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Receiver Bryant looking for stability with Bengals

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Associated Press 10:54 PM Thursday, March 18, 2010

CINCINNATI — After having to deal with a steady parade of quarterbacks, offensive coordinators and wide receivers during his previous seven years in the league, Antonio Bryant hopes he has found something that has been sorely lacking — stability.

During the first weekend of free agency he also felt wanted, which was the main reason why Cincinnati was able to sign him last week to a four-year, $28 million contract.

Bryant returned to Cincinnati on Thursday to tie up some loose ends and will be back in town on March 29 when the Bengals begin their offseason conditioning program.

"This organization did a great job of building and stacking a foundation and every year they tried to find a piece that was weak and repair it," Bryant said.

"Everywhere I've been it's either the whole team was cleaned out and we were brought in or we got cleaned out while I was there."

Cincinnati marks Bryant's fifth team — his previous stops have been Dallas, Cleveland, San Francisco and Tampa Bay. He has had eight different head coaches, several offensive coordinators and 13 different starting quarterbacks.

Last season in Tampa Bay, he had two different offensive coordinators and three different quarterbacks. Bryant struggled last year after being hampered with two knee injuries during training camp and finished with 39 receptions for 600 yards, an average of 15.4 yards per catch, and four touchdowns.

More than anything Bryant is happy to finally have something that resembles consistency. He also knows that he is not the central piece in the offense but more of an added element that could get the Bengals back to the playoffs and beyond a first-round exit.

"They already have a solid run game (in Cedric Benson)," Bryant said. "In the past they have not had certain weapons at tight end or receiver so Chad (Ochocinco) has done his best to fill in the best he could. I knew in this offense that I could strive in this situation."

Bryant also feels like he is better equipped to handle coming to a new team better than he has in the past. During his time in Dallas and San Francisco, Bryant had public feuds with coaches that painted him in a bad light.

"Playing football has always been easy, it's been the politics and maturity doing all the right things. I finally feel like I have a grasp on that. If it wasn't for '07 there wouldn't be a '10 for myself," Bryant said.

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