Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker
The Cincinnati Bengals announced today that middle linebacker Odell Thurman has been reinstated by the NFL.
"Odell has met the NFL's conditions for reinstatement and has been added to our offseason roster, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said today. "It is now up to Odell to continue to meet all NFL guidelines, and to maintain a standard of personal responsibility that will allow him the chance to compete for a spot on our team.
Finally, there is positive news coming out of the Bengals' camp this offseason. Thurman's reinstatement follows weeks of negative press that involved the release if receiver Chris Henry and star player Chad Johnson wanting a one-way ticket out of town.
Thurman was arguably the team's best defensive player during his rookie year in 2005, when he recorded 106 tackles and five interceptions. If Thurman returns to form and is able to shake off two years of inactivity, this could be a major boost for Cincinnati's defense and one less need to address in this weekend's NFL Draft.
Currently, the Bengals' two biggest needs are the defensive line and linebacker positions.
