Days after the Bengals signed quarterback Josh Johnson, we speculated, based on Jay Gruden's comments, that Cincinnati may add packages that would highlight the growing read-option trend around the league. Dan Pompei, NFL insider for the National Football Post, is bridging the same connection based on newer comments from Gruden. "I like his athletic ability," Gruden said via National Football Post. "He wasn’t quite as polished a passer as you would like, but he has that element where he can run. He can create plays on the run. If you don’t have a quality backup who can throw the ball, you need somebody who can add another dimension. And I like that he’s a smart kid and can handle a lot." Two months ago Gruden told Bengals.com. "We ran (the read-option) maybe one or two times last year," Gruden said. "We'll see how it goes and where everyone is, but you could definitely see Josh doing some of that. The zone read certainly gets the numbers in favor of the offense. It's good to be able to show something a little different if he was your No. 2 and he had to go into the game. The big thing he has to do is get the basics of what we do first, and then it may be kind of fun to look at." Source: SBNation.com
