I think it would be fair to say that one area that we weren't sure about was linebacker. Sure, the top-five locks at linebacker -- Dhani Jones, Rey Maualuga, Keith Rivers, Brandon Johnson, Michael Johnson -- are easy to predict. They're going to be on the team's 2010 roster. After that, you're not sure. Are the Bengals going to take six linebackers? Are they going to take eight? They've done both in previous seasons.
However, one player no longer competing on the team's roster of linebackers is Abdul Hodge. Most a special teams player and backup middle linebacker, Hodge finished last season with 11 special teams tackles, ranking 4th on the team, and a forced fumble against punt returner Ed Reed in early November.
While the top-five linebackers to predict was easy enough, linebacker was probably our least confident prediction. We have: Dhani Jones, Rey Maualuga, Keith Rivers, Brandon Johnson, Michael Johnson, Roddrick Muckelroy and Dan Skuta.
Our cut list thus far is: Dezmon Briscoe, Matt Jones, Kyries Hebert, Dave Rayner, Isaac Sowells, Marvin White, Maurice Purify, Clinton McDonald and now Hodge. Nine down, 13 to go.