Tag: Markus Bailey

Bengals roster move and injury report from Thursday ahead of Week 11

Some minor notes for the Bengals ahead of Week 11 vs. Raiders.

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The Cincinnati Bengals announced the activation of linebacker Markus Bailey from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday.

That means Bailey will be a go for this weekend’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, which is a bigger deal than it seems given some of the team’s injury woes at linebacker. He was a full participant in Thursday’s practice on the team’s injury report.

Elsewhere during Thursday’s practice, wideout Auden Tate was a full participant, which means he’ll likely be good to go after last suiting up in Week 6.

Rookie defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin didn’t go for the second straight day while he deals with a knee injury.

Both Tate and Shelvin play at some of the roster’s deepest spots, so it’s a pretty fortunate injury report for the Bengals so far this week. That’s good news ahead of a clash against the Raiders that has big playoff implications.

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Bengals rookie LB Markus Bailey passes his physical

Cincinnati Bengals LB Markus Bailey is good to go.

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Cincinnati Bengals rookie linebacker Markus Bailey got the all-clear sign ahead of training camp.

Bailey, originally on the NFI, passed his physical, according to Jay Morrison of The Athletic.

The Purdue product, along with fellow rookie Khalid Kareem, was one of two players the Bengals put on the NFI last week. It was a formality of a move though because both had dealt with injuries in college and both had still counted against the roster.

With Bailey in the fold, the Bengals appear mostly healthy along the new-look linebacker unit. He joins fellow rookies Akeem Davis-Gaither and Logan Wilson as some of the new faces.

An extremely productive college player who fell to the seventh round largely due to his injury history, some have already suggested Bailey could end up being a surprise starter for the Bengals in 2020.

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Bengals place rookies Khalid Kareem and Markus Bailey on NFI list

The Cincinnati Bengals placed two rookies on the NFI list.

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The Cincinnati Bengals placed a pair of rookies on the non-football injury list Monday.

Fifth-round defensive end Khalid Kareem and seventh-round linebacker Markus Bailey were the two names moved to the list.

Such a move is a mere formality oftentimes for players who suffered an injury in college. Both Kareem and Bailey still count toward the 80-man roster (which the Bengals still need to cut down to, if they so choose). Both can be activated at any time.

This formality hasn’t stopped either rookie from getting their deals with the Bengals done. As soon as they’re ready to practice, they’ll get activated.

The news comes on the heels of the Bengals being one of the first teams to send a player to the COVID-19 reserve list. They’ve also started pursuing that 80-man limit by cutting one player.

As of now, the only remaining questions about the Bengals rookie class is the contract status of both Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins.

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Bengals sign rookies Logan Wilson, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Hakeem Adeniji and Markus Bailey

The Cincinnati Bengals signed some of the rookie class Tuesday.

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The Cincinnati Bengals have locked up their rookie linebackers from the 2020 NFL draft, inking Logan Wilson, Akeem Davis-Gaither and Markus Bailey to deals.

The Bengals announced the moves on social media, adding in late-round pick Hakeem Adeniji for good measure.

Rookies inking contracts Tuesday was a predictable outcome after the NFL finished up some of the details surrounding actually getting players to team facilities. Tuesday was the natural report date and for preventative reasons, players arriving will take coronavirus tests and proceed to hit the field later in the week if all goes well.

Of course, we’re still waiting on news about one Joe Burrow, though he figures to put ink to paper as soon as he arrives at Paul Brown Stadium, too.

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Mel Kiper tabs Bengals’ Markus Bailey as one of 2020 draft’s most underrated picks

Mel Kiper had some big praise for Bengals rookies.

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The big praise for the 2020 Cincinnati Bengals draft class continues.

This time it (again) comes from ESPN’s Mel Kiper, who loved a certain late-round pick by Duke Tobin and the front office.

After noting the Bengals essentially had three first-round picks (Jonah Williams’ return, Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins), Kiper isolated one player — seventh-round linebacker Markus Bailey — as one of the draft’s most underrated picks.

Kiper noted the following on the First Draft podcast:

“Every one of these picks was a round earlier…I’ll go Markus Bailey, linebacker out of Purdue. We were both thinking early…within the first two days…when he was on the field, he was flying around the field making plays against the run, in coverage, he’s a kid who plays hard, great attitude, great approach…talent of a second or third-rounder. 

Bailey seemed like a favorite of evaluators were it not for his medical red flags, which includes a pair of knee injuries bookending his collegiate career. But between the knee injuries, he put up 89 or more tackles in three different seasons and for his career totaled 14.5 sacks and six interceptions.

While a great value, the Bailey pick was still a surprise because the Bengals had already addressed linebacker twice in the previous rounds with Logan Wilson and Akeem Davis-Gaither.

Funnily enough, Bailey probably should’ve been off the board in the same range as those guys, making him an underrated presence for the defense going into his rookie season.

