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Report: Bengals contact Ratliff


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Report: Bengals contact Ratliff

Posted by Mike Florio on November 2, 2013, 1:37 PM EDT

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With the Bengals losing Geno Atkins for the rest of the season, Cincinnati seemed like an obvious potential destination for free-agent defensive tackle Jay Ratliff.  And Cincinnati is officially a potential destination.

Ed Werder of ESPN reports that the Bengals contacted Ratliff after losing Atkins.

The list of potentially interested teams now expands to four, with the Bears, Dolphins, and Chiefs also chasing Ratliff.

The willingness of the Bengals to consider Ratliff should be regarded as an encouraging development by other interested teams.  Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer coached Ratliff for his first two NFL seasons.  If Zimmer had steered clear despite the clear need, it would have been a huge red flag.

With Zimmer interested in a Ratliff reunion, interested teams should now be boxing each other out to plant the flag on his property.

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It's good that they're considering him, although who knows how he is physically. 

 

He was a pretty unheralded guy coming out of Auburn… a 7th round pick. At this stage of his career, and assuming he's healthy (!), being part of a DL rotation is the best situation for him, and I think a 4-3 is a better fit than a 3-4, which is what he was in Dallas (until this year with Monte Kiffin's arrival). The Cowboys have been pretty tight-lipped about reasons for his release… I'm guessing that Ratliff's camp might have a lawsuit coming re: medical, surrounding his diagnosis by the team vs. what his doctors told him. 

 

He's got some rep as a knucklehead, but the times I've heard him interviewed in Dallas, he seemed like a decent guy, and pretty sharp. That said, he's got a DUI charge pending down here in TX - it happened within the last year. 

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It's good that they're considering him, although who knows how he is physically. 
 
He was a pretty unheralded guy coming out of Auburn a 7th round pick. At this stage of his career, and assuming he's healthy (!), being part of a DL rotation is the best situation for him, and I think a 4-3 is a better fit than a 3-4, which is what he was in Dallas (until this year with Monte Kiffin's arrival). The Cowboys have been pretty tight-lipped about reasons for his release I'm guessing that Ratliff's camp might have a lawsuit coming re: medical, surrounding his diagnosis by the team vs. what his doctors told him. 
 
He's got some rep as a knucklehead, but the times I've heard him interviewed in Dallas, he seemed like a decent guy, and pretty sharp. That said, he's got a DUI charge pending down here in TX - it happened within the last year. 

Heard on espn a locker room altercation with Jerry Jones last season soured him on playing in Dallas and he used the injury to force his release.
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Heard on espn a locker room altercation with Jerry Jones last season soured him on playing in Dallas and he used the injury to force his release.

 

 Ratliff did not like the fact that Jerry Jones ask his player to take a pay cut and then used the money supplement Tony romos contract.

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I have to imagine the guy is looking for a multi-year contract. Not sure our numbers would work next year if we sign him to a multi-year.  I suppose we could always drop him or Robert, but we have to incur some dead cap I would imagine.

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At this point, if healthy, I like the idea of Fanene. Granted he was mostly a DE here, but he did move in on some snaps and he knows the D already. I'd like to pull the trigger on someone that can provide a rotation for Sunday, asap.

 

 

I'm not against adding Fanene but doubt he'd be able to add some snaps immediately.  Hasn't he been out of the league since his NE fiasco a year and a half ago?  And that fiasco was brought on by an injury that went undisclosed?   I'd imagine if he was healthy some team would have at least brought him in for depth....

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I'm not against adding Fanene but doubt he'd be able to add some snaps immediately.  Hasn't he been out of the league since his NE fiasco a year and a half ago?  And that fiasco was brought on by an injury that went undisclosed?   I'd imagine if he was healthy some team would have at least brought him in for depth....

 

At this point, if healthy, I like the idea of Fanene. Granted he was mostly a DE here, but he did move in on some snaps and he knows the D already. I'd like to pull the trigger on someone that can provide a rotation for Sunday, asap.

 

 

;)

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they are expected to work guys out today.

 

I know that this is the normal schedule to do so, but was it not possible to get a jump on it since we had a Thursday game?  I assume they couldn't sign them until this "NFL week," but why couldn't the team work people out on Fri/Sat/Sunday?  Just curious is there's a reason for waiting....

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I know that this is the normal schedule to do so, but was it not possible to get a jump on it since we had a Thursday game?  I assume they couldn't sign them until this "NFL week," but why couldn't the team work people out on Fri/Sat/Sunday?  Just curious is there's a reason for waiting....

 

 

well technically, Tuesday is the normal workout day since players are off, so they are getting a slight jump on it.

 

 

I don't know if they worked out players the last 3 days, and they've certainly talked to guys like Ratliff.

 

Just going off of Hobson's comments that they were going to bring some guys in today.

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