Bengals LB story (1 Viewer)

[bcr8f]

Player Position NFL season

ED HARTWELL WLB starter 7th

Comment: He says he was told he will start. Probably will man the side of the field with the most open space. If healthy - he played only 13 games the past two seasons because of injury - he's a run-stopping force.

AHMAD BROOKS MLB starter 2nd

Comment: It's his job to lose. Has body and skills to play every down. After starting five games in 2006, big things are expected.

RASHAD JEANTY SLB starter 2nd

Comment: The former CFL player is a late bloomer. Started nine games in 2006 and is a promising player.

LANDON JOHNSON sub at all spots 4th

Comment: The 2006 team leader in tackles will play significant downs whether he starts or not, because he can play all three spots and because of Hartwell's health concerns and the inexperience of Brooks and Jeanty.

CALEB MILLER MLB sub 4th

Comment: Best suited to play in the middle, in special situations, and not every down.

ERIC HENDERSON special teams 1st

Comment: A project as a pass rusher at WLB or SLB.

ANDRE FRAZIER special teams 3rd

Comment: His niche is on special teams.

A.J. NICHOLSON special teams 2nd

Comment: Talented, but not in the mix yet.

ODELL THURMAN MLB 2nd

Comment: It's anyone's guess whether he'll see the field again as a Bengal. He can apply June 11 for reinstatement after a year-long suspension for a third violation of the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Marvin Lewis says Odell Thurman will be allowed in camp and "an opportunity" to make the team if he's re-instated in July.

Bengals.com

Enquirer.com

 

[The Shizzle]

Why would they sub Landon Johnson? Isn't he the most talented LB on the team?

 

[msommer]

Why would they sub Landon Johnson? Isn't he the most talented LB on the team?

No, that would be Odell thurman

 

[Jene Bramel]

Why would they sub Landon Johnson? Isn't he the most talented LB on the team?

No, that would be Odell thurman

If we're counting the 2005 version from the neck down, I agree. The coaching staff doesn't feel Landon Johnson will hold up as an every down player and probably held their breath every week last year that he could continue to take every snap. It also surprised me that they risked him in RFA by giving him only a third round tender. They don't seem in a hurry to give him a long-term deal yet either.Anyway, I'm not sure I agree that a healthy Hartwell is a better WLB, which is Johnson's best fit, but Hartwell could be better on running downs. Johnson is going to see every nickel snap and probably a full series or two a half in the base defense.

 

[alg]

Marvin Lewis says Odell Thurman will be allowed in camp and "an opportunity" to make the team if he's re-instated in July.

Bengals.com

Enquirer.com

One thing to add: Apparently the guys who manage the league's drug program are already recommending his reinstatement. Which means he hasn't been doing the Ricky Williams drug plan. At this point all OT has to do is stay clean till July 11th. Good to hear.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Marvin Lewis says Odell Thurman will be allowed in camp and "an opportunity" to make the team if he's re-instated in July.

Bengals.com

Enquirer.com

One thing to add: Apparently the guys who manage the league's drug program are already recommending his reinstatement. Which means he hasn't been doing the Ricky Williams drug plan. At this point all OT has to do is stay clean till July 11th. Good to hear.

Really? Link to more information? The news links above suggest Marvin has continued to push Thurman personally and that Thurman may be finally growing up. Still, we've heard that before.That's awesome to hear. I was as big an Odell fan as any. I haven't defaced my Thurman jersey yet and I'd love to get it back out.

 

[alg]

Marvin Lewis says Odell Thurman will be allowed in camp and "an opportunity" to make the team if he's re-instated in July.

Bengals.com

Enquirer.com

One thing to add: Apparently the guys who manage the league's drug program are already recommending his reinstatement. Which means he hasn't been doing the Ricky Williams drug plan. At this point all OT has to do is stay clean till July 11th. Good to hear.

Really? Link to more information? The news links above suggest Marvin has continued to push Thurman personally and that Thurman may be finally growing up. Still, we've heard that before.That's awesome to hear. I was as big an Odell fan as any. I haven't defaced my Thurman jersey yet and I'd love to get it back out.

Here you go. Man, I hope this turns out:

-- Bengals to Allow Thurman to Earn a Roster Slot If... --

Tue May 15, 2007 --from FFMastermind.com

The Cincinnati Bengals official website reports if MLB Odell Thurman is reinstated next month by the NFL, he’ll get a chance to win a roster spot at Georgetown College during Bengals training camp. So says Bengals HC Marvin Lewis, who blew off every imaginable question about Thurman since October. Until he decided to give it up to WLW-AM Sports Talk host Paul Daugherty Monday night. Reached after the show, Daugherty paraphrased what Lewis told him and said that if Thurman got reinstated Lewis would let him come to training camp. Thurman, suspended a year for repeated violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, is eligible to return to the club July 11. Word is that Thurman has already applied for reinstatement and that he has been recommended for reinstatement by those in charge of the NFL’s rehab program, but he must remain clean until July 11.

