Cutdown day a merciless one in NFL

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, August, 2008 | by COMPILED BY THE INQUIRER STAFF

Offensive tackle Willie Anderson and running back Rudi Johnson, who lost their starting jobs with the Cincinnati Bengals during training camp, have now lost their roster spots, too.

The Bengals released Anderson and Johnson yesterday as part of their moves to get to the 53-man roster limit.

The 33-year-old Anderson was the most tenured Bengal at 12 seasons. Injuries limited him to seven games last season, ending his streak of four consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. He became a backup to Stacy Andrews (Shawn Andrews' brother) in training camp, and declined to take a pay cut to stay with the team.

The 28-year-old Johnson missed most of camp because of a hamstring injury, making him expendable. Chris Perry, a first-round pick in 2004, moves into the starting job after...