So, outside of Rey and Vontaze, the rest have 3 career starts between them? Hard to believe.

 

Take away Lawson and that is pretty much what they had last year, it is a position of need for the Bengals.

Joe Reedy ‏@joereedy

Lewis on if Maualuga would move to SAM: "I don't anticipate any change. I think things will be good the way they are."

 

Not so fast on the move to SAM

I saw that too and you beat me to posting it.

 

I have to say, I am very disappointed in this move by the Bengals.

:puke:

Zimmer = bad. How can he watch the Houston film & want this guy back?

 

Lewis = Worse! "I don't anticipate a change". I do, no playoffs. What a goof ball!

 

Brown & family = WORST! Just another in a long line of horrible decisions. No budget of any sort can afford a $9 million dollar mistake!

 

Being a fan and season ticket holder is exhausting. Every time I think they are turning the corner I am reminded of the incompetence!

Here is a good breakdown from Bengals.com:

 

With Maualuga in the fold, here's how the Bengals currently line up at backer:

 

Vontaze Burfict - 2nd year, 16 games, 14 starts: After playing MLB his whole life, took the league by storm with 174 tackles at WILL.

 

Brandon Joiner - First year, 0 games, 0 starts: Undrafted out of Arkansas State, missed his rookie year when he served jail time for an incident stemming from his freshman year at Texas A&M. In 2011 he was the Defensive Player of the Year in the Sun Belt Conference with 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss.

 

Emmanuel Lamur - 2nd year, 10 games, one start: A WLB who runs extremely well for his size of 6-4, 230 pounds. His one start came in the playoffs.

 

Rey Maualuga - 5th year, 60 games, 59 starts: Has started at both MLB and SAM.

 

Aaron Maybin - 5th year, 48 games, one start: In stints with the Jets and Bills, the former No. 1 pick has never played SAM regularly.

 

Dontay Moch – 2nd year, 0 games, 0 starts: The third-round pick in 2011 has been sidelined by frequent headaches, putting a screeching halt to his transition from college DE to SAM. He could end up moving back to DE if his headaches clear up.

 

Vincent Rey - 3rd year, 34 games, one start: A WLB who rarely plays from scrimmage and is a core special-teamer.

 

J.K. Schaffer - First year, 0 games, 0 starts; After signing as a free agent with Jacksonville out of the University of Cincinnati, he spent two weeks on the Tampa Bay practice squad at the beginning of the season before landing on his hometown (La Salle High) team's practice squad for the last eight games and playoffs. Projected as a guy that can possibly play all three spots, he was one of only four players to log 100 tackles in three seasons in Big East history.

 

This reads like an old time tragic comedy?? Especially a nice touch with Joiner who most recently spent a year in jail, but was Sun Belt Conference Defensive POY--Wow!!

I have to say, I am very disappointed in this move by the Bengals.

 

At first, I was okay with resigning him if he was moving back to SAM while also serving as a backup Mike if Burfict was injured. But keeping him starting at Mike AND paying him $3.5 million per year is a head-scratcher.

Joe Reedy ‏@joereedy

Lewis on if Maualuga would move to SAM: "I don't anticipate any change. I think things will be good the way they are."

 

Not so fast on the move to SAM

 

I saw that too and you beat me to posting it.

 

I have to say, I am very disappointed in this move by the Bengals.

 

Zimmer = bad. How can he watch the Houston film & want this guy back?

 

Lewis = Worse! "I don't anticipate a change". I do, no playoffs. What a goof ball!

 

Brown & family = WORST! Just another in a long line of horrible decisions. No budget of any sort can afford a $9 million dollar mistake!

 

Being a fan and season ticket holder is exhausting. Every time I think they are turning the corner I am reminded of the incompetence!

 

While I am not happy with it either. I am not completely sold on believing Marvin Lewis that he won't move Rey back to middle. One thing that Marvin has shown through the years is that he rarely ever talks about what moves they will make. Rey very easily could be back at Sam training camp. Or maybe his plan is for Rey to be the backup middle linebacker which makes what he said true. I think what they do in the draft and if they get Howard back will really dictate what they do with Rey.So no reason to get bent out of shape yet. If Rey does end up being the starting middle linebacker though, then yeah I am with everyone who hates that decision and questions it.