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Bengals announce undrafted free agent signings

The Cincinnati Bengals finally announced their undrafted free agent signings. The number of players totals nine, which included those we knew about already, with Quan Crosby scheduled to arrive in Cincinnati on Friday. One of the signings is fullback Chris Pressley.

Year GP Att Yds Avg TD Rec Yds TD
2004 5 11 36 3.3 0 0 0 0
2005 12 3 5 1.7 0 0 0 0
2006 RS - - - - - - -
2007 13 8 56 7.0 1 2 8 1
2008 12 3 6 2.0 0 0 0 0
Totals 42 25 103 4.1 1 2 8 1

Sports Illustrated examines Pressley:

BIOGRAPHY: Part-time starter who lined up with the first team when Wisconsin used a lead blocker to begin the game. Senior rushing totals included 3/6 after 8/56/1 as a junior.

POSITIVES: Traditional lead-blocking fullback who opens big holes for the running game. Aggressive, squares into defenders, and easily controls opponents at the point of attack. Displays good blocking vision, and recognizes blitzes thrown by the defense.

NEGATIVES: Marginal athlete with limited ability in space. Lacks the speed to get out in front of ball carriers.

ANALYSIS: Pressley is a throwback at the fullback position, but he lacks the speed to have any impact in the NFL. He could catch on as a pure lead blocker if he produces on special teams this summer.

From Bengals.com

A list of the college free agents that had signed deals as of Thursday night:

Colin Dow, G, 6-5, 310; Montana, Billings, Mont.
Billy Farris, QB, 6-3, 234; Colorado State; Baton Rouge, La.
Marlon Lucky, HB, 5-11, 216; Nebraska; North Hollywood, Calif.
Rico Murray, CB, 5-11, 191; Kent State; Cincinnati, Ohio
Tom Nelson, S, 5-11, 200; Illinois State; Arlington Heights, Ill.
Greg Orton, WR, 6-3, 207; Purdue; Dayton, Ohio
Chris Pressley, FB, 5-11, 257; Wisconsin; Woodbury, N.J.
David Richmond, WR, 6-2, 197; San Jose State; Anaheim, Calif.
Dan Skuta, LB, 6-2, 251; Grand Valley State; Flint, Mich.

Greg Orton is a 6'3" wide receiver from Purdue (as if you couldn't read that above). From NFL.com

Overview

Receivers in a spread offense aren't typically 6-feet-3 and 210 pounds, but Orton's an exception to the rule. He moved the chains consistently throughout his career, averaging 65 receptions for 754 yards and four touchdowns over his three seasons as a starter.

The strength he gained through hard work during his days in West Lafayette certainly paid dividends against smaller defensive backs in college, although his lack of elite speed may make the transition to the NFL a difficult one. Had an arm span of 33 3/8 inches and a hand span of 9 1/4 inches at the combine.

High School

Ranked as No. 19 wide receiver in nation by SuperPrep ... No. 53 wide receiver in nation and No. 21 player in Ohio by Rivals.com ... first-team all-state selection as senior ... caught 65 passes for 1,058 yards (16.3 average) and nine touchdowns ... named to CBS SportsLine All-Regional team ... had 59 receptions for 782 yards (13.3 average) and 11 touchdowns his junior season ... two-time all-area and all-conference honoree ... coach was Jay Minton ... also participated in basketball and track and field.

NFL Draft Bible says that the Bengals worked out guard Colin Dow in late March. Sports Illustrated says of Dow.

BIOGRAPHY: Three-year starter awarded all-Conference honors since his sophomore campaign. Played at both center and guard with the first team.

POSITIVES: Explosive, hard-working lineman who plays with a nasty streak. Bends his knees, sets with a wide base, and quickly gets into blocks. Strong at the point, and easily controls opponents once engaged in a block. Anchors in pass protection, rides defenders from the action with good hand punch, or seals them from the play with body positioning. Keeps his head on a swivel, and works well with teammates.

NEGATIVES: Marginal skill in motion and better in a small area. Struggles to adjust and exploited by nimble defenders.

