Bengals make an official offer for Matt Jones; expected to have interest in Donte Stallworth

by Josh Kirkendall on Feb 11, 2010 11:03 PM EST in Contracts

The Cincinnati Bengals have been known to give players a second chance for some time. So it's habit, and unexpected, that the Bengals would at least display some interest with players that other teams wouldn't bother looking at. Cheap talent. A business man's wet dream.

Joe Reedy writes that the Bengals have officially made an offer for wide receiver Matt Jones, writing that the "deal is believed to be slightly above the league minimum of $630,000." According to the infallible Wiki, Jones was "arrested at gunpoint and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance" in the summer of 2008. Jones was able to make a deal with prosecutors allowing him to enter drug rehab rather than face a felony. The NFL handed Jones a three-game suspension. While still on probation, Jones was arrested after having alcohol in his system -- a violation. Jones was later released and missed the entire 2009 season. Since he wasn't under contract in 2009, Jones can be signed at any time before March 5; the official start of free agency.

Jones caught 65 passes for 761 yards receiving and two touchdowns in his most recent NFL season -- both career highs.

Reedy continues his "players that didn't play in 2009 so the Bengals are obviously interested" file, writing that the Bengals "also expected to have interest in former Cleveland receiver Donte Stallworth." Oh boy.

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Seriously?

One wr is a coke head and the other one is a murderer. They are not even worth it considering both of them suck! Looks like Mike Brown has taken control back from Marvin! This is embarassing to the team and insulting to the fans!

by Diesel2405 on Feb 11, 2010 11:20 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Honestly, Jones and Stallworth

Character issues aside, would be upgrades from Caldwell/Coles

Slim 15, you will be missed. RIP Chris Henry

by Danimal, Destroyer of Worlds on Feb 11, 2010 11:26 PM EST reply actions

RE:

I can’t necessarily agree, Danimal. Jones and Stallworth have been out of the NFL for at least a full season. Who knows what they can bring.

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

by Josh Kirkendall on Feb 11, 2010 11:31 PM EST up reply actions

That's cool, But I do know what Coles and Caldwell can bring

I wouldn’t mind keeping Caldwell if he was like early 2009 Caldwell. And he does not under any circumstances return kicks. But Coles has gotta go

Slim 15, you will be missed. RIP Chris Henry

by Danimal, Destroyer of Worlds on Feb 11, 2010 11:37 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed.

Coles really doesn’t bring you much. Caldwell I’ll be more patient on. I still believe he has the potential to be a very good possession receiver — it took T.J. how long?

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

by Josh Kirkendall on Feb 11, 2010 11:42 PM EST up reply actions

Caldwell’s play directly notched us two division wins this season. That earns him another year in my book. Just, please, somebody keep Brat from sending him on go-routes.

by Todd G on Feb 12, 2010 12:25 PM EST up reply actions

True that J Kirk

It took TJ at least 3 years to really come out of his shell

Slim 15, you will be missed. RIP Chris Henry

by Danimal, Destroyer of Worlds on Feb 12, 2010 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

I disagree as well

Maybe on raw talent alone, they could be, by I would suspect them to be merely cheaper than Coles. I still like Dre and I quietly suspect that Coles will get better in his second year of the system if we happen to keep him, which everyone is doubting but I’m not betting against it.

I’m a fan of Matt Jones since his days of running QB in the SEC and I could see him, if he got his stuff together, being pretty tough.

by kennythered on Feb 11, 2010 11:38 PM EST up reply actions

I also just saw

We worked out Adam “no longer PacMan” Jones, according to espn. Once again, he’s another guy who didn’t play in 2009.

Diesel — Working someone out and making league minimum offers are smart moves. All of these guys were first rounders, or at least first day picks with tons of talent. Why not take the very small risk of signing them to league min. or working them out to see whats in the tank, and get rid of them if they suck. If they are good, it allows us to address other positions and continue to get better.
I guess you only want to jump on the bandwagon after they get good, i.e. Ced Benson…
In no way is this insulting. Go over to Bill Cunningham’s website if your so angry. I want some positive stuff here!!!!

by kennythered on Feb 11, 2010 11:30 PM EST reply actions

By the way

That part about Pacman Jones is legit, we really did bring him in for a workout….

by kennythered on Feb 11, 2010 11:31 PM EST up reply actions

So I'm on the bandwagon

Because I don’t want a coke head, a murderer and that waste of sperm pacman jones on the bengals? If we all about morons they should take a trip to a high secuorty prison. There all plenty of murderers and rapist and thugs they could offer counteacts too. Hell if we can’t pass might as well threaten to rape or murder the oppossing teams defensive players so they so will let us. Cedric Benson didn’t do anything wrong! Neither did chris Henry. The crap they got in trouble for is the same thing I could have been busted for.

by Diesel2405 on Feb 11, 2010 11:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Should say high security prison

iPhones suck

by Diesel2405 on Feb 11, 2010 11:40 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Somehow half the words are spelled wrong in the above post!

