Is there no loyalty left in the NFL? The Bengals should never have cut Willie Anderson. They can’t be that strapped for cash. So why do it?
If this decision is based on financial concern, then it had better translate to resigning Housh. Willie was due for a fairly modest $3 million this season, and was asked to take a pay cut or leave. What a way to treat a guy who has repeatedly supported a franchise whose decisions no one can understand. This man is a hall-of-famer who has played through more pain than is reasonable to ask of a person, he’s been one of very few people to publicly praise Mike Brown, has been a rock in a very turbulent locker room.
Even if the Bengals had concerns about his contract, they could have approached him about it in the off-season or work it out as camp progressed. If you want to save some dough by cutting an expensive, underachieving offensive tackle, look no further than Levi Jones. Willie was still a serviceable tackle who added tremendous depth to a line that underwhelmed the world during the preseason. He deserved to have one more season and go out with dignity.
As for Rudi, hooray! Now there’s a guy not worth his contract. I still have concerns with Chris Perry’s longevity throughout the year and I would like to have a complimentary power back, but Rudi was not the answer. He’ll find a job somewhere.
Deltha O’Neal was a bit of a surprise. We’re not particularly deep at corner and I’ve been less than thrilled with David Jones. The Bengals kept six safeties because of their ability to play special teams. They also kept corner Simeon Castille who was a long shot to make the team. Deltha was also scheduled to make $3 million this year and I think Mike Zimmer wasn’t all that impressed with him.
Ahmad Brooks fell apart fast on this team. Last year going in to Week 2, I had pro-bowl hopes for the guy. He fell to third string by the end of camp, and players like Blackstock, Henderson, and Brandon Johnson has made the freak athlete expendable.
Every year I have less hope in the direction of this team. I've become used to shrugging and hoping for the best, but not even in the backwards, twisted universe that is the Bengals does it make sense to bring back Chris Henry and cut Willie Anderson. Who’s running this team?
Mojokong – The Bengals behave like a moody teenager.
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2 comments:
As I scanned the Sunday morning Enquirer (a deviation from my normal NY Times), I quietly wondered how long it would take for you to hit the wall with this one. I now have my answer...just after midnight.
I feel like the Republican National Party has somehow infiltrated the Bengals front office, not quite a stretch considering the fat cats that are running these two shows.
I too have lost faith in this team, but my innate love of the game always brings me back into the fold. The moth to the candle.
Releasing the likes of Anderson will bite this team in its ass sooner rather than later, but we helpless fans can only look on with continued resignation.
Is there any way to release the Brown family, cut our losses and find an owner with some vision?
More despicable than inexplicable,
the Bengals management continues to sail this franchise onto the shoals of another failed season, loading anything of value with them onto the only lifeboat.
Good luck, maties!
Lucca
While I definitely agree that it was a bad move to cut Willie, I don't think the Bengals treated him poorly. They asked him to take a reduced base pay with the opportunity to earn the money back with playing time incentives. Since Willie doesn't practice all the time, why would they pay him $3 million to sit on the bench AND not practice? Now if someone got hurt, and Anderson ended up playing, he makes that money back anyway. In fact, he was given every opportunity to continue with us, even receiving a $2 million bonus this past January.
The Bengals treated Willie very well, signing him to a 5 year, 32 million dollar deal in 2006, when he was 31. He received $16 million of that in the first 2 years. So he's been VERY well compensated even though he hasn't been reliably productive in a couple of years.
I'm very happy they got rid of Rudi. I'm surprised but Ahmad Brooks, but I'll defer to Fitzgerald and Zimmer's evaluation of him. I don't like cutting Deltha O'Neal. Not only is he our 3rd best cornerback, but he actually came into this year with a good attitude regarding his role.
Anyway, these moves serve to put the entire team on notice that this is a business and its time to get down to business.
I expect the Bengals to surprise some people.
Noon
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