SB Nation - Rico Murray

CFL Season Opener: 30 MAC Players On CFL Rosters

Matt Sussman — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:00:17 -0000

Tonight kicks off another season of Canadian Football, which to some is also known as "the place Central Michigan players go after graduation." I counted a total of 30 players on CFL rosters, seven from CMU, and all but three MAC schools representing our northern metric neighbors.

The two big names I guess would be Dan LeFevour, who made some waves by making the roster over beleaguered former Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier for the third spot on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Drew Willy is also making his first foray up north, hitting the depth chart for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

For bonus flavor I also skimmed their depth charts to see how likely they are to actually play. I'm also throwing in UMass players even though they were never MAC competitors. And I could've included potential Temple players. But why would I? They left us, so we'll leave them out. Fair's fair.

We'll try to keep you in the loop on their progress in the CFL, if you care. I care a little. So I might either way.

B.C. Lions

Eastern Michigan DE Jabar Westerman: The 2012 No. 2 overall pick is listed as first team defensive tackle.
UMass DE Keron Williams: We'll start including Minutemen! He's the the starting strong-side end.
UMass LB Anton McKenzie: Third string outside linebacker.
Toledo WR Nick Moore: Second string slotback.
Buffalo WR Ernest Jackson: Practice roster.

Edmonton Eskimos

(Their Week 1 depth chart isn't up yet so I'm using a week-old one)

Akron DT Jermaine Reid: Not on chart.
Akron DL Shawn Lemon: Starting defensive end.
Central Michigan T Greg Wojt: Not on depth chart.
Kent State DB Rico Murray: Starting outside linebacker.

Calgary Stampeders

(Their Week 1 depth chart isn't up yet so I'm using a week-old one)

Akron WR Jabari Arthur: Second string slotback.
Central Michigan DB Eric Fraser (injured list)

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Buffalo QB Drew Willy: Backup quarterback.
Western Michigan RB Brandon West: Second string running back, third string kick/punt returner.
Kent State T Dan Goodspeed (9-game injured list)

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Central Michigan WR Kito Poblah: First string wide receiver.
Eastern Michigan DB Johnny Sears: First string cornerback.
UMass DT Brandon Collier: First string defensive tackle.
OHIO RB Chris Garrett (9-game injured list)
Western Michigan DE Fernand Kashama: Second string defensive end
Central Michigan RB Carl Volny (injured list)

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour: Third string quarterback.
Central Michigan LB Ike Brown: Second string linebacker.

Toronto Argonauts

(Their Week 1 depth chart isn't up yet so I'm using a week-old one)

Akron DB Jaili Carter: Second string halfback (a defensive position, they cover the slotbacks or slot receivers)
Central Michigan CB Pacino Horne: Third string cornerback.
Toledo DT Derrick Summers (injured list)

Montreal Alouettes

(Their Week 1 depth chart isn't up yet so I'm using a week-old one)

Eastern Michigan WR Eric Deslauriers: Second string wide receiver.
UMass WR Brandon London: First string wide receiver (ahead of Deslauriers)
OHIO LB Chip Cox: First string outside linebacker.
Toledo DT J.P. Bekasiak: First string defensive tackle.
Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe (9-game injured list)

Final count: 30
CMU 7
Akron 4
UMass 4
EMU 3
Toledo 3
Buffalo 2
Kent State 2
OHIO 2
WMU 2
NIU 1
Ball State/BGSU/Miami: 0

Cincinnati Bengals Transaction Log (In Chronological Order)

Josh Kirkendall — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:00:35 -0000

With the amount of moves being made, especially recently, we decided to take our transaction chart and break it down differently, providing a chronological listing of the team's signings, trades, tenders and tags since the team's postseason exit against the Houston Texans. [Note: Dates of transactions are based on when the team made the announcements.] And as always let us know if there's one we missed.

April 13, 2012: Veteran cornerback Terence Newman finally agreed to a one-year contract after weeks of speculation, while Donald Lee (one-year) and Dan Skuta (one-year RFA tender) signed deals to return).

April 12, 2012: The Bengals released defensive back Rico Murray (again).

April 11, 2012: Cincinnati traded Keith Rivers to the New York Giants in exchange for their fifth round pick.

