THURMAN SIGNS!

[obrien775]

Agent: Thurman agrees

8-1-05, 8:55 p.m.

BY GEOFF HOBSON

GEORGETOWN. Ky. _ Rookie middle linebacker Odell Thurman reached a five-year deal with the Bengals Monday night and is expected here at Georgetown College for his first practice Tuesday afternoon, according to one of his agents.

The Bengals won’t comment until the contract is signed.

The signing of Thurman, a second-round pick out of Georgia, means that college teammate and first-rounder David Pollack is the only unsigned draft pick as the Bengals close in on Friday night’s intrasquad scrimmage.

The Bengals didn’t back down on their demand for a five-year deal in a stalemate that led Thurman to miss seven practices. But agent Safarrah Lawson said Thurman has a chance to make significant money in the fifth year with what is believed to be an escalators package.

“The team got what they wanted and we got the chance to do very well in the fifth year,” Lawson said.

Thurman probably has to work his way back into a starting spot now manned by last year’s incumbent Landon Johnson. After Thurman’s impressive work in the May and June camps in place of Johnson as he rehabbed from shoulder surgery, head coach Marvin Lewis made Thurman the starter. But Johnson, who led the Bengals in tackles last year as a rookie in 10 starts in the middle, got the job back this week after he was cleared and the shoulder has held up.

Or, they could move Johnson to Pollack’s spot and put Thurman in the middle right away.

The 6-0, 235-pound Thurman is considered the best inside backer to come out of the draft despite playing just two seasons at Georgia. His fierce, sideline-to-sideline energy and his big-time tackling abilities have earned him comparisons to former Bengals linebacker and current Bills Pro Bowler Takeo Spikes.

Now it's time to get it on.

[NJ29]

Agent: Thurman agrees

8-1-05, 8:55 p.m.

BY GEOFF HOBSON

GEORGETOWN. Ky. _ Rookie middle linebacker Odell Thurman reached a five-year deal with the Bengals Monday night and is expected here at Georgetown College for his first practice Tuesday afternoon, according to one of his agents.

The Bengals won’t comment until the contract is signed.

The signing of Thurman, a second-round pick out of Georgia, means that college teammate and first-rounder David Pollack is the only unsigned draft pick as the Bengals close in on Friday night’s intrasquad scrimmage.

The Bengals didn’t back down on their demand for a five-year deal in a stalemate that led Thurman to miss seven practices. But agent Safarrah Lawson said Thurman has a chance to make significant money in the fifth year with what is believed to be an escalators package.

“The team got what they wanted and we got the chance to do very well in the fifth year,” Lawson said.

Thurman probably has to work his way back into a starting spot now manned by last year’s incumbent Landon Johnson. After Thurman’s impressive work in the May and June camps in place of Johnson as he rehabbed from shoulder surgery, head coach Marvin Lewis made Thurman the starter. But Johnson, who led the Bengals in tackles last year as a rookie in 10 starts in the middle, got the job back this week after he was cleared and the shoulder has held up.

Or, they could move Johnson to Pollack’s spot and put Thurman in the middle right away.

The 6-0, 235-pound Thurman is considered the best inside backer to come out of the draft despite playing just two seasons at Georgia. His fierce, sideline-to-sideline energy and his big-time tackling abilities have earned him comparisons to former Bengals linebacker and current Bills Pro Bowler Takeo Spikes.

[BlainThePain]

This caught me by surprise because I figured Pollack would sign first and Odell would hold out for the majority of camp. Someone needs to make a camp report on this guy. I might make the drive down this week just for that purpose.

[Whur CHad At?]

Its about time :player:

[bengalsLB]

thank jesus

[rizzy]

It's about time.

I am heading down this weekend to camp. Hopefully DP will be signed by then too. I want to see both of them in the defense and see how they do. At least I can see OT for sure now.

[Stripes]

Very good news, now if only Pollack would follow suit! He needs practice more than anyone else.

[Whur CHad At?]

Yea we are being gay and trying to see how cheap of an offer we can offer Pollack by waiting for Erasmus James. WHY ARE WE SO CHEAP ahhhhh!!??@!?#@?#@$?

