Cincinnati Bengals Terrible Offseason Continues in Free Agency

Well, it happened. As a life long Bengal fan, you could only feel that the offseason, now that its actually started, was only going to go down hill after the Carson Palmer debacle. 

Well yesterday, the miserable offseason for the team got much worse.

For starters, the Bengals started off the day by trading their troubled Pro Bowl receiver Chad Ochocinco to the Patriots for two low draft picks.

The minimal compensation the Bengals got for the receiver brings to mind how just a few years ago the Bengals turned down two first-round picks for the aging Ocho.

The fans actually might like this as it finally gets Chads personality out of the Bengals locker room and will not rub off on young receivers Jordan Shipley and A.J. Green.

Just another Bengal blunder, but this might have been the best news of the day.

The Bengals followed up the trade with news that they would be cutting the linebacker Keith Rivers. The linebacker, their ninth overall pick in 2008, never was able to reach the potential the Bengals saw in him when they called out his name on draft day.

Keith Rivers was a solid starter for the Bengals and is definitely a loss on the field, but Rivers departure is more a testament to his lack of development than the Bengals lack of trying.

However, as if the day couldn't get any worse, the Bengals were outbid by the Texans in the running for their corner back Jonathan Joseph.

This loss is absolutely monumental for the Bengals as JJo was not only one of the most productive players on the team but was also one half of arguably one of the best cornerback tandems in the league.

His departure will usher in the injured and suspension facing corner, Adam "Pacman" Jones, into the starting cornerback spot opposite Leon Hall.

The Bengals have not shown much interest in the cornerback market outside Joseph.

The good news? The Bengals have most of their draft picks signed on time for once. The bad news? The Bengals have an estimated $23 million to spend just to reach their salary floor and so far have been reluctant to sign anyone with any kind of value or talent.   

The day July 28th, 2011 should be marked down as a day of infamy in the history of the Cincinnati Bengals.

The team has made nothing but bad moves since the end of draft, and the offseason from hell continues on for the Cincinnati faithful.