ANALYSIS: Dow is an adequately sized lineman with growth potential. He's been productive at several positions in college, and he has enough skill to make an NFL roster as a back-up lineman. Dow is a solid developmental prospect who should get better as he physically matures and fills out his frame.

Linebacker Dan Skuta could be very promising. From SI.

BIOGRAPHY: Four-year starter awarded all-Conference honors since his sophomore campaign and named GLIAC co-Defensive Lineman of the Year as a senior. Totals last season included 40/14/1 when he also intercepted one pass and broke up four more. Junior numbers included 77/17.5/11.5.

POSITIVES: Undersized college defensive lineman who projects to outside linebacker at the next level. Quick off the snap out of a three-point stance and shows speed up the field. Plays with good pad level, gets leverage on opponents and tough to handle. Works his hands throughout the action.

NEGATIVES: Easily pushed from his angle of attack by a single blocker and struggles getting off blocks once engaged by opponents. Rarely asked to make plays moving in reverse.

ANALYSIS: Skuta has been very productive rushing the passer on the Division II level. He possesses the size and speed necessary to make a move to linebacker yet must show the ability to make plays in space.

Honestly, there's nothing wrong with a linebacker that digs playing Halo and Call of Duty. Here's another feature on Skuta.

0 recs  |  Comment 12 comments |

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Comments

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Quan Cosby is the only one that has a shot to make this actual team.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Apr 30, 2009 9:49 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

S'what I was thinking...

To answer the question from the previous post, I think we’re good. Somebody count…after the pre-draft cuts, the drafted players, then the post-draft cuts, how many guys does that put on the roster? Do the Bengals have to inflate it all the way up to 80 if they don’t need to do so? C’mon!

Then again, Upstate Mike had a good point, too: The Bengals should ALWAYS be scouring the globe for good talent. To that end, I wonder if Dhani found any good athletes while he was Tackling The Globe?

At the end of the day, however, I think they only keep one or two of these guys…maybe they just do these kind of undrafted FA signings to fill up the practice squad…I dunno.

by TheWalrus1971 on Apr 30, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well, yeah, that’s pretty much what most of these UDFAs are going for, a shot at the practice squad either here or elsewhere. And on rare instances they actually turn out to be a contributor after all. Sometimes for a different team, and sometimes only on special teams. And on very rare instances they start out rough but get better quickly enough to become a “real” player later on.

by FriarBob on Apr 30, 2009 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Roster

I believe there are 74 players on the Roster and 11 unsigned draft picks, so the Benagls have to cut 5 guys to have 80 for training camp.

by jim0ijk on May 1, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

correction

72 on roster, 11 drafted, 3 to cut

by jim0ijk on May 1, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Was Pressley actually squatting 600 in that clip there? If so, that’s quite impressive.

Doesn’t mean he can play or make the team of course, but that’s a level of strength that is fully accurate to call “animal”.

by FriarBob on Apr 30, 2009 11:13 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Speed of pressley`

As long as he is no slower than Lorenzo Neal, I would say he has a shot. Plus as a fullback, you only really need to be quick for those first 10, maybe 15 yards. If you have not found anyone to hit by then, you really are not much of a FB.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steeler twice.

by Bengals FTW on May 1, 2009 9:24 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Dan Skuta

I still would like to see what he can do. Think he could be a sleeper, in terms of discovering talent? I know, mind trip. Bengals find talent. Still.

Or is it just an issue of good talent playing in lesser division?

Or did any one have any idea that this guy even existed before Sunday night?

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Kirkendall on May 1, 2009 5:32 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I still think

he may actually be Cub Coda and living off the royalties for writing “Smoking In the Boys’ Room”. I also have a picture in my head that has him looking like Dennis Franz as Andy Sipowicz in “NYPD Blue”.

But that’s me.

by IgnatiusJReilly on May 1, 2009 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

well we knew who he was when the Bengals went to his proday a few weeks ago

after that i read a little about him, hes an interesting guy. hopefully hes on the practice squad at least

by firstPick on May 2, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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