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Your new starting WLB is - Burfict


TJJackson

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They probably thought about putting Rey back outside, but they put on the tape of that experiment and realized he sucked at that even more. They really need to figure out what his issue is. They say he's smart enough to call the defense and yet he doesn't appear to understand a d*mn thing once the play starts.

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I felt it coming, just not this soon.

I felt it coming the minute they signed him. And like I said then, I just hope he doesn't implode on us.

It will be interesting to see how he works out at WILL. He showed some coverage chops in preseason but the CW says he doesn't have the speed/quicks for the position. But he does seem fired up and excited about the spot and believes it will give him more freedom to play. I hope he's right.

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  • 1 month later...

Howard update in the paper today.

Q: Six weeks after knee surgery, how are you feeling?

HOWARD: Better. Rehab sucks. There’s no doubt about that. You’d rather be out there playing. It sucks. It really does. Unless you’ve experienced it, you wouldn’t really know. I’ve seen guys who are hurt before and you’re like, ‘Man, get better. We miss you out there.’ But you don’t really know what’s going on mentally until you go through it.

Q: Is there a timetable for your recovery?

HOWARD: I’m just going to continue to build strength in this quad and get all of the flexibility back in it. It’s about 80 percent, 85 percent there. So then once that comes then we’ll kind of move forward to the next one. Of course, I have my own personal goals that I’ll kind of keep to myself. But other than that, we’re just working at it. Just grinding. That’s all you can really do.


/>http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20121120/SPT02/311200021/Five-questions-Thomas-Howard?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|

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The Bengals are going to only have like 3 or 4 LBers under contract after the season. Talk about some major turnover.

If one ISN'T Maualuga, I will be happy.

I think he comes back though, much to my dismay.

I thought he was going to be a beast when we drafted him, but I was obviously high at that time.

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The Bengals are going to only have like 3 or 4 LBers under contract after the season. Talk about some major turnover.

If one ISN'T Maualuga, I will be happy.

I think he comes back though, much to my dismay.

I thought he was going to be a beast when we drafted him, but I was obviously high at that time.

Well part of his problem was he was under LBer coach Fitzgerald for part of his career. He wasn't the first Bengals' LBer to be ruined by him.

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Maualuga has been so bad this year that I don't think he draws any serious FA interest. So I wouldn't be surprised if he sticks around, at least for camp & preseason, with the staff hoping to salvage something. But based on some his comments earlier this year, I'm not sure he really gives much of a sh*t about playing football anymore.

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Paul Guenther is the Linebackers coach and I think he was put in over his head. He has too many problems to fix. Until some new guys are brought in that he can mold from a fresh perspective, I'll reserve judgement.

I suppose. LB has been such a black hole for so long, I guess it has to turn around eventually, right? Just to review:

Kevin Hardy

Nate Webster

David Pollack

Odell Thurman

Ahmad Brooks

Brian Simmons

Anthony Schlegel

Caleb Miller

Landon Johnson

Rashad Jeanty

Keith Rivers

Dhani Jones

Brandon Johnson

Thomas Howard

Manny Lawson

Rey Maualuga

Vontaze Burfict

And that's just the highlights (or lowlights, if you will). It doesn't even get into the Riall Johnsons and Hannibal Navies and Dan Skutas and lord knows who else has rolled through the squad since Marvin came.

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I put a large portion of the LB's struggles on the DL. This does NOT mean I am of the mind that Rey-Rey has played well.

They have had injuries to Sims and Dunlap. They lost Fanaene and Rucker (this is a lesser issue but contributes). Sims' return seems to have given them a real shot in the arm, especially on run plays. No matter how bad ass Geno is, he's only one player.

They still have Geathers, who is barely an average player. And then you have some rookies in Still and Thompson. Michael Johnson is hot/cold, still, so thats another point.

That is not a recipe for the LBs to excel.

Also, the composure of the group changed with the injury to Howard and sub-par play of Lawson. Thankfully, Burfict has emerged and played far better than anyone had hoped.

They are playing better, beating the Giants helped them become more cohesive, in my mind.

I think Howard will return but Lawson will be gone, and they need to look anywhere/everywhere for another impact LB.

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