In the meantime, the Bengals also announced two signings to bolster their offensive line depth, first with former Titans and Rams offensive guard Jacob Bell, who agreed to a one-year deal worth $890,000. Dennis Roland's one-year deal was announced roughly at the same time, which is worth $765,000.

April 6, 2012: Due to the amount of injuries and questions regarding his durability, the Cincinnati Bengals decided to release Chris Crocker, who was entering the final year of a four-year deal.

March 30, 2012: Bengals outside linebacker Manny Lawson was generating interest among several teams, including the Green Bay Packers earlier during free agency. Eventually the Bengals inked him to a one-year deal worth $2.1 million.

March 24, 2012: After days of speculation about where he'd go (actually we were wondering which teams were actually interested), the Bengals brought defensive tackle Pat Sims back for one more year on a $1.39 million deal.

March 23, 2012: A flurry of activity took place on this Friday, starting with defensive linemen Jamaal Anderson (two years worth $5.5 million) and Derrick Harvey (one-year worth $765,000). The Bengals later announced that backup offensive tackle Anthony Collins agreed to terms on a two-year deal.

March 22, 2012: Former Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis agreed to terms with the Bengals, which turned out to be a three-year deal worth $9 million with $4 million paid during the first season. Also cornerback Adam Jones agreed to a one-year deal worth $950,000.

March 19, 2012: Safety Reggie Nelson inked a four-year deal worth $18 million. Cincinnati also announced that cornerback Jason Allen signed a two-year deal worth $8.2 million (actual news broke two days earlier).

March 17, 2012: Offensive guard Travelle Wharton has the distinction of being the first unrestricted free agent that the Cincinnati Bengals signed at the start of free agency. The three-year deal is worth $10 million with $4 million paid during the first season.

March 13, 2012: Bengals full back Chris Pressley agreed to a two-year deal worth $2.1 million, despite the fact he was only classified as a restricted free agent.

Safety Jeromy Miles, defensive tackle Nick Hayden, running back Cedric Peerman and linebacker Vincent Rey were given exclusive-rights tenders, which prevents them from signing with other teams.

March 2, 2012: Bengals place-kicker Mike Nugent was designated the team's franchise player.

February 17, 2012: The Bengals signed running back Aaron Brown to the offseason roster.

January 9, 2012: The Bengals signed seven players onto the offseason roster. Those players include James Develin, DeQuin Evans, Micah Johnson, Vidal Hazelton, Zac Robinson, Matthew O'Donnell and Rico Murray.

Wednesday's Recap: Bengals Sign Cornerback, Announce Two Offensive Lineman And Trade Rumors

Josh Kirkendall — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:56:55 -0000

When it rains, it pours. Since brewing today's first cup of coffee, news regarding our Cincinnati Bengals hasn't stopped. Left and right reports are flying through us as if we stood in the middle of Daytona's back-stretch. So here's a brief recap on what's gone down, or going down, on Wednesday.

+ KEITH RIVERS ON THE TRADE MARKET. There are reports gave fire to smoke regarding a rumor that the Bengals were looking to ship Keith Rivers to the New York Giants. The last known report is that a trade could be completed by the end of the day. Even if it's not, NFL insiders picking up the story makes one believe that we're out of the "rumor" stage.

+ BENGALS ADD ANOTHER VETERAN CORNERBACK. Cincinnati and cornerback Terence Newman agreed to a one-year deal, giving Cincinnati seven cornerbacks on the roster with an average age of 28.6 years old. If Rico Murray and Brandon Ghee fail to make the team, the average age jumps to 30 years old, though we're not factoring in rookie cornerbacks either.

+ TEAM ANNOUNCES OFFENSIVE LINEMEN SIGNINGS. Bengals announced that they signed guard Jacob Bell and offensive tackle Dennis Roland. Bell we've known about for some time, but the team hadn't officially announced it yet. There were reports that Cincinnati was close to signing Roland, announcing on Wednesday that he's returning in 2012.

+ Don't forget to check out our free agent visits chart, our Bengals transaction chart and prospects visiting and working out with the Bengals chart.

Cornerback Terence Newman Officially Agreed To Terms With The Cincinnati Bengals

Josh Kirkendall — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:42:37 -0000

According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Cincinnati Bengals have agreed to terms with veteran cornerback Terence Newman. The deal is for one season. The nine-year veteran, entering his tenth season in the NFL, has spent his entire NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys (four with Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer) who selected him fifth overall during the 2003 NFL draft.

