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'I was blind-sided"


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'I was blind-sided,' Anderson says

By Mark Curnutte • mcurnutte@enquirer.comu • August 30, 2008

The Bengals have released two long-time starters on offense, tailback Rudi Johnson and right tackle Willie Anderson.

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Anderson, entering his 13th season, told The Enquirer of his release.

“They wanted me to take a pay cut,” he said. “I wouldn’t do it.”

Peter Schaffer, Johnson’s agent, confirmed the termination of Johnson’s contract via text message.

• See all of today's 22 cuts

Anderson lost his starting job this offseason to Stacy Andrews. He was due to make a base salary of $3.15 million this season. The Bengals paid him a $2 million roster bonus Jan. 15.

Johnson, slowed by a hamstring injury in the preseason, had been the subject of trade rumors for the past week. He did not play in any of the four preseason games, including Thursday night at Indianapolis, when he said he was healthy enough to see action. He was in uniform and on the sideline after warming up.

Johnson missed five games in 2007 with a hamstring injury. He was due to make a base salary of $3.2 million in 2008.

The Bengals now appear set to go with Chris Perry as their starting tailback, with Kenny Watson and DeDe Dorsey backing him up.

Said Anderson, “I pretty much knew they would do it. I just didn’t know it would go down like this. I was blind-sided. They were forcing me to make a decision in 24 hours.”

Anderson said he made a counter-offer to the Bengals but they refused it.

As of 3:15 this afternoon, Anderson had yet to hear from another team.

“If I continue to go on (with another team), I will,” Anderson said. “If not, I would be to go show the people who doubted me that I can still play.”

The Bengals are paying Andrews a $7.455 million one-year salary as the club’s franchise player.

Anderson’s minimum salary would be $830,000. For Johnson, an eighth-year player, the league minimum is $730,000.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../308300056/1066

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My prediction: we'll see Big Willie in Pittsburgh. They have serious needs on the OL.

Or....he will end up with a team who took a ORT high in the draft hoping he could start but now realizing the need to groom the player a bit longer, maybe mentor him - Willie would be the perfect fit in such a spot.

Rudi and Willie could end up both going to Denver or NYJ. Maybe even Houston.

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My prediction: we'll see Big Willie in Pittsburgh. They have serious needs on the OL.

Or....he will end up with a team who took a ORT high in the draft hoping he could start but now realizing the need to groom the player a bit longer, maybe mentor him - Willie would be the perfect fit in such a spot.

If Willie went to Pittsburgh that would be : Advantage Bengals!! Sorry TJ, but Willie has seriously declined the last couple of years with all the injuries and age catching up to him.. It was time to move on and be professional about it..
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As far as teams Willie might be welcomed to, Bears fans at DaBearz.com are salivating at the prospect of bolstering their line with a Pro Bowler!

It beats having him go to an AFC North team where we'd have to see him pissed off at us twice this season, and maybe next as well! :o

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Well, I can tell you at least one Bengal (and probably a lot more) isn't happy with yesterdays cuts. My dad lives next door to a Bengals player and when my dad asked him this morning what he thought of yesterday's cuts he said, "I don't know what this organization's doing."

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as long as we have Palmer behind center we always have a shot to make the playoffs. i think the organization as a whole has a good idea of the direction it is going to take to stay there.

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Well, I can tell you at least one Bengal (and probably a lot more) isn't happy with yesterdays cuts. My dad lives next door to <name deleted> and when my dad asked him this morning what he thought of yesterday's cuts he said, "I don't know what this organization's doing."

How about deleting the player's name asap so that he doesn't get slammed by the organization for saying such a thing?

Sure, it's true, the organization appears to have no clue what it is doing.

However, do you really want what you've written here to be dredged up by the organization and held against the player? I sure hope not.

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as long as we have Palmer behind center

You realize the center's nickname at this point is "the matador", right? and "Girl-chek"?

I doubt the all time greats would survive (much less succeed) behind this OL

Can you imagine how much heat the front office will take from the fans and media if the Bengals offense continues to stumble in the regular season by not protecting Palmer, or develop a running game!?! The release of these two veterans will immediately be thrown in their face!

Mike and Marvin have really rolled the dice here IMHO, and it could easily come up craps. Mike being the rich owner has nothing to lose. Cutting these players only put money back in his pocket. Marvin isn't so fortunate. It's been a long time since a banner emblazoned with "In Marvin We Trust" has flown at PBS. If this roll does indeed comes up snake eyes for Cincinnati by the team finishing in the cellar of AFC North, it's time to seriously consider drafting up some resignation papers.

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My prediction: we'll see Big Willie in Pittsburgh. They have serious needs on the OL.

Or....he will end up with a team who took a ORT high in the draft hoping he could start but now realizing the need to groom the player a bit longer, maybe mentor him - Willie would be the perfect fit in such a spot.

He's an instant upgrade for the Bears and the Falcons.

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The Bengals are just gutting and rebuilding

If this is true, I can only hope Palmer is still healthy and able to throw the ball after this alleged rebuilding may or may not come to pass. Cincinnati isn't known for quick overhauls of their team to playoff level. <_<

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Id take both and give em backup spots on our roster!

The Bengals are just gutting and rebuilding, IMO. They have lost a top lineman and their best RB. SO much for defences staying honest with the Bengals O.

The problem there is a good Personnel guy would've planned all of this to happen in stages after the 2005 season, and have had better drafts and more tough, smart decisions made (signing Levi, Williams and Willie at the same time, essentially, was incredibly stupid - along with Rudi, Chad, TJ and Palmer not very far behind that).

Re-sign guys when you "have" to, as part of a plan, not because a training camp cut free'd up some dough. The Bengals are freakin awful and always have been when it comes to personnel - and they refuse to try creatively out-sourcing it to someone they trust, as if they're in any danger of someone taking over their operation these days, this is not the Paul Brown 70's and 80's. Unless a GM can buy a majority of your stock, you have nothing to worry about.

Mike Brown is not hiring more people because he doesn't want to and thinks he can do it like he was brought up to do it. His father wanted to win, Mike wants to act like a spoiled child with a big toy. And he'll tell you he wants to win, if you believe him and buy some season tickets, and talk nice about him on the internets.

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As long as we have Palmer behind center we always have a shot to make the playoffs.

Jditty, I will agree that Palmer brings this for the organization, but holy sh*t me to tears, I'm sick to death of hearing that constantly when the organization (Mike Brown) seems to not really give a sh*t. It's almost like, since we have Carson, we should just be happy with that and if we don't make it to the big game, well at least we have Carson under center. I'm just sick of hearing crap from this organization. Sick...

WHODEY !!!

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Well, I can tell you at least one Bengal (and probably a lot more) isn't happy with yesterdays cuts. My dad lives next door to <name deleted> and when my dad asked him this morning what he thought of yesterday's cuts he said, "I don't know what this organization's doing."

How about deleting the player's name asap so that he doesn't get slammed by the organization for saying such a thing?

Sure, it's true, the organization appears to have no clue what it is doing.

However, do you really want what you've written here to be dredged up by the organization and held against the player? I sure hope not.

My bad, I wasn't thinking about that.

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