It seems like yesterday that Bengal fans were excited that their team finally found a quarterback after they drafted Carson Palmer in 2004. They had lived through hell (also known as the Akili Smith era) and they finally had a quarterback to which they could call their own.

Too bad it didn’t last long.

Following the Bengals’ lackluster 20-7 win over the Panthers on Sunday, head coach Marvin Lewis said that he’s not concerned with the poor play of his quarterback. But that’s only because he has Jordan Palmer sitting on his bench.

The Bengals won’t say it, but Palmer (Carson, not Jordan) has been sub par at best this year. In completing 19-of-37 passes for 195 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions last weekend, he managed to make rookie Jimmy Clausen look somewhat productive. His decision-making hasn’t been stellar, his accuracy has been off, his arm strength is painstakingly average and he looks goofy in his helmet. (I know it’s supposed to be safer, but it looks like the Great Gazoo in that thing.)

In other words, he’s become a more expensive version of Shaun Hill without the okay-for-a-white-quarterback wheels.

It’s not a stretch to say that Palmer isn’t the same player he was earlier in his career and if the Bengals are expecting a turnaround, they may be waiting a while. The team tried to upgrade its passing attack in the offseason with the acquisitions of rookie draft picks Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley, as well as free agent Terrell Owens. But if Palmer can’t get them the ball then those new additions will obviously go to waste.

Unless Palmer finds the fountain of youth, the Bengals will have to continue to rely on their running game and defense to win games. That’s fine in the regular season, but what if Cincinnati makes the playoffs again? They ran into a buzz saw last year in the Jets and if they wind up facing another opponent who can stop the run, then Palmer will likely be exposed.

That said, it’s a long season and maybe Palmer will develop a rhythm in the passing game. There’s still plenty of time to figure it out and the good thing for the Bengals is that they have a hard worker under center.

But man, he has not looked good in the first three games. And it’s not like he faced a hybrid collection of the best players from the ’85 Bears and ’00 Ravens last Sunday in Carolina either.

Can I take a moment to ruminate about how much I hate the way the Bengals are run? Because it’s enough to make your head hurt.

First and foremost, the structure of the Bengals’ organization is built to fail. They have one of the smallest scouting departments in the NFL, which essentially consists of five or less full-time scouts. The coaching staff and owner Mike Brown, who is clearly just winging it as he goes along, handles the rest of the scouting, which doesn’t seem like a constructive way to build a roster. (The Cowboys are run in a similar fashion, although Jerry Jones has roughly 15 scouts working for him and unlike Brown, he has a talent for evaluating players.)

On Tuesday, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the Bengals were close to signing Pacman Jones, who, somehow, isn’t fashioning license plates in prison right now. Granted, the deal is expected to be worth around the league minimum and largely incentive-based, but why? Why add him if you’re the Bengals? You’ve already got two solid cornerbacks in Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph, who combined for 12 interceptions last season, plus three players in Morgan Trent, David Jones and 2010 third rounder Brandon Ghee who can provide depth. I realize Pacman was a former top 10 pick with more than enough athletic talent to succeed, but how many chances has he been given? How many chances does a player like this deserve?

The running joke with the Bengals is that they’re a safe haven for malcontents like Pacman. But they appeared to be slightly moving away from that last year and they wound up surprising a lot of pundits by making the playoffs. Now they turn around this offseason and fall into the same trap that has haunted them for years. It’s mind-boggling.

Whether or not it’s a low-risk financial move, signing Pacman Jones is unnecessary for a team like the Bengals. One day, they’re going to need to break away from these bad habits or else their ceiling will never be higher than a first round exit in the playoffs.

Receiver Chad Ochocinco reported to Bengals’ voluntary workouts on Tuesday, marking the first time he showed up to any voluntary workout since 2007.

The Bengals got a surprise Tuesday when they confirmed wide receiver Chad Ochocinco showed up at Paul Brown Stadium before a voluntary workout and took a physical.

