Bengals Find New Ways to Screw Up

All Friday afternoon there was glee over the Bengals acquiring Shaun Rogers from the Lions for a 3rd and 5th round pick. I live in the 'Nati area and fans were shocked ... completely shocked ... that the team did anything this drastic to improve the roster. Sure, it is only Shaun Rogers, but that was quite a move for a team that really takes the word "free" in "free agency" to heart.

Of course, a few hours later came word that the trade was voided by the league and that Rogers would be sent to the rival Cleveland Browns. Ouch! Not only did the trade not go through, but he got dealt inside the division.

It is par for the course in Cincinnati. It has been about 24 hours later and no one in the Bengals organization has said much of anything about any of this. Local radio host Lance McAlister was a little bent about the silence from the organization:

A Bengals trade dominates the airwaves Friday...and has the fanbase excited. Then it all falls apart and the player goes to a division rival. Fans wonder. Fans fume. Fans blame the Bengals for botching it. It's noon Saturday and the Bengals have yet to say anything? Hey Bengals, way to get out in front of the story and frame it to your advantage. Typical.

No one knows what in the world happened to screw up the deal. Something about wording in the deal and salary cap or something. Cincy has a ton of salary cap room ... so this makes no sense.

Meanwhile, former franchise player Justin Smith is finalizing his deal in San Francisco and Madieu Williams was snapped up quickly by the Vikings. Thus far, the Bengals' biggest move was resigning Dhani Jones, who they dug up out of the scrap heap last season.

I know that it seems that it is just the Bengals being the Bengals. The local joke is that Cincy doesn't want any player unless (a) another team cut him, (b) he is cheap and (c) the Bengals have played against him before since they have no scouting department. That's why the Rogers trade went over so well here ... and why it stung when it was pulled out from underneath.