![Rey Maualuga Bengals [Image by Jeffrey Beall|Wikimedia Commons| Cropped | CC BY-SA 2.0 ]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/8/20/660x290/b_502x220x82/rey-maualuga-bengals-image-by-jeffrey-beallwikimedia-commons-cropped-cc-by-sa-20_1519747.jpg "Rey Maualuga Bengals [Image by Jeffrey Beall|Wikimedia Commons| Cropped | CC BY-SA 2.0 ]")
The Miami Dolphins made a move to shore up their weakened linebacker unit by signing veteran and former Bengals player Rey Maualuga yesterday. Speaking of the Cincinnati Bengals, they may have become the latest team to suffer a major injury as Shawn Williams was carted off last night.
Dolphins sign Maualuga following McMillan injury
The Miami Dolphins signed Rey Maualuga to a one-year deal that will pay him the veteran's minimum in base salary, $900,000. However, the team will use the minimum salary benefit, which means that Maualuga's contract will only count $615,000 against the team's salary cap.
This signing comes following the team's second-round pick out of Ohio State, Raekwon McMillan, tearing his ACL during the Dolphins preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons. The 30-year-old is likely going to be the team's starting middle linebacker, mostly playing on running downs since he is a running-stuffing specialist. This means that he should play around 30 plays per game, coming off the field in passing situations.
Maualuga is entering his ninth season in the NFL and already has experience playing for defensive coordinator Matt Burke, who was his linebackers coach with the Cincinnati Bengals for two seasons. He spent all of his first eight seasons in the league with the Bengals, playing in 114 games and starting 104 of them.
For his career, Maualuga has 599 total tackles, four sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and seven interceptions.
Bengals' Shawn Williams carted off
During the second quarter of last night's preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cincinnati Bengals had to watch starting safety Shawn Williams get carted off.
He remained down on the ground for several minutes before he was lifted into a cart and taken to the locker room with an apparent right elbow injury.
Williams injury had many wondering if he would be out for the entire season but there may be hope that he is not. His injury is known to be a dislocated elbow, meaning that he could miss anywhere from 4 weeks to the entire season.
This will all depend on how much damage was done to his elbow, meaning that the team will have to wait for the full MRI results to come in.
Williams is entering his fifth season in the NFL, all with the Bengals. Last season he emerged to become the team's starting strong safety. In his career, Williams has 132 total tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and five interceptions.
