Larry Johnson is a Bengal

[Bengals1181]

marvin's press conference: http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8144058d&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

[Squirrlnutz]

Well a lot more pundits than I expected seem to like the move so I guess its not all bad.

But with Scott fielding kicks now, I don't see anyway LJ dresses unless someone gets hurt.

[turningpoint]

[quote name='Jamie_B' date='16 November 2009 - 04:51 PM' timestamp='1258404683' post='828950']
Corey was 29
Curtis Martin was 27

Larry Jonson will be 30 next week

Curtis Martin was a better comparison as he went to the Jets in '98 when he was 27 much in the way Cedric did here.

Corey had one good year with them, I highly doubt Johnson does here.

Hope I'm wrong.
[/quote]


2004 season.......................dude.

Martin was 32 and lead the league

Dillon was 30 and would of lead the league if he played all 16 games.

[Jamie_B]

[quote name='turningpoint' date='16 November 2009 - 05:18 PM' timestamp='1258406282' post='828960']
2004 season.......................dude.

Martin was 32 and lead the league

Dillon was 30 and would of lead the league if he played all 16 games.
[/quote]


Either way he wont play unless God forbid Ced gets hurt, and that's IF the signing happens.

Also percentages of 30 year old backs are much more likely to not produce than do, you found two guys. Good job.

[turningpoint]

[quote name='Jamie_B' date='16 November 2009 - 05:20 PM' timestamp='1258406445' post='828962']
Either way he wont play unless God forbid Ced gets hurt, and that's IF the signing happens.

Also percentages of 30 year old backs are much more likely to not produce than do, you found two guys. Good job.
[/quote]


I just don't think the age thing is worth argueing about.

he has some season with a bunch of carries,but he also has a bunch of season where he didn't even sniff the field because of priest holmes. You could agrue his career didn't start until he was 25-26 years old. So his tread life isn't really all that high.

[Jamie_B]

[quote name='turningpoint' date='16 November 2009 - 05:23 PM' timestamp='1258406594' post='828965']
I just don't think the age thing is worth argueing about.

he has some season with a bunch of carries,but he also has a bunch of season where he didn't even sniff the field because of priest holmes. You could agrue his career didn't start until he was 25-26 years old. So his tread life isn't really all that high.
[/quote]


Age does matter, the body still gets old regardless of how much you played.

[oldschooler]

[quote name='bengalsdave985' date='16 November 2009 - 01:21 PM' timestamp='1258395697' post='828821']
I heard whoever signs him only would have to pay 36k a week, no risk here IMO, if he does something stupid you cut him and move on
[/quote]



I heard it was 37k per week. And it wasn't guaranteed money.

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='Jamie_B' date='16 November 2009 - 04:51 PM' timestamp='1258404683' post='828950']
[b]Corey was 29 [/b]
Curtis Martin was 27

[b]Larry Jonson will be 30 next week[/b]

Curtis Martin was a better comparison as he went to the Jets in '98 when he was 27 much in the way Cedric did here.

Corey had one good year with them, I highly doubt Johnson does here.

Hope I'm wrong.
[/quote]


LJ has 1375 career carries, Dillon had 1865 when we traded him. So comparing their age and past workload, I think the LJ and Corey situations would be about equal right now. Dillon was younger, but LJ has less tread on the tires.

[BengalsRule85]

Thorton thinks Leonard would be the man out.

JohnThornton

Bengals wouldn't bring him in to be the "4th" RB. They would bring in "Dede" for that. B Scott will take Leonards reps and LJ wld spell Ced

[Jamie_B]

[quote name='BengalsRule85' date='16 November 2009 - 05:31 PM' timestamp='1258407091' post='828972']
Thorton thinks Leonard would be the man out.

JohnThornton

Bengals wouldn't bring him in to be the "4th" RB. They would bring in "Dede" for that. B Scott will take Leonards reps and LJ wld spell Ced
[/quote]


I hope not, I love what Leonard brings on 3rd down.

[oldschooler]

[b][size="5"]Bengals confirm interest in L.J. as backfield depth[/size][/b]
Nov. 16, 2009
CBSSports.com wire reports

[font="Arial, Helvetica"][size="2"]CINCINNATI -- [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/396164/larryjohnson"]Larry Johnson[/url] might get to revive his troubled career with a team known for giving second chances.

[url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/CIN/cincinnatibengals"]Bengals[/url] coach Marvin Lewis said on Monday that Johnson would be in Cincinnati to discuss a limited role -- fourth-string running back, essentially an insurance policy in case [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/406400/cedricbenson"]Cedric Benson's[/url] hip injury gets worse or another running back gets hurt.

