Linebacker Brandon Joiner Expected Out Of Prison Within A Few Weeks

You should remember him. Though it's sometimes tough fighting off all terabytes of new information a near-full regular season would install into the minds of obsessive Bengals fans. Let's recap, so those memory engrams are reinserted.

Soon after the 2012 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals signed linebacker Brandon Joiner as a college free agent. Here's what we wrote at the time:

Joiner, who ran a 4.84 during his March 27, 2012 Pro Day, was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, leading the league with 12 quarterback sacks.

He also generated at least a partial sack in 10 of 12 games during his final collegiate season. Joiner was also named to the All-Sun Belt Conference First-Team, ranked second in the league with an average 1.29 tackles-for-loss per game.

Unfortunately a 2007 criminal act landed Joiner in prison with a sentence of three years, indicted for two counts of aggravated robbery and one charge of felony drug possession earlier this year. Cincinnati, who were impressed enough with a dramatic character turn-around after the incident five years ago to sign him, announced that they were retaining his rights, meaning that when he's out and instated by the league office, Joiner is back in Cincinnati when his one-year contract would finally kick in.

Joiner remains in prison today but his release is expected in a few weeks. He was paroled more than a month ago, receiving his parole certificate on December 18 yet still waiting his release, when his mother will finally have a chance to celebrate Christmas with her son, writes kdhnews.com.

"I thought I was going to see Brandon, but he can’t have visitors on Christmas, so I’ll probably see some relatives, but I’m not opening my gifts until Brandon comes home," Joiner-Moore said. "I’m going to have Christmas when he comes home."

Cynthia Joiner-Moore, Brandon's mother, keeps in contact with the Bengals too.

"I keep them in touch with any updates that I have and they’re very supportive," Joiner-Moore said of the Bengals. "They’re still there for him. He definitely feels honored and feels that he will be at home there. He’s grateful for them and their support."