Lost in the hoopla surrounding the the Bengals' free agent quest for a receiver was the team reaching an agreement to brink back defensive tackle Tank Johnson. An injury caused him to start slowly in his first year in Cincinnati, but he really came on down the stretch. This move is a big one for the team and helps their defense big time.

Here's the official release...

The Bengals today re-signed DT Tank Johnson, who played 14 games with 13 starts last season, aiding Cincinnati's drive to the AFC North Division championship.

Johnson (6-3, 305; University of Washington) is a seventh-year NFL player in 2010. He played his first Bengals season in 2009, signing as an unrestricted free agent from Dallas, and he logged 39 tackles with two sacks. His one-year Cincinnati contract had expired, and he was again an unrestricted free agent prior to today's signing.

"Signing Tank now is a positive step for both him and the defensive team," said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. "He was a very consistent performer last season and was a big part of our improved run defense. He is a tough-minded man who is a great pro during the week and brings a great competitive attitude to the field on Sunday."

NFL cincinnati bengals, tank johnson, 2010 nfl offseason

The Cincinnati Bengals decided to pass on signing Terrell Owens today, and instead they went in a younger, possibly more risky direction. Antonio Bryant signed a four year, $28 million deal today, with incentives that could make the deal worth up to $29 million. There was a lot of speculation that the Bengals would sign Owens, especially with Chad Ochocinco pushing so hard for the organization to bring him here. The Bengals were also in talks of possibly pursuing Brandon Marshall from the Denver Broncos. Instead Mike Brown and the Bengals decided to go with Bryant, who comes by way of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Last year Bryant suffered a knee injury in training camp that limited him in action during the season. He finished 2009 with 39 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns. In 2008, however, Bryant set career highs with 83 catches for 1,248 yards and and seven scores. Bryant could be the guy they've been looking for to compliment Ochocinco on the outside. He will replace a disappointing Laveraneus Coles, who the Bengals released a short time ago.

With the signing of Bryant questions now arise as to what the Bengals will do with their first round pick in the draft. They have the 21st overall pick, a pick they would have had to trade away had they decided to pursue and sign Marshall. Its very likely that the team will go with Jermaine Gresham, a tight end out of Oklahoma. Gresham missed all of last season with the Sooners due to a knee injury. If he is fully recovered, there's a good chance he could be just the guy they've been looking for to fill the void at tight end. The Bengals thought they had that last year when they drafted Chase Coffman out of Missouri, but unfortunately he hasn't impressed and never saw the field last season. Gresham would provide the pass catching tight end the team so drastically needs.

There's also been a lot of buzz around Cincinnati saying the Bengals should try to get Cincinnati Bearcats' wideout, Mardy Gilyard if at all possible in the second round. Adding Mardy to the mix would make this offense insane! Gilyard would give Carson Palmer his down the field, breakaway threat. He would also boost the kick return game, something this team desperately needs! Its not likely that Gilyard will fall to the Bengals in the second round, but its not out of the question either. Nobody thought Rey Maualuga would fall as far as he did last year and the Bengals snatched him up in the second round. Its also very possible that the Bengals may take a chance and draft Gilyard in the first round, but that might be stretching it.

Regardless of what the Bengals do in the draft, the additions of Bryant and Matt Jones (picked up last month in free agency) have this offense taking shape as possibly being one of the most lethal in the NFL. Ochocinco, Bryant, Jones and Andre Caldwell should dramatically improve on the numbers put up by the 26th ranked passing attack from last year. And with Palmer at the helm and a solid running attack headed up by Cedric Benson, this Bengals team could be scary. They could be 2005 playoff team scary!

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After days of speculation, the Bengals have settled on a receiver to lineup opposite of Chad Ochocinco. ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that the team has signed 29-year old free agent Antonio Bryant.

Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the deal is worth $28 million over four years with incentives.

