Miller out for the Year.

[Bengals1]

Is anybody here really surprised?

The Bengals put their second middle linebacker on season-ending injured reserve in as many weeks Tuesday when Caleb Miller was put down with the back problem that has sidelined him since Sept. 23.

They replaced him on the roster with third-year linebacker Roy Manning, a third-year player making his fifth NFL stop. The Bengals picked up the 6-2, 245-pound Manning on waivers after the Jaguars released him to make room for defensive tackle Marcus Stroud.

The Bengals are trying to add some youth to the backer spot so the regulars can get off the field on special teams. Miller becomes the fifth starting backer declared out for the season, joining David Pollack, Odell Thurman, Lemar Marshall and Ahmad Books.

Miller's future with the Bengals is in doubt as he heads into free agency after three of his four seasons have been marred by injury. A third-round pick in 2004, Miller missed mine games in 2005 after suffering injuries to both ankles during his rookie year. When healthy last year, he played in every game and in two of his seven starts he had a 16-tackle game against New Orleans and a 15-tackle game against the Patriots

Manning, a college free agent out of Michigan, played 15 games with the Packers in 2005 and played in one game with Houston in 2006 before ending the season on Buffalo's roster.

He opened '07 with Buffalo and went to Jacksonville during the preseason. at Manning had a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Jaguars' preseason finale against Washington. He was re-signed by Jacksonville last week, and was inactive for the Jaguars' game last Sunday at Tennessee.

Manning played in Green Bay and Jacksonville for a coach the Bengals respect in former defensive coordinator Mark Duffner.

[HairOnFire]

It's hard to judge how much of a role any of the latest signings will have next season, if any, but if players like Manning and Mays manage to stick around the Bengals may benefit greatly from the experience those players are now getting playing on special teams.

[volcom69]

Sure u never know what u will get from these youngs guys but they may turn out to be a suprise so i guess we wont know till we see them play.

[BengalByTheBay]

It's hard to judge how much of a role any of the latest signings will have next season, if any, but if players like Manning and Mays manage to stick around the Bengals may benefit greatly from the experience those players are now getting playing on special teams.

Consequently, I'm beginning to feel this may be farewell for Miller.

[jjakq27]

It's hard to judge how much of a role any of the latest signings will have next season, if any, but if players like Manning and Mays manage to stick around the Bengals may benefit greatly from the experience those players are now getting playing on special teams.

Consequently, I'm beginning to feel this may be farewell for Miller.

Yep. Too light to stay around for very long. The guy has heart but can't seem to withstand the punishment.

If it ends up being goodbye I will always have fond memories of his photo on the Sports Illustrated cover last year where he levels Hines Ward.

[Ox]

If it ends up being goodbye I will always have fond memories of his photo on the Sports Illustrated cover last year where he levels Hines Ward.

Thus being the only real contribution of consequence I can remember from Caleb.

[jjakq27]

A fringe benefit for Mr. Miller is that I believe he is the son-in-law of restauranteur Jeff Ruby. Can he be following in the footsteps of Dave Shula and headed to the steak business?

Our boy Shula may have to change his name to Ruby's Steakhouse instead.

[Bengals1]

I don't mean to sound cold but if this hastens his exit from the team I'm all for it.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

A fringe benefit for Mr. Miller is that I believe he is the son-in-law of restauranteur Jeff Ruby. Can he be following in the footsteps of Dave Shula and headed to the steak business?

Our boy Shula may have to change his name to Ruby's Steakhouse instead.

Never. Frodo is merely a notch in my walking stick. Maybe they'll name a budget steak after him.

His unfortunate downfall, was being asked to start way too many games here. He played too much. I think they just need to find someone more durable and preferably with more upside. I'm sure he'll catch on in another town if we don't see him again.

[kingwilly]

A fringe benefit for Mr. Miller is that I believe he is the son-in-law of restauranteur Jeff Ruby. Can he be following in the footsteps of Dave Shula and headed to the steak business?

Our boy Shula may have to change his name to Ruby's Steakhouse instead.

Never. Frodo is merely a notch in my walking stick. Maybe they'll name a budget steak after him.