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Bengals receive ‘A’ grade for Markus Bailey pick

NFL draft grades are in and like Markus Bailey to the Cincinnati Bengals.

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The Cincinnati Bengals have by and large had one of the better performances of any team in the 2020 NFL draft over three days.

That trend continued at the top of the seventh round with Purdue linebacker Markus Bailey.

Bailey is a value-buy of sorts given some of his injury history weighed against his immense production.

Here’s NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

“Lunch-pail linebacker able to consistently chalk up production totals in a variety of columns despite a lack of top-tier athleticism. Bailey’s intent and play strength are factors that stand out in his success. His effort rarely wavers during a rep and he has the strength and football IQ to put himself in quality positions to make plays. He needs to process blocking schemes faster and take more chances, as his athletic limitations will show up more frequently against NFL competition. Knee injuries in 2015 and 2019 might hurt his draft standing a little bit, but he has middle-round talent as a quality three-down backup.”

Bailey is a very smart linebacker who tends to keep the action in front of him and is more than happy to get dirty making plays. 14.5 sacks, six interceptions and 89 or more tackles says it all.

While taking another linebacker smacks as redundant at this point after Akeem Davis-Gaither and Logan Wilson, Bailey was just that good of a value. And looking at the board after this pick, the Bengals weren’t missing out on much anyway.

With good value here at a problematic unit, the Bengals get some extra chances to make things right via Bailey.

Grade: A

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Instant analysis of Bengals’ picking Markus Bailey in seventh round

A quick look at new Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Markus Bailey.

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The Cincinnati Bengals used their last scheduled pick in the 2020 NFL draft to select Purdue linebacker Markus Bailey, their third linebacker pick of the event.

Maybe this shouldn’t have been so hard to see coming. The Bengals spent big in free agency all over the defense — except at linebacker, where veteran Josh Bynes was the only small add.

Cincinnati has apparently compensated for that in this draft with three linebackers. Bailey fits right in with the class as a whole too as a two-time captain and four-year starter.

Injuries bookended Bailey’s college career but he was an uber-productive guy with 89 or more tackles in three of his healthy seasons, never mind 14.5 sacks, six interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Big numbers, though Bailey could have a hard time sticking on the final roster depending on how many the Bengals decide to keep. But if he does stick, he’s likely going to be a force on special teams.

The reviews from experts, though, say quite a bit:

If he’s healthy, Bailey is a threat to make a roster, if not make some noise. That’s all the team can really ask for in the seventh round.

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Bengals select Purdue LB Markus Bailey in seventh round

The Cincinnati Bengals finished their draft class in the seventh round.

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The Cincinnati Bengals closed out their 2020 NFL draft at the top of Round 7 with Purdue linebacker Markus Bailey.

Bailey, a 6’0″, 235-pound redshirt senior, is a high-effort linebacker with limited athleticism whose high effort and IQ had him around the ball often in college — which naturally led to some big numbers.

Various knee injuries probably hurt Bailey’s stock a bit, though if the Bengals are grabbing him here he’s clearly near the top of their board.

Bailey is the third linebacker drafted by the Bengals in the 2020 class as the team revamps the position around Germaine Pratt.

That ends the Bengals draft class on a day where they added Akeem Davis-Gaither, Khalid Kareem and Hakeem Adeniji.

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10 potential targets for the Cardinals in the 4th round of the draft

Arizona has two selections in Round 4 – here are 10 players they could look to take with those two selections.

The Arizona Cardinals currently don’t have too many selections in this year’s draft, but they have two picks in the fourth round — picks Nos. 114 and 131 overall.

Here are a few players they could look to select with one of those two selections:

Syracuse EDGE Kendell Coleman

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The Cardinals just met with Coleman, who would make a lot of sense in the middle rounds as a rotational edge rusher. He finished with 10 sacks as a junior in 2018.

Edge players are hard to find, and always needed so Coleman may not be around in Round 4, but if he is, Arizona may be a good spot for him.

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2020 NFL Draft rankings: Inside Linebacker

2020 NFL Draft rankings: Inside Linebacker class from Josh Keatly

It’s not the best year to be needing a dominant middle backer, but there is enough talent here for the Cleveland Browns to find some potential play-makers. With the exit of Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey, Cleveland needs a difference-maker, especially on the inside.

I grade players extremely generous and like to think with an open mind. Most writers only rank 20-25 first-round grades and that is probably more indicative of their talent rather than where they are selected. I rank prospects based on the highest I could possibly see them be snagged.

1st Round

1. Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma, 6-2, 241 pounds

Murray flows fast and hard to the ball and already has good size for the position, but his frame suggests he can tack on even more weight and inflict even more punishment on ball carriers. Murray is still an unfinished product. Despite having an extremely high ceiling, Murray has boom or bust potential because he relies more on his athletic ability than his instincts, which need to improve.