Bryant was hampered by knee injuries last year and strapped with playing with a rookie quarterback in Tampa Bay.  He played 13 games and had 39 receptions for 600 yards, an average of 15.4 yards per catch, with four touchdowns. In 2008, he enjoyed a career year with 83 receptions for 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns.

The move in all likelihood signifies that the Bengals will not sign Terrell Owens, who was in town on Wednesday visiting the team.

While I still a fan of going the Brandon Marshall route, but that would have required the team’s first round pick, No. 21 overall and an even bigger contract. Bryant has upside and is the lesser of two evils between the two free-agent options. Either way is a huge upgrade of Laveranues Coles, who was released by the team two weeks ago.

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A week after he was released by the Jets, running back Thomas Jones signed a two-year deal worth $5 million and incentives with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jones, who is coming off a career season in which he had 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns, is expected to take over short-yardage duties and provide a nice change of pace to the team’s emerging young runner, Jamal Charles.

Expect to still see Charles be the team’s primary threat out of the backfield, but the arrival of Jones could prevent him from having the breakout season in 2010 that many experts were expecting.

From a fantasy perspective, Charles now slides into more of RB2 option worthy of a second or third-round pick with his value rising a bit in PPR formats. Jones is still a solid option in TD-heavy formats and should provide nice depth for owners when taken into mid-to-late rounds.

Fantasy Football, NFL kansas city chiefs, thomas jones, jamal charles

It has been no secret that the Baltimore Ravens have lacked talent in the passing game for some time, but they made big strides to change that on Friday when they traded for former Pro Bowl wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

The Ravens acquired the three-time Pro Bowl player and a fifth-round pick from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for their third- and fourth-round picks in next month's draft. That is a far cry from the price tag that the Cardinals were seeking last off-season.

Boldin’s physical style of play will suit the Ravens well.  The team already added free agent Donte Stallworth, who provides a deep threat to stretch the field, earlier this off-season.

"The Ravens just got better," coach John Harbaugh said. "Anquan is a significant addition for us. He fits the personality of our team with the hard-nosed, physical way he plays. We love the way he competes. Our fans will enjoy watching him compete, and his teammates will be excited to have him with us."

The additions are huge to the team’s offense and should only help young quarterback Joe Flacco’s development. The Ravens may have just taken the slight edge as early favorites in the AFC North.

Check out the GSI TWITTER page for more free agent news.

Fantasy Football, NFL baltimore ravens, anquan boldin, 2010 nfl offseason, nfl trades

The NFL free agency period began Friday at midnight and there has already been plenty of action.

The Chicago Bears have already made a big splash by signing running back Chester Taylor, tight end Brandon Manumaleuna and now a deal is imminent with the most revered player in the market, defensive end Julius Peppers, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Bears don’t have any early draft picks and were anxious to make a splash in what is a weak free agent market.

Check out the GSI TWITTER page for more free agent news.

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Laveranues Coles was supposed to replace wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, but less than one year and $10 million later the Cincinnati Bengals parted ways with the wide receiver.

He caught 43 passes for 514 yards and five touchdowns as the Bengals' offense struggled. Coles' best game came in the Week 9 win over Baltimore with six receptions for 72 yards, but his inability to get separation and make consistent plays was part of the reason Cincinnati's passing attack was so anemic.

Coles was scheduled to make $4.65 million in base salary this season and would have received a $100,000 bonus if he participated in the team's offseason conditioning program.

Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson suggests the quick release of Coles, coupled with the apparent lack of talent at the position in this past week's combine, smells of the Bengals being interested in some of the potential free agents.

"The Bengals are probably only looking to do a one-year deal, which may take them out of the sweepstakes for 29-year-old Antonio Bryant. And with Owens (36), Josh Reed (30), Chris Chambers (32) and Michael Furrey (33) long in the tooth, the Bengals aren't going to pay top dollar," Hobson wrote.

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ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Denver Broncos have tendered disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Marshall with a first-round tender.

