Dansby Expected to Sign Today

[Jamie_B]

Interesting. So unless someone drops that we can't say no to, LB may not be taken at all.

[JC]

Zero dead cap hit for releasing AJ Hawk. Not saying it's guaranteed to happen but there are no negative impacts on the books from doing so.

sounds like writing on the wall to me.  Can't have four linebackers that don't play special teams.

[SocalBengalEd]

Mays will be cut again. Just a matter of time.  No way he makes the roster.   He's garbage at the game of football.   Love the Dansby signing.    But I still want some young blood in there.   If Derron Lee drops to 24 you take him.   Unless Treadwell drops to us

[B.A.B.]

We still need to draft one very early. We need an interior guy to start week 1 also

[MichaelWeston]

sounds like writing on the wall to me.  Can't have four linebackers that don't play special teams.

I think you can have 4 but not 5. 

[happyrid]

I like this signing a lot. He's good enough to step in as the starter for a few weeks for Burfict. 

And he's still a major plus in coverage, which means he should be able to come in as the nickel when Maualuga comes out. 

I still love Darron Lee and if he somehow slips to 24 would strongly consider him as pure BPA. Otherwise, I think we can wait on LB until the 4th round or later. Our top 5 (Burfict, Maualuga, Dansby, Rey, Dawson) look really strong on paper. And we play just 2 LBs on the majority of snaps.

[T-Dub]

We've been left standing at the altar by too many other free agents.  I'm not getting excited until there's a press conference.

After that I'd be real excited, though.  Suspend our MVP MLB on some bullshit? Sign another mean SOB.  He's not Burfict but has that attitude & could maybe help Taze learn how to keep it in check.

[Steve4192]

Interesting. So unless someone drops that we can't say no to, LB may not be taken at all.

Signing a 35 year old LB is going to have ZERO impact on the Bengals' draft strategy.  If a LB who they have rated at the top of their draft board falls to them, they won't pass him up because they signed Dansby.  The Bengals take the long view when it comes to draft (as we saw last year when they basically redshirted their entire draft).  They aren't going to change their long-term plans because they signed a 35 year old to a short-term contract.

[Steve4192]

Mays will be cut again. Just a matter of time.  No way he makes the roster.   He's garbage at the game of football.   Love the Dansby signing.    But I still want some young blood in there. 

Agreed.

 

Guys like Mays and Hawk could easily be cut to make room for new blood.  The only guys who are 'safe' in training camp are Burfict-Maualuga-Dansby-Rey.  Dawson is probably safe, but it's not like they haven't cut bait on mid-rounders before their rookie contracts expire.  Devon Still, Dontay Moch, Sean Porter, Jordan Shipley, and Orson Charles come to mind.

[Jason]

Signing a 35 year old LB is going to have ZERO impact on the Bengals' draft strategy.  If a LB who they have rated at the top of their draft board falls to them, they won't pass him up because they signed Dansby.  The Bengals take the long view when it comes to draft (as we saw last year when they basically redshirted their entire draft).  They aren't going to change their long-term plans because they signed a 35 year old to a short-term contract.

Yup.  The Bengals approach to free agency is fill holes to the point they don't "have" to draft anything, but can still draft anything.

[Jamie_B]

Signing a 35 year old LB is going to have ZERO impact on the Bengals' draft strategy.  If a LB who they have rated at the top of their draft board falls to them, they won't pass him up because they signed Dansby.  The Bengals take the long view when it comes to draft (as we saw last year when they basically redshirted their entire draft).  They aren't going to change their long-term plans because they signed a 35 year old to a short-term contract.

Long term I agree. My point here being that they wont have to decide between a player that might be slightly rated better at a position they may not need right away vs taking a guy who is slightly rated worse at a position they do need right away.

[MichaelWeston]

Signing a 35 year old LB is going to have ZERO impact on the Bengals' draft strategy.  If a LB who they have rated at the top of their draft board falls to them, they won't pass him up because they signed Dansby.  The Bengals take the long view when it comes to draft (as we saw last year when they basically redshirted their entire draft).  They aren't going to change their long-term plans because they signed a 35 year old to a short-term contract.

Not true at all. It allows us to draft a guy like Jaylon Smith who won't play this year or a late rounder with high upside and have the player develop. 

[Jason]

Not true at all. It allows us to draft a guy like Jaylon Smith who won't play this year or a late rounder with high upside and have the player develop. 