[R-U-D-I]

Thurman is more important than Pollock. Thurman will make an immediate impact, Pollack is going to take more time - even more now...

[membengal]

Good news. One down, one to go.

As always, this stuff plays itself out whether people worry themselves to death or not.

[bengalboomer7]

This plays out their rookie pool and I'm sure the Pollack deal is working on the fine points right now. Personally, I give the Bengals credit for having a plan and apparently firmly sticking to it in order to be financially stable in the future

However

If Pollack isn't in soon feel free to throw the crow in my face

[BengalsMan3203]

Thats what I like to see!

WHODEY!

[Bengals4Me]

I was betting that Pollack would sign before Thurman, but this is definitely good news. I agree with some of the earlier posts: Pollack needs the work/practice more urgently if he's going to make the transition, BUT Thurman is more likely to have an immediate impact on the D. He needs to work with the 1st team, but the skills and experience at ILB (at least at the major college level) are already there.

Pollack will eventually sign and I predict he'll end up as a situational player/pass rusher this year, not a 3-down LB.

[HairOnFire]

Personally, I give the Bengals credit for having a plan and apparently firmly sticking to it in order to be financially stable in the future

There it is.

Like I said previously, I had mixed feelings about this one. I really wanted that 5th year and I didn't mind a short holdout if that's what it took to get it done. So this one actually looks alot like the best case scenario.

[BlainThePain]

Does anyone know if Landon Johnson has put on any weight? If he put on about 10-15 pounds of muscle then he would make a very suitable candidate for the strong-side. Its what he played in college.

[HoosierCat]

Plain and simple: good news.

[AMC]

Merriman signed and he was supposed to be the long holdout....I just hope Pollack isn't the last 1st rounder to sign....

Ronnie Brown and Braylon Edwards might take awhile....

Hopefully Pollack will be in in the next few days....

[AMC]

Or, they could move Johnson to Pollack’s spot and put Thurman in the middle right away.

Thats the most logical short-term stop-gap....

[kybengalsfan]

Thurman's signing is great news. Frankly, I'm disappointed with Pollack. I thought he would remind his agent of who was working for whom, and get the deal done. Life, however, is full of disappointments.

[AMC]

I am annoyed that so many deals are getting done and we don't even hear a peep out of the Bengals and the possibility of even being close with Pollack...

You know Pollack is tearing his hair out....But like you said he needs to light the fire under his agent...

[Kazkal]

WOOHOOOO Come on pollack now!

[Kazkal]

Thurman's signing is great news. Frankly, I'm disappointed with Pollack. I thought he would remind his agent of who was working for whom, and get the deal done. Life, however, is full of disappointments.

who says he isen't he was calling his Defensive coordinate durring the holdout,don't you remember the article on him david isen't a very pantient person he's probbley dieing to get out on the field

[kentjett]

you can't complain about anything yet,we are signing our draft picks to contracts that are a year longer in every round,compared to last year.4th round pick w/ a four year,3rd round pick w/ a 4 year,2nd round pick w/ a five year.You have to give the bengals organization credit for finally realizing that the draft is the key.What you are doing is buying potential all pro players for a cheap price.We might get screwed on a couple of the picks but if a couple pan out you are securing a top player w/ a minimum price tag. This year is the most impressive year as far as handling draft picks. These little things that we're doing is what you need to do to get to the top and stay on the top.New england goes about the draft the same exact way,everybody signed quicker but they have already gained the respect of college players.If we keep handling business like we are,we will be there before you know it.I can go as far as betting a million dollars we win the super bowl in the next three years

[BlainThePain]

We signed Henry to a 5 year contract I think.

[DontTakeAkili]

If Landon is as healthy as advertised, Pollack might have a spot of trouble getting the reps with the first team defense, which he will sorely need learning a new position. With Simmons manning one OLB and Thurman anchoring the middle, L J can slide into his more natural (and more productive IMO) position of OLB.

I fear that this will stunt Pollack's growth into a LB, and I have heard from other Bengal fans hear in SE Ohio that are afraid of the same thing. This is something we REALLY don't need, and it's why I was rooting hard for Pollack to sign before Thurman.

Of course, having too much depth at linebacker is a great problem to worry about...