Preston

Brown

Brown started eight games for the Bengals earlier in the season but was released in early November. Overall, PFF graded Brown as the league’s 10th-worst LB among 91 qualified players. Dwayne Harris (foot) was moved to the injured reserve list in a corresponding roster move.

He’ll replace Quincy Williams, who recently joined Myles Jack (knee), Jake Ryan (hamstring), and Najee Goode (knee) on injured reserve. Brown started eight games for Cincinnati earlier this year but was released in November before busting in the interim with Oakland. He’s merely a body Josh Jacobs (shoulder) should have no issues running over in Week 15.

Brown performed poorly across the board with the Bengals last year but the team still decidedly re-upped him for $16.5 million this offseason. His release comes only 48 hours after the team benched him following 16 empty snaps against Baltimore. Now 27, Brown will likely go unclaimed and head to the open market.

Brown ended up on injured reserve with a knee injury last season, but he was graded as a below-average linebacker, both against the run and against the pass, before going down. The Bengals should be addressing the linebacker position via the draft, but this reunion makes sense as long as it’s on a team-friendly deal.

Brown was injured in Week 9. He had not been playing at a high level this season, but the Bengals’ struggling defense can ill afford any losses. Second-year UDFA Hardy Nickerson, who got pushed around in Week 11 by the Ravens, is the next man up. Now 26, Brown is headed to the open market. His injury could give the Bengals an excuse to move on in the middle.

He also sat out Wednesday. With Nick Vigil (knee) not ready to return, the already thin Bengals linebacking corps could be even worse off this week. In better news, Vontaze Burfict (hip) practiced Wednesday and Thursday.

Brown was inactive last Thursday, but it seems like he would have been able to play if it had been a normal week. Another 10 days of rest should have him ready to go in Carolina. DE Michael Johnson (knee) is also questionable.

“He’s a vocal guy, he’s extremely smart, he knows the defense, he knows the inns and outs now,” Rob said. “So he’s really gonna grow in this system.” Head coach Rex Ryan agrees with his brother. “Everything that we’ve challenged him with, he’s accepted the challenge. ... I think Preston’s going to have a great year.” Brown had a promising rookie campaign in 2014 before getting dominated last year. Either way, he’s going to be the Bills’ signal caller on defense.

Since being drafted No. 73 overall in 2014, Brown has appeared in all 48 games, making 46 starts. He was ex-coach Rex Ryan’s signal-caller as a 3-4 inside linebacker, and Ryan long praised Brown, saying he believed Brown was “going to be a star.” Well, Brown has never really been a playmaker, with just one career sack, three picks, and two forced fumbles. With new coach Sean McDermott shifting to a 4-3 and Reggie Ragland expected to be the middle linebacker, Brown doesn’t have a starting spot. He has one year left on his rookie deal.

It’s not a surprise after Reggie Ragland sat out team drills at OTAs. The Bills plan to play their three best linebackers, and could move Ragland to the strong side. Brown has started 46-of-48 games since entering the league in 2014.