It wasn’t a done deal. But that’s where they were headed. Rookie cornerback William Jackson was the leader in the clubhouse.
When the time was right in the next six weeks, the Bengals would make the move for the future and activate Jackson, their first-round pick, and send veteran Pro Bowl special teamer and running back Cedric Peerman to season-ending injured reserve.
But the world changed with less than a minute left in Sunday’s game against Buffalo. When running back Giovani Bernard tore his ACL, it left the Bengals with just two running backs heading into a stretch where the AFC North title is still in play.