Bengals HC Marvin Lewis Takes Issue With Dezman Briscoe's Practice Squad Contract

In April, the Cincinnati Bengals used a sixth-round pick on University of Kansas wide receiver Dezman Briscoe.

The 6-2, 207-pound Briscoe caught 5 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown during the pre-season, but the Bengals lacked room on the 53-man roster and waived him on September 4 with the hopes that they'd bring him back to the practice squad.

Instead, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stepped in and offered Briscoe an offer more lucrative than the $5,200 per week salary the Bengals made, and got Briscoe to sign with them.

The whole development leaves a sour taste in Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis' mouth.

"He was in camp for us, but when you overpay a guy on the practice squad, you create a problem in the system for teams," Lewis said via Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune. "I don't know that teams want to set the precedent and they did with Dezmon."

Instead of $5,200 per week, Briscoe is earning $18,823 per week, which equates to a $319,991 base salary, $9 below the league minimum, what Briscoe would be earning if he were on a 53-man roster.

Practice squad players rarely accompany the team on road trips, so Briscoe is unlikely to be on hand when the Buccaneers face the Bengals in Paul Brown Stadium this Sunday.

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