It's a very low-profile role.

"That's what his role would be, it would be as a fourth running back and an opportunity as a backup player on this football team doing all the things backup players do, and that's work their tails off in the kicking game and showing looks (on the scout team) and so forth that way," Lewis said. "And then he would be an insurance policy if something would happen down the line to one of our guys where he'd have a chance to be active.

"But I couldn't foresee him being active when he was initially here, if this is what happens. And that's what I've told him."

Lewis said the interest in Johnson is unrelated to Benson's injury. Benson, who is one of the NFL's top running backs, strained a hip muscle and couldn't finish an 18-12 win in Pittsburgh on Sunday that left the Bengals (7-2) in control of the AFC North.

Benson is expected to practice on a limited basis this week. Lewis said there's a chance he could play Sunday in Oakland.

Johnson turns 30 on Thursday and is coming off several years of decline. He also created controversies while with the Kansas City Chiefs, who released him last week on the day he was due back from his second suspension in the last 12 months.

The Bengals have a history of giving extra chances to troubled players. Owner Mike Brown brought Chris Henry back to the team before the 2008 season -- over Lewis' disagreement -- and the receiver has stayed out of trouble since then. Henry is out for the rest of the season with a broken left arm.

Benson was signed last year after the Bears let him go because of his off-field problems. He had two alcohol-related arrests in Texas, but the cases were dropped when grand juries declined to indict. Benson has revitalized his career in Cincinnati - he ranks sixth in the league in rushing with 859 yards and leads the NFL with 205 carries.

Lewis assured Benson that the interest in Johnson would have no effect on his status as the primary runner. Lewis said he first spoke with Johnson by phone last Thursday, before Benson's injury.

"I had a chance to visit with Cedric about this, that it doesn't affect him -- zero," Lewis said. "This was under way last week, so Cedric (being injured) in the game had no effect on this thing."

Johnson was benched for three games in 2008 by former Chiefs coach Herm Edwards for violating team rules. The NFL added a game for violating its player conduct policy. He was later sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to disturbing the peace at a Kansas City night spot.

Three weeks ago, he posted a gay slur on his Twitter account and questioned the competence of coach Todd Haley, drawing a two-week suspension.

Lewis saw a parallel with how Benson has turned his career around in Cincinnati.

"That's one of the things I told Larry, that we would judge him on his future and really not on his past," Lewis said. "We'd judge him that way forward. I told Ced, 'I think you could help him with that. You could validate that."'





[url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/12530489/bengals-interested-in-rb-johnson-with-benson-injured"]http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/12530489/bengals-interested-in-rb-johnson-with-benson-injured[/url]
[/size][/font]

[oldschooler]

[quote name='Jamie_B' date='16 November 2009 - 04:33 PM' timestamp='1258407225' post='828973']
I hope not, I love what Leonard brings on 3rd down.
[/quote]



Me too. Leonard is a 1st down making machine.

[Actium]

[quote name='Jamie_B' date='16 November 2009 - 04:33 PM' timestamp='1258407225' post='828973']
I hope not, I love what Leonard brings on 3rd down.
[/quote]

agree. Leonard brings a lot to the table and has a nose for the first down marker (except for the last few, anyway). Plus he and Carson seem to be on the same page.

[|Harley|]

There's no reason to compare LJ to Ced. LJ isn't coming in to be the featured back. He's an insurance policy if the others get hurt or can't get it done. The money is right, the parameters are right and the risk level is right.

Do you trust Marvin or not?

[oldschooler]

[b][size="5"]Monday update: Lewis says Johnson would be insurance[/size][/b]
GEOFF HOBSON

Posted Nov 16, 2009
Updated: 3:30 p.m.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis has told former Chiefs running back Larry Johnson that if the club agrees to sign him it will be purely for insurance purposes, that it won't affect the status of the other three backs, and he won't be active for games "initially" as he performs backup duties such as working on the scout team and special teams.

The embattled Johnson, a two-time Pro Bowler cut last week amid fans petitioning for his ouster, was expected at Paul Brown Stadium on Monday to meet with Lewis and the offensive coaches.

