If there's a free agent guy left on the shelves worth taking a flier on, Amobi Okoye could be that guy.
The 10th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, Okoye didn't work out in Houston. He spent last year in Chicago on a one-year deal.
The Patriots reportedly are one of five teams showing interest in Okoye, a 6-2, 302-pound defensive tackle. He has scheduled a visit with the Bengals.
Okoye's most productive season was as a 20-year-old rookie when he had 5.5 sacks and 23 tackles. As a reserve with the Bears last year, he had four sacks.
He mostly plays three-technique (lined up on the outside shoulder of the guard). He's kind of stubby and a little undersized for a two-gapping player so he may have minimal relevancy for the Patriots in a 3-4 scheme. But his speed and power -- still untapped, it seems -- should make him a decent penetrator.
The thing about Okoye is whether or not he fulfills the Patriots' commandment of "football is important to him."
He's got other pursuits and would like to be in med school by the age of 35 (at least that was the plan last summer).
We'll keep an eye on where Okoye stops after Cincy if the Bengals don't sign him.