The Big Orange Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 The Bengals offensive line is stabilized again after center Rich Braham agreed to a two-year contract Friday. Agent Vern Sharbaugh confirmed a deal that, if completed, would make his client just the seventh player in team history to play at least 13 seasons in Cincinnati. Sharbaugh wouldn’t disclose details and the Bengals don’t confirm deals until the contract is signed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazkal Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 The poor doggy! Well thats good to hear,give us time to find out what one of our new young centers will take his place & what one to move to another linemen spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Orange Posted May 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 New article on bengals.com shows the competition in the different positions, starting with offensive line and wide receivers. It's cool to see it laid out like that...kinda sad actually to see that of the 13 receivers, 7 will be getting cut. I can't remember how many O lineman we keep, but I'm sure it's not 13.I like Braham's nastiness (he's not listed). He's the kind of guy that'll stick a thumb in your eye at the bottom of a pile...I like that...I'm glad he's on our side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazkal Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 Around 10 i think Ouch for the receivers 8 with only 1 spot available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 Definitely good to see Braham back. I'm sure the 2-year deal was done primarily so they could sweeten the signing bonus a bit; there was a note earlier on bengals.com saying there had been some "movement" on the bengals' part. So good to see they quit effing around and got it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 Loved the picture of Braham on the most official of websites. What a buckethead. Two-year deal, huh? I'll be curious to see how close it comes the the projections talked about earlier. (2+2+2) Nice to have this one done. Braham is hardly an elite center but he's solid when healthy and he plays with a mean streak that most of the players on the O-line lack. Which reminds me how much I loved the shot of him on the sidelines during the 1st Browns game where you see a crowd of people on the sideline staring up at the scoreboard as the replay was being shown, prompting the bucketheaded one to roar..."I just KILLED the linebacker!" I guess the the comfy chair can wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DontPushMe Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 This pretty much seals Wilkersons fate. He wont make the 53 man roster. Might be a practice squad guy, or IR. No way hes on the 53 man roster now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sox Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 Maybe,but if Wilkerson is healthy,I wouldn't be shocked if he makes the team.If he is indeed as talented as some say,and only slid in the draft because of injury concerns,who's to say he couldn't win the job outright?Pre-season will be interesting.I believe he either makes the team,or we lose him.No way will he pass waivers to be placed on the practice squad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalPappaw Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 I only hope that Braham isn't around for the end of his two year contract. I'd like to see one, or both, of those Centers to step forward and show us what a good Center can do for an OL and team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Orange Posted May 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 Pappaw, i think you're crazy in the head...if any of our young guys turn out the production Braham has year after year, I will wet myself in glee. They don't make 'em like Braham anymore...smart and nasty. In a couple of years when we no longer have Clemmons and Braham I fear we lose some of the nastiness that is so necessary on a team playing this physical of a game. My only hope is that Landon and Odell get some of that...and maybe Geathers, but I haven't seen it yet. I like Justin Smith in that respect as well. Am I the only fan of the Nasty men? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vman1186 Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 Ben Wilkerson will make the team, despite his health concerns if only because he'll get picked up by someone else otherwise. Remember the competition the Bengals had to sign him?Besides he's for real. Give him an year to develop and next year he'll be starting. If not at center, then at guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalPappaw Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 Pappaw, i think you're crazy in the head...if any of our young guys turn out the production Braham has year after year, I will wet myself in glee. They don't make 'em like Braham anymore...smart and nasty. In a couple of years when we no longer have Clemmons and Braham I fear we lose some of the nastiness that is so necessary on a team playing this physical of a game. My only hope is that Landon and Odell get some of that...and maybe Geathers, but I haven't seen it yet. I like Justin Smith in that respect as well. Am I the only fan of the Nasty men? It has been so long since we had a good center you wouldn't know one if he handed the