CINCINNATI -- There will be no more drama over what's going on with the foot and ankle of Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones. The Bengals placed the third-year player in season-ending injured reserve Tuesday.
Jones was the team's No. 2 receiver in 2013 with 712 yards and 10 touchdowns on 51 receptions and then set a franchise postseason record with 130 receiving yards but he never played a down in 2013. An ankle sprain kept him from the start of training and then, once he was cleared to practice, he suffered a broken foot on his first day of camp. He was expected to return and play against New England in Week 5 following a bye week for the Bengals but reinjured the ankle and had not returned to practice.
The Bengals signed former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Greg Little (6-2, 220) to take Jones' roster spot. Little caught 155 passes for the Browns from 2011-13 for 1,821 yards and eight touchdowns but was released this past May. Little was a tantalizing player for the Browns but also had a history of dropping passing. According to Pro Football Focus, Little dropped eight of 49 catchable passes thrown his way last season.
He was acquired on waivers by Oakland and spent the preseason with the Raiders but was among their final cuts.
The Bengals played last Sunday's 37-37 tie against Carolina without Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green, who has a toe injury. Despite not having either Green or Jones, the Bengals got a season-high 323 passing yards from quarterback Andy Dalton. Mohamed Sanu, who has emerged in his third season, had career-highs with 10 catches and 120 yards and scored one touchdown. Dane Sanzenbacher and Brandon Tate each had four catches against the Panthers, while rookie seventh-round pick James Wright made a 24-yard reception in overtime for his first career catch.
@Str8UpGlittle with them Bengals stripes now huh.. We still goin kick yall ass.. Lol
— Flash Gordon (@JOSH_GORDONXII) October 14, 2014
The Bengals made three other moves on Tuesday:
*They waived linebacker Khairi Fortt. The Bengals had acquired Fortt on waivers from New Orleans last Tuesday but he was inactive against Carolina. Fortt was a fourth-round pick of the Saints who was released by New Orleans after the team designated him as their player eligible to return from a preseason hamstring injury.
*Wide receiver Colin Lockett was released from the practice and replaced by wide receiver Cobi Hamilton. The Bengals drafted Hamilton in the fifth round out of Arkansas in 2013 and he spent the entire season on the practice squad. The Bengals cut Hamilton at the end of this season and he signed with Philadelphia's practice squad. The Eagles released Hamilton on Oct. 6. Much like Little, Hamilton has tantalizing size (6-2, 197) and skills but also has had troubles dropping passes.
