The Pittsburgh Steelers let James Harrison walk, but the Cincinnati Bengals believe the veteran pass rusher still has something left.
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So does Harrison, who says too much has been made about his switch from Dick LeBeau's 3-4 defense to Mike Zimmer's 4-3.
"It's really not that much of a difference," Harrison told the team's official website. "Actually, with some of the stuff they're doing now, it looks like I may be rushing a little more than I had in previous years. I think I'll be covering a little less here."
It's not just the scheme fit that raises questions about Harrison's role with the Bengals. Unlike the Steelers, the Bengals draw their pass rush almost entirely from their defensive line. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins led the unit with 12.5 takedowns last season while Michael Johnson notched 11.5 sacks from the end position. The top six sack-getters for the Bengals were up front.
Harrison, an outside linebacker, doesn't fit the mold, but Zimmer is one of the game's most creative defensive play-callers. We trust he'll find ways to set Harrison free.
"(Zimmer) is doing some things that will hopefully get me some one-on-ones with a lot of interior linemen," he said. "Let the guys who were here continue to do the outside rushing that they were doing."
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
