Report: Larry Johnson Headed to Cincy

Larry Johnson cleared waivers last week, and as a result, was a full-on free agent (no one was picking up his salary, so this wasn't a surprise). Now it's being reported that LJ will sign with the Cincinnati Bengals.

That's the rumor, anyway, coming from Adam Schefter's Twitter account, where he's crediting Michael Smith with the news that Johnson is headed to Cincy for a visit and likely signing.

ESPN's Michael Smith reporting that Larry Johnson is en route to Cincinnati, and barring a breakdown, is expected to sign with Bengals.

This news comes on the heels of a Cedric Benson injury that has the AFC North-leading Bengals likely concerned about their running game. Further reports indicate that Johnson isn't expected to sign until later this evening -- presumably he's in for a visit with coach Marvin Lewis and to take a physical first.

Of course, provided that he does sign, you will immediately hear an amazing amount of overreaction from people saying "Typical Bengals front office behavior!" or something of the like. However, remember that this Bengals team has managed to turn Benson from a malcontent into a would-be Pro Bowler, keep Chris Henry in check and change the attitude of the entire franchise in just under a year.

Granted, much of that comes from winning, and if the teams starts dropping games with Johnson on the field or in the locker room, people will question the decision. But from a pure football perspective, provided they can keep LJ in check to a degree, this move makes a ton of sense.