Bennett Signs With Tampa

[HoosierCat]

bengals.com...

BENNETT HEADS TO TAMPA: WTVT-FOX 13 reported Thursday that the Buccaneers have signed former Bengals running back Brandon Bennett to an undisclosed deal. Bennett, 31, ended his five years in Cincinnati as a solid special-teamer and backup who averaged 3.7 yards on 306 carries. He also leaves with some club records, such as most receiving yards in a game by a running back with 119 on just three catches against the Steelers in 1998, and the record for most yards off kick returns in a game with 228 on Nov. 10, 2002 against Baltimore that included a 94-yard touchdown.

[AGrizzlyBaer]

i dont think ill miss him, he kinda lost a step or two after he got injured in 2002

[Chad Johnson]

no big deal. weknew he was gone and maybe well give Curtis Keaton a call I WISH anyways

[HoosierCat]

I see 2 implications: one, since Bennett was the backup, we now have to draft a RB to back up Rudi. We may even consider someone on day 1 in case Rudi flops. Two, we now have a hole at kick returner.

[kevnz]

I see 2 implications: one, since Bennett was the backup, we now have to draft a RB to back up Rudi. We may even consider someone on day 1 in case Rudi flops. Two, we now have a hole at kick returner.

I think a RB was on the cards come draft day cause of Dillon anyway....

I think at Kick returner we'd look at putting Kenny Watson there, or maybe TJ can do that...his sorry roster space eating self has got to be good for something

[JBrooks]

First off, I say a fond farewell to Bennett. Don't get me wrong, he lost a step last year and it was certainly smart to not re-sign him...we have to look to the future. That said, I always thought Bennett was a great role player, solid clubhouse guy and someone who gave us some bright spots. Even though he was on the downslope last year, we wouldn't have seen our boys win that thriller against Pitt without his kick return.

A good guy, who knew his role, worked hard and had a good attitude. Thanks for the years, Bennett.

[halp]

bennett was excellent. a team player that was there for his teammates. a guy like that will be missed. however i think watson is the rb that will step up to #2. if we draft a back it will be late say round 6 or 7. good luck brandon; wish it were a...hole that just left.

[Kirkendall]

Man I forgot we had him. That just tells you how much I give a damn about an overrated, overpaid, third down back. But he was decent at kickoff returns; a position easily replaced.

[JBrooks]

Man I forgot we had him. That just tells you how much I give a damn about an overrated, overpaid, third down back. But he was decent at kickoff returns; a position easily replaced.

Overrated? I never even heard the guy talked about. He was a solid role player and he did his job. Far from fantastic. Not great, probably not even good. Solid role player. Every team has them and every team needs them.

I don't see how you can call him overrated, even overpaid.

And how can you say kick return is easily replaced?!?! That's a damn hard thing to do. Even "decent"ly.

[Kirkendall]

Man I forgot we had him.  That just tells you how much I give a damn about an overrated, overpaid, third down back.  But he was decent at kickoff returns; a position easily replaced.

Overrated? I never even heard the guy talked about. He was a solid role player and he did his job. Far from fantastic. Not great, probably not even good. Solid role player. Every team has them and every team needs them.

I don't see how you can call him overrated, even overpaid.

And how can you say kick return is easily replaced?!?! That's a damn hard thing to do. Even "decent"ly.

I believe Bennett made roughly $1 mil a year. It's more than Carl Powell and a little less than Duane Clemons (our sack leader). It's more than our center and full back.

Overrated - Because everyone thinks he solidifies a position that is used by both Dillon, Rudi Johnson, Jeremi or Herbert Goodman; thus entails a misconception of his worth. Bennett didn't even reach 400 yards total offense.

I wonder if there's a reason why Marvin never chased Bennett.

Then again, everyone talks about his return yards and anyone will have his production when the defense continuously allows touchdowns and field goals all game; anybody could get the yards he gained, hence a position easily replaced.

The position he played can be played by any rookie playing for minimum wage. Then again, I guess Marvin was thinking along the same lines.

[JBrooks]

Man I forgot we had him.  That just tells you how much I give a damn about an overrated, overpaid, third down back.  But he was decent at kickoff returns; a position easily replaced.

Overrated? I never even heard the guy talked about. He was a solid role player and he did his job. Far from fantastic. Not great, probably not even good. Solid role player. Every team has them and every team needs them.

I don't see how you can call him overrated, even overpaid.

And how can you say kick return is easily replaced?!?! That's a damn hard thing to do. Even "decent"ly.

I believe Bennett made roughly $1 mil a year. It's more than Carl Powell and a little less than Duane Clemons (our sack leader). It's more than our center and full back.

Overrated - Because everyone thinks he solidifies a position that is used by both Dillon, Rudi Johnson, Jeremi or Herbert Goodman; thus entails a misconception of his worth. Bennett didn't even reach 400 yards total offense.

I wonder if there's a reason why Marvin never chased Bennett.

Then again, everyone talks about his return yards and anyone will have his production when the defense continuously allows touchdowns and field goals all game; anybody could get the yards he gained, hence a position easily replaced.

