The Bengals have reached an agreement with free-agent cornerback Nate Clements. Clements became a free agent on Thursday when San Francisco released the veteran cornerback. He finished with 82 tackles, one sack, three forced fumbles and three interceptions last season.

The Texans have reached agreement with Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph on a five-year deal, according to sources. A person with knowledge of Joseph's deal says it was worth $48.75 million, with $23.5 million guaranteed.

The Bengals have traded wide receiver Chad Ochocinco to the Patriots, according to a source. The deal was agreed upon after Ochocinco reached a restructured three-year deal with New England. Cincinnati will receive two draft picks for the receiver, one in 2012 and another the following year.

The Bengals have agreed to terms with rookie wide receiver A.J. Green on a fully guaranteed contract, according to a team source. Green was the fourth overall pick in April's NFL Draft.

Bengals owner Mike Brown insisted on Tuesday that quarterback Carson Palmer isn't on the trading block. Palmer, who has four years left on his contract, told the team in January that he would retire if he's not traded. "I honestly like Carson Palmer," Brown said. "He was a splendid player for us. He's a good person. I wish him well. And he is retired. That is his choice. ... I'm not expecting him to be back." Asked why he wouldn't trade the 31-year-old Palmer and get some draft picks in return, Brown said it was a matter of principle. "Carson signed a contract. He made a commitment. He gave his word," Brown said. "We relied on his word. We relied on his commitment. We expected him to perform here. He's going to walk away from his commitment. We aren't going to reward him for doing it."

Following the approval of the new collective bargaining agreement by the NFL's owners on Thursday afternoon, the Bengals prematurely contacted their season ticket holders. Cincinnati sent out the following e-mail to their season ticket accounts: We are excited to let you know that the NFL has reached a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows the entire NFL season to be played this year. The NFL is the most popular sport in America. Our games are intense, unifying and meaningful to fans in the stadium and to those watching at home. We are thrilled to have a labor deal in place that will provide fans with a decade of certainty and that will allow us to focus all our energies where they ought to be — on the playing field. The upcoming 2011 season will surely be exciting, and football work will begin shortly. Our coaches will begin meeting with players, and the Club will welcome back talented veterans along with exciting rookies from the April NFL Draft, like top picks A.J. Green(notes) and Andy Dalton(notes). Whether all of that will take place in Cincinnati or Georgetown, Kentucky, will be decided shortly once we receive the NFL's operating schedule. Two years ago, our football team swept the AFC North—one of the toughest divisions in football—and many key components of that team remain, including defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and a defense that ranked in the top half of the NFL for three straight seasons. The area of the team that will change the most will be the offense with a new direction under offensive coordinator Jay Gruden and new faces at quarterback and wide receiver. The mix of veterans and rookies should return our offense to the top level we need, and we are excited by the challenge. This year—like others before it—we will focus our energies on returning to the Super Bowl again. That's what we want and that's what our fans want, and our franchise has been blessed with great support from fans for decades. Last season we reached a record-setting 57th straight sellout—a string we hope to restart soon—and our games have been the most-watched television program in the local market for the last applicable 96 ratings weeks. This is great football country, and incredibly: 95% of the Cincinnati population watched an NFL game during the 2009 season (third highest ranking among NFL markets). We are very grateful to our fans, we thank you for your patience during the labor stoppage, and now we look forward to a great season together. Who Dey! Of course, the players have yet to approve the new agreement and the lockout is not yet over.

Reggie Kelly, Cincinnati's alternate player representative, says that the players have cooled down after the NFL's owners put pressure on them by approving a new collective bargaining agreement on Thursday afternoon. "I think guys at first were angry yesterday because the first time we heard about the proposal was on TV when they voted on it," Kelly said Friday. "You need to negotiate and do it the right way. "People have started to cool off. It's not about egos and personal feelings. It's a business. All in all it's going to work out and we're going to be ready to play."

Former Bengals linebacker Nate Webster has been indicted on sex-related charges involving the teenage daughter of a former Cincinnati assistant coach. Prosecutors allege that Webster engaged in sexual conduct with the girl in 2009 when she was 15 and threatened to harm her and her family if she told anyone.

Cedric Benson's attorneys claim in a statement released to media outlets Wednesday that the man who the running back allegedly assaulted last weekend is threatening to agree to media interviews if they do not agree to a "settlement" meeting, according to an ESPN.com report.

Bengals cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones has pleaded not guilty to charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in Cincinnati. Attorney Edward Perry filed the written plea for Jones on Monday in Hamilton County Municipal Court. The misdemeanor charges stem from Jones' July 10 arrest in Cincinnati. Court documents accuse Jones, 27, of being disorderly and shouting profanities at a downtown bar and trying to pull away as officers arrested him.