Mike

Daniels

Daniels started all 11 games that he was active for in Cincinnati last year but failed to make much of an impact, totaling 17 tackles and one TFL while playing 355 snaps. With 85 starts across nine seasons under his belt, Daniels should be able to find a home as a depth on the interior rather quickly. The Bengals also waived/released TE Mason Schreck, DE Noah Spence, WR Trent Taylor, LB Joe Bachie, DE Amani Bledsoe, CB Tony Brown, P Drue Chrisman, S Trayvon Henderson, LB Keandre Jones, G Michael Jordan, DT Kahlil McKenzie, TE Thaddeus Moss, HB Jacques Patrick, CB Antonio Phillips, CB Winston Rose, K Austin Seibert, QB Kyle Shurmur, G Keaton Sutherland, OT Gunnar Vogel, WR Scotty Washington, HB Pooka Williams Jr., HB Trayveon Williams, and DT Renell Wren.

Daniels, 32, will be a rotational member alongside D.J. Reader and Larry Ogunjobi. He managed to suit up for just 11 games in his first year in Cincy and will likely be playing on one-year contracts until he retires. Daniels has regressed in each of the last three seasons.

Daniels is out for Sunday’s game with the Ravens. The Bengals have at least one other player with symptoms and are going through contact tracing. As many as 10 players could be deemed “close contacts” to Daniels.

Daniels totaled two combined tackles across 65 snaps on Cincinnati’s interior line this year. With Geno Atkins “week to week” with an undisclosed injury (or rumored holdout) moving forward, the Bengals will turn to Christian Covington, Amani Bledsoe, and Kahlil McKenzie against James Robinson in Week 4.

As was Geno Atkins, who was initially trending towards making his return to Cincinnati’s lineup. Bengals will rely on Christian Covington, Amani Bledsoe, and Kahlil McKenzie against James Robinson, who arguably makes for a fringe RB1 in this juicy matchup.

DL Mike Daniels (groin) will play, according to head coach Zac Taylor. A league-high 57.4 percent of plays run against the Bengals this year have been rushes with Atkins out with an injury he suffered in the final scrimmage of the offseason. Look for Miles Sanders and the Eagles to run all over Cincy this week.

The team’s website said Atkins’ looks to be out for a second straight game, along with DL Mike Daniels (groin). The Bengals’ defense has been, shall we say, porous with Atkins out of the lineup. Miles Sanders and the Eagles should be able to gouge Cincy’s front seven this week just as the Browns did in Week 2.

It’s not much for a player of Daniels’ stature, but it is also not surprising for a 31-year-old whose past two seasons have been cut short by injury. If Daniels can get healthy, he could be a massive bargain opposite interior mainstay Geno Atkins.

The team is expected to make the signing official once Daniels passes his physical. Daniels, a Pro Bowler in 2017 and 2018, played in nine games for Detroit last year after seven seasons in Green Bay.

Daniels was limited to nine games (two starts) with the Lions before landing on IR last year. He was one of the best run stoppers in the league in 2017 but injuries have derailed him the past two seasons. It’s possible the Ravens’ Derek Wolfe signing impacts their Daniels interest. 30-year-old Daniels is likely headed for a prove-it deal.