According to Pro Football Focus, Newman allowed three touchdowns, but picked off four passes for a passer rating of 88.5 in 2011. It was the first year he had more interceptions than touchdowns allowed since 2008.

Cincinnati has yet to announce the signing, but that's typical until the player's name is actually on the contract's dotted line.

The move gives Cincinnati seven cornerbacks signed for 2012, starting with Leon Hall, Nate Clements, Jason Allen and Adam Jones with Brandon Ghee and Rico Murray rounding out the position.

Despite this we still don't see the team avoiding cornerback in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft; not with the long-term talent available to them compared to the short-term deals this offseason.

Along with Leon Hall's recovery from a season-ending Achilles injury from last season, the Bengals have a collection of one-year deals (or contracts expiring after this season) that would leave the position in "need" next year anyway. And next year the team could be facing a linebacker exodus with the amount of players entering their final year under contract this season.

Either way, good signing for the Bengals to keep strengthening the secondary.

Cincinnati Bengals Position Report: Cornerback

Josh Kirkendall — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:16 -0000

We're taking a brief look at every position this weekend, breaking down the roster at this point in the offseason.

Position Report: Cornerbacks
Roster (6): Leon Hall, Nate Clements, Jason Allen, Adam Jones, Brandon Ghee, Rico Murray

Leon Hall claims he's on schedule to return for training camp after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury, while Nate Clements and Adam Jones are entering the final year of their existing contracts. Jason Allen signed with the team to help strengthen the overall depth. Brandon Ghee has been injured throughout much of his NFL career, eventually relegated to the team's practice squad until Hall's midseason injury against the Steelers. Rico Murray played the regular season opener against the Cleveland Browns, but waived after the game.

Draft Projection: Take Leon Hall out of the equation momentarily. Keep in mind that Clements will turn 33 years old this year and he's entering the final year under contract. Jason Allen has never been a projected starter with any team he's played for, though he did step in as a starter due to injury ahead of him on the depth chart. Adam Jones, Brandon Ghee, Rico Murray.

Seriously. There's talent there, but not the type of talent that the Cincinnati Bengals need for long-term development, building a foundation through the draft. They're talented roster fodder and if the Bengals want to pair Hall with someone that can be left on an island to expand Mike Zimmer's defense, that player isn't on the roster right now.

Cornerback remains our number one position that the Bengals will draft in the first round (whether it's with the No 17 or No. 21 pick).

Ranking Bengals Defense Heading Into The NFL Draft: Who Is Safe And Who Is Out

Josh Kirkendall — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:30:14 -0000

Now that we've entered April (the month), we've quickly approaching the 2012 NFL Draft. The countdown for the rest of us non-draftniks has begun. So in preparation we've decided to create a list of players on the current roster that we broke down into four categories, much like the weekly injury lists. They are: Safe (100 percent certainty of making the roster), Probable (75 percent certain), Questionable (50/50) and Doubtful (25 percent certain). In truth there's little to differentiate between "safe" and "probable", used as a not-so-sure measure to hint that the NFL draft may generate some affect at that particular position. We also broken this down into offense and defense (kickers and long snappers are probably "safe"). Earlier today it was offense; now let's take a look at defense.

SAFE

Defensive End (3): Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, Jamaal Anderson
We only included Anderson for his contract, worth $6 million over two years. Unlike Derrick Harvey (below) the contract Anderson signed indicates that he's likely making the roster, at least given a one-year tryout that will reward the Bengals for a second-year if he bounces back in 2012.

Defensive Tackle (3): Geno Atkins, Domata Peko, Pat Sims
Atkins might be the most effective defensive tackle pass rusher in the NFL, while gaining considerable production as a run stopper. That being said Sims and Peko are this team's best defensive tackles against the run. Last year's squad was more effective when all three defensive tackles were rotating based on the situations.

Linebacker (3): Rey Maualuga, Thomas Howard, Manny Lawson
It's one of the more unsurprising roster predictions (like quarterback) with last year's starting linebackers expected to start this year's regular season opener -- unless Maualuga is suspended. And even if he is, he'll remain with the Bengals.