 

[ChitownPone]

A.J. Nicholson cut by the Bengals, Do you guys think that this is a good sign for Thurman if he is reinstated. To me it sounds like they are confident that Thurman will not only be reinstated but sounds like the Bengals have a good feel that he is in good shape and will be able to start for them.. Thoughts?

 

[QuizGuy66]

I don't think it means that much from the Odell perspective to be honest as Odell or no Odell, Nicholson was likely an odd man out in the roster mix.

-QG

 

[Jene Bramel]

A.J. Nicholson cut by the Bengals, Do you guys think that this is a good sign for Thurman if he is reinstated. To me it sounds like they are confident that Thurman will not only be reinstated but sounds like the Bengals have a good feel that he is in good shape and will be able to start for them.. Thoughts?

IMO, Nicholson wasn't making this team whether Thurman returned or not.LOCKS

Hartwell

Brooks

Jeanty

Johnson

Miller

FIGHTING FOR 1-2 SPOTS

Thurman

Frazier

Everett

Henderson

Nicholson

The Bengals have carried seven backers in the past when they relied on one or two as their primary special teamers. With the glut of special teamers at other positions on this roster and questions in the secondary swing positions and WR, my guess is that they'll carry an extra WR/DB before an extra LB if everybody is healthy.

Nicholson was useless on ST last year and would be buried on the depth chart at all three positions. I think Marvin has already decided that Thurman is back and would guess that he liked enough of what he saw from Everett, Henderson and Frazier as special teamers that Nicholson was an easy cut after he got his name in the paper. There are reports that the team has liked what Henderson has done in his early work transitioning to an OLB.

 

[bcr8f]

A.J. Nicholson cut by the Bengals, Do you guys think that this is a good sign for Thurman if he is reinstated. To me it sounds like they are confident that Thurman will not only be reinstated but sounds like the Bengals have a good feel that he is in good shape and will be able to start for them.. Thoughts?

Don't assume he will stay out of trouble just yet. If he does he'll be in the mix and should have the edge over Brooks.

 

[Zoomanji]

A.J. Nicholson cut by the Bengals, Do you guys think that this is a good sign for Thurman if he is reinstated. To me it sounds like they are confident that Thurman will not only be reinstated but sounds like the Bengals have a good feel that he is in good shape and will be able to start for them.. Thoughts?

IMO, Nicholson wasn't making this team whether Thurman returned or not.LOCKS

Hartwell

Brooks

Jeanty

Johnson

Miller

FIGHTING FOR 1-2 SPOTS

Thurman

Frazier

Everett

Henderson

Nicholson

The Bengals have carried seven backers in the past when they relied on one or two as their primary special teamers. With the glut of special teamers at other positions on this roster and questions in the secondary swing positions and WR, my guess is that they'll carry an extra WR/DB before an extra LB if everybody is healthy.

Nicholson was useless on ST last year and would be buried on the depth chart at all three positions. I think Marvin has already decided that Thurman is back and would guess that he liked enough of what he saw from Everett, Henderson and Frazier as special teamers that Nicholson was an easy cut after he got his name in the paper. There are reports that the team has liked what Henderson has done in his early work transitioning to an OLB.

So does that assume that Pollack is a DE now or that he will end up retiring?

 

[Jene Bramel]

A.J. Nicholson cut by the Bengals, Do you guys think that this is a good sign for Thurman if he is reinstated. To me it sounds like they are confident that Thurman will not only be reinstated but sounds like the Bengals have a good feel that he is in good shape and will be able to start for them.. Thoughts?

Don't assume he will stay out of trouble just yet. If he does he'll be in the mix and should have the edge over Brooks.

There are still all kinds of questions with Thurman. He can't re-join the team until mid-July -- right before camp -- and there has been no indication that Thurman has done anything football related in the past 9 months. It's unclear what the Bengals will do with Thurman if-when he's football ready. Much will depend on Brooks. If he shows signs of getting it this off-season, some have speculated Thurman would become a WLB, particularly since the coaches really want Brooks to learn one position, rather than jump around as he did all last season.

So does that assume that Pollack is a DE now or that he will end up retiring?

Yes. If Pollack returns, he returns as a DE.

 

[bcr8f]

A.J. Nicholson cut by the Bengals, Do you guys think that this is a good sign for Thurman if he is reinstated. To me it sounds like they are confident that Thurman will not only be reinstated but sounds like the Bengals have a good feel that he is in good shape and will be able to start for them.. Thoughts?

Don't assume he will stay out of trouble just yet. If he does he'll be in the mix and should have the edge over Brooks.

There are still all kinds of questions with Thurman. He can't re-join the team until mid-July -- right before camp -- and there has been no indication that Thurman has done anything football related in the past 9 months. It's unclear what the Bengals will do with Thurman if-when he's football ready. Much will depend on Brooks. If he shows signs of getting it this off-season, some have speculated Thurman would become a WLB, particularly since the coaches really want Brooks to learn one position, rather than jump around as he did all last season.

Brooks, Thurman and Jeanty would make a pretty formidable tandem (at least on paper).