Binns can run, catch AND walk

[cpawstoney]

Former UC receiver Armon Binns, who will forever be known as the guy with "The Catch" against Pitt on a snowy December day, is receiving his degree.

While that shouldn't be compared to climbing Mt. Everest, as scholarship athletes should get their degrees in my opinion, it is still an accomplishment. Particularly so because Binns has been gone from UC for well over a year.

From all accounts, he's been one of the most improved receivers the Bengals have. God bless Mohamed Sanu, but given more than two years (which was all Binns really played of note) with similar focus that Rutgers had on Sanu, Binns might have been a draft pick instead of an undrafted free agent.
http://www.gobearcats.com/blog/2012/05/binns-can-run-catch-and-walk.html

[cpawstoney]

Now that Linsanity is over, it’s all about Binnsanity
Binns was later signed to the Bengals’ practice squad in September of 2011. He was later upgraded to the 53-player roster in December, but was unable to get onto the field and he has yet to record an NFL reception. That was by no fault of Binns though. Coaches were raving about him during practices and lauded Marvin Lewis to get him onto the field for live game action, but that opportunity came.

We’re under two months away from the start of the NFL regular season, so there’s plenty of time for the #2 WR spot to be fought out between Binns, Brandon Tate, Mohamed Sanu, and Marvin Jones, but if what Bengals coaches and players have seen and raved about so far is any indication of how much Binns can contribute to the Bengals this season, we may soon witness the berth of Binnsanity.
http://stripehype.com/2012/07/17/now-that-linsanity-is-over-its-all-about-binnsanity/2/

[cpawstoney]

When discussing who will start opposite A.J. Green at receiver for the Bengals, Armon Binns has been in the conversation since last season ended.

There will also be the preseason games. For as much as Binns has showed in practice – including a leaping catch on Friday (albeit a good 5 yards out of bounds) – he realizes he hasn’t played in a game in nearly a year.

Binns said he will be excited to get in the games, but there is still work to do until then.

“As a athlete and competitor I always want to get out there and make something happen,” he said. “But all I can do is control what I can control and when my play and my number is called just go out there and make the play and let the rest take care of itself.”
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120728/SPT02/307280045/Ex-Bearcat-Binns-gets-chance-Bengals?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

[cpawstoney]

BINNS CARTING: On Friday, Bengals wide receiver Armon Binns made an outstanding catch that didn't count and on Saturday he dropped one that did.

Binns managed to make a nice yards after golf cart catch on the sidelines on a play that rookie cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris (no relation to Marvin Lewis or Clark Harris) ran into the contraption. Looking for playing time in the crowded field opposite Pro Bowler A.J. Green, Binns knows people are watching whether it was out of bounds or not.

"If you have an opportunity to catch a ball you want to catch it. I think stuff like that doesn't go unnoticed," Binns said. "If that was inbounds it would have been a great play. I just try to catch the ball if it is in the air."
http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Pad-Day-Binns-Tate-in-a-state/bef0cf9c-988b-4379-a21a-192879cb7450

[cpawstoney]

Armon Binns played well in Sunday’s Mock Game but as Andy Dalton noted yesterday: “There’s not going to be one guy that’s going to be in there. There’s going to be the guy that’s going to walk out there for the first snap of the game, but other than that, everybody’s done enough here to where they’re going to be getting some playing time. We know A.J.’s going to be on the field. That’s the only one we know that’s going to be out there.”

WR: 19 Brandon Tate, 85 Armon Binns, 88 Ryan Whalen/12 Mohamaed Sanu/83 Kashif Moore/15 Justin Hilton

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals/2012/08/06/first-depth-chart-released-3/

[cpawstoney]

Winners

WR Armon Binns: The practice squad phenom who has turned into a contender for a starting wide receiver position shined once again Sunday. This time he pulled in five receptions for 69 yards to lead the team. More important than the yardage numbers was the fashion in which they were collected. Binns grabbed a deep ball down the sideline by tapping his feet inbounds as the ball was thrown over his back shoulder. He duplicated the feat on a deep out pattern a few plays later.
http://www.cbssports.com/general/blog/nfl-rapidreports/19739284/bengals-winners-and-losers-of-scrimmagemock-game-weekend

[cpawstoney]

Breaking Down The Competition Between Brandon Tate And Armon Binns Against The Jets
With 6:41 remaining in the second quarter, Armon Binns caught his first pass with the Cincinnati Bengals. Ever. It was an emotional moment for Binns, who lettered four years at University of Cincinnati, with a very realistic chance to make the 53-man roster. Binns, who was caught a little teary-eyed during the National Anthem, put together a convincing game against the New York Jets.
http://www.cincyjungle.com/2012/8/12/3237739/brandon-tate-armon-binns-number-two-receiver-jets-bengals

[cpawstoney]

Emotional WR Binns impresses: During the national anthem Friday the television panned to WR Armon Binns, and the second-year receiver appeared to be welling up with emotion. Undrafted out of the University of Cincinnati, he spent last preseason with the Jaguars before being cut and landing on the Bengals practice squad.

One year later, he earned a start amid the hottest competition in camp at No. 2 WR.

“This is such a big moment,” he said. “I have been through so much the last couple of years. To be here with this opportunity nobody would have thought I would have been here. I am just blessed and grateful for this opportunity.”

Binns parlayed the emotion into production with two receptions for 24 yards. Both were corralled at a high degree of difficulty. He broke a short pass through traffic for a 19-yard gain, but it was called back by a holding penalty.

This comes one week after leading the Bengals in receiving in the mock game. Without a doubt, he's increased his chances for playing time in the regular season.

“I was definitely a little nervous, but I was excited at the same time,” Binns said. “Not bad nerves, just anxious. The game really slowed down (after the first catch), and I was able to go out there and just play freely.”
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/nfl-rapidreports/19773930/bengals-notebook-vontaze-burficts-redemption-run-continues-in-preseason-victory

[cpawstoney]

Rookie Mohamed Sanu is reportedly "way behind" Armon Binns and Brandon Tate on the Bengals' receiver depth chart.
It sounds like he's even behind Andrew Hawkins, who is now the Bengals' top slot receiver. Joe Reedy of the Cincy Enquirer expects Tate to open the season as the No. 2 wideout, likely rotating with Binns.
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NFL&id=7433&line=238654&spln=1

If this is accurate, I don't understand why Binns isn't getting more reps in the pre-season games. Maybe he will in the last two games?