Assuming he makes it to 55.

[oldschooler]

LET'S GOOOOOO!!!!

 

WHO-Fing-DEY!!!!

 

 

 

 

[MichaelWeston]

Assuming he makes it to 55.

I thought you meant Dansby to the 55 man roster and I was totally confused....I agree on Smith in the second. 

[SocalBengalEd]

Smith round 1?

[Jupiter Fan]

Awesome comeback! Limited to +1.

I'm indifferent at this point. With any FA, it could swing either way. But I'd settle for solid. How is his locker room/mentor possibilities?

 

I can't speak of his time in the factory of sadness, but he was more than solid as a locker room guy in Miami.

[Steve4192]

Not true at all. It allows us to draft a guy like Jaylon Smith who won't play this year or a late rounder with high upside and have the player develop. 

They could draft Smith or that late-round project regardless of whether or not they signed Dansby.

[JC]

One they could stash on PS, yeah.  Otherwise there probably just isn't room unless they release Hawk.  Mays probably makes the team as a hybrid guy/special teams player so Shawn Williams isn't playing special teams anymore.  Then at safety you have Smith, George, Mays, Williams, and I would assume a draft pick or free agent so Mays isn't playing any snaps.  Already have four linebackers outside of #55 that you can't cut.  I suppose you could go light elsewhere, but linebacker is probably going to be a day 3 pick at most.

[SocalBengalEd]

All I know the Bengals had one of the worst linebacking units in the league last year.   So we need more than just Dansby if that ever happens. 

[oldschooler]

Karlos Dansby will put his numbers up with anyone's in NFL history

When it comes to tackles and the "20-40 club," Karlos Dansby is only eight shy of Brian Urlacher, whom he should pass next season. Jake Roth/USA TODAY Sports

Jan 27, 2016

• 
  Pat McManamonESPN Staff Writer

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Ponder some numbers for two players, both at the same position.

Player A played 13 seasons, had 1,229 tackles, 41.5 sacks and 22 interceptions, two returned for a touchdown. He went to eight Pro Bowls, four times was named first team All-Pro and once was named defensive player of the year.

In 12 seasons, Player B has 1,208 tackles, 41 sacks and 19 interceptions, six returned for a touchdown. He has not been to a single Pro Bowl and has never been first team All-Pro.

One other fact: If Player B gets one more interception, he becomes the fifth linebacker in the history of the league to have 40 sacks and 20 interceptions. And if he returns it for a touchdown he will have more touchdown returns than any linebacker ever (and as many TD returns as safety Ed Reed).

Player A is Brian Urlacher, considered one of the best middle linebackers in recent times and a future Hall of Famer.

Player B is confused, befuddled, perplexed and upset.
 He also plays for theCleveland Browns.

"I don't understand what it takes to, I guess, be nominated to be a Pro Bowler or an All-Pro; I guess that's the right language," Karlos Dansby said this week. "My body of work speaks for itself. Now I'm embarking on a journey that only four men in the many years of football have been able to do.

"It's a blessing to be named with those men, but for them to be retired and I'm still playing -- that says a lot."

Exclusive company

Where does Karlos Dansby rank in the "20-40 club" (LBs with 20 INTs and 40 sacks)?

PLAYER	YEARS	SACKS	INTS	INT FOR TD	TACKLES
* tackle total unofficial courtesy of profootballreference.com
Brian Urlacher	13	41.5	22	2	229
Seth Joyner	13	52	24	2	1,056*
Ray Lewis	17	41.5	31	3	1,562
Wilber Marshall	12	45	23	3	1,020*
Karlos Dansby	12	41	19	6	1,208
Others of note:
Junior Seau	20	56.5	18	0	1,522*
Cornelius Bennett	14	71.5	7	1	1,048*
Derrick Brooks	11	20.5	12	2	732*

That journey would be to join what Dansby calls the "20-40 club" -- linebackers with 20 career interceptions and 40 sacks. Urlacher, Seth Joyner, Ray Lewis and Wilber Marshall are the only four NFL players in that club. Dansby is one interception away.

That's an element of pride for Dansby, who discussed his frustration at not being recognized in the vote by fans, coaches and players (one-third each) for the Pro Bowls and the media vote guided by The Associated Press for All-Pro. He couldn't explain it, and he didn't understand it. It was a discussion about perceptions, why some players are perceived certain ways and others not. It was about production. And it was about respect. At this point in his career, wouldn't he have earned one stinking Pro-Bowl nod?