Safety (1): Reggie Nelson
Without a doubt Nelson was Cincinnati's most productive safety in 2011, signing a four-year deal worth nearly $19 million as a reward.

Cornerback (2): Leon Hall, Nate Clements
Leon Hall is expected to make a full recovery by training camp and Nate Clements is entering the final year of a contract, typically labeled a "contract year".

PROBABLE

Defensive End (1): Robert Geathers
If this were a cash-strapped team with a payroll pressed against the salary cap, we think it would be questionable, even doubtful, that Robert Geathers' contract would survive into the 2012 regular season. However cash isn't a problem and no defensive end started more games than Geathers in 2011. We know fans simply want Geathers gone due to his lack of production compared to the contract he received after his breakout season in 2006, but defensive coaches like Geathers and if the team doesn't make a serious run for a defensive prospect during the NFL draft, then he's likely returning for the final year of his overvalued contract.

Linebacker (2): Roddrick Muckelroy, Dontay Moch
These guys are virtually safe, barring a dramatic shift at linebacker that we're not expecting to take place. Muckelroy and Moch are the only linebackers signed into 2013, except for Keith Rivers with an out-clause on his contract for that season.

Safety (3): Taylor Mays, Robert Sands, Chris Crocker
Crocker should probably be listed as a sure-thing, but we're not 100 percent confident that he is (more like 99.9 percent). That being said Sands and Mays are this team's younger core of safeties that spent 2011 developing. We imagine that development will have to translate into some form of production during training camp and the preseason. However the coaching staff likes big safeties and they're both big safeties.

Cornerback (2): Jason Allen, Adam Jones
Adam Jones showed enough filling in for the injured Leon Hall last year, earning a one-year deal during the offseason while Jason Allen signed a two-year deal to help strengthen the team's depth chart at cornerback.

QUESTIONABLE

Defensive End (1): Derrick Harvey
We're well aware that the Bengals signed Harvey only weeks ago, but his $760,000 salary indicates (in baseball terms) that he signed more of a minor league deal than a guaranteed spot on the 2012 roster. If the Bengals find help at defensive end through the draft, Harvey could be the one getting axe. Sure Geathers could also, but he has a greater cap hit and a history of being far more productive overall (not just the category of pass rusher).

Defensive Tackle (1): Nick Hayden
We'll be completely honest. We know very little about Nick Hayden, who took part in 33 defensive snaps in the span of two games (Texans, Rams). Defensive tackles, especially run-stoppers are hard to gauge because their role isn't so much based on noticeable production -- it's allowing other players to get the recognition for it.

Linebacker (3): Keith Rivers, Vincent Rey, DeQuin Evans
Rivers probably should be listed as probable, but I'm not 100 percent confident that he's 75 percent certain of making the roster (did you totally follow that?). Vincent Rey is a special teams contributor and the longer that Dan Skuta remains unsigned, the better Rey's chances are to make an eventual contribution to the defense next season (think possible Maualuga suspension). Evans is somewhat of a dark horse, after spending 2011 on the practice squad while signing as an undrafted free agent.

Cornerback (1): Brandon Ghee
Injury issues have stalled Ghee's development since suffering a scary head injury during the preseason of his rookie season. If his durability concerns are behind him, he could be a riser on this team's depth chart, but his job security will be severely threatened if the Bengals draft a first-round cornerback during this month's NFL Draft.

DOUBTFUL

Linebacker (1): Micah Johnson
To be honest the only time I remember he exists is when I check out the Bengals.com roster chart.

Cornerback (1): Rico Murray
Probably a bit unfair, graded so poorly. But a first-round cornerback prospect would hurt his already slim chances of making the 2012 roster. However his two saving graces would be special teams and his versatility; depending on how well Ghee responds this year, I wouldn't necessarily count Murray out just yet.

Lookin' Ahead: Cincinnati Bengals Signed Through The 2013 Season

Josh Kirkendall — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:00:34 -0000

We know it's entirely too early to examine the 2013 Cincinnati Bengals, especially since the NFL draft will inflate much of the team's roster with four-year contracts through the 2015 season. However we've had readers and commenters ponder how this roster will look in 2013, mostly due to predictive analysis of the team's draft plans for the 2012 NFL Draft. Since we were asked to check it out by our faithful, we decided that it would be, at the very least, interesting.

