"Rudi Johnson heard the rumors for most of the last month. He'd even accepted the news and shrugged it off as league business. Apparently the Bengals running back had told more than one media outlet in the Cincinnati Metro that he was even ready to move on. According to multiple media reports, the team had been shopping Rudi in an attempt to bolster their injury depleted receiving corps.
"It doesn't bother me one way or the other," Johnson told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I'm still going to do the same thing. It's part of the business."
NFL organizations are beginning to maneuver for their final cuts, and the first big news before teams make their final roster adjustments is the release of Johnson. The Bengals apparently decided they had seen and heard enough of their one-time featured back, and they cut one of the players that was expected to help the team rebound from a disappointing 2007 campaign.
"That's what we've been told, We want to keep this positive," said Johnson's agent Peter Schaffer. "Obviously we got wind they were moving in a different direction when [ESPN] reported they were trying to trade him. We think Rudi's got plenty of football left and we're going to look for the best situation for him."
Johnson's release came when a league source told Pro Football Talk that the Bengals couldn't get anything for Johnson, so the team decided to cut ties with him rather than hold a roster spot in hopes an organization would show interest.
Johnson was slated to earn salaries of $3.45 million in 2008 and $3.6 million in 2009. Now he's a full-fledged free agent free to sign with any team. The Houston Texans are an injury away from relying on rookie Steve Slaton, and the Bears would surely like to have experienced insurance for rookie Matt Forte. The Arizona Cardinals have verbalized an interest to lessen the work load of Edgerrin James. And yet another team that could begin the season with a rookie runner in tow - the Baltimore Ravens with Ray Rice - are still unsure when injured veteran Willis McGahee will be healthy enough to carry a full workload.
NFL CAREER
A graduate of Thomas Dale High School in Chester, Virginia, Johnson spent his first two college seasons at Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. As a sophomore, he averaged 7.3 yards per carry. After recording 324 rushing attempts for 1,567 yards in his final two collegiate campaigns at Auburn, Johnson was drafted by the Bengals, but saw little playing time in his first two NFL seasons. He recorded just 17 carries and seven receptions while backing up Pro Bowler Corey Dillon.
After Dillon fought injuries for most of the 2003 season, Johnson was thrust into the starting role and excelled. He rushing for 957 yards and nine touchdowns, recorded 146 yards on 21 receptions, and produced the solid numbers in just nine games. Johnson leaves the Bengals having played in 76 games (59 starts), with 5,742 yards on 1,441 carries a