The more Dansby talked, the more compelling his case became and the more sense he made.

When it comes to tackles and the "20-40 club," Dansby is 333 shy of Lewis, but only eight shy of Urlacher, whom he should pass next season. He has more than Joyner and Marshall.

Does this mean Dansby is better than Urlacher or Lewis? That's not his argument. His argument is that he doesn't understand what he has to do to be mentioned as one of the better linebackers in the league.

"You can't say I don't make plays, because my numbers say it," Dansby said.

His unashamed goal is to make the Hall of Fame (he does not lack for confidence). Some would say that is not realistic. But ProFootballReference.com rates players' careers and compares them to other players at the same position. Two of the players with careers comparable to Dansby's are in the Hall: Dave Robinson of Green Bay and Andre Tippett of New England.

Dansby hears that some say he has not been dominant. But in 2013 he was in the discussion for defensive player of the year when he had 135 tackles, 6.5 sacks and four interceptions (two returned for TDs) playing middle linebacker for Arizona.

He also points to consistency.

In his career, he has played the Will (weakside), Sam (strongside) and Mike (middle) linebacker spots. He had at least 100 tackles in eight of the past 10 seasons, missing 100 only when he missed games to injury. In 2012 in Miami he had 133 tackles playing with a torn bicep. From 2005 to 2010 he forced 14 fumbles.

In Arizona in a playoff win against Green Bay following the 2009 season, Dansby started the game by tipping an Aaron Rodgers throw that was intercepted, and then forced a Rodgers fumble. He ended it returning a Rodgers fumble for a touchdown.

This past season, he felt he was on track after the first few games for 140 to 160 tackles. But when the Browns had trouble covering the tight end early, coordinator Jim O'Neil went to Dansby and asked him to play man on the tight end on passing downs. The former safety at Auburn agreed.

He doesn't know what more he has to do to have his contributions acknowledged.

"How is it possible that I can have the same numbers and not have the same accolades?" he said. "That's what baffles me. But it's motivation in the same breath.

"That's what drives me to continue to play the game the way I play the game and respect the game the way I respect the game."

 

Dansby isn't noticed for big hits, demonstrative celebrations or long flowing hair. He focuses on preparation and detail. He calls it the game within the game, which he says all must respect.

"I'm trying to do something that only four guys have done in 50 years of football," Dansby said. "Don't disrespect these four guys who are in this class of elite players. Not recognizing what I do, that's disrespecting all four of them.

"I respect these four guys who have been able to do this thing because I know how hard it is. For me to set that goal and hit it, I'm so close to it, I've got to go get it.

"I can't give up now."

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-browns/post/_/id/17771/karlos-dansby-wonders-why-his-play-doesnt-merit-more-recognition

[Steve4192]

One they could stash on PS, yeah.  Otherwise there probably just isn't room unless they release Hawk.  Mays probably makes the team as a hybrid guy/special teams player so Shawn Williams isn't playing special teams anymore.  Then at safety you have Smith, George, Mays, Williams, and I would assume a draft pick or free agent so Mays isn't playing any snaps.  Already have four linebackers outside of #55 that you can't cut.  I suppose you could go light elsewhere, but linebacker is probably going to be a day 3 pick at most.

Burfict is the only guy they can't cut.  Maualuga, Dansby and Rey are probably safe (in that order), but none of them are irreplaceable, and replaceable veterans get cut all the time in the NFL.  Dawson is also probably safe, assuming he performs up to expectations, but if he doesn't he could find himself on the Dontay Moch express out of town.  The rest of the LB roster is on the bubble and it would be no surprise to see any of them sent packing.

[JC]

It's just not how they operate.  Even Moch got a few seasons before they cut ties.  Dawson is actually a football player. He's not going anywhere.  Even if those three aren't irreplaceable, there isn't anything better on the market. Whomever takes that last linebacker spot is going to be someone they feel comfortable enough to come in and play special teams for a few weeks until they're dropped to PS.  Unless something catastrophically crazy like Jack fell to 24 or Lee/Ragland to 55. I just don't see it. 

[Jason]

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Coley HarveyVerified account‏@ColeyHarvey

#Bengals officially announced Karlos Dansby's signing Wednesday,

[Dautcom08]

FYI Bengals have made it official per their Twitter handle:

@‌Bengals: NEWS: #Bengals sign LB Karlos Dansby

So today was the day, not yesterday.