ball to you.Braham has missed so many key blocks and is only around because he is our only option.He missed the block that got Ki Jana Carter's knee blown out -- Braham know our offense, but is NOT a good center -- he is serviceable and will get us to hopefully a good center.If we had gotten Jake Grove, you would have seen a truly good center.I am really hoping that one of our young centers develops into a good center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 Well we will certainly have some healthy competition for the 10 slots on the offense line.But I still think that, if he is healthy Wilkerson will make the team and that if he is not healthy he will be put on an injury list.There is no way that we put him on the ps without losing him to another team.In any case I am glad that we got Braham back.I would rather have him starting, at least at the beginning of the season, than either of the rookies ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Next_Big_Thing Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 Ding Dong, I'm betting on Larry Moore being gone!Sulfsted will go back to doing what he does best, working a real job until the Bengals have injuries and ask him to sign up again....Viera is gone, he didn't even make it through one minicamp without an injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 This pretty much seals Wilkersons fate. He wont make the 53 man roster. Might be a practice squad guy, or IR. No way hes on the 53 man roster now. IR for sure. I think the Bengals brass mentioned that he wasn't as far along as they thought he would be during the minicamp. THere is no need to rush this guy, especially with Guy-Check. I think Larry Moore should be worried though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazkal Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 We'd be crazy to let Ben Wilkerson go.Because as soon as we did another team would snatch him up he won't be around next year trying out for the team...I say we pick him up and depending on whos a better wilkerson or Ghiaciuc we should have the other one work as a guard / back up center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DontPushMe Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 Ben Wilkerson will make the team, despite his health concerns if only because he'll get picked up by someone else otherwise. Remember the competition the Bengals had to sign him?Besides he's for real. Give him an year to develop and next year he'll be starting. If not at center, then at guard. Starting next year at gaurd? I still think its too early to write off Steinbach, he had a bad year, but i dont think we should start looking for his replacement just yet.As for the people dissing Braham, you are crazy, he is our 2nd best O-linemen on the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 As for the people dissing Braham, you are crazy, he is our 2nd best O-linemen on the team. Yeah guys, don't be chumps. Instead, be more like DPM. You never hear a guy like him diss a productive player for no reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 Without being drawn into the side talks...bringing Braham back is a good thing. Let Ghuicac and Wilkerson go to school with the old professor at the middle of the line. Worst case, Guycheck beats Braham out and we have a quality back up.All 11 offensive players back. That's not a bad thing in ANY scenario. Continuity on offense for a change. I can't wait to see what that looks like this fall. Imagine being able to go beyond the basics in the offensive playbook for a change. Sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 This pretty much seals Wilkersons fate. He wont make the 53 man roster. Might be a practice squad guy, or IR. No way hes on the 53 man roster now.This pretty much seals up your reputation as one of the most dull-witted individuals I have ever encountered on any message board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 Ben Wilkerson will make the team, despite his health concerns if only because he'll get picked up by someone else otherwise. Remember the competition the Bengals had to sign him?Besides he's for real. Give him an year to develop and next year he'll be starting. If not at center, then at guard.Starting next year at gaurd? I still think its too early to write off Steinbach, he had a bad year, but i dont think we should start looking for his replacement just yet.As for the people dissing Braham, you are crazy, he is our 2nd best O-linemen on the team. I think Bobby Williams is more appropriate. Steinbach isn't going anywhere. I would imagine he will be one of the next guys that gets his contract redone or extended for cap purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...SPT02/505140390Saturday, May 14, 2005 Bengal offense draws full house Braham signing means all starters are returningBy Mark CurnutteEnquirer staff writer The signing of center Rich Braham to a two-year contract on Friday leaves the Bengals with all 11 starters from last season returning on what should be a high-scoring offense in 2005.Though Braham will face competition for the starting job, the 11-year veteran gives the team stability and experience at an important position, coach Marvin Lewis said."This is an important step in moving forward with our offensive plans for this season," Lewis said Friday in a statement. "Rich and (quarterback) Carson Palmer have