PING: Bengals fans: Rudi CUT?

[RendeR]

So they've cut Rudi Johnson, who is going to be the full time back this season? Was his nagging injuries really that bad? what was the issue with him?

[JPhillips]

He had a 2.9 avg. last year?

The more surprising cuts were Willie Anderson and Deltha ONeal. It's hard to see them go, but I'm at least a little encouraged that the Bengals aren't always carrying guys no longer worth their salary.

[DaddyTorgo]

Chris Perry is suposedly slated to be the starter.

[RendeR]

I gotta start paying more attention to bengals.com or something =)

Whats the best wite other than that to get some in depth bengals news?

[DaddyTorgo]

*shrug* idk - just saw that on espn

[QuikSand]

I think this had been speculated for the last couple of weeks. Perry hasn't really grabbed the starting job, but it's pretty clear that Rudi is not a high level player right now.

[claphamsa]

nagging hamstring injusries in an old body, the writing was on the wall.....

sucks to see willie go. but you kinda have to trust the coaches to make the right decisions.

[RendeR]

Well after reading some of lewis' comments I have to kind of agree with him. When i watched their games last yewar the team "felt" lethargic, slow, like they just couldn't keep up with the other team most of the time. I'm wondering if perhaps this is a move to speed up and inject some youth into a team that seemed to become reticent in the last couple years?

[RendeR]

DOLE: Going to be interesting. With the schedule we have this season I'm hoping to squeek out a playoff berth, but expecting another .500 area finish.

[Logan]

I think it's going to be a pretty even split between Perry and Kenny Watson, with DeDe Dorsey sprinkled in.

It was pretty funny when ESPN had that story that the Bengals were shopping Rudi around in exchange for a "legitimate WR." Would've liked to hear some of those calls.

[SFL Cat]

DOLE: Going to be interesting. With the schedule we have this season I'm hoping to squeek out a playoff berth, but expecting another .500 area finish.

How many more .500 finishes do you think Marvin Lewis gets? It amuses me, Brian Billick went to Baltimore as an offensive guru, yet his Ravens teams were always known for their defense...likewise Lewis was the top defensive coach in Baltimore and Washington before going to Cincinatti, yet the Bengals under his tenure have been known more for the offense (Carson Palmer, Ocho Cinco, et. al.) rather than defense.

[claphamsa]

Im looking at 6-10 :(

[RendeR]

I think this season is more about how the team plays than what their final record will be. if they play quality football and look good during the season lewis will get another couple years even if they do only go 500. if they start slow like they always tend to and then fight back to 500 I think he's done after MAYbe 1 more season.

The points about billek and lewis are hard to miss. its very frustrating that when Lewis came in our defense went from bad to non existant.

I just caught the point that they also cut Ahmad Brooks, any specific reasons or was he just not playing up to form? he was a pretty big longshot when they took him in the supplemental draft.

Any insider info on why they got rid of someone they thought would be a starting MLB?

[RendeR]

Im looking at 6-10 :(


Wait, you're a Bengals fan Clap? how did I miss that?

[rowech]

Im looking at 6-10 :(

If that.....I have no clue how anybody can think this team is going to be good. They have a starting RB now who has been fragile his whole time with the team. Their offensive line has been quite offensive to watch the entire preseason. They have no leader on offense and even if they did, that leader couldn't reign in The Idiot. Their defense is horrendous although has shown flahses of being a little better against the run. Their corners are young but get beat consistently on 3rd down because there is no pass rush to speak of. Their coach has no control over anybody and their owner, who knows nothing about football, has control over everybody. How can anybody think this team has 8 wins in them?

I know Willie, Rudi, and Deltha are old and worn down but all they've done now is allow this young group of guys to feel even more empowered to run the team their way, which as far as I can tell, sucks.

They've been my team my whole life and they will continue to be but man are they making it hard to be.

[RendeR]

I only disagree with the leadership issue. I think TJ and Carson are/have been trying to take charge of things but were being overridden by far more vocal people like Willie.

Loved Willie for years, but he should have gone a couple years back. I was sorta shocked at Rudi and Deltha, meh who cares.

This league revolves around one thing, health. If your team gets injury prone, you're screwed, if they stay healthy, they can dominate.

I have the same worry about Perry and health, but when he IS healthy he's a damned good back. SO lets hope he can stay healthy. He reminds me of brooks the say he runs and catches the ball.

