Bengals sign Lemar Marshall (1 Viewer)

[Jene Bramel]

Bengals.com

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis revived Marshall's career while he was the defensive coordinator with the Redskins for one season in 2002. At that point Marshall was an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State who had bounced around the NFL the three previous seasons with three different teams.

But under Lewis, Marshall made his NFL debut and played all 16 games as a reserve outside backer and core special teams player. He became a starter in '04 in 14 games before moving to the middle the next season.

The Bengals already have a veteran middle backer in Ed Hartwell backing up Ahmad Brooks, but Marshall brings more seasoned special teams experience. With strong-side backer Eric Henderson on injured reserve with a broken wrist, the Bengals are looking for linebacker help on teams.

Signing Marshall gives the Bengals nine active backers in a spot they usually keep seven. Brooks, Rashad Jeanty and Landon Johnson are the starters and are backed up by Hartwell, Andre Frazier and Caleb Miller. Rookie free agents Earl Everett and Matt Muncy round it out.

 

[redman]

He's an odd 3-4 defense LB signing in the sense that he's definitely smaller than the prototypical 3-4 LB. He's a converted safety after all. His strength is in pass coverage, but he does appear to be healthy right now which should mean his tackling is improved over last season. I really have no idea how Marvin figures to utilize him.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

The Bengals are quietly playing a 4-3 all preseason.

With Peko and Thorton at DTs. Even that article only mentions 3 starting LBs.

 

[Jene Bramel]

He's an odd 3-4 defense LB signing in the sense that he's definitely smaller than the prototypical 3-4 LB. He's a converted safety after all. His strength is in pass coverage, but he does appear to be healthy right now which should mean his tackling is improved over last season. I really have no idea how Marvin figures to utilize him.

The Bengals aren't a 3-4 team. Don't get me started again... . My guess is that Marshall is insurance. Marvin knows him from their days in Washington, he's looking for depth at backer and special teams with Hartwell no lock to last the season, Brooks shaky, and Henderson (who was looking very good in all phases, including ST) out for the year. Of course, given how the offseason has gone so far, we're sure to see something different than the current team observer speculation on Monday night.

 

[redman]

He's an odd 3-4 defense LB signing in the sense that he's definitely smaller than the prototypical 3-4 LB. He's a converted safety after all. His strength is in pass coverage, but he does appear to be healthy right now which should mean his tackling is improved over last season. I really have no idea how Marvin figures to utilize him.

The Bengals aren't a 3-4 team. Don't get me started again... . My guess is that Marshall is insurance. Marvin knows him from their days in Washington, he's looking for depth at backer and special teams with Hartwell no lock to last the season, Brooks shaky, and Henderson (who was looking very good in all phases, including ST) out for the year. Of course, given how the offseason has gone so far, we're sure to see something different than the current team observer speculation on Monday night.

Brain fart. Sorry, I do know better, I promise.

 

[Rushmore]

He's an odd 3-4 defense LB signing in the sense that he's definitely smaller than the prototypical 3-4 LB. He's a converted safety after all. His strength is in pass coverage, but he does appear to be healthy right now which should mean his tackling is improved over last season. I really have no idea how Marvin figures to utilize him.

The Bengals aren't a 3-4 team. Don't get me started again... . My guess is that Marshall is insurance. Marvin knows him from their days in Washington, he's looking for depth at backer and special teams with Hartwell no lock to last the season, Brooks shaky, and Henderson (who was looking very good in all phases, including ST) out for the year. Of course, given how the offseason has gone so far, we're sure to see something different than the current team observer speculation on Monday night.

I asked Marvin Lewis directly one time @ 2 years ago at a function when the first talk of the Bengals flirting with a 3-4 came about. He started laughing and then sort of rolled his eyes and said "No". Made me feel kinda stupid.

 

[dgreen]

In a related story, Marshall was arrested for DWB: Driving While a Bengal.

 

[John Black]

Is Brooks going to keep his starting job?

 

[Jene Bramel]

Bengals.com

"We're thin. We're down in numbers and this is a guy that we can mix and match in a number of different spots," said defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan, who expressed confidence in second-year middle linebacker Ahmad Brooks.

The signing of Marshall, 30, seems to reinforce the Bengals' decision to start Brooks even though the 6-2, 225-pound Marshall started in the middle the last two seasons for the Redskins with 198 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks and four interceptions.

Marshall said the Bengals coaches told him to focus on the strong side behind Rashad Jeanty, which is where the injured Eric Henderson played. And special teams coach Darrin Simmons said, "If you're going to be a backup linebacker, those three backup guys that you dress for games have to be core special teams players. They have to be."

Which is one reason why Trotter isn't here. And was never even really discussed as a logical fit even though the Bengals admire his Pro Bowl career.

But they're not ready to pull the plug on Brooks. The club believes Jeanty and Landon Johnson are two of its strongest defenders. Trotter would be of no help on special teams and would take a guy off the field in Brooks that the team believes can become a playmaker.

 

[Slinger]

Lemar Marshall as a SLB. Logic tells me to drop him. Are any other owners doing the same?

 

[Beaumont]

Lemar Marshall as a SLB. Logic tells me to drop him. Are any other owners doing the same?

yes

 

[Jene Bramel]

Lemar Marshall as a SLB. Logic tells me to drop him. Are any other owners doing the same?

He's probably safe to drop in most leagues. Bear in mind, however, that absolutely nothing that comes out of the Bengal local media and coaching staff can be trusted completely. Even the things said by the players themselves have to be taken with a grain of salt -- Brooks: "I'm not coming off the field."; Hartwell: "Looks like I'll start at WLB."; etc, etc.