wharton was a third-round pick by the Panthers in 2004 and will be entering his ninth year in the league. By the way, do I think it’s funny the Cowboys went out of their way to sign former Bengal guard Nate Livings? No, I find it outrageously hilarious. Livings couldn’t block a spammer on Twitter. Good riddance to him. I don’t know if Wharton is any better, but he can’t be any worse.

One more thing

From the “No, I’m serious, they really did” files … the Bengals recently signed two scouts. This brings their scouting department up to … two scouts! (Kidding. I think.)

Here is the link from Bengals.com