SB Nation - Justin Britt

Absolutely Ridiculous: Then there were 22.

Kirkendall — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 16:52:51 -0000

Absolutely ridiculous. There's several many aspects in which those two words are spoken freely; government interaction with our economy, my terrible Time Warner internet connection, my body's reaction to eating White Castle or Papa John's Pizza, some people's inability to ascertain the difference between a journalist and a columnist, alarm clocks, Cincinnati drivers during inclement weather, a badly tuned guitar, some people's inability to understand what a blog is, Bob Bratkowski, Busch Light, college football post-season, the broken "F" key on my laptop, the cost for XBOX 360 games, etc.

Poor Kirk Barton, signed off the team's practice squad on November 29, became the 22nd player placed on Injured Reserve on Friday. Exactly why there's 22 guys on the Bengals IR list, is another "absolutely ridiculous". It's been happening since training camp, and exponentially growing since. Yes, but injuries are apart of football. But find me a list where 22 guys are on a team's respective IR. While you're at it, find me the list that includes, almost, 10 starters on offense and defense, or high-level contributors on special teams. We're the only team in the National Football League with a starting linebacker forced to eat soup on Thanksgiving.

Is it strength and conditioning? Is it training? Is it the practices? Is there a critical point of a respective scouting report that we're missing (aka, history of durability)? On the other hand, Barton helps our projected IR starting lineup. It can move Kooistra to right tackle, putting Barton at left guard filling out our starting lineup. If Carson Palmer goes to IR (more on that later), then our starting lineup is complete.

QB: Carson Palmer (eventually, I'm sure)
RB: DeDe Dorsey
FB: Jeremi Johnson, Reagan Maui'a
WR: Antonio Chatman, Marcus Maxwell
TE: Matt Sherry
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Scott Kooistra, Kirk Barton
C: Dan Santucci, Kyle Cook
RG: Justin Britt
RT:

DE: Frostee Rucker, Robert Geathers
DT:
LB: Keith Rivers, Abdul Hodge
CB: Johnathan Joseph, Ethan Kilmer
S: Dexter Jackson, Corey Lynch, Herana-Daze Jones, Marvin White

Justin Britt (G)
Antonio Chatman (WR)
Kyle Cook (C)
DeDe Dorsey (RB)
Robert Geathers (DE)
Abdul Hodge (LB)
Dexter Jackson (S)
Jeremi Johnson (FB)
Johnathan Joseph (CB)
Corey Lynch (S)
Reagan Maui'a (FB)
Keith Rivers (LB)
Frostee Rucker (DE)
Dan Santucci (C)
Matt Sherry (TE)
Ethan Kilmer (S/CB)
Marcus Maxwell (WR)
Herana-Daze Jones (S)
Scott Kooistra (T/G)
Andrew Whitworth (G)
Marvin White (S)
Kirk Barton (G/T)

With Whitworth and Kooistra going on IR, Bengals nearly have starting lineup of injured players

Kirkendall — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:27:41 -0000

As per the oddball Bengals mindset, the team finally put Andrew Whitworth and Scott Kooistra on Injured Reserve for the season, while allowing franchise quarterback, god of the golden arms, Carson Palmer unrealistically set a date to play this season because, well, he's bored. Good reason. Keep it going. Whitworth moved to left tackle during the Eagles game, and Scott Kooistra played left guard; because Levi Jones was "struggling" on a leg that eventually forced him out against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Whitworth left the game later, after giving up two sacks, because of an injury and now he's done for the season.

It became known, reported, that Kooistra was hurt after the game. Even though Jones "struggled" on his leg, he returned to fill in Whitworth's vacancy at left tackle. These series of events introduced Anthony Collins and Nate Livings to the starting lineup for the first time in their careers several days later, playing admirably and surprisingly well against a league-dominate Steelers front seven.

The Bengals signed Geoffrey Pope off the practice squad (oh god), possibly starting with Johnathan Joseph down for the season and David Jones nursing a knee injury (he didn't practice Friday). Remember tackle Kirk Barton? The Bengals signed him off the Dolphins' practice squad.

We're very close to having a starting lineup of players on IR

DE: Frostee Rucker, Robert Geathers
DT:
LB: Keith Rivers, Abdul Hodge
CB: Johnathan Joseph, Ethan Kilmer
S: Dexter Jackson, Corey Lynch, Herana-Daze Jones

Justin Britt (G)
Antonio Chatman (WR)
Kyle Cook (C)
DeDe Dorsey (RB)
Robert Geathers (DE)
Abdul Hodge (LB)
Dexter Jackson (S)
Jeremi Johnson (FB)
Johnathan Joseph (CB)
Corey Lynch (S)
Reagan Maui'a (FB)
Keith Rivers (LB)
Frostee Rucker (DE)
Dan Santucci (C)
Matt Sherry (TE)
Ethan Kilmer (S/CB)
Marcus Maxwell (WR)
Herana-Daze Jones (S)
Scott Kooistra (T/G)
Andrew Whitworth (G)

Terrible Heinz Field takes two Bengals defensive ends for the season

Kirkendall — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:45:31 -0000

Bengals signed this crazy looking Josh Mallard at DE.

Even though the beat writers point out that the Bengals have 14 players (it's actually 15, as per the roster) on Injured Reserve, it's somewhat diluted, in that it's not just 14 players they've sent to IR; those are the players still under contract. If you include Ethan Kilmer, Herana-Daze Jones and Marcus Maxwell, the Bengals have sent 18 players to IR since training camp due to injury, whether new or ongoing.

Robert Geathers and Frostee Rucker were the newest additions after slipping on the terrible turf at Heinz field. Listing the players on IR, including those the team waived.

Justin Britt
Antonio Chatman
Kyle Cook
DeDe Dorsey
Robert Geathers
Abdul Hodge
Dexter Jackson
Jeremi Johnson
Johnathan Joseph
Corey Lynch
Reagan Maui'a
Keith Rivers
Frostee Rucker
Dan Santucci
Matt Sherry
Ethan Kilmer
Marcus Maxwell
Herana-Daze Jones

If you want, you could include the release of Kenny Irons after failing his physical, though he wasn't placed on IR.

Eric Henderson and Antwan Odom have been limited recently with their own injuries, unable to go against the Steelers. Jonathan Fanene and John Thornton had a majority of the team's reps at defensive end late against the Steelers. The Bengals signed Josh Mallard, who has 8.5 career sacks in four seasons dating back to 2002 and guard Evan Mathis. They signed a second defensive end, Victor Degrate to the practice squad -- they still have one spot open.