There was no word if he would practice, which would be his first voluntary workout with the club since 2007. He indicated Monday he wouldn’t show until next weekend’s mandatory minicamp.
It was in stark contrast to last year’s return to a media circus during the minicamp after an offseason he ripped the club and demanded a trade in hopes of securing a new contract. No media access had been scheduled Tuesday and there won’t be until Thursday.

Chances are, Ochocinco reported just to make sure he was there early for when HBO tapes the Bengals for their next installment of “Hard Knocks.” Lord knows Chad doesn’t want to miss any opportunities being in front of the camera.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis says that he has spoken with Chad Ochocinco and that he anticipates the receiver showing up for the team’s June 18 minicamp.

Lewis acknowledged after Tuesday’s practice that he talked to Ochocinco a few days ago, a rarity in an offseason Ochocinco has been ducking calls from the 513 area code.

“The biggest thing I told Chad just the other day is with a lot of the new things we’re doing he’s going to have to play catch up,” Lewis said. “He’s excited about that and is working hard. Chad learns football very quickly and he’ll be able to get his feet on the ground. What he found last year when you’re working with a team and you’re doing football, there’s a lot more stress on it. When he gets here I will judge how much football I’ll allow him to do until he proves he’s in the shape our players are in.”

The Ocho didn’t report until mandatories last year, which he limped through because he needed arthroscopic ankle surgery. Then after missing the first week of training camp, he missed the last two weeks of the preseason with a separated shoulder.

Asked if The Ocho is going to be his starting receiver in two weeks, Lewis said, “I’ll see him when I see him.”

It’s about time Ochocinco earns a starting spot. It’s been a long time since he’s had to work for a starting gig and this is the perfect offseason for Lewis to drum up some much-needed competition in Bengals camp. Ironically, the person likely to give Ochocinco his biggest competition is Chris Henry, who has apparently been outstanding so far in workouts.

If Ochocinco shows up to camp and outperforms Henry, then he deserves the starting gig. But if Henry beats him, then Ochocinco should accept his role (whatever it may be) and stop being a distraction.

In a recent interview for NFL Sirius Radio, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer took a few diplomatic potshots at wideout Chad Ochocinco, who has been a no-show so far in minicamps.

“It’s definitely a new look for the Bengals receiver corps but I couldn’t be happier with the guys we’ve got,” Palmer said. “T.J.’s (Houshmandzadeh) gone and Chad’s pretty much gone, he hasn’t been here, so we’ve got guys that want those two spots, guys that compete day in and day out, when we’re out there on the field, running, conditioning and in the weight room lifting. They’re guys that want to take over for those two spots. They look every bit capable of doing what we’re going to ask them to do.”

When asked what his expectations about Ochocinco this season were, Palmer said: “Well, I really don’t know. I haven’t talked to him. I haven’t talked to anybody that has talked to him. He wasn’t here last year so I’m expecting him not to be here at all this year. Last year I think he was here for the mandatory camp but didn’t participate in it. So I’m planning on him not being here just because he hasn’t been here yet so we’ll prepare, like I said.

“We’ve got Chris Henry … He’s a guy that’s had a great offseason, really turned his life around. I’m excited to watch him play. He’s a guy that seems like he catches a touchdown every other ball that’s thrown to him, he’s that explosive. He’s kind of taken over for Chad’s position and he’s a guy that, like I said earlier, does not want to give up that spot right now.”

While I would hardly say that Palmer openly “dissed” Ochocinco, he definitely put it out there that he’s not pleased with Chad’s absence. Sure, Palmer could have downplayed the situation and avoid the topic, but I think he handled it right. Ochocinco is hurting the team by not being there and Palmer would rather focus on the guys who are busting their ass right now getting ready for the season. For a team leader, I like what Palmer said and maybe this will light a fire under Ochocinco, although I highly doubt it.

People like to downplay Ochocinco’s actions and write it off as him just having fun. But I don’t care how you slice it – he’s a distraction. And Palmer has it right in wanting to concentrate on the guys who are in camp, as opposed to the one player that isn’t.