Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said this week that linebacker Vontaze Burfict won’t be playing in any of the team’s preseason games, explaining that there’s “no reason for us to expose him to injury” because of how important he is to the defense.
Burfict is also suspended for the first three games of the season, so the Bengals will need to get other linebackers ready to play this summer. Those other linebackers could be seeing some more reps in early training camp practices as well.
The Bengals announced Thursday that Burfict has been placed on the non-football injury list, which leaves him ineligible to practice until he’s activated. The Bengals didn’t specify the injury, although Burfict has a history of knee trouble, and Geoff Hobson of the team’s website reports it’s not believed to be a serious issue.
The Bengals also announced that they have signed veteran safety Jimmy Wilson as a free agent. Wilson spent last year with the Chargers after playing in Miami for the first four years of his career. He signed with the Chiefs in April, but was released in May.
