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So early, but such looming problems. That's the underlying story in Georgetown, KY for the Cincinnati Bengals as the march to the regular season continues in earnest.

Foremost in the concerns category is the loss of running back Kenny Irons, who seemed poised for carries behind Rudi Johnson and was expected to provide an off-tackle style of running that Johnson seems to lack. The Bengals now will have to rely almost solely on Johnson's staightforward bulldog approach that fails to bring the threat of a breakaway. The word from the Bengals is that Chris Perry is not expected to see significant time this year at all, so the obvious question arises as to whether the Bengals should be considering an early season trade for a running back right now. Certainly, trades in the NFL are somewhat unusual, but this appears to be a necessity heading into the regular season, as an injury to Johnson will spell trouble. Don't be surprised, then, to hear trade talk next week or at least some free agent or waiver activity in the running back department.

Tags: cincinnati bengals