His unfortunate downfall, was being asked to start way too many games here. He played too much. I think they just need to find someone more durable and preferably with more upside. I'm sure he'll catch on in another town if we don't see him again.

uh...huh-whu?

Start too much? Play too much....

God forbid they actually have the NERVE to ask a professional linebacker to, aghast, start some games ?

Mr. Miller will not be re-signed. He may, MAY, get picked up by a Texans or a San Fran but could end up out of the league as a known injury risk.

[Spor_tees]

Well I guess Hartwell must have really let himself go once he was released. Either that or Mike Brown doesn't want to have to pay out more money to a vet versus what he will have to pay Manning. I think this also signals that they coaches and management has given up on the season. Teams like the Colts are going out and signing Simeon Rice...the Bengals are signing Cory Mays, Roy Manning, Cooper Wallace, Marcus Maxwell....other than Cory Mays, I have never heard of any of these guys. Quite sad really

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Consequently, I'm beginning to feel this may be farewell for Miller.

I would say getting blown out of the hole on every running play when he *was* playing was farewell for Miller. Guy just sucked, didn't have the size or strength for LB.

[The PatternMaster]

Simeon Rice has been washed up for a couple of years now, that's why Gaines Adams was drafted and that's why the Broncos cut him even though their defense is bad. Rice is a name player still getting paychecks based on past performances. He's not an every down player and at Indy I can see him having some success on the turf rushing the passer, that's about it. He can't hold up vs. the run and he's lost a step, Rice is good but at this point he's not better than our starters.

[agreen_112]

It's hard to judge how much of a role any of the latest signings will have next season, if any, but if players like Manning and Mays manage to stick around the Bengals may benefit greatly from the experience those players are now getting playing on special teams.

Consequently, I'm beginning to feel this may be farewell for Miller.

You have to agree that it's been a looooooong time coming.

[Bengals1]

Consequently, I'm beginning to feel this may be farewell for Miller.

I would say getting blown out of the hole on every running play when he *was* playing was farewell for Miller. Guy just sucked, didn't have the size or strength for LB.

Yet we drafted him anyways.....Hmmmm.....

[Spor_tees]

Consequently, I'm beginning to feel this may be farewell for Miller.

I would say getting blown out of the hole on every running play when he *was* playing was farewell for Miller. Guy just sucked, didn't have the size or strength for LB.

Yet we drafted him anyways.....Hmmmm.....

The Bengals drafted him because they saw his speed and he came from Arkansas in the SEC. He was productive in college and had good combine numbers. Problem is he couldn't bulk up in the pros and keep his speed. Work ethic problem? Or did the scouting department just misjudge his body structure? I'm guessing a combination of the two. His lack of size has allowed offensive lineman and fullbacks to gobble him up and drive him away from the play. He plays special teams well at times simply because he gets a running start. It's a shame that the Bengals didn't realize earlier that he just didn't have the right body structure to be a good NFL linebacker. If they would have taken advantage of his speed from the beginning, maybe they could have made him a strong safety and still got his special teams production.

[HairOnFire]

Consequently, I'm beginning to feel this may be farewell for Miller.

I would say getting blown out of the hole on every running play when he *was* playing was farewell for Miller. Guy just sucked, didn't have the size or strength for LB.

Yet we drafted him anyways.....Hmmmm.....

Immediately after Lewis was hired Miller wasn't the only defender the Bengals added who was too light in the pants. In Marvin's first seasons here the Bengals got smaller on the interior D-Line, smaller at LDE, and dramatically smaller at linebacker. He also did away with the traditional SS role, prefering interchangable safeties that could also play CB in a pinch. Gone too was a traditional Dick LeBeau staple, the hybrid SS/OLB. The result was a starting defense whose combined weight was 150-180 pounds lighter. Size was sacrificed in the name of speed.

Fast forward to today and examine this teams LB corp, scanning the laundry list of intended starters, intended backups, desperation replacements, and recent waiver wire warriors and you'll quickly come to one conclusion. That being, gone are the days of the 220 lb. linebacker. In fact, almost every LB added in recent years has been oversized, from starters to backups to role playing special teamers.