Robert

Geathers

The Bengals are optimistic he’ll be back by the September 10 opener, although there are no guarantees. Geathers, 29, started 15 games last season, but his role was scaled back and he graded out negatively as both a pass rusher and run stopper by Pro Football Focus. Geathers is due a $4.2 million base salary, which seems like an awful lot for an underachieving rotational player. Carlos Dunlap and Jamaal Anderson will see increased reps.

“It’s time to go... I should be fine,” said Geathers. The bigger news, though, is that starting LE Carlos Dunlap (knee) didn’t suit up on Monday and looks iffy for the Ravens. If Dunlap were to miss, Geathers, rookie DT Devon Still, Jamaal Anderson, and LB Manny Lawson would play in a rotation of sorts. Joe Flacco already has a juicy matchup against Cincinnati’s secondary, and not having to worry about Dunlap would be even better.

Presumed starter Robert Geathers (knee) has been out since the first day of camp. “Dunlap has come out here and done really good things, and that’s a good thing,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “Right now he’s playing the best football so he’s No.1 on the depth chart.” Dunlap posted 9.5 sacks in just 12 games as a rookie in 2010, but has been hampered by injuries since.

Dunlap, entering a contract year in his fourth season, has started just two games in his career, but, so far, he’s been running ahead of veteran Robert Geathers. Playing as a rotational end last season, Dunlap graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 9 4-3 end. He recorded six sacks in 2012, and has 20 in three years.

Cincinnati has plenty of free agents on defense, but none bigger than Johnson. He finished second on the team with 11.5 sacks, one behind DT Geno Atkins. Geathers, on the other hand, is more of a run-stopping end. He has spent all nine seasons of his career with the Bengals. Johnson has been mentioned as a strong franchise-tag candidate.

Cincinnati is trying to keep its top-three pass rush intact, already tagging Michael Johnson and re-signing Wallace Gilberry. Geathers, 29, is the Bengals’ longest-tenured player. He started all 16 games in 2012, registering three sacks.

Cincinnati is keeping the band together. Geathers, the team’s longest tenured player, chipped in three sacks last season and was a solid run defender while starting every game. He and fourth-year DE Carlos Dunlap will compete for the starting left end job this summer. It’d be nice to see the Bengals turn the keys over to Dunlap because he’s such a better pass rusher than Geathers.

We don’t see this happening. Odom had eight sacks in six games last season before tearing his Achilles’ tendon and he’ll only cost the Bengals $3.4 million in 2010. Reedy also mentions Robert Geathers as a candidate for release, which makes more sense. The Bengals drafted DE Carlos Dunlap in the second round and DT Geno Atkins in the fourth.

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is experimenting with all kinds of different looks this offseason. With rookies Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins now in the mix, he has plenty of quality bodies to work with. The Bengals ranked 16th in the league last season with 34 sacks and are expecting to get Antwan Odom back for training camp.

Geathers injured his arm in Monday night’s win over the Steelers. He’s expected to be placed on season-ending injured reserve. Wallace Gilberry will take over as the No. 3 end. Rookie Margus Hunt may now be active on game days.