If another team makes a player with a first-round tender on them a contract offer during the free-agency period beginning Friday, the player's current team has seven days to match it, or it will receive a first-round draft pick as compensation.

Marshall undoubtedly is one of the league’s most talented wideouts and is entering the prime of his career. However, multiple clashes with head coach Josh McDaniels during his first season in Denver have led the team to putting him up for grabs.

The fifth-year receiver out of Central Florida is coming off a season in which he caught 101 balls 1,120 yards and 10 touchdowns, all career highs. His 21-catch, 200-yard performance against Indianapolis last season was one of the greatest receiving days in NFL history.

A change of scenery may be just what the doctor ordered for Marshall. If I am a NFL general manager, I wouldn’t hesitate in giving up a first-round pick if I was in the market for a wideout, he’s the best one available via the draft or free agency by far.

Fantasy Football, NFL denver broncos, brandon marshall, 2010 nfl offseason

JONES SET TO BE RELEASED
In a move that comes as no surprise, the New York Jets will release veteran running back Thomas Jones on Friday. Jones was due a $2 million roster bonus and with Shonn Greene waiting in the wings the soon-to-be 32-year old became expendable...MORE

MCNABB ON THE MOVE?
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has the topic of plenty of off-season trade rumors. The latest has the veteran signal caller landing in St. Louis. According St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bryan Burwell, the Rams have had "intense internal conversations" about a possible trade for McNabb…MORE

BOLDIN OFFICIALLY ON MARKET
Arizona Cardinals’ general manager Rod Graves has confirmed that the team is listening to all offers for disgruntled wide receiver Anquan Boldin. Though nothing appears imminent, the former Pro Bowl wideout could be shopped around heavily between now and April’s draft…MORE

MANNING EYEING RECORD DEAL
Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning is nearing the final year of his deal and Yahoo.com speculates that as the team works towards a new deal this off-season that the future Hall of Famer could command $25 to $30 million per season…MORE

RYAN-THOMAS REUNION?
If the New England Patriots decide to cut outside linebacker Adalius Thomas, then he probably won't have to wait long to find employment. A call to his previous defensive coordinator should be all it takes. He spent seven years with the Baltimore Ravens and played under Rex Ryan, now the New York Jets' head coach…MORE

PLENTY OF INTEREST IN DANSBY
There are reportedly over a dozen teams that could be interested in pursuing Cardinals’ pending free-agent linebacker Karlos Dansby. The Giants, Redskins, Bears and Dolphins are among the teams showing interest, according to the Palm Beach Post…MORE

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Bengals' wide receiver Chad Ochocinco will reportedly be a contestant on the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars.

He already has proved that he can dance:

Just For Fun, NFL cincinnati bengals, chad ochocinco, dancing with stars

Just in case you forgot...

The NFL announced last year at their owners' meetings that the 2010 NFL Draft will take place over the course of three days this year.

The first round will take place on Thursday, April 22, beginning at 7:30 PM ET. The NFL is looking to take advantage of the fact that more people watch TV during the prime time hours on Thursday night than any other time.

The second and third rounds will begin at 6:30 PM ET on Friday, April 23. The final four round of the draft are now scheduled for Saturday, April 24, beginning at 10:00 AM ET.

The new format will likely result in a few more trades as teams will now have long breaks between rounds 1 and 2 and again between rounds 3 and 4. The NFL is clearly hoping to make the draft an even bigger TV event than it already is.

NFL 2010 nfl draft

from Bengals.com...

The Bengals drew the first marquee date of the NFL season Wednesday when the NFL announced they are playing in the Aug. 8 Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio against the Cowboys at 8 p.m. on NBC. It is the first appearance in the league’s traditional preseason kickoff game for the Bengals since they used it to start their run to the 1988 AFC title.

Both franchises are celebrating inductions that take place the day before at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Former Bengals head coach and long-time assistant Dick LeBeau takes his spot 32 years after he became eligible. Meanwhile, 41-year-old Emmitt Smith, the former Cowboys running back and NFL’s all-time leading rusher, celebrates his first-ballot election.

