On Monday, a day after the Bengals won their third in a row to finish 2008 with a 4-11-1 record, coach Marvin Lewis was vague when asked if he anticipated changes on his coaching staff.
The Bengals were last in points scored and yards gained. The defense was 12th in yards allowed and 19th in points given up -- dramatic improvements under first-year coordinator Mike Zimmer.
After the 2007 season, Lewis said there would be no coaching changes, and two days later he fired defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan and linebackers coach Ricky Hunley.
"I don't know that. I think every year we get to this point and you guys ask the same question, good, bad or indifferent, so we have the blanket statement and we'll see what happens when it happens," Lewis said Monday.
"I don't know any of that right now, and as we go forward -- and we just finished playing (Sunday) and haven't had an opportunity -- I'm sure guys have aspirations to do different things, and we'll see what those hold."
Any potential movement on the staff would be expected on the offensive side. The Bengals do not announce contract extensions for coaches, but they might have signed offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski, wide receivers coach Mike Sheppard and offensive line coach Paul Alexander to contract extensions last year that cover them for the 2009 season.
The Bengals defeated Kansas City 16-6 Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. They week before they shut out the Browns 14-0 at Cleveland.
The roster will change. It always does.
"I think we'll have some turnover in players," Lewis said. "We need to get better in some positions, no doubt, so I think there will be some turnover in spots. We need to get better in positions, whether it be through the draft or acquisition of some guys.
"We have some guys who obviously are free agents, both in the restricted category and unrestricted."
Several regulars are eligible for free agency -- wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, tailback Cedric Benson, right tackle Stacy Andrews, safety Chris Crocker and kicker Shayne Graham.
"In most cases, teams sign back their players," Lewis said. "And players are generally going to be more productive with the football team they're with, because they know their intricacies of things and how they are."
