With two of the expected six wide receiver spots reserved for A.J. Green and 2012 third-round draft pick Mohamed Sanu, 10 players will vie for four spots on the Cincinnati Bengals' 53-man roster. Offensive coordinator Jay Grudenlikes the competition that is going on at the position, Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
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"We've got some good competition. They are all excelling and taking the challenge right now," Gruden said. "Nobody is hanging their head about not getting a rep here or there, they are all competing, they are all attentive in the meetings, and they are all positive guys to have on the team right now."
Two players identified as possible starters opposite Green are Armon Binns, a second-year pro who spent much of last season on the practice squad, and Brandon Tate, a 2009 New England Patriots third-round pick who has 25 career receptions and was the Bengals' primary kick returner in 2011.
One player who figures to have a role in the offense is Jordan Shipley, who started four of 15 games in 2010 and caught 52 passes for 600 yards and three touchdowns working out of the slot. Shipley is expected to return to the slot receiver role, but he's not yet 100 percent as he recovers from a torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended his 2011 season in Week 2.
"Every week, I feel better. Obviously, I'm healthy enough to go out there and run around," Shipley said. "For me, it's a significant injury. There's a mental component, too, but right now it is getting the physical component back. Right now it is jumping, getting out of my breaks fast. That's the one thing I have to fine tune."