Currently the Bengals have 26 players (perhaps 27 based on language of Keith Rivers' contract) signed through the 2013 season. Further down the road than that, there's 14 players signed into the 2014 season. But that's getting a little ahead of ourselves.

Now here's a listing of players signed through the 2013 season.

Quarterback (1): Andy Dalton signed a four-year deal, of which enters the third season in 2013. Bruce Gradkowski only signed a two-year deal, which expires after the 2012 season and Zac Robinson's current contract only applies to this offseason.

Running Back (1): BenJarvus Green-Ellis' contract extends through the 2014 season, with Bernard Scott, Brian Leonard and Cedric Peerman entering 2012 as the final season under contract. Aaron Brown is under a future's contract.

Full Back (1): Chris Pressley signed a two-year contract as a restricted free agent on March 7, sealing him through the 2013 season.

Wide Receiver (4): In a sense the Bengals have some long-term stability at wide receiver, with A.J. Green and Ryan Whalen signed through the 2014 season. Jordan Shipley and Armon Binns are signed through 2013 with Andrew Hawkins and Brandon Tate entering the final year's with their respective deals.

Tight End (2): Both Jermaine Gresham and Colin Cochart are signed through 2013, with Gresham's five-year deal expiring after the 2014 season.

Center (1): Kyle Cook signed a five-year deal in early September 2011, which extends through the 2015 season.

Guard (2): Free agent acquisition Travelle Wharton and Clint Boling are both signed through the 2014 season. Otis Hudson, the team's third guard signed in 2012, is entering the final year with a base salary of $465,000.

Tackle (2): With Anthony Collins signing a two-year deal and Andrew Whitworth signed through the 2015 season, the Bengals already have two tackles signed for 2013. Andre Smith is entering the final year under contract while Matthew O'Donnell is on the offseason roster.

Defensive End (2): Carlos Dunlap's four-year rookie contract expires after the 2013 season, as does free agent acquisition Jamaal Anderson. Michael Johnson, Robert Geathers and Derrick Harvey are entering the final year under contract.

Defensive Tackle (2): Domata Peko's contract extends through 2014 with Geno Atkins' four-year rookie contract expiring after the 2013 season.

Linebacker (2 or 3): Currently the Bengals have Roddrick Muckelroy and Dontay Moch as the only signed linebackers heading into the 2013 season, with seven existing contracts set to expire after this season. Keith Rivers is a bit fluid, as he's signed through 2013, but there's a clause that could get Cincinnati out of that final year, making him a free agent after 2012.

Cornerback (3): Jason Allen signed a two-year deal worth $8.2 million during free agency, giving Cincinnati three cornerbacks into the 2013 season (Leon Hall, Brandon Ghee). Nate Clements, Adam Jones and Rico Murray have expiring contracts after this season.

Safety (3): Reggie Nelson, Taylor Mays and Robert Sands are your safeties signed through 2013, with Chris Crocker entering the final year of a four-year contract given to him after the 2008 season.

Special Teams (0): Mike Nugent will be playing on a one-year franchise tag, while Kevin Huber's four-year contract expires after 2012. Thomas Weber is signed to an offseason contract with Clark Harris tendered a one-year contract. As of this posting, the Bengals have no kickers or long snappers signed beyond 2012.

Recent Signings Means Nothing: Why The Bengals Still Must Address Cornerback In 2012 NFL Draft

Josh Kirkendall — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 14:57:39 -0000

"There’s research that says the best starting corners are first-round picks. Year after year if you had 70 corners the best ones and almost all of them are going to be first-round guys."
- Marvin Lewis, per the Cincinnati Enquirer

Over the course of the past week the Cincinnati Bengals signed Jason Allen and Adam Jones, giving the team a total of six cornerbacks signed into the 2012 season. Some might think that the moves Cincinnati has made eliminates the team's need to select one of the top cornerback prospects in the NFL draft. We enthusiastically disagree.

Along with the fact that Hall is the only cornerback signed beyond the 2013 season (and the other being Brandon Ghee), the level of talent, while overall better than last season (if one assumes Jason Allen is better than Kelly Jennings), is a band-aide solution to keep the overall depth at cornerback strong. That's not to say we're ripping the moves, or the roster because we're not. But cornerback still needs the infusion of talent that was depleted when Johnathan Joseph left for free agency last year.

