This injury a break for Bengals' Muckelroy

“I’ve got a lot of experience out of getting the snaps,” Muckelroy said. “Just getting the reps after being out all of last year, it has allowed me to get back in the swing of things.”

Drafted in the fourth round in 2010, Muckelroy made an impact on special teams, finishing second in tackles with 12. He saw action on defense in just two games, but had a key stop on third-and-1 from the Bengals’ 5 on Cleveland’s Peyton Hillis.

Last year, though, Muckelroy’s season ended two hours into training camp with a torn Achilles tendon. After rehabbing, he was ready for the start of training camp and has seen increased reps after Maualuga sprained his right knee in the preseason opener against the Jets.

In rehabbing from his injury, Muckelroy said, he tried to regain his overall strength while working on little points of technique. He also got to see how veterans like Manny Lawson and Thomas Howard approached the game.

“You learn a lot, especially looking at the older guys. I saw how they worked on an off day. Just going outside and doing little stuff to keep the body going,” he said.

So far the leg hasn’t been a problem during the preseason, and Muckelroy’s progress has pleased the coaching staff. Linebackers coach Paul Guenther said he thought it would be little bit of a slow comeback for Muckelroy, but he has been happy with the progress.

Guenther said Muckelroy understands the defense better and he has the versatility to go to one of the outside spots, even though he has been playing strictly in the middle.

“His biggest strength is that he is a good run stopper. The biggest point of emphasis has been having him improve in the passing game with progressions,” he said.

Maualuga has practiced the past couple of days, but whether he plays against the Colts remains to be seen. Since the starters are likely to play a maximum of two series, head coach Marvin Lewis is trying to get his core as healthy as possible for the Sept. 10 opener at Baltimore.

Going into training camp, the Bengals knew their starting linebackers were Maualgua, Lawson and Howard, but there were many questions about how much depth they had, especially after Keith Rivers was traded before the draft and the team didn’t use any of its 10 draft picks on a linebacker. But the play of Muckelroy, along with Dan Skuta, Vincent Rey, Vontaze Burfict, Dontay Moch and Emmanuel Lamur, has been encouraging.

The Bengals usually keep seven linebackers on their 53-man roster, but they could have three middle linebackers with Maualuga, Muckelroy and Burfict. Rey and Lamur might be vying for the final spot, but defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer indicated that Burfict is also in that mix. Moch, who is tied for the league lead in sacks with 3.5, is suspended for the first four games for a violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, meaning a decision on him doesn’t need to be made until Week 5.

“I like the things that those guys have done,” Lewis said. “All in all, that group, as far as special teams players, has been a bright spot and a step up. The attitude taken by those guys has been very good.”