The Bengals should sign Dhani Jones

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 28, 2007 10:17 AM EST in Analysis

Do you think the team should re-sign Dhani Jones?

Consider that Landon Johnson and Caleb Miller are heading into the offseason as unrestricted free agents. Rashad Jeanty will be an exclusive-rights free agent. Officially, he's not signed but will most likely play with the Bengals in 2008, possibly under a minimum deal depending on their perception of his future.

Note: A restricted free agent is allowed to negotiate with other teams but the team he played with the season before has the right to match another team's offer, otherwise the new team must provide compensation in the form of draft picks. An exclusive-rights free agent is a player with two years, or less, of NFL experience with no negotiating rights for other teams.

Signed for next season.

Linebacker	Notes
Odell Thurman	Unknown if he'll play for the Bengals again. Unknown if the Chancellor will let him play in the NFL again.
David Pollack	Still unknown if he'll recover from a neck injury suffered against Cleveland in 2006.
Ahmad Brooks	If the two above do not play in 2008, Brooks will be "the man". Scary? An overall beast of a linebacker, Brooks' biggest challenge is converting potential into productivity.
Eric Henderson	A Marvin Lewis project moving a native defensive linemen to outside linebacker. A talented player, but a dislocated wrist put his season on the shelf.
Anthony Schlegel	Mostly a special teams guy, Schlegel has filled in on defense contributed where it was asked of him.
Jim Maxwell	Picked up off waivers from Miami, Maxwell has played one game this season and tied for the team lead with two special teams tackles.
Roy Manning	Picked up off waivers from Jacksonville, Manning has played sparingly on special teams.

The Bengals are reportedly in talks with Landon for a long-term deal -- which helps. Assuming for a moment he's signed for next season, the Bengals starters (most likely) would be Brooks, Landon and Jeanty. Essentially the same starters that was expected to start in 2007 before Jeanty missed the first six games this season. After that? It doesn't blow your mind, does it? If this team doesn't get Dhani Jones signed to, at least, a one-year deal, if anything, to keep the depth while working to build players around him, then I would honestly be shocked.

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response to linebacking......

Linebacker Notes

Odell Thurman:

If thurman is not allowed to play or at least attempt to make the team next year then the Bengals themselves should file a lawsuit against the NFL. The issue is past being anything normal.
Is anything more apparant that the NFL is a monoploly and denies equal opportunities?

David Pollack:

Pollack is gone. After 2 years it is far too risky on both sides to even consider his playing again.

Ahmad Brooks:

Brooks is the stud for next year. 2 weeks of training camp should prove whether he is destined to play full time or if he will be a prennial injury list player. If the later then he has to go.

Eric Henderson:

A lot of promise but this too should be determined during training camp. Either he can play or he's on his way.

Anthony Schlegel:

Schlegal is gone. He falls into the same category like Steinback of last year. He can play but the coaches don't think that he's that good.

Jim Maxwell:

Maxwell is a boarderline player and it is foubtful that he will make the team next year.

Roy Manning: Roy who?

Yes Cincy will keep leading tackler Landon Johnsnon and will keep Jeanty too along with some other LBs. I feel that they will also draft an LB too just to be safe.

by davidincincinnati on Dec 28, 2007 10:34 PM EST reply actions

RE

You're right about Odell Thurman. But doesn't it make you think that the players union in the NFL is the weakest of all professional sports? They really do little for their players -- current and retired. To me, it puts weight behind Bryant Gumbel's comment that Gene Upshaw is a personal pet of Paul Tagliabue -- now the pet of the Chancellor? Gumbel also called Upshaw the league's biggest embarrassment.

“Finally tonight a few words about that popular new game: all pile on the Upshaw. The Upshaw is of course, Gene Upshaw, the titular head of the NFL Players Association who has become, with good reason, the sports world’s most popular piñata.

“Rarely a day goes by now when you can’t find Upshaw’s name in your local newspaper, generally being verbally assailed by folks with legitimate grievances. A number of ex-NFL players find him cruel and callous, a variety of folks are taking exception to his definition of disability, medical people are questioning his seeming lack of regard for player safety, some veterans have filed suit claiming he’s denied them millions in licensing fees. Congress, too, wants some answers up on Capitol Hill.

“Now instead of being professional, Upshaw, in response to all this has adopted the turtle defense, choosing to explain himself to no one. At a time when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is rightly using an iron fist to upgrade the image of active players, the players’ union boss has become the league's biggest embarrassment, even stooping to physical threats against one of his critics.

“As one whose low opinion of Gene Upshaw is a matter of record, I can’t say I’m surprised. History suggests you can only deceive so many for so long. One can only wonder when the active players will join the growing chorus of those crying out for new leadership. It is, after all, their union. It’d be nice to see them reclaim it before they become ex-players, and find out the hard way why so many are so outraged.”

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 29, 2007 2:12 PM EST reply actions