Bengals sign former Bengals cornerback Keiwan Ratliff back

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 4, 2010 10:54 PM EST in Contracts

We wrote earlier today that Pat Sims had a broken forearm and would sit out the rest of the season. Today, the Bengals made it official placing Sims on Injured Reserve, leaving Domata Peko (who has missed the past five games), Tank Johnson, Orien Harris and Shaun Smith at defensive tackle.

And thus, the only response one could possibly have in this scenario is to sign Keiwan Ratliff. Geoff Hobson writes:

Ratliff finished 2007 with Indianapolis and played 13 games there in 2008. He was signed by the Steelers for 2009 as an unrestricted free agent and has 73 career NFL games with 12 starts, 128 tackles, five interceptions and 17 passes defensed. He has played in two postseason games, one with the Bengals in 2005 and one with Indianapolis in 2007.

After watching Tom Nelson against the Jets (shudder), this might be a good move, if for anything some padded depth. However, as Hobson notes, with Nelson and Chris Crocker banged up, Ratliff can help at safety. He might have been somewhat of a disappointment being the team's second round pick in 2004 (on the punt returns alone), but he's an upgrade across the board on the depth chart where Dwarves roam. No, it's not a signing that causes one to parade in their boxers playing folk music in the back yard (see Carson Palmer draft pick), but he'll help.

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At this point...

…don’t we all wish we still had Jason Shirley at DT? Might’ve been a project, but the man was a mountain!

by TheWalrus1971 on Jan 5, 2010 1:43 AM EST reply actions

I just double-checked

Jason Shirley is still on the practice squad. Must still be considered a project at this point, if they didn’t promote him.

Typically, doesn’t it take a year for someone to learn a whole-new position?

by justDennis on Jan 5, 2010 8:39 AM EST up reply actions

Bengals Bungle Personnel

It’s a known fact and an extremely bad habit this club has. They misdiagnose ability (Tom Nelson’s the latest.) and desire and often put these guys out of their positions.
Shirley happens to be one of them. I think maybe Marvin, Mike Brown or Katie just don’t like the guy enough because politics seems to be the way things work on this team.
The smart move is to activate him from the practice squad as a DT for a solid rotation. What’ll happen is that they’ll keep him as an offensive lineman. and he’ll be off the team by next year.
Just another example of the Bengals lack of intelligence.

Minister of Great Legs

by Drofintellact on Jan 5, 2010 9:08 AM EST up reply actions

Well except for the fact that almost our entire OL spent time on the practice squad. And they developed, and got better, and turned out to be surprisingly decent this year. Great, no. Good, yes. So they know more than you give them credit for.

Does that mean they know as much as I wish they did. Not remotely. But they aren’t as bad as you make them out to be either.

by FriarBob on Jan 5, 2010 10:03 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t think anyone who watched Hard Knocks last fall would agree that Tom Nelson was misdiagnosed. From the viewer perspective behind HBO cameras, Tom Nelson unquestionably earned his roster spot and sent Corey “Kaesviharn Jr”(i hoped) Lynch out to the bus stop. The fact that he played atrociously against the Jets is indisputable, but I think he’ll bounce back.

The move of Shirley to G was weird, no doubt. I still don’t understand why they didn’t just go sign another G. Mathis and Livings have been surprisingly good, but they’re practice squad guys that no one else wanted. If they were desperate enough to move a potential Grady Jackson-style run stuffer over to the O-side, why couldn’t they just pick up somebody?

by indesignkat on Jan 5, 2010 10:04 AM EST up reply actions

if he gets the shot, shirley’s going to make one hell of a guard, far better than he’d be at d-tackle.

i'm going to go america all over your ass!

by Raging Clue on Jan 5, 2010 10:59 AM EST up reply actions

^^^This.

If you have the opportunity, go back and watch some of Hard Knocks. Shirley is an absolute MONSTER at Guard. He didn’t have a game go by without at least one play (often more) where he just mauled his man, pancaking the poor schlubs.

by Craig Conrad on Jan 5, 2010 12:28 PM EST up reply actions