NFL Roster Cuts: Bengals Release Linebacker Abdul Hodge

by Josh Kirkendall on Sep 4, 2010 4:50 PM EDT in Player Transactions

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.

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Comments

So far Briscoe is the only one I'm even remotely

concerned about.

by occams_tiger_teeth on Sep 4, 2010 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

cut coats keep briscoe!

cut palmer jr and keep briscoe.

someone had to say it.

"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl

by palewook on Sep 4, 2010 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

yes, because nobody’s said it ad nauseum for the entirety of preseason.

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

by Raging Clue on Sep 4, 2010 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

I think Hodge was a very obvious release, Skuta is too versatile and Muckelroy has the upside. I, too, am not convinced we made the right choice on Briscoe

by Whodeymc on Sep 4, 2010 4:55 PM EDT reply actions

VRey and Otis also released

by emeybee on Sep 4, 2010 5:01 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

I like VRey

I hope he makes it to our practice squad

by Whodeymc on Sep 4, 2010 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

good chance of that

marvin loves his LBs. VRey showed enough to merit another chance come 2011.

"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl

by palewook on Sep 4, 2010 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

I know I read too many of his tackles came downfield, but at least he was getting his pads on people

by Whodeymc on Sep 4, 2010 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions

think the bright spot of 2010 (at least in the pre-season) at Cincy's LB

Michael Johnson.

we’ve all pretty much accepted he belongs there. and will contribute on some level if put on the field. glad the bengals finally worked out a roster spot for him. at the start of training camp if the switch had gone horribly wrong, it was conceivable that johnson might not be here come sept.

"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl

by palewook on Sep 4, 2010 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

Johnson is one of those tweener guys

That coaches love and hate…you know he has the talent, its just putting him in the right situations to suceed and I hope he can rush like he did in the preseason all year.

by Whodeymc on Sep 4, 2010 5:10 PM EDT reply actions