COMPLETE ARTICLE

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There's a lot of talk of Terrell Owens becoming a Bengal when the NFL free agency period begins in March. While I don't believe that would be the worst thing ever for the team, I believe there's another wide receiver out there who is younger, probably comes cheaper and who could really solve some of the Bengals offensive woes. That player is former Bengal Kevin Walter, who has been a member of the Houston

Texans since 2007. While Walter is not the name or Pro Bowl-caliber athlete that TO is (or was), he would make the offense immediately better.

Let's look at the perks. Walter is only 28 years old, which is 8 years younger than TO. Walter is also a large target. He is 6'3" and would be the second tallest player amongst the Bengals wide receivers (second behind newly signed Matt Jones). Walter, who is only considered a second wide receiver, shouldn't get a huge offer from any NFL team and should come at an affordable price, which is music to the miserly Mike Brown's ears. TO, on the other hand, will demand a high contract with the devil himself, Drew Rosenhaus as his agent. Plus, Walter comes with none of the extra "baggage" that TO brings to the table. TO might have Ochocinco's endorsement, but push comes to shove, Walter's existence would make Chad a better player.

Walter, to me, could fill the role that TJ Houshmanzadeh filled so admirably for the Bengals and that they so desperately missed this year - possession receiver and red zone target. With Chad Ochocinco on the outside, obtaining double coverage, Walter could open the middle and short yardage possessions and help the team move the chains. This gives Carson Palmer more options. Add in a developing Andre Caldwell and throw Matt Jones into the deep threat/Chris Henry role and Walter immediately makes the Bengals better.

Send Lavernues Coles packing, replace him with Walter, resign Reggie Kelly at tight end and all of a sudden, the offense starts to resemble its once-potent self. Hopefully, Chase Coffman gets on the field and he would also become a nice receiving threat and red zone target. So, with just one addition, and a couple players back from oblivion (Coffman) and injury (Kelly) and the signing of Walter and the Bengals could improve on their offensive output. Now, that being said, I would still pursue a rookie WR in the upcoming NFL draft to fill the role that Jerome Simpson is clearly incapable of handling.

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from Philly.com:

The Eagles announced today that they plan to release Brian Westbrook, one of their all-time greats.

The 30-year-old running back's decorated career with the Eagles is now officially over after eight seasons.

"This is a tough day for the Philadelphia Eagles," head coach Andy Reid said. "Anytime you have to release a player like Brian Westbrook, that’s not an easy thing to do -- neither for us or for Brian. I had an opportunity to talk to Brian this morning about the situation and inform him that we were going in a different direction. Brian was tremendous with it and very professional with it."

COMPLETE ARTICLE

Fantasy Football, NFL philadelphia eagles, brian westbrook, andy reid

After nine years the San Diego Chargers parted ways with running back LaDainian Tomlinson when they cut the veteran on Monday. The franchise was due to pay him a $2 million roster bonus and a $5 million base salary this coming season.

Tomlinson, who will be 31 before the kickoff to the 2010 season, finished with 730 yards on 223 carries for an average of 3.3 yards per carry, all career lows and was hampered by injuries.

He ranks eighth on the league’s all-time rushing list with 12,490 yards. His 138 career rushing touchdowns rank second, and his 153 total touchdowns rank third.

Look for the Chargers to draft a running back and to potentially add more to its backfield depth during free agency.  Darren Sproles, who is a restricted free agent that will command $7 million to retain, appears to be the team’s top RB option for the time being.

Where will L.T. land, in anywhere? Expect to see him show up somewhere, but only in a limited role. Tomlinson is on the record as saying that his top remaining goal is "to win a championship".

Here are a few places that make sense to me: Bears, Eagles, Giants, Patriots, Steelers, Texans, and Titans.

Fantasy Football, NFL san diego chargers, ladainian tomlinson, 2010 nfl offseason