Bengals release five players

[oldschooler]

[b]Bengals release five[/b]
Posted 1 hour ago

The Bengals on Friday day released five players.

The club terminated the contract of seventh-year cornerback Keiwan Ratliff, releasing him to free agency. Ratliff played for the Bengals from 2004-07, and he had rejoined Cincinnati in the 2009 postseason after spending a portion of the regular season with Pittsburgh.

Waived were rookie safety Bryan Evans of Georgia, first-year running back Walter Mendenhall of Illinois State, rookie punter Jake Richardson of Miami University and first-year cornerback DeAngelo Willingham of Tennessee.

Mendenhall and Willingham joined the Bengals earlier this year as veteran free agents. Evans and Richardson both were signed in May, Evans as a college free agent and Richardson as a rookie free agent.


[url="http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-release-five/7bab0a82-6800-4592-80b9-6aa9b8cf31c7"]http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-release-five/7bab0a82-6800-4592-80b9-6aa9b8cf31c7[/url]

[bengalmonsta]

Your fired oldschooler, this has been out over an hour!!!!

[|Bunghole|]

Oh no, Ratliff is gone? Who's going to return punts now?

[turningpoint]

I'm surprised ratliff is gone, o well, we had to cut people in order to sign our draft picks.

[Bengals1181]

hmm thought Evans had potential. Ratliff gone must mean the like what they've seen from Adam Jones.


Why'd they cut these guys now? Is there a limit they had to get to, or could some signings be coming?

[Elijah15]

Good good lol

[Jason]

[quote name='Bengals1181' date='18 June 2010 - 12:34 PM' timestamp='1276878877' post='893714']
hmm thought Evans had potential. Ratliff gone must mean the like what they've seen from Adam Jones.


[b]Why'd they cut these guys now?[/b] Is there a limit they had to get to, or could some signings be coming?
[/quote]

Maximize their opportunity to catch on elsewhere. I'll be surprised if we sign anyone before June is out, and I don't expect any until mid-July.

Honestly, none of those cuts were even remotely surprising to me.

[Oldcat]

It may mean we are close to signing some of our draft picks. This opens up space for them, while giving the other players the best chance to look elsewhere.

[oldschooler]

[b][size="5"]Roster juggle as short camp beckons[/size][/b]
By GEOFF HOBSON

Updated: 1:15 p.m.

After cutting five players Friday, the Bengals still have four extra players on their roster when it comes to the maximum 80 they can have under contract when training camp starts.

But which four won't be at Georgetown College for the first practice July 29 is still up in the air for a variety of reasons. The central question appears to be how many kickers to take to the shortest scheduled Bengals' training camp ever. Jake Richardson was a Friday casualty, leaving incumbent [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/kevin-huber/1d34c7f7-455d-407c-9f66-9df83696a5da/"]Kevin Huber[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] as the lone punter. But kickers [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/mike-nugent/44701177-8bcb-4bb1-a348-e81af4d4583a/"]Mike Nugent[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] and [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/dave-rayner/a525fd69-d4ad-40ab-aab4-b1e60d2b4203/"]Dave Rayner[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] staged a spirited battle this week in the mandatory minicamp with the only miss of 12 field-goal tries from each being Rayner's 54-yarder.

One of the factors is going to be the progress of contract negotiations with the draft picks. With first-rounder [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/jermaine-gresham/66ed6d24-c4c8-45c3-83d8-438594e91723/"]Jermaine Gresham[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] safely tucked in at No. 21, nobody is really expecting a holdout so there could not be any free spots on the roster.

Plus, head coach Marvin Lewis is preparing for five preseason games in 25 days starting with the Aug. 8 Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, and is opting not to put his players through the meat grinder. He didn't move up his start date and he's opted to break camp Aug. 13 after just 13 days in camp.

