Ticket Packs for 2009 Bengals games at Paul Brown Stadium are on sale now!

Ticket Packs include four regular season games paired together and allow buyers to hold the same seats for all four games within the package. Prices range from $256 to $328 per Pack. Ticket Pack buyers will receive priority ahead of the general public to purchase tickets for any Bengals home playoff games following the ?09 season.

THE TICKET PACKS FOR THE 2009 HOME SEASON WILL BE:

ORANGE PACK: Sept. 13 vs. Denver (regular season home opener), Oct. 25 vs. Chicago, Nov. 29 vs. Cleveland and Dec. 6 vs. Detroit.

BLACK PACK: Sept. 27 vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 18 vs. Houston, Nov. 8 vs. Baltimore and Dec. 27 vs. Kansas City.

Full season tickets for 2009 are currently on sale and will continue to be offered through the summer. Information on two-game Ticket Packs and/or single-game tickets, if they become available, will be announced at a later date.

For fastest service regarding ticket purchases and/or questions, fans are encouraged to call the Bengals Ticket Hotline at 513-621-TDTD (8383).

The arm strength of Carson Palmer is a big question, and today’s Dayton Daily News reports that after not playing much in 2008, Palmer is working hard to get that strength back to form:

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer looked good at minicamp last week, but admits that his arm strength needs some work. The quarterback’s plan to strength the arm is no ancient Chinese secret. In fact, the solution to the problem is a fairly easy fix. “Throw,” Palmer said. “It’s just like when a track guy needs to get faster. You don’t do 5,000 squats, you run and run some more. To get your arm in shape you throw and continue to throw. So I will be throwing all summer long as well as in training camp.”

A question during a chat with NFL.com?s Gil Brandt on Tuesday was posted about the Bengals and what type of success they can/will have along with Chad Ochocinco, and Brandt thinks that the club will have a good year, and even finish ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North:

I think the Bengals are going to be a much-improved team. They had more starters lost to injury last year than any other team in the league. With that said, I do think they’ve got a shot to make it to the playoffs.

We had another question in the chat asking who would finish second to Pittsburgh in the AFC North. Just a hunch, but I do think Cincinnati finishes ahead of Baltimore.

The Bengals didn’t score a big free agent running back outside of one that they had last season - Cedric Benson. The team brought Benson back after he wrapped up the season on a high note with a couple of big games at the end of the season vs the Redskins, Browns and Chiefs.

Now Benson thinks after a tough start to his career that had as many off the field issues as success on it that he can carry the load for the Bengals in the 2009 season. Seems that the club is also banking on that, as the team is ready to give him the bulk of the carries in 09. He talked about that in today’s Dayton Daily News:

Now that unwanted pressure has been lifted off Cedric Benson mentally and he is preparing himself for the physical grind. Bottom line he’s looking to make his mark with the Bengals. “No doubt, I’m ready to carry this team on my back,” Benson said. “I’m due, hungry for it, miss it, and excited. It’s good to be on a team that wants you. It’s a great opportunity for me and I am definitely going to seize every moment. “I plan to take full advantage of those opportunities and see where it takes us. I’m about whatever it takes to get the job done. I think I am in the best situation that I can be in and it has to happen for me here.”

The Bengals announced today that defensive tackle Clinton McDonald has agreed to terms. He becomes the 4th draft pick with the club to sign, and right now, seven remain unsigned, including Andre Smith, the teams first round pick that seems destined for a holdout as we reported on Sunday.

Wide receiver Mario Urrutia has been cut by the Bengals, according to TSN. Urrutia did not see any action as a rookie in 2008, and was viewed as a longshot to make the Bengals this season. He plays stiff and will need to work on his route running and strength before he can compete for a roster spot in the NFL.

Holdouts with the Bengals are nothing new. DE Justin Smith sat out 50 days back in 2001, OLB David Pollack missed all of training camp back in 2005. Now indications are pointing to the Bengals first round pick this year - OL Andre Smith, holding out of training camp.

Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News spoke about Smith in his column today, stating that the Bengals better “anticipate a long and arguably agonizing holdout from first-round draft pick Andre Smith.” That;s a shame, since Smith is a player that has a shot to have an impact his rookie season for the cats.

With the Bengals no strangers to first-round holdouts, this one won’t be such a shock, but the problem is Smith is a player that should be able to simply see what the picks around him are getting and should get in camp once it starts. Problem is - it doesn’t look likely to happen.