On Monday, the Bengals signed former Arizona Cardinals linebacker -- a restricted free agent -- Darryl Blackstock to a one-year minimum deal worth $520,000 and a $40,000 signing bonus, writes Mark Curnutte. Blackstock is in the Tab Perry situation -- restricted free agent not given a qualifying offer. Blackstock is a former teammate of Ahmad Brooks at Virginia.
Scouts Inc. says of Blackstock.
Could this be that needle-in-a-haystack signing? Blackstock's best season was last season with career highs in tackles (21) and sacks (3).
The Bengals currently have eight linebackers signed for 2008 -- two of which are Odell Thurman and David Pollack. Along with defensive line, I would expect the Bengals to look for a linebacker in the early rounds of the NFL draft.