GEORGETOWN, Ky., July 29 (UPI) -- Cincinnati Bengals officials felt that veteran wide receiver Michael Westbrook was worth a risk when he signed a free agent contract earlier this month.
Oh well.
Sunday, just four days shy of the second anniversary of the season-ending broken leg suffered by ex-Bengal wideout Darnay Scott, Westbrook went down with a broken left wrist that is expected to keep him sidelined for as long as six weeks. On Monday, however, there wasn't the pall that hung over Georgetown College two years ago after Scott's injury.
That's because Westbrook is expected to miss only the preseason and his projected replacements have game experience.
"It's certainly not as devastating as when Darnay went out for the year," Bengals Director of Football Operations Jim Lippincott said Monday. "We've got much more experience. This is a solid position. T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) has practiced better than any receiver. (Former Florida State All-American) Peter (Warrick) has practiced better than he ever has. Ron Dugans is a solid guy who is probably our best special teams player."
Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson, the bookends from Oregon State who are heading into their second seasons, are slated to rotate in Westbrook's spot at split end opposite flanker Warrick. When they go three wides, Warrick moves into the slot and Johnson, who runs a 4.2 forty, goes to flanker.
Houshmandzadeh is a former seventh-round pick on a team with two first-rounders in Westbrook and Warrick, a second-rounder in Johnson, a third-rounder in Dugans, and a fourth-rounder in Danny Farmer, but he's playing with confidence. He finished his rookie season with 21 catches, but nine came against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 26-23 overtime win in the game that established him as a potential crunch-time player.
"I'm out here trying to play more than they want me to play," Houshmandzadeh said.
Asked about the camp buzz labeling him the Bengals' most reliable and consistent receiver early in camp, he said, "Call it what they want. I just want to play. Just play me. That's just the way things are. I was drafted in the seventh round so naturally there are guys in front of me. I won't comment (on getting buried), but the competitor in me is supposed to think I'm the best guy out there."
It's his attitude that is shared by many younger players, and is why Cincinnati is being called a major AFC sleeper this season.
Westbrook, 30, spent his first seven seasons with the Washington Redskins after being selected fourth overall in the 1995 draft, but he was considered a big bust in the nation's capital.
Westbrook injured the wrist when he braced his fall toward the end of practice. He just signed a three-year contract with the Bengals three weeks ago and has been very impressive in practice.
At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Westbrook was a rare combination of size and speed (4.3 in the 40-yard dash). He had already been flashing the speed, strength and command of the position in the first three days of training camp.
After seeing a hand specialist on Monday, he decided to have surgery.
Westbrook caught 277 passes for 4,280 yards and 24 touchdowns in his previous seven seasons as a pro, including a career-best 65 catches for 1,191 yards and nine touchdowns in 1999. He missed the majority of the 2000 season with a torn ACL in his left knee, but came back with 57 receptions, 664 yards and four touchdowns last season.