If you approach it with a case-by-case examination of the team's current cornerback roster, the feeling of confidence that this year's roster is strong with long-term visions is nonexistent. But the talent is overall talent is still lacking and if this team can obtain a prospect first-round cornerback this year, not only does the team improve their overall talent, it installs a sense of relief that cornerback is settled once again, much like it was in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Here's the point. The Bengals can, and must, do something about it this year.

Leon Hall: Still rehabilitating a season-ending Achilles injury, starting cornerback Leon Hall is reportedly on schedule for a training camp target. However Achilles injuries take time for full recovery and there's no telling how it will react when Hall is forced to make cuts and football moves. It's not outside the realm of possibility that Hall starts the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

Nate Clements: Entering the final year of a two-year deal, veteran cornerback Nate Clements will turn 33 this December. Clements allowed four touchdowns in 2011, though a respectable 78.7 opposing passer rating. There's little question that Clements will start in 2012, but beyond that is very unknown.

Adam Jones: The famous (not so much for football) cornerback signed a one-year deal and will become a free agent again after the 2012 season. Even if Jones plays well it's hard seeing him signing anything more than one or two-year contracts for the rest of his NFL career.

Jason Allen: Signed more as a replacement (and hopefully upgrade) over Kelly Jennings, Jason Allen has only 22 starts in his seven-year career. He's not a future starter for this team, save for the obvious injuries that pushes him up the depth chart. There's also some suggesting that he could make a move to safety, where he played a handful number of snaps in 2008 with the Miami Dolphins.

Brandon Ghee: Somewhat of a mystery and certainly not a sure-thing for 2012. Ghee is signed through 2013 but hasn't been able to dispatch with the durability issues. Even so there's no reason to suggest Ghee is a long-term solution on this team, likely making the team as a special teams player if he makes the cut.

Rico Murray: Only played one game in 2011, signed to the practice squad on January 3, then to the offseason roster after Cincinnati's 2011 wild card loss to the Houston Texans. Has only played nine games in his career, with a strong outing during the 2010 season before being placed on IR in early December.

Even if the Bengals select a prospect cornerback in the first round, it doesn't automatically suggest that this rookie would receive much playing time. He would be the team's action on foresight, perhaps building his experience through three and four-wide formations before an eventual promotion as a starter in 2013.

Jason Allen's Contract For Two Years And $8.2 Million

Josh Kirkendall — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 01:01:39 -0000

The Cincinnati Bengals signed cornerback Jason Allen, with the second-most interceptions generated in the past two seasons, earlier Saturday evening. Though Allen is largely expected to be the necessary third cornerback in today's pass-happy NFL, the former first-round pick out of Tennessee signed a two-year deal worth $8.2 million, according to Jason La Canfora with the NFL Network.

@JasonLaCanfora
Jason La CanforaJason Allen's new contract is 2 yrs $8.2M w the Bengals #freeagency 44 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto

Today's announcement gives the Bengals five cornerbacks signed for 2012. Including Allen, Leon Hall and Nate Clements will likely start with Rico Murray and Brandon Ghee filling out the roster. At the same time we can't completely close the book on another free agent cornerback signing, as well as a first-round prospect during April's 2012 NFL Draft. Then you'll have a good core of players competing during training camp to give the team the best roster possible.

Bengals Sign Most Of Their Practice Squad To The Offseason Roster

Josh Kirkendall — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:24:49 -0000

When the season comes to a close every year, there's no need for a practice squad because, you know, the Bengals aren't practicing. And since the team is no longer restricted to a 53-man roster because, you know, their season is over, teams largely sign their practice squad players to offseason contracts.

According to Kevin Goheen with the Cincinnati Enquirer and a brief release on Bengals.com, the Bengals moved most of their practice squad to the offseason roster. Those transactions include running back (full back) James Develin, linebacker DeQuin Evans, wide receiver Vidal Hazelton, linebacker Micah Johnson, cornerback Rico Murray, offensive tackle Matthew O'Donnell and quarterback Zac Robinson.

Due to the process of elimination (aka, no other names known to have signed), tight end Chase Coffman was prominently not amongst the offseason roster signings. It's entirely possible that Coffman signs later since there's no real deadlines anymore. Also defensive tackle Swanson Miller and John Bowie didn't signed to the offseason roster.