Cincinnati Bengals

For the second straight offseason, head coach Marvin Lewis has agreed to a one-year extension with the Bengals that puts him in Cincinnati through the 2008 season.

He also brings back his 2004 coaching staff intact, except for the promotion of Chuck Bresnahan to defensive coordinator in place of Leslie Frazier, and all of them are signed through 2006. In what is believed to have been a similar scenario to last year, Bengals president Mike Brown approached Lewis about an extension right after the 2004 season ended.

After finishing runner-up to New England's Bill Belichick for Coach of the Year in his rookie season in 2003, Lewis survived the switch to first-year quarterback Carson Palmer, four rookie regulars on defense, and 18 players landing on season-ending reserve lists to also finish his second season at 8-8.

Bresnahan agreed to a two-year deal last month. Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski reportedly agreed to an extension when Lewis got his first extension after the 2003 season.

Marvin has done an excellent job," Brown said in the same release. "He has established himself with the Bengals and the community. We feel good about the future of our team being in his hands."

If the contract is fulfilled, Lewis will have the third longest coaching tenure in franchise history behind Bengals founder Paul Brown and Sam Wyche, each eight-year veterans.

During the week of the recent Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., Lewis continued to get plenty of praise for leading the Bengals out of a decade-long malaise.