Update: 2:50 p.m.
For the third straight day Friday Vontaze Burfict didn't practice with what has been described as "a stomach bug," as he sat on the side in his floppy Bengals sun hat
There was no announcement about his contract, but there was some anticipation he would sign his four-year, $20 million extension after practice, nearly 48 hours after ESPN.com and then NFL.com announced the deal. But no word had emerged as the Bengals took the field inside Paul Brown Stadium.
"Until the player and the club sign off, it's not signed off," said head coach Marvin Lewis. "I would guess we expect him to sign. Obviously the agent believes he has a deal. We didn't release it."
Lewis said Burfict is one of "three or four players," that has a virus, one of them being cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick and he didn't work Friday. He' not sure Burfict is going to play in his Arizona State homecoming Sunday (8 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 5) against the Cardinals.
"We'll see how he is. He has been for whatever reason been under the weather with this whatever they call it. He said he's still pretty ill today, but hopefully he will be better," Lewis said. Lewis said he's been impressed with the play of two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins this week and expects him to make his first apperance since tearing his ACL Halloween Night in Miami.
"Geno looks like Geno," he said.
Backup quarterback Jason Campbell said before the workout he can probably play in Sunday's game (8 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 5) at Arizona. Lewis said "he's good to go." Campbell, who bruised his throwing elbow 15 days ago in the Kansas City in the preseason opener, says during Wednesday's practice he cut it loose for the first time and felt like he could do what he wanted.
They'll still probably only have three quarterbacks because Tyler Wilson (head) hasn't worked all week.
Neither have rookie cornerbacks Darqueze Dennard (hip) and Lavelle Westbrooks (hip) and that usually makes them inactive on Sundays during the regular season. Lewis, who has to cut 11 players by 4 p.m. Tuesday to get to the limit of 75, hinted Dennard probably won't play so he doesn't risk injury.
Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis (hip) has worked minimally and wasn't out there Friday. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth had a veteran's day off. Right tackle Andre Smith and wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher worked this week and are waiting to clear the final hurdle of the concussion protocol.
The absence of Burfict has apparently been a boon for Sean Porter, The Unknown Linebacker. Porter the 2013 fourth-rounder from Texas A&M who has played just one preseason game in his career, apparently gets a shot with the first team if Burfict doesn't play Sunday. Porter hasn't played since he blew out his shoulder a year and 10 days ago in practice. He returned on Monday after missing much of training camp with a knee issue.
"With Vontaze being sick this week it's been a great opportunity for Sean because I made them put Sean in at Vontaze's spot with the first group," Lewis said. "If we were playing real games, it may be not what we would do, but we can afford to do it right now. And I want to see him do it because he keeps growing. The light's on. You can see the smile…. He needs to have positive things happen to him. "
They already have. Lewis says Porter had an interception on his first snap with the first group.
