With the Detroit Lionsreportedly now out of the mix, can Adam "Pacman" Jones turn to the Cincinnati Bengals in his NFL comeback bid?
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis wouldn't say much Sunday about his team's interest in the troubled cornerback, but he did confirm that talks have taken place.
"I have not spoke with Adam, but his agent does call, and we have returned the call," Lewis said, according to *The Cincinnati Enquirer*. "We'll see what happens. If somebody we feel can help us, then we'll continue to look."
Jones worked out for the Bengals in February, but they didn't sign him. Jones then held a March workout for all NFL teams in the New Orleans area, and his agent, Ray Savage, later said at least three teams -- the Lions, Bengals and San Francisco 49ers -- had expressed "great interest" in the cornerback.
However, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat quoted 49ers director of player personnel Trent Baalke as saying in March, "At this time, there is absolutely no interest in Pacman. And I don't see that changing." And MLive.com cited sources close to the situation in reporting Saturday that Jones isn't in the Lions' plans.
That might leave the Bengals as Jones' only suitor, although the cornerback said in a radio interview last week that the Jacksonville Jaguars and Green Bay Packers are also interested.
The Bengals were among the better teams at defending the pass last season, ranking sixth in the NFL with 203.1 yards allowed per game. Both starting cornerbacks, Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph, are still on Cincinnati's roster, and the team signed veteran Keiwan Ratliff in January for depth. David Jones and Rico Murray also have game experience at the position.
Jones, a first-round pick (No. 6 overall) by the Tennessee Titans in 2005, has four career interceptions -- all in the 2006 season. However, he has played in just nine games after that season.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Jones for the 2007 season because of his continued off-the-field misconduct. The Titans traded Jones to the Dallas Cowboys in 2008, but he was released after the season.