Lewis, who spoke to Johnson on Thursday, said at his Monday news conference that he talked to No. 1 runner [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/cedric-benson/4b42e3bf-7831-490c-97e2-523f8d4d2291/"][color="#f04e23"]Cedric Benson[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/img/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/color][/url] last week about the possible move. Benson missed the second half of Sunday's 18-12 win in Pittsburgh with an abductor muscle strain and while Lewis said Benson could play this Sunday, the Bengals are going to handle him conservatively as they get ready for Sunday's game in Oakland with rookie [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/bernard-scott/4743d5f6-4661-44c1-a6da-d2970031e393/"][color="#f04e23"]Bernard Scott[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/img/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/color][/url] and third-down back [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/brian-leonard/c6204230-e3c1-41f5-8859-8bbb950b7631/"][color="#f04e23"]Brian Leonard[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/img/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/color][/url] as the backups.

"I'm very happy with what they're doing and their roles," Lewis said after Scott came off the bench in place of Benson Sunday. "I want to see Bernard's role continue to expand as it did yesterday. If indeed we chose to bring (Johnson) here his role would be fourth running back and an opportunity as a backup player on this team doing the things backups do and that's work their tails off in the kicking game, showing looks. He would be an insurance policy in case something would happen down the line to one of our guys. But I couldn't foresee him being active when he was initially here if that's what happens."

Johnson turns 30 on Thursday and lugs a lot of baggage into his Cincinnati visit. The Chiefs cut him last week after they suspended for a game for ripping Kansas City head coach Todd Haley and making a homosexual slur via Twitter. According to the [i]New York Times[/i], last year Johnson was benched for three games by former Chiefs coach Herman Edwards and suspended for an additional game by the NFL following two nightclub incidents. It got so bad in Kansas City that the Chiefs cut him under the heat of a fan petition calling for them to fire him in order to make sure he didn't break Priest Holmes' all-time rushing record for the club.

During Johnson's visit to PBS, the sense was he would have "to win over some people" if the Bengals agreed to sign him. It's believed he'll work out for the coaches. Peter Schaffer, Johnson's agent, said Monday that his client understands Lewis' plan and "He's looking to go to a good team. A team that has a chance to go to the Super Bowl. I would think if things continue to go positively something could get worked out."

The Bengals are known for giving players second chances and given their experience with Benson they are hesitant to go off past reports because Benson has worked out so well after the Bears cut him following two alcohol-related incidents in which he was later absolved. But asked about brining such a volatile personality into the chemistry of a team that is purring at 7-2 above the AFC North, Lewis was careful to say he would not eclipse anyone on the roster.


"The one thing I told Larry is that we would judge him on his future and not his past," Lewis said. "I told Ced, 'You could help him with that. You can validate that.' "

Along with Benson's injury, there is some concern about Scott's sore knee and Leonard is pretty much a third-down back. So there is no backup bell cow back. One non-Johnson option is to sign [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/james-johnson/a6326e08-90b6-40b6-a365-687c56b76621/"][color="#f04e23"]James Johnson[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/img/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/color][/url] from the practice squad or pursue the UFL's DeDe Dorsey and go back-by-committee.

Scott is wrapped up in his own deal. It is pretty clear he's the new kick returner and he thinks he showed enough against the Steelers that he'll be able to get some more snaps on third down.


"That's the business part of it," he said of the possible move with Johnson. "I can't let that affect how I'm getting myself ready. I have to continue to do what I do."

[b]SLANTS AND SCREENS[/b]

» Lewis has no doubt reminded his team, even though the 7-2 Bengals have the AFC North tiebreaker and a game lead over the 6-3 Steelers, they still have to win as many games as Pittsburgh to claim their second division title in five years.

With seven games left, the remaining Bengals foes are 24-38 compared to the Steelers' 22-38 with the major difference being what the clubs have left on the road. The Steelers face no winning teams on the road and travel to teams that are 12-23 while the Bengals head to division leaders Minnesota (8-1) and San Diego (6-3).

The two AFC teams that have the edge on the Bengals in playoff tiebreakers by virtue of head-to-head wins, Denver and Houston, have a little bit of a tougher road. Each face teams with combined records of 31-32. The Broncos, a game behind Cincinnati, have to go to teams that are 16-11, including the unbeaten Colts. Houston, two games back of the Bengals, are looking at 10-17 teams on the road. But the Texans also host the Patriots and Colts.

The Bengals are in second place overall in the AFC, two in back of the Colts and one up on the Pats. New England has to play at unbeaten New Orleans and is looking at finishing against teams with a 34-29 record.

