Without a doubt, the most intense and most interesting position battle in the upcoming training camp will be wide receiver.

Despite the upcoming battle, there are essentially four spots that are pretty much guaranteed: Chad Ochocinco, Antonio Bryant (as long as he stays healthy), Jordan Shipley, and Andre Caldwell. That leaves six people vying for two spots. And they are:

Jerome Simpson, Dez Briscoe, Maurice Purify, Matt Jones, Freddie Brown, and Quan Cosby.

If you’re going to handicap the group by talent alone, then Purify and Brown are pretty much cut. No one will expect them to make the team. That leaves Simpson, Briscoe, Jones, and Cosby. Here’s a breakdown of each one’s chances:

- Simpson: God love him, he’s only suited up for three or four games, and has just one catch in two years. Most fans have written him off after this season, especially when the Bengals needed another receiver to contribute after Chris Henry was gone and they picked less-talented but seemingly more consistent Purify. Simpson came out of a very small Divisional I-AA school, and it seems he has trouble adjusting to the NFL game. Despite all of this, coaches praised him for his improvement over the offseason, and he was able to make a bunch of tough, jumping catches during spring practice. The reason why coaches picked him in the second round was for his deep-play potential: He’s got a great vertical leap, huge hands, and great top-end speed. He just hasn’t mastered the route-running abilities yet. And he doesn’t seem to be good at special teams. It seems though that he’s improved on his route-running ability, and if he realizes that he needs to be able to contribute to special teams if he wants to make the team as a number five receiver, I’d say he would be almost a lock to make it. Nevertheless, other people are more proven special teams players and receivers, so he has an uphill battle. Odds of making it: 4 to 1

- Cosby: He did a great job in returning punts last year. He averaged nearly 12 yards a return. He also made some nice catches at the end of the year. However, he’s only 5-9, so he might not be a guy who could potentially be a starting receiver down the road, but his punt-returning skills are a huge plus. Odds: 3 to 1.

- Matt Jones: If he can put down that crack pipe, he might make the team. The dude is supposed to be fast (4.4ish) and he’s 6-6, so he would be an ideal person to replace Chris Henry as a down-field target. Yet the coaches say that he had trouble beating corners at the line. He would get jammed by guys who have less body mass than he does. He does have experience, even though he’s been out of the league for a year. Regardless, if this battle comes down to Simpson vs. Jones, I’d say Simpson wins out due to a few factors: we drafted Simpson, Simpson hasn’t been kicked out of the league, and Simpson may have more “upside.” Jones did play QB in college, so some people have suggested that we could keep him as a seventh receiver/3rd QB. People want to boot out J.T. O’Sullivan and put Jordan Palmer as the backup QB (shiver). The chances of that happening are the same chances of Mike Brown hiring a GM. I think Jones’ days with the Bengals are numbered. Odds: 7 to 1

- Dez Briscoe: Real intriguing guy right here. He scored 31 TDs in 3 years at Kansas, and he’s not turning 21 until August. He didn’t clock in very fast, but neither did T.J. Houshmanzadeh. I think he turned out okay. I’d say it would be a mistake to let this kid go, because I think he could be a potential starter in 3 or four years. Odds: 5 to 1

As a fan who spends exactly zero minutes coaching these guys, I would like to see Simpson and Briscoe make the team. As the number five and six receivers, they’re not going to see a ton of time on the field. In fact, the Bengals usually only dress five receivers. I’d like to see them keep a kid who has a ton of potential on the bench (Briscoe), and then let him develop as the season progresses. Simpson could be a good fifth receiver to have as a wild card. No one expects someone’s fifth receiver to have as good of hands and leaping skills as this kid. If he can work on his route-running skills and special team contributions, I think he could be a lock.

Cosby would be a tough one to let go; I don’t think he’ll stay on the practice squad for long. Someone will snatch him up. Despite his abilities as a punt returner, Shipley was a stud punt returner at Texas, and he seems to be an awesome receiver. Plus there is Pacman Jones who can return punts. That does not bode well for him.

Jones would be okay to have on the team, but I honestly would rather see Simpson out there rather than a former coke addict. I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to see that.
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Regardless of who makes the number five and six receivers, I think that the top four receivers of Ochocinco, Bryant, Shipley, and Caldwell — combined with the receiving skills of TE Jermaine Gresham and Carson Palmer’s precision — would make a 2:00-minute drill a thing of beauty. All throughout last year, Palmer was his best when it mattered the most (except the second Jets game, but by then nobody was getting open consistently and I think he was just throwing out of frustration. Of course, I don’t want to skirt any blame on Palmer; he wasn’t very good that last game, but he didn’t have many weapons either).

If you have Chad and Antonio on the outside routes, and then you add the Shipley, Caldwell, and Gresham with the inside routes, Carson is going to have a ton of options to throw to. Defensive coordinators are going to have a bitch of a time trying to cover all of this quick, speedy, shifty receivers. If they want to double team Chad all the time, someone is going to have single or no coverage and Carson will be able to pick them apart.

It should be a thing of beauty.

Well, that’s only if the offensive line can pass protect better than it did last year. Hopefully Andre Smith can get his fat ass healed and on the field for training camp.

Well, as of today, only 81 days left until the Bengals play the Patriots. I wish I didn’t look that up.

Other Bengals Blog: Cincyjungle.com

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