If he wants to give his position players a break, Lewis may decide to take just one kicker so he's got some bodies. He does have some injury situations that could dictate that, with right tackle [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/andre-smith/5796e85d-6992-4b91-9630-fde615747967/"]Andre Smith[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] (foot), and SAM linebackers [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/rey-maualuga/72e4f750-08d1-4fa5-abee-a5cfebe1389b/"]Rey Maualuga[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] and [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/rashad-jeanty/e4763c4a-1388-4886-84c2-6c5587e84277/"]Rashad Jeanty[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] (leg) coming back from off-season procedures, as well as tight end [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/reggie-kelly/e55f261b-53be-4bbd-b1b4-beed923e860b/"]Reggie Kelly[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] and right end [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/antwan-odom/47c696ff-c517-43f4-abc2-54629cc183a4/"]Antwan Odom[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] coming off Achilles' surgery.

And they aren't overstocked in a lot of spots. After cutting their most experienced cornerback in Keiwan Ratliff as well as first-year cornerback DeAngelo Willingham and rookie free-agent safety Bryan Evans, the Bengals still have 15 defensive backs on the roster and could lose one or two more.

Also released was first-year running back Walter Mendenhall, but they have just two running backs (first-year player [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/cedric-peerman/fcb8072d-5378-4c61-962a-7f8b7aa45ecf/"]Cedric Peerman[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] and rookie free agent [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/cordera-eason/2fabe0fa-3419-4eb6-94ae-f0062740ab9c/"]Cordera Eason[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url] of Mississippi) behind [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/cedric-benson/4b42e3bf-7831-490c-97e2-523f8d4d2291/"]Cedric Benson[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url], [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/bernard-scott/4743d5f6-4661-44c1-a6da-d2970031e393/"]Bernard Scott[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url], and [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/brian-leonard/c6204230-e3c1-41f5-8859-8bbb950b7631/"]Brian Leonard[img]http://www.bengals.com/assets/nflimg/icon-article-link.gif[/img][/url].

It is doubtful they would hack into either the offensive or defensive lines, but there is a lot to hash out between now and the 29th.

The Bengals have had 12-day camps during their 13 seasons at Georgetown, but that was because they were cut short by weather. What hurts the college is that Lewis has opted to replace the annual intrasquad scrimmage and mock game with the Hall of Fame Game. That wipes out Georgetown's two biggest revenue days, but the club is talking to the school about coming up some kind of marquee event that first weekend of Friday July 30-Sunday Aug. 1.

"We've had some informal talks about it, but nothing has been decided," said Georgetown athletic director Eric Ward, who expects the full camp schedule to be released next week.

Bill Connelly, the Bengals' long-time business manager, remembers the days when the club was in camp for nine weeks. Now it's barely nine days.

"My first one in 1976 was nine weeks from start to finish," Connelly said. "It's such a big change. We've been talking about it ever since March when we first heard from the league we might get the game."

Ward said this summer's situation doesn't impact negotiations for an extension for next year, which he says have already started. But clearly other factors do, such as the potential for a lockout and an 18-game regular season with a curtailed preseason.

"I would think the deal for next year would have a lot of conditions," Ward said. "But it's not the labor situation we're looking at so much, but the new schedule and the talk about the later start to the preseason. If (camp) got pushed back any later, it would be very difficult for us because it would displace our students."



[url="http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Roster-juggle-as-short-camp-beckons/7bab0a82-6800-4592-80b9-6aa9b8cf31c7"]http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Roster-juggle-as-short-camp-beckons/7bab0a82-6800-4592-80b9-6aa9b8cf31c7[/url]

[Tigris]

[quote name='Bengals1181' date='18 June 2010 - 12:34 PM' timestamp='1276878877' post='893714']
hmm thought Evans had potential. Ratliff gone must mean the like what they've seen from Adam Jones.


Why'd they cut these guys now? Is there a limit they had to get to, or could some signings be coming?
[/quote]
Don't they have to get down to 80 for camp? I thought they had like 88 or something prior to these cuts.

[Phatcat]

[quote name='Tigris' date='18 June 2010 - 02:33 PM' timestamp='1276886017' post='893743']
Don't they have to get down to 80 for camp? I thought they had like 88 or something prior to these cuts.
[/quote]


It is 80 "signed" players for camp. But here is hoping all the 2010 draft picks are signed by July 28th and start of training camp. Basically in the offseason the rookie draft class through OTAs and Minicamp do not count against the roster. For training camp they do.

[Arkansas Bengal]

Damn, I can't believe they haven't dropped 'Iron-hands' Coates yet.

