Mission accomplished.

As expected, Bengals coaches were all smiles in public following the team's three-day, five-practice rookie minicamp that featured 46 players -- most of them participating on a try-out basis.

Head coach Marvin Lewis said he and his coaches knew much more about their 10 draft picks, and new defensive coaches -- coordinator Mike Zimmer and linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald -- had time on the field to work with actual players after four months of scouting and office work.

"When you can get as much football in as we did, it helps the rookies coming back," Lewis said May 4 at Paul Brown Stadium.

Most of the rookies, both draft picks and free agents, will be back to participate May 20 in organized team activities (OTA) that will start May 13 for whole team. Those activities are voluntary.

Lewis said that veteran running back Chris Perry (ankle, shin) and safety Ethan Kilmer (knee) -- both of whom missed all of the 2007 season -- "should be ready to go May 13" for on-field work. Second-year running back Kenny Irons (knee) will not be available, Lewis said.

Asked what he took personally from the three days of work, Lewis said he often was left saying "wow" as he watched his players work on the field.

"But," he added quickly, "that's why we drafted them."

Lewis and his coaches had 15-minute interviews at the NFL scouting combine in February in Indianapolis with prospects. Some of the prospects visited Cincinnati. Coaches and scouts visited their campuses for pro day workouts.

"You don't see if they can handle install," Lewis said in reference to the process of learning plays and schemes. "You also get to see them playing at the speed of football in 11-on-11 drills. That matters."

In addition, Lewis said he and his coaches could see the functional strength of linemen they selected -- such as offensive tackle Anthony Collins and defensive tackles Pat Sims and Jason Shirley. First-round draft pick Keith Rivers, the Southern California linebacker, worked at the weak-side position, where he had in college, and impressed coaches with his fluid play and work ethic. Coaches were impressed, too, with Rivers' natural leadership and ability to call his position players together.

"He showed things that are innate," Lewis said of Rivers. "Every time he was not in a meeting he was upstairs watching tape on his own. He already gets it."

It's pretty apparent the Bengals would like to see Rivers start from Day 1.

"I think any time you can take a guy like we did in the first round and continue to do the things he's been doing for the last three, four years on his college campus, it makes that transition so much easier because he's natural at it," Lewis said.

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