Veteran safety Ken Hamlin said on his twitter page that he is planning to visit the Cincinnati Bengals.
In 2007, Hamlin and current Bengal Roy Williams made up a popular safety duo in Dallas.
That season, Hamlin broke up 15 passes and five interceptions for 93 yards. His impressive numbers earned him a Pro Bowl selection and a six-year deal worth $38 million. Hamlin was due $5.595 million this season, according to The Dallas Morning News. After the release, the Cowboys are only responsible for $1.1 million of that unless he is signed elsewhere.
Roy Williams was also named to the Pro Bowl after the 2007 season.
The duo starred together as the Cowboys’ starting safeties the next two seasons. Unlike Williams, current Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer never coached Hamlin. Zimmer had already left Dallas to coach the Atlanta Falcons defense in 2007.
If the Bengals do acquire Hamlin, he won’t technically be a starter. Barring an injury, Chris Crocker and Roy Williams should begin the season as the two starters with Chinedum Ndukwe and possibly Hamlin as the reserves.
That all being said, if the Bengals do sign Hamlin, I could see Zimmer rotating his four top safeties as if all four were starters with Hamlin being inserted into the game on passing downs. Hopefully, the Bengals will still have roster space to keep Tom Nelson so he could develop.
Anyways, by not drafting a safety, the Bengals could certainly use Hamlin for depth and to protect their secondary when their starting/injury-prone safeties miss time in 2010.
Keep an eye on Ken Hamlin’s twitter page and Roy Williams’ twitter page for updates tomorrow, let’s hope the visit to Cincinnati goes well.