Hopefully you can understand what I was trying to say

by Diesel2405 on Feb 11, 2010 11:41 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

I do see

I also see where you’re coming from, but you do have to see where some of these guys are set up to fail, especially after playing for Rich Rodriguez who allows Pacman and Henry to be freaking roommates!!!! Someone needs to help these kids grow up and if someone doesn;t then their negative experiences, if those experiences don’t kill them, will be the only thing to help them grow. I have less sympathy for Stallworth however. And if Pacman did shoot that bouncer, he should rot in hell.

by kennythered on Feb 11, 2010 11:52 PM EST up reply actions

Your not making much sense here....

What more did Matt Jones do than Henry? Its debatable on who’s crimes were worse, so who cares. Obviously if we are willing to give these guys a shot to be better citizens and they show they can’t we will get rid of them. Wouldn’t it suck to see Matt Jones cross the endzone vs the Bengals in a Steelers Jersey? Or see PacMan shut down OchoCinco in a Ravens Jersey?
Why not kick the tires? I’m not saying let them raise your kids. This is the most brutal game in the world and we are constantly taking kids form terrible situations and backgrounds, sending them to college to get their egos stroked and not helping them become better people. All the while we expect to draft them and expect them to be great citizens as soon as they get the $. Get real. People make mistakes, give them a chance to redeem themselves.

Also I agree with you on Benson and Henry but I feel like DUI’s are the issue not being taken serious enough. If Stallworth was banned as well as Leonard Little, I wouldn’t argue, but as long as these guys are still given a shot to play football, if they are good at football I want them! Matt Jones snorted some coke. At least he wasn’t harming others.

by kennythered on Feb 11, 2010 11:47 PM EST up reply actions

Kenny I should have read this first and I wouldn't have posted.

Kenny bashes the nail on the head

by FSUBENGAL on Feb 12, 2010 12:12 AM EST up reply actions

Mike Brown and his cheap ways......

Why in the world would you even look at Matt Jones, Pacman,Stallworth. None of thease players are going to help take this team to the next level…….not to mention the potential of TO joining the squad. I am one of the biggest Bengal fan you will find, but this is becoming a circus. This organzation needs a GM badly. Mike Brown is turning this team into the laughing stock of the NFL. Brown will not do the smart thing and hire some college scouts or look at players in FA that will actually help this team like a Richard Seymour who could possibily turn this defense from good to great…..NO HE WOULD RATHER SIGN A COKEHEAD..A DRUNK MURDERER AND ADAM"i will make it rain" JONES. As a Bengal fan this is becoming a joke.

Kenneth Lewis Moore

by lightskin350 on Feb 12, 2010 12:02 AM EST reply actions

Lets be honest

We are all annoyed by this but if any of them help the team win and don’t get in trouble we will all be kissin their asses. I.E. Ced, Tank, Chris. People want to bring Odell back. I have no problem with any of it as long as its cheap. People can turn their lives around and if they are as good as Pacman, I wouldn’t mind them being on the Bengals when they do it. Its really all just headline material, because of the stigma attached to their names. If half the league is scared to touch them, we have a leg up in negotiations and Mikey is smart enough to see that.

by FSUBENGAL on Feb 12, 2010 12:09 AM EST reply actions

Hey Mike Brown I heard that Marurice Clarett has petitioned the court for an early out! Then you could get state funding for your halfway house.

by Bengal John on Feb 12, 2010 8:35 AM EST reply actions

On the plus side, Matt Jones would give us a big speedy target for about 25% of what we’re paying Coles. BUT……neither he or Stallworth have ever done anything to prove they are good. Jones get a pass for playing with bad QB’s but Stallworth did nothing in PH or NE.

by smoormandiddy on Feb 12, 2010 10:16 AM EST reply actions

Risky Risky Risky

Yikes… These guys are huge gambles. But in Mike Brown fashion they are cheap and expendable gambles. Each guy could give us depth, but damn, why don’t we just cut the crap and draft straight out of Ohio State Prison System??? Oh wait… we already are

by The Dealio on Feb 12, 2010 10:18 AM EST reply actions