Some of the headlines concerning former Bengals picked up by other teams:

Lions Adding Physical Johnson (Detroit News) - The Lions on Monday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Rudi Johnson less than 48 hours after he was released by the Cincinnati Bengals. Johnson, who turns 29 on Oct. 1, fell out of favor last season in Cincinnati, where he'd established himself as one of the league's most durable and consistent runners.A powerful inside runner who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 225 pounds, he reportedly added more than 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason and vowed to make amends this season. But another hamstring injury in the first week of training camp kept him from playing in any of the Bengals' exhibition games. 

Patriots sign cornerback O'Neal (Boston Globe) - After cutting 10-year veteran cornerback Fernando Bryant Saturday, the Patriots yesterday made an equally surprising move to shore up a soft spot on the 53-man roster by signing 31-year-old corner Deltha O'Neal, a nine-year veteran and two-time Pro Bowler who was released by the Bengals.

Niners LB tries to play nice (San Francisco Chroncile) - He said his agent told him the 49ers were talking with the Bengals about a trade for him last week, but the teams couldn't agree on a deal. It took awhile, but Ahmad Brooks is finally a 49er. He went through his first practice with them Monday and, with the season opener five days away, is taking a crash course in their terminology from linebackers coach Mike Singletary.

Bears talk to free-agent tackle (Chicago Tribune) - The Bears have had contact with free-agent tackle  Willie Anderson, but the chances of the veteran joining the Bears are slim to none, according to an NFL source.Anderson signed a five-year contract extension in 2005 reportedly worth $32 million. Money is part of the reason he doesn't fit into the Bears' plans despite the team's need for help on the offensive line. Profootball.com cited three teams as finalists for Anderson: the Bears, Ravens and Chargers. 

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It wasn't a surprise, but it was bold. On Saturday it was cut day around the NFL and Bengals' veterans Rudi Johnson, Willie Anderson, and Deltha O'Neal were amongst the casualalties. Three former Pro Bowlers gone with one blink of the eye.

Other notable Bengals' cuts include: LB Ahmad Brooks, QB Jeff Rowe, S John Bushing, C Dan Santucci

Rowe's departure means that Jordan Palmer will start the year as the team's third-string quarterback. According to the Elias Sports Bureau the only other brother quarterback tandem to play on the same team in the Super Bowl era is Ty and Koy Detmer for the 1997 Eagles. And Koy was on injured reserve while both Palmers are active.

"Obviously the play fell off in '07, and we just haven't seen a lot of change thus far this year," said head coach Marvin Lewis in a late afternoon news conference. "It's a hard decision to make." 

Other moves of interest:

CUTS
QB Chris Simms (TB)
QB Joey Harrington (ATL)
WR Ashley Lelie (SF)
QB Brooks Bollinger (MIN)
TE Marcus Pollard (MIN)
DT Monte Reagor (PHI)
QB Quinn Gray (IND)

INJURED RESERVE
RB Chris Brown (HOU)
QB Charlie Batch (PIT)

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Signing defensive tackle Domata Peko to a five-year contract extension through 2014 might be the best move the Bengals made during the offseason. The run stuffer does a great job providing all important pressure up the middle on passing downs, especially for a team that offers little from their rush ends.  With Peko, Robert Geathers and Antwan Odom signed to long-term deals, the Bengals defensive line is solid even if they don't put up big sack numbers.  

Bengals beat writer Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News sees a big difference in the new regime.

"It has adopted a tougher, more aggressive, in-your-face philosophy and mentality under new coordinator Mike Zimmer and new linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald in an attempt to improve on its No. 27 overall ranking," Ludwig wrote on his blog.

"The unit definitely needs to be more stout at the point of attack because it’ll play 13 games against returning 1,000-yard rushers this fall."

Here's Chick's projected opening line-up on defense:

LE — Robert Geathers, Jonathan Fanene

LDT — Domata Peko, Jason Shirley

RDT — John Thornton, Pat Sims

RE — Antwan Odom, Frostee Rucker

SLB — Rashad Jeanty, Ahmad Brooks

MLB — Dhani Jones, Jim Maxwell

WLB — Keith Rivers, Brandon Johnson

LCB — Johnathan Joseph, Deltha O’Neal

RCB — Leon Hall, David Jones

SS — Chinedum Ndukwe, Dexter Jackson

FS — Marvin White, Corey Lynch

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Just weeks after being reinstated from a two-year absence by the NFL, Odell Thurman was relased by the Bengals on Monday.  Thurman went back home to Georgia on May 12 to attend his grandmother's funeral and had not returned to town before the Bengals cut the ax. At this point it is not clear why the Bengals made the move now, just months before Thurman finally returns to the field, but the team is making it clear that they are no longer tolerating anything less than a professional effort.

Geoff Hobson wrote on the team's website that "Thurman didn't return to Cincinnati for workouts last week and apparently wasn't back Monday. Indications are that the Bengals weren't pleased with his attendance in the offseason workout program that also includes the installation of a new defense with a new linebackers coach."

"The NFL provided Odell the opportunity to earn his way back onto our team, but we have not seen the right steps taken by him," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "With our offseason work in progress and new talent added at our linebacker position, we've determined it's best to keep moving in a direction that does not include Odell.""The NFL provided Odell the opportunity to earn his way back onto our team, but we have not seen the right steps taken by him," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told ESPN.com. "With our offseason work in progress and new talent added at our linebacker position, we've determined it's best to keep moving in a direction that does not include Odell."

Despite missing much of his rookie training camp because of a protracted contract impasse, Thurman appeared in 15 games in 2005, all as a starter, and registered 148 tackles, one sack, five interceptions, nine passes defensed and four forced fumbles. The former Georgia star and second-round draft pick was a candidate for defensive rookie of the year honors.

Thurman had two years left on his original rookie contract with the Bengals. The deal would have paid him $520,000 in 2008 and $615,000 in 2009. He lost $785,000 in salary during his two-year suspension.

Hobson also speculates that the Bengals "are set to line up with Dhani Jones in the middle, but it has never been his primary position during eight NFL seasons. Ahmad Brooks has just been switched from the middle to SAM backer. Corey Mays, a third-year player with 20 NFL games who made one start at SAM last season, may also be able to play the middle."

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