» For just the seventh time in the 102 games he's played for head coach Marvin Lewis, Bengals wide receiver [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/chad-ochocinco/09ddc7d1-e507-4a75-ab2b-f6f17723cbf8/"][color="#f04e23"]Chad Ochocinco[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/img/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/color][/url] had just one or two catches Sunday with two for 29 yards. The Bengals are 4-3 with the last time coming in last year's opener in Baltimore. He had one catch for 22 yards in a 17-10 loss.

» The Bengals are optimistic they will sell out the Nov. 29 game against the Browns, but the two remaining games, Dec. 6 against 1-8 Detroit and Dec. 27 against 2-7 Kansas City, are far away from the mark, said ticket sales manager Andrew Brown.




[url="http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Monday-update-Lewis-says-Johnson-would-be-insurance/abfa73cd-6660-45fb-8cab-d4d648a2b0f0"]http://www.bengals.c...ab-d4d648a2b0f0[/url]

[oldschooler]

[url="http://twitter.com/Jay_Glazer"][b][color="#0a0501"]Jay_Glazer[/color][/b][/url] [url=""] [/url] reporting that bengals have decided to sign larry johnson and are right now trying to work out a deal
[url="http://twitter.com/Jay_Glazer/status/5776957831"]7 minutes ago [/url]from [url="http://twitter.com/devices"]txt[/url]

[|Tigers Johnson|]

[quote name='oldschooler' date='16 November 2009 - 05:37 PM' timestamp='1258407445' post='828975']
Me too. Leonard is a 1st down making machine.
[/quote]

Benching Leonard would be a huge mistake! Dude is absolutely clutch!

If signing LJ means benching Leonard then I am completely against it....

[oldschooler]

[url="http://twitter.com/ctrent"][b][color="#0a0501"]ctrent[/color][/b][/url] [url=""] [/url] Expect official word on Larry Johnson tomorrow, but for all intents and purposes, it's done
[url="http://twitter.com/ctrent/status/5777420514"]1 minute ago [/url]from [url="http://www.seesmic.com/"]Seesmic[/url]

[oldschooler]

Looks like LJ is going to get to go against his former team December 27th.

[bgwilly31]

So if this signing goes down,

I think we should let benson take an extra week off for oakland. And let LJ make his debut.

[oldschooler]

[url="http://twitter.com/Adam_Schefter"][b][color="#0a0501"]Adam_Schefter[/color][/b][/url] [url=""] [/url] Alert OCNN: Bengals expected to sign Larry Johnson tonight. He will be an insurance policy for rest of season -- no guarantees.
[url="http://twitter.com/Adam_Schefter/status/5777478868"]3 minutes ago [/url]from web

[bgwilly31]

[quote name='bgwilly31' date='16 November 2009 - 06:17 PM' timestamp='1258409863' post='828991']
So if this signing goes down,

I think we should let benson take an extra week off for oakland. And let LJ make his debut.
[/quote]


Is this possible>? With the inactive rules and what nots. I dont understand them. So basically what im asking is it possible to sit benson for this week, and play LJ, scott, and leonard.

Then turn around and start benson the following week, while taking LJ back out>?

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='bgwilly31' date='16 November 2009 - 06:24 PM' timestamp='1258410276' post='828994']
Is this possible>? With the inactive rules and what nots. I dont understand them. So basically what im asking is it possible to sit benson for this week, and play LJ, scott, and leonard.

Then turn around and start benson the following week, while taking LJ back out>?
[/quote]



umm yea, why couldn't you? Teams do it all the time.

[bgwilly31]

[quote name='Bengals1181' date='16 November 2009 - 06:26 PM' timestamp='1258410362' post='828995']
umm yea, why couldn't you? Teams do it all the time.
[/quote]


Not sure why, didnt know if was some IR rule where you couldnt come back the next game.

Thanks for clarifing for me.

Im guessing it wont happen. From the sound of marvin, he made it out like LJ needs to go through some workouts before he even gets a chance.

[JBandJoeyV]

[quote name='bgwilly31' date='16 November 2009 - 06:30 PM' timestamp='1258410653' post='828999']
Not sure why, didnt know if was some IR rule where you couldnt come back the next game.

Thanks for clarifing for me.

Im guessing it wont happen. From the sound of marvin, he made it out like LJ needs to go through some workouts before he even gets a chance.
[/quote]

IR and inactive are two completely different things.

IRing someone takes them off the 53 man roster and means they cant play the rest of the year.

Being inactive just means they arent dressing. You can change your inactive each week, just 45 of your 53 guys can dress. The 8 inactives could be different every single week.