The defensive issues the last few years have also been injury based. Week 4 last year we went into the game with NE with 3 active LB's, 2 of which went down with injuries in the first quarter, they played the next 5 weeks with 2 real LB's and a whole lot of substitutes in there. Its no wonder they were awful.

Later in the year as people got healthy again the D got substantially better.

My biggest hope is for a major injury free season. not that I see it happening with the way things have gone thus far.

With the talent they DO have they should be a playoff contender, my problem with the team has almost always been simply not playing up to that talent potential.

[kingnebwsu]

I'm a Bengals fan. I'll say they'll go 7-9. They'll do something like have a terrible start to the season, then climb back at the end to finish with a decent record...hence the 7-9. I'll say they start something like 4-8 and win 3 of 4 to finish 7-9. I'd love to see them make the playoffs...but I'd love to win the lottery too, and that's not happening :)

[stevew]

I'd be shocked if they were better than 7-9.

[B & B]

This is the second worst division in football and pushing for the top spot.

Nine wins is enough to take the division title.

[Thomkal]

I'm just hoping that local product WR Jerome Simpson has a nice rookie year for the Bengals. :)

[JPhillips]

He may be the #3 receiver until Henry can play in game 5. He's got great physical tools, but his route running and recognition aren't great.

[claphamsa]

Wait, you're a Bengals fan Clap? how did I miss that?
dunno sice we talked about it a coupe of times!

[Thomkal]

He may be the #3 receiver until Henry can play in game 5. He's got great physical tools, but his route running and recognition aren't great.

Yeah i agree, he's got great speed, hands, and jumping ability, but the rest is a bit shaky for the NFL level. Was really surprised he went in the second round.

[cougarfreak]

I'm a Bengals fan, and they'll be lucky to win 6 games. Lewis will be a D coordinator for someone next year, if I were him, I'd be brushing up the resume and looking to get out.

[korme]

I'm not going to get all biased, Chris Perry has proven absolute lick in his entire NFL career. I don't want to hear "he's a damned good back" until he shows me something on the field.

The cut I'm most upset about is Ahmad Brooks. WTF?

[rowech]

I'm not going to get all biased, Chris Perry has proven absolute lick in his entire NFL career. I don't want to hear "he's a damned good back" until he shows me something on the field.

The cut I'm most upset about is Ahmad Brooks. WTF?

Agreed...I love how they run out of LBers last year and keep five....thank God we have 10 guys in the secondary though. I'm sure we'll use all of them.

[JPhillips]

Brooks had seven tackles all preseason and never seemed to know what was going on. The bad decision was wasting a third round pick, not cutting him.

And they kept six LBs

Keith Rivers, Dhani Jones, Rashad Jeanty, Brandon Johnson, Darryl Blackstock, Corey Mays

[Suburban Rhythm]

This is the second worst division in football and pushing for the top spot.

Nine wins is enough to take the division title.

Isn't it the second worst (or worst) because of teams like Cincy and Baltimore though?

I get what you are saying, I am a Steelers fan, and I don't know if they'll repeat 10 wins with the schedule they play. But they are a better team then anyone in that division. I would not be shocked to see one team just above .500, and win the division with the other 3 teams below .500

[Logan]

Well, the Niners picked up Brooks off waivers, so (hopefully) thanks.

[JPhillips]

He got freakish physical skills and maybe losing his job might motivate him.

[JeeberD]

Hey, at least Jordan Palmer made the team!

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Hey, at least Jordan Palmer made the team!

He's the one with a nose, but no arm, right?

[Racer]

This is the second worst division in football and pushing for the top spot.

Nine wins is enough to take the division title.

Have you heard of the NFC?


(minus the NFC East of course)

[JeeberD]

He's the one with a nose, but no arm, right?

Nah, he's the one with an arm but no brain...

[Honolulu_Blue]

Well, the Rudi Johnson saga has come to a close.

He signed a 1 year deal with the Lions yesterday. The Lions released Tatum Bell to make room. Rudi will be backing up Kevin Smith.

The Lions also signed running back Marcus Thomas who was waived by the Chargers. Jeebs, if you circle back through here, what are your thoughts on this UTEP guy?

[JeeberD]

Marcus has potential. He's a big back, but he runs a little bit too upright and therefore takes some hits. But he's got great speed for his size, and has decent hands...

[Passacaglia]

I think the Lions are a good fit for Rudi. When there were trade rumors circulating, I thought of them as one of the only teams likely to be interested.

[Schmidty]

I just hope Kevin Smith still gets a lot of carries to see what he's got.