+ Former Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt visited with the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday, more than a week after he was released from Oakland. Routt, who signed a three-year deal worth $31.5 million with $20 million guaranteed in 2011, was due $10 million in guaranteed money which was reportedly due to kick in this year.
According to Mike Florio with Pro Football Talk, the decision is coming soon. Known teams to have shown interest in Routt includes the Bengals, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. However other "teams reportedly were interested."
Cincinnati has roughly $60 million available in cap space and a need to improve their cornerback depth. Though Nate Clements will most likely start in 2012, there's obvious concern that Leon Hall may miss part of the regular season depending on his rehabilitation after suffering an Achilles injury that ended his season last year.
Even if Hall is ready, Routt provides the Bengals a decent number two cornerback opposite of Leon Hall, with Clements filling a roll during three-wide formations and overall improving the team's 17th ranked passing defense.
ESPN's Bill Williamson writes:
Routt is a decent player, but he is probably best suited to be a No. 2 cornerback. He was better playing alongside Asomugha than he was as the team's No. 1 corner. Routt was solid in coverage, but was penalized 17 times and gave up eight touchdowns, tied for the second-highest total in the NFL last season.
Hall would give Routt that opportunity to play second-fiddle.
That doesn't mean that the Bengals shouldn't continue addressing cornerback during the NFL draft. In fact they should address the position with the same urgency they've had since Johnathan Joseph signed with the Houston Texans last year. Who knows how well Hall will bounce back, Routt will turn 29 in July and Clements, who is entering the final year under contract, is obviously on the back-end of his career while Adam Jones and Kelly Jennings are entering March as free agents.
0 recs | 42 comments
I really hope he we land him
I’ll concede he had a bad year last year but he also had to deal with Breshahan as his his D-cordinator and apparently they tweeked the defense after loosing Asomugha and it did not really fit his game (press coverage). All I know is the guy runs under a 4.3, which would be huge against some of the faster WR in the AFC north and in 2010 he only gave up a 39% completion percentage, which was actually better than Asomugha.
biggie22 - February 19, 2012
We need a number 1 corner not a number 2
njbengalstat - February 19, 2012
I think we still need both right now............
no guarantees on Leon, as long as the price isn’t rediculous I hope we come away with him.
The Van Buren Boys - February 19, 2012
Right no guarantess on hall
To even think about that figure they gave him for 3 years is crazy for a number 2. The raider let Asomugha walk thinking that Routt would be a number one. He sucked and now they want their money back
njbengalstat - February 19, 2012
yup we need to sign someone that could be a #1 or #2 cb
and draft someone that could be a #1 or #2.
palewook - February 19, 2012
I think Routt is good as our's
Draft a corner,and bring back Jenning’s
Pacman’s talented and depth,i really dont want him back,but if he is cheap,couldnt hurt
keithp - February 19, 2012
absolutely
depth is a key, look what happened last year with injuries.. got to have extra guys.
txbengal29 - February 19, 2012
I like jones
But damn that last game against A johnson still burns in my head
njbengalstat - February 19, 2012
+1, I still have that image of him getting turned around too......can't get rid of it.
The Van Buren Boys - February 19, 2012
and him getting into it on the sidelines those last few games.
Would have to think if Zim has some say in that decision, he won’t be back.
The Van Buren Boys - February 19, 2012
Agree
I wouldnt lose sleep if jones walks
njbengalstat - February 19, 2012
Me neither, although we're very thin at corner.........
hopefully we sign Routt, draft a few guys and don’t have to wonder when Pacman is healthy enough to take the field, whether he’s going to have more legal problems, or just plain get toasted in the middle of a playoff game. I’m done with him.
The Van Buren Boys - February 19, 2012
We r thin at corner
If we could get routt for scraps i wouldnt care. Would love Carr but hes prob staying home. And u were being nice when u said jones got “toasted” ha
njbengalstat - February 19, 2012
A lot of guys get clowned by A Johnson.
Competent safeties would be easier to find than a CB who can cover Andre.
Pardon_My_French - February 19, 2012
No doubt there, but still leaves fact that he's injury plagued and consistently in trouble with the law.
When your already thin at a position, we need guys we can rely on. Reliable and Pacman Jones just don’t go hand-in-hand.
The Van Buren Boys - February 19, 2012
Agree
I dont want Pacman just as much as the rest on the NFL
But considering our CB situation,Pac’s a capable backup,and if we get the depth we need,Pac could be a great return man.My thinking is if we sign a FA,Draft a early round CB,Sign Jenning’s and improve the saftey position
Pac would have to see the writing on the wall,he will be cheap,any BS just cut him it wouldnt be like we are relying on
him for anything but depth
keithp - February 19, 2012
Am ok with him for that purpose only, if he comes as cheap as I'd hope we'd sign him for.
The Van Buren Boys - February 19, 2012
Thats why we need a solid number one
We wouldnt even be in this problem if we kept jjoe. We are in the same place one year later with this corner problem
njbengalstat - February 19, 2012
Since he was cut
He doesn’t have to wait till the FA agency period opens? I hope the fact the Bengals had him in for a visit is a good sign they are going to be aggressive this year in FA.
txbengal29 - February 19, 2012
think its more a sign of either jennings or jones being out of a job in the nfl
palewook - February 19, 2012
If i had to pick
99.9% chance that would be Pac
keithp - February 19, 2012
Nah - they'll both play somewhere
Pacman’s got too much value as a punt returner and spot starter and Jennings is still young and dirt cheap.
eric nyc - February 19, 2012
jones's has a suspension hanging over his head.
withgoodell having the power to suspend him indefinitely because of jones multiple suspension history. not sure how many teams will sign him until they know his fate.
palewook - February 19, 2012
vikings are one of the other interested teams.
palewook - February 19, 2012
Dont you think he would have announced already!?
