A.J. ejected

The Bengals cut linebacker A.J. Nicholson, just hours after his arraignment for domestic violence.

Under the CBA, teams can't cut a player for reasons other than on-field performance. The Bengals can make the argument that Nicholson wasn't going to make the team anyway (project seven linebackers: Brooks, Hartwell, Jeanty starting and L. Johnson, Miller, Frazier and Henderson backing up). But the timing is suspect. I can sympathize with the Bengals for wanting to jettison the guy, but they probably should have done it immediately after the last offseason training event. Doing it after Nicholson's last arrest and on the day of his arraignment lends credence to the notion that he was cut for his off field problems--I smell a grievance.

Of course, the joke in all this is that teams cut players all the time for off-field reasons. The CBA's prohibition doesn't actually keep teams from canning players, it just changes the way the game is played. Teams are careful about their public statements as for the reasons behind cutting a guy, and they are conscious of the timing of cuts as well. Here I suspect the Bengals felt they had to jettison the guy sooner rather than later for PR reasons, and felt that the fact that he scarcely played last year would provide this cover.

If I'm Nicholson's agent, I'd say that the timing suggests this was about A.J.'s latest arrest. I'd also point out that Nicholson (a fifth rounder in 2006) has more talent and a decent chance of beating out guys who were picked up as street free agents like Frazier and Henderson--and Henderson is changing positions from DE to OLB.

The wild card in the discussion of the Bengals linebacker depth chart is Odell Thurman, who could come of suspension this summer and compete at Will or Mike 'backer.

Safety Dance

So, who is making the Bengals roster at safety?

OK. It's not the most riveting question--it probably won't be the subject of debate on PTI this week. However, I'm curious, since the Bengals drafted not one, but two safeties last month. It's not unusual to double up on a position in the draft, but couldn't one of those picks gone to fortify the tight end or linebacker positions?

Fourth rounder Marvin White looks like a good pickup, he should be able to fill in immediately as a backup (probably the first backup at both strong and free safety). I'd also expect him to contribute on special teams. Seventh rounder Chinedium Ndukwe looks like a project at safety whose best chance of making the active roster is as a special teamer.

White and Nduke will fight for playing time behind starters Madieu Williams and Dexter Jackson. The club typically dresses five or six safeties each game, so that means the newcomers will be fighting incumbents John Busing, Ethan Kilmer and Heranda-Daze Jones. Jones and Busing are strictly special teams guys and Kilmer is a converted wideout entering his second year. I think White and Nduke should be an upgrade over the Busing and Jones combo, but how much of one? Enough to justify having two street free agents backing up starting tight end Reggie Kelly? We'll see.

Trimming the fat

So the Bengals cut DT Sam Adams. At least he has that lucrative partial ownership of the AFL-2 Cincinnati Jungle Kats to fall back on--so we know he won't go hungry. The macrobrew managed to play every game last year, but with questionable effectiveness due to a tweaked knee that was scoped this offseason.

Cutting Adams leave the Bengals with second year player Domata Peku and journeyman John Thornton as the likely starters at DT. Recent acquisitions Kendrick Allen and Michael Myers will fill in as backups--and late draft pick Matt Toeania could make some noise as well. In fact, given Allen's injury history, I think I'd give the early edge to Toenia. I suspect that one of the leading factors in the decision to cut Adams was the emergence of Peku as a rookie (his 44 tackles and 2.5 sacks were the best amongst the DTs).

Another big factor is Big Daddy syndrome. Former top pick Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson, another beefy DT, is known for shirking offseason training programs. This is pretty common amongst your veteran defensive tackles--you use an injury to keep out of offseason workouts and then just "play your way into shape" once games start. Right now, Big Daddy is refusing to report to the Denver Broncos (after being traded there by the Dolphins). I'll wager he changes his tune come August. He still gets paid, but avoids having to sweat off the pounds in the summer heat.

Adams, I think, is a similar case. Last year he never practiced with the team in the offseason, either due to injury or needing to get into shape (depending on who you ask). I think this frustrates the hell out of coaches. With Sam coming off the knee scope this year, I think Marvin read the writing on the wall and figured his veteran anchor would sandbag his way through the offseason again. Rather than put up with the distraction, he elected to cut Sam loose and see how Peku responds.

Nicholson arrested (again)

This is depressing. On the upside, if we can call it that, he is iffy to make the roster anyway (I'd project the starters as (strongside-middle-weakside) Jeanty-Brooks-Hartwell with Landon Johnson, Caleb Miller, as the backups at weak and middle and converted DE Eric Henderson backing up on the strongside. Toss in Andre Frazier as a special teams guy and that may be all your linebackers. Hopefully it shakes out this way and the Bengals can at least jettison this embarrassment.

Pimping ain't easy...

and it can cost you a roster spot.