2. Patrick Queen, LSU, 6-0, 229 pounds

Queen is fast and uses that speed effectively when in coverage, while also utilizing his athleticism and impressive instincts to close fast on the run game. The biggest issue with Queen is his lack of ideal size and that could cause problems for him in regard to the run game.

2nd Round

3. Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech, 6-0, 240 pounds

Like Queen, Brooks is a great athlete with the ideal explosion, change of direction and straight-line speed to be a thorn in an offense’s side. Brooks wasn’t given a first-round grade because he needs more than athleticism to take him to the ball. He has gotten lost on tape more than once.

4. Evan Weaver, California, 6-2, 237 pounds

There is a reason Weaver led the nation in tackles with 182 and averaged a healthy 14 per game. His elite instincts and ability to read and react to what the offense shows him are better than anyone in this class. Weaver will need time to develop as he has only started since his junior season and transitioned from defensive end.

3rd Round

5. Logan Wilson, Wyoming, 6-2, 241 pounds

Wilson was a defensive back early in his college career, but gained some positive weight and kept his impressive coverage skills to become an extremely intriguing prospect. Despite being great in coverage, Wilson lacks the ideal measurements that guarantee similar success in the NFL.

6. Markus Bailey, Purdue, 6-0, 235 pounds

Bailey will instantly upgrade a team’s pass-rushing presence as his relentless motor and his ability to shed blocks make him the best in the class in regard to blitzing. Like Wilson above, Bailey doesn’t have the ideal measurables that would lead you to believe he can make the same impact in the NFL.

7. Malik Harrison, Ohio State. 6-3, 247 pounds

Harrison likes to put the ball carrier in the dirt and has the ability to strike fear into an offense. He appears to be on an upward trajectory as he showed real improvement throughout his career, especially in regard to read and react. Harrison needs to be more reliable in coverage to be a force in the NFL.

4th Round

8. Jacob Phillips, LSU, 6-3, 229 pounds: Rarely misses tackles, but not the best in coverage.

9. Shaquille Quarterman, Miami, 6-0, 234 pounds: A team will fall in love with his old-school attitude, but can get lost sometimes.

10. David Woodward, Utah St., 6-2, 230 pounds: Can play both inside or outside effectively and rarely misses tackles, but struggles at shedding blocks.

5th Round

11. T.J. Brunson, South Carolina, 6-1, 230 pounds: Named captain twice and has a nonstop motor, but has more than a few missed tackles on film.

12. Francis Bernard, Utah, 6-0, 234 pounds: Played running back at BYU before transferring and utilizing those skills to become the best in the class in coverage. Still raw with limited experience on the defensive side.

6th Round

13. Joe Bachie, Michigan St., 6-1, 230 pounds: Great tackler, but lacks ideal athleticism despite having an impressive combine.

14. Dante Olson, Montana, 6-2, 237 pounds: An All-American in the FCS with 179 tackles last season, but again it was in the FCS.

15. Michael Divinity Jr., LSU, 6-2, 242 pounds: Plays well against the run and pass as evidenced by his eight sacks and three takeaways accumulated the past two years.

16. De’Jon Harris, Arkansas, 6-0, 234 pounds: Versatile backer who earned All-SEC and can thrive on special teams.

17. Mykal Walker, Fresno St., 6-3, 230 pounds: TFL machine who earned All-Mountain West.

18. Shaun Bradley, Temple, 6-1, 235 pounds: Fairly athletic, but lacks ideal size and has already maxed out frame.

7th Round

19. Jordan Mack, Virginia, 6-3, 241 pounds

20. Chris Orr, Wisconsin, 6-0, 228 pounds

21. Jonas Griffith, Indiana St., 6-3, 247 pounds

22. Dele Harding, Illinois, 6-1, 229 pounds

23. Kyahva Tezino, San Diego St., 6-0, 235 pounds

Priority Free Agent

24. Christian Rozeboom, South Dakota St., 6-2, 230 pounds

25. David Reese II, Florida, 6-0, 239 pounds

26. Asmar Bilal, Notre Dame, 6-2, 231 pounds

27. Jason Ferris, Montana Western, 6-2, 220 pounds

28. Leo Lewis, Mississippi St., 6-2, 246 pounds

29. Mohamed Barry, Nebraska, 6-1, 245 pounds

30. Jordan Fehr, Appalachian St., 6-3, 230 pounds

31. Krys Barnes, UCLA, 6-2, 229 pounds

32. Clay Johnston, Baylor, 6-1, 227 pounds

33. Sage Lewis, Florida International, 6-0, 232 pounds

34. Tae Crowder, Georgia, 6-3, 235 pounds

35. Cale Garrett, Missouri, 6-2, 234 pounds

36. Marcel Spears Jr., Iowa St., 6-1, 222 pounds

37. Kylan Johnson, Pittsburgh, 6-1, 230 pounds

38. Keisean-Lucier South, UCLA, 6-4, 235 pounds

39. Jeffrey McCulloch, Texas, 6-3, 230 pounds

 

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