Didn’t this dude already visit us? I would assume that he would have announced his decision already!!? Maybe not….After reading the stats on this guy, I am not sold on him. We do need to address this concern of CB in the draft, we DO need to rid ourselves of PACMAN, we DO (I hope) get back a healthy HALL this year.
HEZ_MAN - February 19, 2012
How much do you think he would cost?
There hasn’t been a lot of discussion on what it would actually mean to sign him. He can’t possibly be expecting anything like his ridiculous contract in Oakland. I have a feeling no matter what we’re going to overpay him. I’ve been on the fence about this thing the whole time. He’s better (and younger) than Clements and Pacman, but he’s not elite and he showed last year he can’t really function as a #1 corner. That’s what we need. Even a healthy Leon Hall isn’t a great #1 corner. We need a guy we can line up against the Andre Johnsons of the league. It’s looking pretty good we’ll have our pick of Kirkpatrick or Jenkins in the draft. This could be money better spent elsewhere.
eric nyc - February 19, 2012
Yup
njbengalstat - February 19, 2012
If The Price Is Right
Look i know there are no guarantees on hall, but he’ll have roughly 8 months of recovery time untill training camp rolls around, so i feel confident that he’ll be completely healed and 100 percent by then. Now to Routt, he’s a good corner with good speed, but he’s no number 1 cornerstone, lockdown corner that i would feel comfortable putting on a calvin johnson or elite number one wide-out. If we can get him for a good price and he can play along side leon, then thats a good 1-2 corner tandum. then in the draft i’d still pull the trigger on Kirkpatrick if he’s there or Jenkins.
WHO DEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thegrassisGREENer18 - February 19, 2012
He's definitely a #2, but that's ok.....we still need one of those also right now.
We’ll draft our future #1 guy, just hopefully he can step in right away and play (I’m looking at you Kirkpatrick!).
The Van Buren Boys - February 19, 2012
That's the way I look at it, but that's why I'm worried about the price
You’d think we’d have to pay at least as much as we gave Leon last year. That’s too much in mm mind to have tied up in our “future” #2-3 corners. Unless what this is REALLy all about is the organization showing its lack of confidence in Leon coming back anywhere near 100%. I could very easily see that being the case. I said right after the injury that I wouldn’t be entirely shocked if Leon was cut before opening day. Not that I don’t think he’ll be able to play again, but if we draft a Kirkpatrick or Jenkins high and sign someone in free agency, given the recovery period you could easily have Leon not being one of the 4 best corners on the roster coming out of camp. So then you have to decide if you want to PUP him and possibly eat his salary for the entire year hoping he can climb back up to at least a #3 role or just cut your losses and move on with the new guys. Spending the money I’d think it would take to sign Routt would point to the latter.
eric nyc - February 19, 2012
Agreed, just because we have all this money doesn't mean we can't "blow it" by really overpaying for guys.
Same worry I have about signing Bush too.
The Van Buren Boys - February 19, 2012
+1 on Bush
Just a younger Benson. Both of these seem like really typical Bengals moves – maintain the status quo while getting a hair younger. I’m hoping Marvin pushes for a different approach this year.
eric nyc - February 19, 2012
I really think that Routt will end up here
The Bengals know that they made a big mistake in not retaining J-Jo last season and now they’re really thin at the position. They have a ton of cap room an will probably throw a decent amount at Routt—probably more than he deserves.
He is choosing between a team that made the playoffs last year and is on the rise and two other teams that are in transition and are rebuilding.
It’s either the Bengals or some team out of left field.
Anthony Cosenza - February 19, 2012
See it the same way, let's just hope we don't overspend too bad for him.
But I think he would be a nice piece and make me feel better heading into the draft.
The Van Buren Boys - February 19, 2012
The great thing about it is
Hue came in and knows all about this guy and his potential. So if we do sign him I’m sure Hue told them the guy is good and maybe just used wrong. We had a bigger scouting report on this guy than any team outside of Oakland when Hue walked in the door.
Bigcatdaddy - February 19, 2012 via Android app
Also...
Hue and Routt was stuck with one of the most awful DC’s in the game last year. Getting coached by two defensive masters like Zimmer and Marvin? That will be huge. Also, I think knowing he’s going to be the #2 will help his mindset.
KSE - February 19, 2012
Routt needs work on turning around for the football
Bengal4ever - February 19, 2012
Wh it
Makebelieve - February 20, 2012 via mobile
Oops! These dang phones!
Why even sign the guy if he’s not all that. A #2 at best? Why the rush when fa is just right around the corner? we have guys like him already on our roster. but the 1 brother is right. mike brown will sign him and overpay him. because mike brown is notorious for
doing so.
Makebelieve - February 20, 2012 via mobile
+1
messjunk - February 20, 2012
This is not the droid we're looking for
messjunk - February 20, 2012
Ain't the droid we're looking for...
Right on bro!
Makebelieve - February 20, 2012 via mobile
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