[Jason]

[quote name='Arkansas Bengal' date='18 June 2010 - 03:18 PM' timestamp='1276888728' post='893748']
Damn, I can't believe they haven't dropped 'Iron-hands' Coates yet.
[/quote]

My guess is that Coats is insurance at FB more than anything else. If they don't think Vakapuna is a physical enough blocker I could see Coats making it at FB. But if he's a TE, he's gone.

[CougarQuest]

Can't imagine Chris Davis lasting too much longer.

[bengalbutch]

[quote]Also released was first-year running back Walter Mendenhall, but [b]they have just two running backs (first-year player Cedric PeermanPosted Image and rookie free agent Cordera EasonPosted Image of Mississippi) behind Cedric BensonPosted Image, Bernard ScottPosted Image, and Brian Leonard[/b]Posted Image.[/quote]

So did we or did we not sign LaMarcus Coker ?

[ColorChanginClique]

Daniel Coats is like herpes, he will never be gone.

He always sucks when he shows up.....and then you get excited cause he seems to be gone.....and then OH WAIT HE'S BACK AGAIN!

[claptonrocks]

[quote name='bengalbutch' date='18 June 2010 - 06:05 PM' timestamp='1276898738' post='893784']
So did we or did we not sign LaMarcus Coker ?
[/quote]

I was under the impression he was released.....I thought he had a world of talent and it surprised me that they let him go without further evaluations ....
Hopefully he gets a chance to showout.

[bengalbutch]

[quote name='claptonrocks' date='18 June 2010 - 05:57 PM' timestamp='1276901840' post='893793']
I was under the impression he was released.....I thought he had a world of talent and it surprised me that they let him go without further evaluations ....
Hopefully he gets a chance to showout.
[/quote]
Thanks man. I hadn't heard and I can't find anything on the guy

[oldschooler]

[quote name='bengalbutch' date='18 June 2010 - 05:05 PM' timestamp='1276898738' post='893784']
So did we or did we not sign LaMarcus Coker ?
[/quote]



He was brought in for a workout. That's it.

There was a "report" from Joe Reedy that Coker had signed with the Bengals.
Apparently Reedy's source was Coker's Cousin on Twitter. I asked Reedy about
Coker and TE Cottam, who both had reportedly signed with the Bengals. He said
that the players listed by Bengals.com are the official UDFA signings.

So no, we did not sign him. I don't think he is with any NFL team at the moment.

[bengalbutch]

[quote name='oldschooler' date='18 June 2010 - 06:24 PM' timestamp='1276903441' post='893803']
He was brought in for a workout. That's it.

There was a "report" from Joe Reedy that Coker had signed with the Bengals.
Apparently Reedy's source was Coker's Cousin on Twitter. I asked Reedy about
Coker and TE Cottam, who both had reportedly signed with the Bengals. He said
that the players listed by Bengals.com are the official UDFA signings.

So no, we did not sign him. I don't think he is with any NFL team at the moment.
[/quote]
Thanks

[Inigo Montoya]

Only mild surprise among the cuts is Ratliff.

[Oldcat]

[quote name='Inigo Montoya' date='18 June 2010 - 05:29 PM' timestamp='1276907357' post='893814']
Only mild surprise among the cuts is Ratliff.
[/quote]

They often give vets additional 'notice' to give them time to find another slot. Ratliff might be better than some of the guys they haven't cut yet, but isn't going to be kept to be a 'camp body' for the real guys like some kid might be.

[BengalsOwn]

[quote name='Inigo Montoya' date='18 June 2010 - 08:29 PM' timestamp='1276907357' post='893814']
Only mild surprise among the cuts is Ratliff.
[/quote]

Keiwan Ratliff was terrible as a rookie, he was terrible in his second year, he was terrible in Indy, he was terrible in Pittsburgh...

Why is it a surprise that he was cut?

[|Bunghole|]

[quote name='BengalsOwn' date='19 June 2010 - 12:22 AM' timestamp='1276921353' post='893835']
Keiwan Ratliff was terrible as a rookie, he was terrible in his second year, he was terrible in Indy, he was terrible in Pittsburgh...

Why is it a surprise that he was cut?
[/quote]

Um, his awesome punt returns?

