Former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason believes the team's current signal caller Carson Palmer is poised for an MVP-type year after throwing for 4,035 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2006, less than a year removed from career-threatening knee surgery.

"Carson Palmer came back from a catastrophic injury and had a great, great season," the CBS analyst says. "That ultimately is a true test of whether somebody wants to be great or not.

"He'll have a monster season. Carson will put up 28-30 points on anybody. He will have a 4,000-yard, 35-touchdown season, I bet you."

At the moment, that bet seems a risky proposition. Palmer's 2007 goals of leading the Bengals to Super Bowl XLII and completing 70% of his passes could be in early jeopardy.

Injuries have piled up for the Bengals this summer the way run-ins with the law did during the past year and a half.

Starting right tackle Willie Anderson has yet to practice during camp with a lingering heel injury. Left tackle Levi Jones finally practiced on a limited basis last week after offseason knee surgery.

In addition, no apparent answer has emerged to compensate for the pending absence of receiver Chris Henry, suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell for the first eight games for recurring misconduct.

Then there was the loss of promising rookie running back Kenny Irons, a candidate to replace Henry as a third-down weapon. Kenny Irons tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will miss the season.

"The loss of Chris Henry for eight games has compounded the fact they've never really had a tight end who could stretch the field and create easier completions for the quarterback," CBS analyst Solomon Wilcots says.

Esiason also questions Cincinnati's weak-link defense, though if the Bengals are an AFC North version of the high-scoring Indianapolis Colts, then a leaky defense can be overcome.

But Esiason sees the Bengals, 8-8 last season, third in the AFC North behind the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

"What it all lends itself to is one of those years," Wilcots says. "I like the Bengals as a playoff team. But with a healthy Willie Anderson, a healthy Levi Jones and a full-go Chris Henry. I'm not seeing those Bengals."

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