[Batpuff]

Notes: Bengals claim Ragone By GEOFF HOBSON
May 24, 2006

Posted: 7:55 p.m.

[Image: http://assets.bengals.com/uploads/player...BD0D1B.jpg]
Ragone is the fifth QB on the Bengals roster.In their continuing quest to find backups for Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer, the Bengals claimed former Texans quarterback Dave Ragone[Image: http://assets.bengals.com/images/relatedicon.gif] off waivers Wednesday.

Since Ragone comes to camp far behind Anthony Wright and Doug Johnson, the move could be more of an audition for next year. But Ragone, who turns 27 this upcoming season, arrives with a one-year deal.














The 6-3, 220-pound Ragone, who hasn’t thrown a pass since his rookie year of 2003, was cut by the Texans last week in an offseason they opted to sign Sage Rosenfels as a backup to David Carr.

Ragone, a three-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year at Louisville, set a record in NFL Europe last spring with 174 straight passes without an interception. The lefty’s 97.5 passer rating led to his selection as the league’s top offensive player.

After the Texans drafted him in the third round in 2003, Ragone made his only two NFL starts on the road against rugged defenses when backup Tony Banks broke his throwing hand and Carr hurt his shoulder. Houston lost, 27-0, at Jacksonville, and 16-3 at Tampa Bay, and Ragone finished 20-of-40 for 135 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception.

With head coach Marvin Lewis planning to take four quarterbacks to training camp, one of the five quarterbacks figures to be released. Rookie free agent Erik Meyer hasn’t been at the recent coaching sessions because of school commitments.

Ragone, scheduled to make $721,000 this season, didn't benefit from the coaching change in Houston. The word on him is he's got the strong arm the Bengals seek for their downfield passing game, but new Houston head coach Gary Kubiak isn't enamored with his mobility.

"Dave's a great kid, and he will play in this league," Kubiak told The Houston Chronicle following Ragone's release. "However, he's a big, strong thrower in the pocket. And we like to move our guys around.

"So it's a matter of him going to a team where he is a better fit. In fairness to him, we wanted to let him go now so that he had time to find a team where he can succeed."

Ragone is an Ohio guy born in Middleburg Heights who played his prep ball at Cleveland's St. Ignatius High School.

[Image: http://assets.bengals.com/assets/team/palmer_carson.jpg]
PalmerCARSON CHECK: Speaking of quarterbacks, the once and future No. 1 QB, Palmer, keeps showing up in more and more places during his rehab.

On Wednesday, quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese looked around and noticed him for the first time in the quarterback’s individual drills and those consisted of drop-backs. Palmer did it slowly, but he also surfaced for the first time in the drill in which the quarterbacks throw to tight ends covering linebackers. In the receivers’ one-on-one drills, this week Palmer has moved up to take five-step drops instead of three steps out of the shotgun.

Slowly but surely.

“Yeah, I’m trying to do something more each day,” said Palmer, who is also running more hard sprints. “It doesn’t always work out like that. There are slower days than others, but as long as you progress week to week and month to month, then you’re getting somewhere.

“I do more and more every day. My leg is stronger. As the process keeps going well, hopefully I do more and more. ... It’s fun just to be able to do more with the team every day as well as to be able to do more and more with the trainers on the side.”

No one is complaining about how his arm looks, and Palmer says his mechanics are intact.

“I didn’t throw for two and a half months after the surgery,” Palmer said. “(Since) I’ve been throwing a lot. I was throwing when I was on crutches just joking around. There’s nothing wrong with my throwing arm and I’m going to continue to throw.”

If countless numbers of Bengals fans are going to frame this week’s Sports Illustrated cover of him rehabbing, don’t look for it to end up on the wall of the always self-effacing Palmer. He doesn’t even know where his Heisman Trophy is at the moment.

“I think it’s (in California) at my mom’s house,” Palmer said. “I’m not sure.”

But he’s certain he won’t frame the cover, and that wife Shaelyn probably plans to save at least one.

“It’s something for the fans to be proud of,” Palmer said. “There’s respect for them, and some respect for the Bengals organization. That’s always great.”

Speaking of more QBs, Wright showed off his arm strength Wednesday with a pretty long ball to wide receiver Antonio Chatman that would have gone for six. Chatman, the fleet free agent pickup from Green Bay, had a field day Wednesday with several speedy catches. Another burner who continues to show up every day with some nice grabs is rookie Bennie Brazell, the seventh-rounder from LSU.

The other veteran QB, Doug Johnson, has also been bringing it downfield. Even without Palmer practicing, there are murmurs around camp that the Bengals have their strongest group of arms in a long time.

[BlackcatAlum]

Nice Research done there Batpuff !

[BFritz]

This is awesome......... Palmer doesn't even care about himself, he cares about the team and the fans. In my Instant Messanger profile, it says "-Put this in your profile if you'd give your left knee to Carson Palmer"

[Playboy5]

Good pickup for the Bengals!