Marvin Lewis defends Bengals' medical staff`

In the wake of the Cincinnati Bengals' medical staf drawing heavy criticism from the agent for linebacker Rashad Jeanty for allegedly failing to properly diagnose his ankle injury before flunking him on a physical and placing him on waivers, coach Marvin Lewis played some defense today.

“It’s tremendously disappointing on the way this has been handled,” Jeanty's agent, David Canter, told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We don’t see how the Cincinnati Bengals can do this without any inclination that this was even a possibility. It’s a tad shocking how he was released and was done in a disheartening, callous and unfair manner. The only reason why he isn’t healthy and wasn’t able to pass the physical is because they failed to fully diagnose and mistreated the injury.”

Here's what Lewis had to say in response to Canter, defending the Bengals and owner Mike Brown.

“That’s unfortunate. Their agents are going to react the way they’re going to react. If I was in that position I’d probably react, too. I’ve had complete confidence … the track record and body of work proves it out that way. I think we’ve taken great strides since I came here to give our guys the very best medical care. I’m very forthright with our players. I’m pushing them every day.

"But the medical staff is worried about their longevity and their career because that’s the most important thing to Mike. No. 1 is that the guy be able to walk away from the game of professional football and have a productive life and secondly he’s able to play not just this year, but the next year and the year after that. But I’m going to push and they know that until they tell me to back down.”

Jeanty was expected to begin the season on the physically unable to perform list or be placed on injured reserve.

Instead, he's out of a job after winning the Ed Block Courage award two years ago. Jeanty was regarded as one of the highest-character players in the locker room.

“Rashad is as flabbergasted as I am the way this was done,” Canter said. “To do this to him after the success he had with the team and throw someone on the trash heap like this is mind blowing.”

Lewis didn't have much to say about cutting wide receiver Antonio Bryant, who somehow passed his physical with a bad knee and never produced before being cut after signing a $28 million contract earlier this year.

“Because it was going to be such a bone of contention and speculation and all the things that it stirred up, (it was best) to get it over this week," Lewis said. "I spoke with Mike about it. I think the timing would be right to put it behind us.”

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