Hello, is 2.5 YP ringing a bell here? HELLO? Is this thing on?

[oldschooler]

[b][size="5"]Ratliff's Second Stint Stunted [/size][/b]
[b]By BengalsInsider.com[/b]
Posted Jun 18, 2010

[b]The trimming of the fat has begun as the Bengals started whacking down to the training camp roster limit of 80 players by releasing a familiar name and some not so familiar names.
[/b]
With OTAs and this week's three-day minicamp in the books, the Bengals began their roster-cutting Friday by releasing five players.

There was one surprise, [url="http://cin.scout.com/a.z?s=117&p=8&c=1&nid=4326752"]Keiwan Ratliff[/url], the team's most experienced cornerback.

The club terminated the contract of the seventh-year Ratliff, releasing him to free agency and ending his second stint in Cincinnati.

Ratliff, who turned 29 in April, re-joined the Bengals for the 2009 postseason after defensive tackle [url="http://cin.scout.com/a.z?s=117&p=8&c=1&nid=4223592"]Pat Sims[/url] was placed on injured reserve. Ratliff had spent a portion of the 2009 regular season with Pittsburgh.

He played for the Bengals originally from 2004-07 after being taken in the second round of the 2004 draft. His most productive season in Cincinnati was in 2005, when he intercepted three passes and recovered a fumble. Two years later, the team released him.

Ratliff played college football at Florida, where he set school records for punt return yards (860), interceptions in a season (9), and interceptions in a single game (3). He made the College Football All-America Team and won SEC defensive player of the year honors in 2003 as a senior.

The Bengals never saw the potential realized. The Indianapolis Colts did for a glimpse. Ratliff also was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After being released by the Bengals, he signed with the Bucs on November 12, but was waived two weeks later.

Indianpolis claimed Ratliff off waivers on November 29, 2007. He saw limited action with the Colts in the 2007 and 2008 seasons until he was cut September 20, 2008. The Colts re-signed Ratliff on October 8, but waived him again on October 22. He was re-signed again on October 30, 2008 after cornerback [url="http://cin.scout.com/a.z?s=117&p=8&c=1&nid=4847764"]Marlin Jackson[/url] was placed on injured reserve.

Ratliff scored his first career touchdown Dec. 18, 2008 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, intercepting David Garrard and returning it 35 yards for the game-winning touchdown, his last great play in the leaque. The win clinched a playoff berth for the Colts.

Ratliff was signed by the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent on May 1, 2009. He was released November 24.

He has just five interceptions in his NFL career

[b]TEAM NOTES[/b] The rest of Friday's cuts were rookie or first-year players.

Waived were rookie safety [url="http://cin.scout.com/a.z?s=117&p=8&c=1&nid=4373628"]Bryan Evans[/url] of Georgia, rookie punter Jake Richardson of Miami University, first-year running back [url="http://cin.scout.com/a.z?s=117&p=8&c=1&nid=4522209"]Walter Mendenhall[/url] of Illinois State and first-year cornerback [url="http://cin.scout.com/a.z?s=117&p=8&c=1&nid=4692510"]DeAngelo Willingham[/url] of Tennessee.

Evans and Richardson had very brief stays with team after signing in May, Evans as a college free agent and Richardson as a rookie free agent. Mendenhall and Willingham joined the team earlier this year as veteran free agents.

Following the trimming, the Bengals have 84 players on the roster, 75 of them signed, the exceptions being the nine draft picks.

If the Bengals sign all nine picks before training camp, they would have to cut four players to reach the training camp maximum of 80.

[b]PLAYER NOTES[/b] The Bengals will be looking for a way to incorporate cornerback [url="http://cin.scout.com/a.z?s=117&p=8&c=1&nid=3783084"]Adam Jones[/url] into the rotation of punt returners during training camp. Holdover [url="http://cin.scout.com/a.z?s=117&p=8&c=1&nid=4356400"]Quan Cosby[/url] and rookie [url="http://cin.scout.com/a.z?s=117&p=8&c=1&nid=4225975"]Jordan Shipley[/url] fielded most of the punts during minicamp as Jones was limited because of his recent return from injury.



[url="http://cin.scout.com/2/978507.html"]http://cin.scout.com/2/978507.html[/url]