Vontaze Burfict's uncertain future

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(12-16-2018, 01:17 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: Mounting concussions scary aspect of Vontaze Burfict's uncertain future - Paul Dehner, Jr

For the third consecutive December, Vontaze Burfict suffered a concussion and is forced to the sideline as the Bengals play out the string of a sideways season.

The concussion Burfict suffered on Dec. 2 against Denver was the sixth of the controversial linebacker’s career.

Injuries can be random and unpreventable at times, but it’s hard not to spot the trend of three years in a row and what should be a mounting concern over it.

In 2016, Burfict suffered a concussion on Dec. 18 against Pittsburgh and missed the final two weeks.

In 2017, Burfict suffered a concussion on Dec. 4, also against Pittsburgh via a hit from JuJu Smith-Schuster. He did return three weeks later against Detroit but hurt his shoulder to end his season.

He’ll now miss his second consecutive game with a concussion this weekend against Oakland. He didn’t travel to Los Angeles last week. While other players with concussions have worked their way back on the practice fields like Tony McRae and Michael Johnson – both questionable for Sunday -- Burfict is yet to make an appearance out there during a practice as a non-participant in every session since.

It brings up the scary aspect of mounting brain injuries.

“It’s got to be personal with the player,” Marvin Lewis said. “The thing with concussions, it works through the doctors and medical staff and they have to handle it in their protocol. They’ve taken it out of the hands of the coach, which is good. It is where it is right now, it’s not going to go backward.”

Burfict, 28, has played seven NFL seasons and sustained a concussion in five of the last six, including back-to-back weeks at the beginning of 2014. Back then, when asked by Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty if he’s concerned for Burfict as a person, Lewis pointed out his history with concussions and how things are different with the focus on the issue.

“I coached defenses and linebackers for a long time and concussions didn't linger,” Lewis said then. “Now we have found that because of the media and things they seem to linger longer. There's a lot of attention paid to it. I don't know why they linger longer. I don't remember them lingering like they do now."

He admitted Friday he tries to stay away from wading into those waters, specifically in a question about Burfict.

“I don’t comment on concussions because I played a lot of football and had a lot of concussions and never had one last, so I don’t know,” Lewis said. “I don’t understand. But that’s just my opinion.”

With uncertainty across the organization entering another offseason of potential change in reaction to this disappointing year, Burfict’s future in Cincinnati is a talking point. The 6-foot-1, 255-pound former undrafted free agent saw his play on the field endure a significant dip in production and league philosophy is sprinting away from 250-plus pound linebackers.

Pro Football Focus logged Burfict with 18 made tackles, 12 assisted and 12 missed this season. His career numbers show the stark drop off. 


[*]Year: Total tackles // missed tackles

[*]2012: 114 // 7
[*]2013: 156 // 9
[*]2014: 27 // 5
[*]2015: 72 // 7
[*]2016: 99 // 13
[*]2017: 69 // 8
[*]2018: 30 // 12

Those factors make the suspensions, fines, injuries, penalties and distractions tougher to justify. Burfict is signed through the 2020 season. Letting him go this offseason would apply a hit of $1.8 million in dead money, but save $6.8 million overall against the salary cap.

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He is not reliable to be in shape, and he is not reliable to be on the field.  Time for him to go.  One of the most dominant LBs I have ever seen in his prime, but he simply doesn't prepare his body as needed to stay on top in this league.  

I am betting on at least two LBs drafted next year, and they will also likely look for an outside veteran to sign.