a real comfort level with each other. Rich is a great team player and veteran influence."In addition to adding veteran center-guard Larry Moore, the Bengals drafted Eric Ghiaciuc from Central Michigan in the fourth round and signed Ben Wilkerson from LSU as a rookie free agent. Wilkerson's draft value dropped after he injured his knee on the last play of LSU's Oct. 30 game against Vanderbilt, but he was rated the top center coming out of college before he was hurt."I'm sure they're going to let the guys learn from Richie," said Vern Sharbaugh, Braham's agent. "And Richie, (in 2006) could be a quality backup at center and guard."Terms of the contract were not available Friday. Sharbaugh said neither his side nor the Bengals "got everything they wanted. It's a solid deal, though. When you're his age (34), you try to do solid deals. This is where he wants to finish his career, and it didn't make sense to try to move him."The Bengals acquired Braham off waivers from the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 18, 1994, his rookie season. He ranks second behind right tackle Willie Anderson on the Bengals' roster in career NFL starts with 125; Anderson has 136.Braham played left guard for the Bengals from 1996-98 before switching to center in 1999. He is on course to become just the 12th player in Bengals history to play 12 or more seasons with the team.Anderson and Braham are the most experienced players on an offensive line that will return its starters intact for a second consecutive season. Anderson, left tackle Levi Jones and right guard Bobbie Williams started all 16 games last year. Left guard Eric Steinbach started 15 and Braham 10.Braham had been an unrestricted free agent. He played in 10 games, all starts, in 2004 before suffering a slight fracture of a fibula Dec. 12 at New England.Braham was cleared by the team's medical staff and doctors in late April.In 2004, Braham helped Palmer, then a first-year starting quarterback, make calls and recognize defensive sets at the line of scrimmage.Braham becomes the third unrestricted free agent to re-sign with the Bengals, joining running back Rudi Johnson and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Johnson set single-season franchise records for rushing attempts (361) and yards (1,454) in 2004. Houshmandzadeh emerged as the team's No. 2 receiver, catching 73 passes, after Peter Warrick was lost for the season due to shin and knee injuries.Palmer, Johnson, Houshmandzadeh and two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson are all under contract with the Bengals through at least the 2008 season.The 2004 Bengals scored 374 points, their most in a single season since the 1989 team scored 404.The 2004 Bengals were 10th in the NFL in scoring with an average of 23.4 points a game, and could add Warrick and running back Chris Perry to their mix of talented skilled players.Warrick was limited to four games last season, and Perry played in just two because of a sports hernia and hamstring injuries.Returning startersWith the signing Friday of center Rich Braham to a two-year contract, the Bengals return all 11 starters on offense from last season. The Enquirer's projected lineup:Player Pos. Comment Chad Johnson WR 95 catches in 16 starts T.J. Houshmandzadeh WR Emerged as No. 2 receiver Willie Anderson RT Two-time Pro Bowler is team leader Bobbie Williams RG Made career-high 16 starts Rich Braham C Key to Carson Palmer's development Eric Steinbach LG Provides depth at tackle Levi Jones LT Started 44 consecutive games Carson Palmer QB Quick learner as first-year starter Reggie Kelly TE Rugged blocker for run, pass Rudi Johnson RB Record-setting first season as starter Jeremi Johnson FB Looks to be in best shape of career Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DontPushMe Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 I think Bobby Williams is more appropriate. Steinbach isn't going anywhere. I would imagine he will be one of the next guys that gets his contract redone or extended for cap purposes. Sometimes i wonder if you guys even watch the games! Bobbie Williams was much better then Steinbach last year. Bobbie Williams isnt going anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 I think Bobby Williams is more appropriate. Steinbach isn't going anywhere. I would imagine he will be one of the next guys that gets his contract redone or extended for cap purposes.Sometimes i wonder if you guys even watch the games! Bobbie Williams was much better then Steinbach last year. Bobbie Williams isnt going anywhere. Steinbach was hurt last year. As much time as you spend on here, I expect that you would be aware of that.Anybody can watch the games but you have to pay attention to more than just the score and what Rudi is doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshfan Posted May 14, 2005 Report Share Posted May 14, 2005 When healthy, our offensive line is very good... All 5 atarters are doing a good job. Bobbi Williams played very well last year after learning the system..He's a punishing runblocker and his technique is better in blocking schemes now.Steinbach could possibly make the probowl in the future.. Why would they want to let him go?The reserves will be Andrews, Guycheck, Koostra, Keift and Moore with Wilkerson on IR... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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