"Taylor Mays arrived in Cincinnati on Tuesday in what Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer hope is another case of a player reviving his career.

Lewis and Zimmer can point to safeties Chris Crocker and Reggie Nelson as two examples . of Bengals having done that. Whether they have hit a trifecta with Mays, a defensive back who was acquired in a trade with San Francisco for an undisclosed future draft pick, remains to be seen.

"We're excited to have the opportunity to work with Taylor," Lewis said. "It gives us a young player who is starting out in his career and has demonstrated good skills at USC and a real mental aptitude to play defense in the NFL."

Mays had been on the trading block since Aug. 4. Former 49ers coach Mike Singletary advocated Mays' selection in the second round of the 2010 draft, but the safety didn't figure into new coach Jim Harbaugh's plans. In last Saturday's preseason game against Oakland, Mays played with the third string and saw action in only the final three minutes.

"It didn't affect my confidence," Mays said. "I like to say I feel confident in the potential I have. I figured everything would work out and I'm just fortunate that it did at this point.""