The position he played can be played by any rookie playing for minimum wage. Then again, I guess Marvin was thinking along the same lines.

He was payed that much because there are minimums for each escalating year of veteran players. No doubt he should be gone this year, I said that near the top of this topic if you read that part and not just what you disagreed with, and I certainly agree that's why Marvin didn't chase him.

But he didn't cut him last year, either, so he was certainly worth something in Marvin's eyes. I'm just saying he wasn't overpaid last year. And overrated? Where are these ratings?

And you're certainly wrong about "anyone" having his production and the position AGAIN being easily replaced. That's a damn tough SKILL and speed position. No position is easily replaced. And while I won't be naive enough to say it's up there with trying to replace a QB, you're being very naive saying it's easy to replace.

[Kirkendall]

But he didn't cut him last year, either, so he was certainly worth something in Marvin's eyes. I'm just saying he wasn't overpaid last year. And overrated? Where are these ratings?

Well I'm sure cutting him would have had a salary cap hit, something we can't afford this year. As for the ratings, I'm not sure what you're looking for but paying someone close to a mil for a position mostly anybody can play is overrated.

And you're certainly wrong about "anyone" having his production and the position AGAIN being easily replaced. That's a damn tough SKILL and speed position.

You're right, it is tough and most people that can't handle special teams is usually not in the NFL. As for his production, he wasn't in the top 20 in kick average. Sure he was 8th in kick return yards but he was also 6th in total touches on returns; which means he's returning a ton of kickoff returns because the defense allows a lot of touchdowns and field goals.

No position is easily replaced. And while I won't be naive enough to say it's up there with trying to replace a QB, you're being very naive saying it's easy to replace.

OK, I guess you're trying to state that replacing a position in the NFL is tough; I agree. What I'm saying is that a kickoff return guy is the easiest of all skill positions. Other than Bennett and Dante Hall, without looking it up in Google or another search engine, whose the top 5 kickoff return guys in the NFL with at least 50 returns?

I think he's the most replacable on our team to replace.

[cover2]

Have you guys noticed....we have lost about half the team and signed two players.

How many running backs do we have signed....one and his name is Corey Dillion? Something has got to give!

This is starting to look like the twlight zone..........

[jditty47]

brandon bennett - good riddance. tah tah. arivaderchi. adios. gonzo!

[HoosierCat]

Have you guys noticed....we have lost about half the team and signed two players.

Quite true. On the other hand -- and just for the record I'm not including Bennett in this because he was a solid backup (emphasis on backup) -- does that not suggest that the Bengals had a crap load of, well, crap players? We haven't gone without a winning season since Gawd was a little boy by accident. I am concerned about how we don't seem to be getting much better, but let's face it: for a team 1 year removed from 2 wins, it's hard to get worse.

[chrishcovga]

Bennett, served us better as 3rd down back, than he did as a backup runner. Corey Dillon will be traded, but we must find a complete back to come in ,that can catch and run. I wouldn't be mad at all if a guy like Chris Perry from Michigan was drafted in round 2.

As for what Bennett did, We're supposively about to sign Patrick Johnson as a returner, Something that I think could come via the draft with guys like Derek Abney or Samie Parker in round 7.

There were other guys that we signed like Skip Hicks, and Goodman, but with Rudi,Kenny Watson,Jeremi Johnson and Charles Lynch or Chris Edmonds as the fullbacks, >Watson can become the 3rd down back and he has decent running skills, and can return as well.but a backup should be taken on day 1 to replace the caliber of Dillon in the backfield.

[jjakq27]

Just remember that Bennett was on the bubble last year at the end of camp. I think that ML kept him last year because he was a good lockerroom presence. But remember he played for BC and DL and I believe that by next season (2005) there will be less that 15 guys that were on the 2002 team. The weedeing out process is continuing as we speak.

[BengalszoneBilly]

The weeding out process is continuing as we speak.

Oh...It's not near over, not by a longshot! I think we will see the busiest time just before the draft!

[JBrooks]

No position is easily replaced. And while I won't be naive enough to say it's up there with trying to replace a QB, you're being very naive saying it's easy to replace.

OK, I guess you're trying to state that replacing a position in the NFL is tough; I agree. What I'm saying is that a kickoff return guy is the easiest of all skill positions. Other than Bennett and Dante Hall, without looking it up in Google or another search engine, whose the top 5 kickoff return guys in the NFL with at least 50 returns?

I think he's the most replacable on our team to replace.

I just can't agree that it's the easiest skill position to replace. None of them are easy. They're all different.

Look at great returners-Brian Mitchell, Eric Metcalf, Mell Gray, Desmond Howard, Dante Hall, Via Sikhahema (sp?)-These guys couldn't make it as every down players.

There's just special intangibles that go with the position.

I'm not down on the Bennett release. I agree with you, Josh, that he has to be gone, but you can't cut everybody you don't want every year, and last year, I think we needed him. We sure did against Pissburgh.