Blackstock to the Bengals (1 Viewer)

[eric rymer]

Bengals agreed to terms with OLB Darryl Blackstock, formerly of the Cardinals, on a one-year contract.Blackstock has struggled overall as a pro, but is only 24 and had three sacks off the bench last year. The Bengals will give more 3-4 looks going forward and he'll be sent as an edge rusher. Blackstock won't be in the mix to start.

 

[duece2626]

Why wouldn't he be in the mix to start?

 

[Jene Bramel]

Why wouldn't he be in the mix to start?

Mostly because he's terrible. The Arizona LB group, at any number of times during his tenure there, was horrible and he couldn't crack the lineup much less generate an impact. He best fits as an edge rusher type, but he's not shown the explosiveness to overcome his lack of size like a guy like Michael Boley has.He may well be in the mix for more than just spot playing time, however, because the Bengals take shots on guys like him, Dhani Jones, Ed Hartwell, Corey Mays, Anthony Schegel, etc, etc, etc. If Thurman isn't back, Pollack isn't back, Henderson can't get back to his 2007 preseason form and Jones goes back to his 2006-07 self, Blackstock might play.

 

[Rushmore]

Why wouldn't he be in the mix to start?

Mostly because he's terrible. The Arizona LB group, at any number of times during his tenure there, was horrible and he couldn't crack the lineup much less generate an impact. He best fits as an edge rusher type, but he's not shown the explosiveness to overcome his lack of size like a guy like Michael Boley has.He may well be in the mix for more than just spot playing time, however, because the Bengals take shots on guys like him, Dhani Jones, Ed Hartwell, Corey Mays, Anthony Schegel, etc, etc, etc. If Thurman isn't back, Pollack isn't back, Henderson can't get back to his 2007 preseason form and Jones goes back to his 2006-07 self, Blackstock might play.

Reminds me a bit of the Nate Webster signing from years ago, considering they got him while he was still young- hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with upside. Hopefully this works out better than that experiment did. Assuming they plan to use some 3-4 looks, you have to think they have aspirations to get another Dlineman.