CINCINNATI - If there's going to be a road back for Tony Pike, he's glad it's starting in his hometown.
A little over two years since wrapping up an ultra-successful college career at the University of Cincinnati, Pike is in the Bengals' rookie minicamp this weekend as a tryout player. He's amongst players who are starting from scratch in the NFL, and Pike feels like he's in a similar situation.
A sixth-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2010, Pike was released with an injury settlement last season after suffering a nerve injury in his right (throwing) elbow. Pike had surgery to fix a nerve injury in his right elbow last July and a more extensive, follow-up operation earlier this spring.
"It's just a blessing to be healthy enough to accept the invite and get out here and see what happens," Pike said. "Words can't even express how much I want (to have a chance to stay) with the Bengals. Just being from the area, it would certainly be special. I can't think too far ahead. I just have to think about the next practice."
Pike is wearing a protective sleeve on the elbow this weekend. Though he was clearly frustrated with himself after a couple passes got away from him Friday, he rebounded with some impressive throws, including a deep ball to his former UC teammate Armon Binns in the afternoon practice.
"This is the most I've thrown in one session in a long time," Pike said after Friday morning's practice. "My strength is almost back. The accuracy feels fine.
"When you haven't thrown a football for a year...you're getting your feel back, day by day really. But the elbow feels great. It's about how you bounce back."
The Bengals already have three quarterbacks under contract -- Andy Dalton, Bruce Gradkowski and Zac Robinson -- and went to training camp last year with three. Pike, at least, has a foot in the door and a chance to make a further impression.
INKED: Between practices Friday the Bengals announced that second-round defensive tackle Devon Still of Penn State and fifth-round wide receiver Marvin Jones of Cal had signed contracts. The Bengals now have signed four of their 10 draft choices. Previously signed were the team’s other two fifth-rounders, cornerback Shaun Prater of Iowa and safety George Iloka of Boise State.
IMPRESSIVE: There generally aren't a lot of highlight plays as rookie minicamp finds players still in the nametag and nervous stage, but Jones showed some athleticism on a couple of catches in the morning session.
Vidal Hazelton and Binns, first-year players eligible to participate this weekend because they didn't see active-roster duty last season, also each made notable receptions; Binns made more than a couple. Bystanders take extra notice on Binns' catches because he's wearing No. 85, the same number That Guy Named Chad used to wear.
LEARNING: At the end of the afternoon practice, the rest of the roster went to the end zone to stretch and first-round corner Dre Kirkpatrick got a personal coaching session with defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who spent a good three minutes having Kirkpatrick work on his backpedals and technique.
"We will continue to spend a lot of time with Dre on stance and starts, transitions and techniques (Zimmer) wants to see him work on," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "This has been a good introduction for him, a chance to see himself on tape and see what we're seeing and really focus in on that.
"All of these guys have to re-learn some things. That's part of football. For Dre and these guys we have high expectations for, that's part of the fun and the challenge."
MISSING: Columbus native Rodney stewart, an undrafted signee at running back who could compete for a role in the return game, was absent Friday while attending graduation ceremonies at the University of Colorado. Cincinnati-area native Josh Chichester, a tight end from the University of Louisville, originally accepted an invitation to participate in the Bengals minicamp as a tryout player but changed his mind and decided to try out with the New Orleans Saints instead.
NAMES AND NUMBERS: Of the 49 players in this weekend's minicamp, 18 are participating on a tryout basis. Tony Dye, a defensive back from UCLA, participated in the afternoon practice as a tryout player; the Bengals planned to sign Dye after practice.
The Bengals waived four players Friday morning who didn't pass physicals: Cornerback Derrius Brooks of Western Kentucky, linebacker Julian Miller of West Virginia and offensive linemen Mike Ryan of Connecticut and Landon Walker of Clemson. They also added three tryout players before the first practice: Kentucky offensive lineman Billy Murphy, Kentucky defensive back Taiedo Smith and University of Cincinnati defensive end Steve Hancock.
Among the tryout players are Chris Bryan, a punter from Melbourne, Victoria who is a former Australian Rules Football player and has a handful of prior NFL tryouts. Lewis was hesitant to share too many thoughts before watching the film of Friday's practices but did say Kansas State linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, another tryout player, had made an instant impression.
"This is a good start, a good opportunity to get guys out and acclimated to what we're about and what we're doing," Lewis said. "The draft picks, particularly, have been what I expected. I'm really pleased with that."
The Bengals will practice twice Saturday and wrap minicamp with one practice Sunday.
