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Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals make final cuts

By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted September 5, 2009 2:46 PM ET

The "Hard Knocks" storyline that got so much play and fueled much speculation in this last week of Bengals training camp ended up being moot: both Brian Leonard and DeDe Dorsey made the Bengals' 53 man roster.

In the other competition subplot, undrafted rookie Tom Nelson beat out second-year safety Corey Lynch for a spot on the roster.

However, as other teams make their cuts, the 53-man roster could change as soon as Sunday.

"It's the way we put the football team together, it's really not any different than we expected it to go," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. "It's where we are right now, it can change by tomorrow, it can change Monday, it could change Friday, Saturday of next weekend. It will obviously have a change next Monday with Andre having to come off the other list. So there will be another revision very quickly."

First-round pick Andre Smith is currently on a two-week roster exemption that expires on Sept. 14.

"We'll keep working and learning, he spends a lot of time here," Lewis said. "He might as well have a cot here."

The team kept only one fullback, Jeremi Johnson. Johnson was cut during the season in 2008 and brought back for training camp.

"Very pleased with what Jeremi has been able to do, he's been a rededicated person, a new person," Lewis said. "I think his entire life has changed. He's been a different person, and we feel good about that and he feels good about that."

Lewis said cornerback David Jones and Scott Kooistra are the only injuries that should linger into this week.

"Some of the guys got rewarded for how they produced and what they did here," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. "We're not going to start as we go through the regular season pointing toward the Denver Broncos and the regular season. That's how we get last year out of the system, we get off to a good start and do it in front of our fans at home. It's an exciting day and a great day to be a Bengal fan."

The roster:

Offense
Quarterbacks (3): Carson Palmer, J.T. O'Sullivan, Jordan Palmer
Running backs (5): Cedric Benson, Brian Leonard, Bernard Scott, DeDe Dorsey, Jeremi Johnson
Wide receivers (6): Laveranues Coles, Quan Cosby, Chris Henry, Chad Ochocinco, Andre Caldwell, Jerome Simpson
Tight ends (3): Chase Coffman, Daniel Coats, J.P. Foschi
Offensive linemen (9*): Jonathan Luigs, Nate Livings, Bobbie Williams, Kyle Cook, Evan Mathis, Anthony Collins, Dennis Roland, Scott Kooistra, Andrew Whitworth

Defense
Defensive linemen (8): Jonathan Fanene, Pat Sims, Robert Geathers, Frostee Rucker, Michael Johnson, Domata Peko, Antwan Odom, Tank Johnson
Linebackers (6): Abdul Hodge, Rashad Jeanty, Keith Rivers, Dhani Jones, Rey Maualuga, Brandon Johnson
Defensive backs (10): David Jones, Johnathan Joseph, Geoffrey Pope, Morgan Trent, Leon Hall, Roy Williams, Kyries Hebert, Chinedum Ndukwe, Chris Crocker, Tom Nelson

Specialists (3): Kevin Huber, Shayne Graham, Brad St. Louis

* Andre Smith is on a two-week roster exemption
 
The Bengals made their final cuts today.

Injured reserve
WR Antonio Chatman

Three veterans not subeject to waivers, releasing them to free agency:
LB Darryl Blackstock
LB Jim Maxwell
DT Langston Moore

Waived 18
S Marvin White
G Andrew Crummey
S Corey Lynch
G Jason Shirley
DE Chris Harrington
HB James Johnson
TE Kolomona Kapanui
WR Maurice Purify
WR Freddie Brown
TE Darius Hill
DT Ventrell Jenkins
DT Clinton McDaniel
CB Rico Murray
OT Augustus Parrish
FB Chris Pressley
LB Dan Skuta
K Sam Swank
FB Fui Vakapuna.

With the exception of White, all the palyers waived are eligible to be signed to a practice squad if they lclear waivers tomorrow.

-Andrew Smith is on a roster exemption, it expires Sept. 14
- TE Matt Sherry cleared waivers and reverted to the Reserve/Injured list on Tuesday

Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories, News

Tags: Andre Smith, Brian Leonard, Corey Lynch, Cuts, DeDe Dorsey, Marvin Lewis, Tom Nelson