Armon Binns Emerging in Cincinnati Bengals No. 2 WR Battle

There's a new No. 85 in town!

Armon Binns made an emphatic statement Sunday with the Bengals' first unit, amassing four receptions for 58 yards during the two-minute drill.

The Bengals took to the field Sunday evening for an in-house scrimmage in front of an estimated 6,500 fans that saw Andy Dalton and his receivers put in a promising early performance less than a week ahead of their preseason clash with the New York Jets.

Cincinnati have placed the importance of a consistent pair of hands above all in their search for a starting No. 2 receiver, and Binns is making a great case for his selection at this juncture.

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com describes Binns as a "physical and reliable possession receiver" who has gained popularity with his coaches and teammates thanks to a solid work ethic.

Binns oozed positivity at the outset of training camp, citing his untapped talent and early praise: "It makes me feel good about my abilities and the work I put in," Binns said. "I've always known what I can do, but just to know the coaching staff sees it and they are pulling for me is a good thing."

Today Binns took the opportunity provided to him and turned his determination into production. It marks yet another solid practice for Binns, who also impressed on Tuesday, storming past the team's No. 1 corner (Leon Hall) for a TD, courtesy of Andy Dalton's improving deep ball.

Despite Binns' evolving position in the Bengals' first team, Brandon Tate still has a shot at supplanting him, or at least earning himself a role in the offense.

Tate capped off Binns' impressive showing in the two-minute drill on Sunday with a five-yard touchdown grab, effectively signalling to Jay Gruden and Marvin Lewis that they should not forget about him just yet.

The race remains open, but given the developing chemistry between Binns and Dalton, the No. 2 job is the former UC wideout's to lose.