“Whenever I watch him play, he’s knocking people’s heads off, and that’s something we want on our team,” defensive tackle Domato Peko said. “Just the way he plays, to see him on film, he’s an animal and someone that would make us instantly better on defense.”
Added defensive end Carlos Dunlap, “Anybody on the team would love to have him on our team with the way he plays. Plus he hates the Steelers now, and that’s somebody we need on our side of the football.”
Harrison won’t have to wait long to face his former team as the Bengals will play the Steelers in their home opener Sept. 16 on Monday Night Football. The second game also is scheduled for primetime Dec. 15 in Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football.
The Steelers released Harrison on March 9 after he refused to take a pay cut. He met with the Bengals on April 11, and Monday it looked as though a deal was imminent.
But by Tuesday talks had slowed, and as recently as Thursday it appeared as though there would be no deal.
Friday morning, however, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said he was optimistic the team would sign either Harrison or former Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby, who also had visited Cincinnati.
“I think either player comes in and we make some adjustments to things we do and we feel good about it,” Lewis said. “They bring some playmaking ability to us, and they would be good to have. They’re good men. They would continue to enhance the defensive room and the team.”
Harrison is an 11-year veteran who went to five consecutive Pro Bowls from 2007-11. He is expected to start at SAM linebacker, the position vacated when Manny Lawson signed with Buffalo. Harrison brings his 64 career sacks to a Bengals team that set a franchise record with 51 sacks last year, finishing one shy of the NFL lead.
Smith next?: Lewis also said Friday he is hopeful the team can reach an agreement with free agent right tackle Andre Smith prior to Thursday's draft. Lewis avoided using the word deadline, but he did say "it changes the parameters, no doubt."
“We’re getting down to the time of that because we feel it’s important,” Lewis said. “He wants to get it done, but he has to get his representation and our people to come to an agreement. He’s anxious for it to occur and hopefully it happens quickly. Everyone realizes when we get into the draft it becomes a different situation.”
Even if Smith signs prior to Thursday, Lewis said it would not preclude the Bengals from drafting a tackle in the first round.
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