Bengals Roster

[traderumor]

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-...0-8c2ed89c7473

Bengals announce cuts
Posted 45 minutes ago

a a Posted: 3 p.m.

For veteran running backs Brian Leonard and DeDe Dorsey, yes. For free-agent rookies Tom Nelson and Quan Cosby, also yes as the Bengals cut a 22-player swath through their roster Saturday to get to the maximum 53 players.

For veteran safeties Marvin White and Corey Lynch, no. And for rookie fullbacks Fui Vakapuna and Chris Pressley, also no.

At least for now, the Bengals opted to with four running backs and just one fullback (Jeremi Johnson) while also going with 10 defensive backs in a field that counts Nelson as well as special teams ace Kyries Hebert at safety.

Here are the 22 roster moves the Bengals made in in reaching the NFL limit of 53.

Placed one player on the Reserve/Injured list:
--WR Antonio Chatman (seventh-year player; ankle)

Terminated the contracts of three veterans not subject to waivers, releasing them to free agency:
--LB Darryl Blackstock
--LB Jim Maxwell
--DT Langston Moore

Waived the following 18 players:
--S Marvin White (third-year player; Texas Christian)
--G Andrew Crummey (second-year player; Maryland), injury settlement
--S Corey Lynch (second-year player; Appalachian State)
--G Jason Shirley (second-year player; Fresno State)
--DE Chris Harrington (first-year player; Texas A&M)
--RB James Johnson (first-year player; Kansas State)
--TE Kolomona Kapanui (first-year player; West Texas A&M)
--WR Maurice Purify (first-year player; Nebraska)
--WR Freddie Brown (rookie; Utah)
--TE Darius Hill (rookie; Ball State)
--DT Ventrell Jenkins (rookie; Kentucky)
--DT Clinton McDonald (rookie; Memphis)
--CB Rico Murray (rookie; Kent State)
--T Augustus Parrish (rookie; Kent State)
--FB Chris Pressley (rookie; Wisconsin)
--LB Dan Skuta (rookie; Grand Valley State)
--K Sam Swank (rookie; Wake Forest)
--FB Fui Vakapuna (rookie; Brigham Young)

Brown, McDonald and Vakapuna were seventh-round Bengals choices in the 2009 draft, and the other seven waived rookies entered the NFL this year as college free agents.

PRACTICE SQUAD: With the exception of Marvin White, all of the players waived today are eligible to be signed to an NFL practice squad if they clear waivers tomorrow. The Bengals plan to announce tomorrow a practice squad of up to eight players.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
--Rookie T Andre Smith of Alabama remains with the team on a roster exemption, not counting against the 53 limit. The exemption expires on Sept. 14.
--TE Matt Sherry cleared waivers and reverted to the Reserve/Injured list on Tuesday.

I really like some of the decisions, like Leonard and Dorsey both sticking around. I really like Leonard, think he can help around the goal line and gets tough yards, a lot of yards after contact. Plus, he is big and tough enough to be the backup FB or to show the old NFL set with both HB and FB lined up across from each other. Dorsey is a nice speed change and good special teams player.

I also was worried they'd let Nelson and Cosby go.

I don't see any major surprises in the cuts, though. Anyone else see any surprises?

[guttle11]

I like it. If nothing else it tells me we'll see a lot of 4 and 5 WR sets, because there's no way Fat Jeremi Johnson can go 60 plays a game.

Hopefully one of the fullbacks clears waivers as a practice squad backup. Would love to see Purify and Shirley on the practice squad as well.

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by guttle11

I like it. If nothing else it tells me we'll see a lot of 4 and 5 WR sets, because there's no way Fat Jeremi Johnson can go 60 plays a game.

Hopefully one of the fullbacks clears waivers as a practice squad backup. Would love to see Purify and Shirley on the practice squad as well.

^ pretty much this. Im not really surprised by any of the cuts but then again a couple of them I had pretty high hopes for considering what I read and saw of them. Vakapuna and Lynch are both just guys who were guys I would like to have around for sure though.

[WMR]

Hopefully they can get both Vakapuna and Lynch onto the practice squad.

[KoryMac5]

Only one that suprised me was White a former 4th round pick out of TCU. Guy could hit but had problem making plays. Lynch also had a knack for being around turnovers however Nelson's ability to play multiple positions helped.

[KoryMac5]

ESPN with some analysis:

Biggest surprise: Although I suggested this strategy as a possible solution earlier this week, I was still surprised to see the Bengals take my advice and cut two fullbacks in order to keep both DeDe Dorsey and Brian Leonard. Cincinnati now has four active tailbacks with Dorsey and Leonard to go along with starter Cedric Benson and Bernard Scott. All four have been solid in the preseason. Jeremi Johnson is the only fullback on the roster as the team cut both Chris Pressley and draft pick Fui Vakapuna. But Leonard is versatile and has the ability to be the backup at both fullback and tailback, which factored into the final decision.

No-brainers: Safety Marvin White had some potential, but coming off a major knee injury he got off to a slow start this year and fell behind a deep group of safeties in Cincinnati. Former 2008 draft pick Corey Lynch certainly wasn’t a no-brainer, but it was pretty clear that rookie free-agent safety Tom Nelson beat him out for one of the last roster spots. Receivers such as Freddie Brown and Maurice Purify never had a chance in Cincinnati, because the Bengals are just too deep at that position.

What’s next: With first-round pick Andre Smith recovering from a broken bone in his foot, the Bengals may scan the wires to see if an intriguing prospect or two surfaces on the offensive line, particularly at tackle. Cincinnati also wouldn't mind retaining some of its younger players on the practice squad, such as Vakapuna and Pressley. Otherwise, the Bengals are set at most positions and shouldn’t have a lot of turnover before the start of the regular season.

Also it looks like a certain former Bengal center was cut by the Chiefs, ouch!

[WMR]

I figured without any distractions hampering him he'd make that roster no problem.

[Brutus]

Glad to see Leonard and Dorsey make the club. I have been real impressed with the contributions by all four backs. I think the Bengals can have an effective running game this year by committee. Also glad to see Nelson and Cosby make it. For the most part, the cuts were about as I expected but I had lingering doubts about Dorsey.

[Tony Cloninger]

Last time the Bengals had this many RB by committee type was in middle 70's...when it was always the rotation of Paul Robinson, Jess Phillips, Fred Willis and Essex Johnson....then later Doug Dressler....Lenvil Elliott....and so on. Bengals never really had a go to guy really until Pete Johnson. They always alternated 2 to 4 guys.

[HeatherC1212]

I'm glad Cosby made the team and I hope he can have a big impact for them on special teams and in the offense if he gets some chances there.

And how fun that the Bengals have their very own Quan, LOL (That would be a Jerry Maguire reference although I don't know if the spelling is the same )

[GIDP]

Im just glad Bill's son made the team

[mroby85]

I'm very surprised Pressley and Vakapuna were both cut. Vakapuna especially with the ceiling on him, for someone like Jeremi Johnson who has proven he's not really dedicated to the game, imo.
I'm really glad they kept Tom Nelson, personally I would've let Dorsey go, I like him, but he gives you a lot the same look as Bernard Scott, and i'd rather have Vakapuna or Pressley as insurance on JJ.

[Hoosier Red]

I like that they seemed to pay attention to special teams. The Bengals might be able to play some Tressel ball with Huber's punts and Dorsey and Nelson covering.

[Joseph]

Corey Lynch and Marvin White are the only 'surprises' for me, but even they aren't that major.

[Screwball]

I was rather surprised Jason Shirley got cut. Hopefully he can stick on the PS, improve his OL technique, and become the beast at G his physical skills say he could be.