ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Bengals MLB Rey Maualuga's sprained MCL is expected to sideline him 3-4 weeks.

It's good news that Maualuga has avoided a torn ACL, but he'll likely miss all of November, as the Bengals are on bye in Week 12. Maualuga has graded out as a bottom-10 inside linebacker in Pro Football Focus' ratings. Vontaze Burfict should hold down the middle, with Michael Boley manning the weak side.

Bengals MLB Rey Maualuga has been diagnosed with a MCL injury.

It's a relieving diagnosis for the Bengals and Maualuga. Things looked bad as he crumpled to the turf and had to be carted off Sunday. We'll have a timetable once the Bengals determine the severity of the sprain.

Coach Marvin Lewis said he plans to leave Rey Maualuga at middle linebacker this season.

Bengals re-signed LB Rey Maualuga.

DC Mike Zimmer gets his wish. Coming off an up-and-down 2012, Maualuga's market never really heated up. His only visits were to the Giants and Arizona. The question now is whether he'll stay in the middle or head back to the strong-side. WLB Vontaze Burfict made a strong case to be moved to the middle with his excellent rookie season. The smart money is on Maualuga heading back to SAM 'backer.

Bengals.com reports "indications are" that the team is "closing in" on deals for free agents LB Rey Maualuga and CB Adam "Pacman" Jones.

Maualuga made two free-agent visits last week to the Cardinals and Giants, but both teams went in different directions. Maualuga would be a good keep for the Bengals as a two-down strong-side linebacker, but he can't play the middle anymore. Jones hasn't drawn any interest, so he could likely be kept on a one-year deal.

The Giants have expressed interest in free agent MLB Rey Maualuga.

The Giants haven't shown much urgency to fill their vacancy in the middle. Free agent Chase Blackburn is moving on and they've only hosted Jasper Brinkley. Maualuga graded out as the worst inside linebacker in the NFL last season. The Giants should be aiming higher, but they're up against the cap.

Free agent LB Rey Maualuga left Arizona without a contract.

The Cardinals are now hosting Jasper Brinkley. Maualuga has yet to line up any other visits. He could be a fit for the Ravens, and may possibly wind up back in Cincinnati.

Free agent LB Rey Maualuga will visit the Cardinals.

The Cardinals are in need of an inside linebacker to pair with Daryl Washington. Stewart Bradley was released and Paris Lenon is a free agent. We'd expect the Ravens to give Maualuga a ring, too, after losing Dannell Ellerbe to the Dolphins.

Bengals DC Mike Zimmer believes free agent LB Rey Maualuga is "a lot better than what (people) give him credit for."

"I think that's going to be what people are going to find out if he goes," Zimmer said. "If he's not here people are going to miss him and say we should have had him. That's how it works, like Justin Smith." Zimmer is alluding to a perceived lack of media coverage in Cincinnati, but neither stats nor film bear out his point about Maualuga. Maualuga is expected to walk in free agency, but Bengals.com reports he could be brought back to play strong-side linebacker, with Vontaze Burfict shifting to the middle.

Bengals.com says the team is still engaged with free agent LB Rey Maualuga, and they could re-sign him to play strong-side linebacker.

A report surfaced last week that Maualuga was unlikely to be re-signed, and it came up again on Thursday as the Combine kicked off. Maualuga was downright awful in coverage last season, so a move to the strong side would keep him in on running downs, but have him replaced by a defensive back on third downs. Vontaze Burfict is expected to take over in the middle.

The Sideline View's Adam Caplan confirms that the Bengals are unlikely to re-sign free agent MLB Rey Maualuga.

Undisciplined and ineffective, Maualuga was one of the NFL's poorest middle linebacker starters last season. The Bengals plan to move forward with Vontaze Burfict manning the middle. Maualuga, 26, was suggested Monday as a potential replacement for Ray Lewis in Baltimore, by SI's Peter King. If Maualuga is cheap and vows to play within the scheme, it might be a sensible marriage.

SI's Peter King believes the Ravens could pursue free agent MLB Rey Maualuga "after the initial rush" of free agency.

Specifically, King believes the Ravens may make a run in "middle-class free agency." Per King, the Ravens and GM Ozzie Newsome were very high on Maualuga coming out of USC. However, King believes the Ravens "have" to re-sign free agent Dannell Ellerbe, and that they wouldn't view Maualuga as the sole replacement for retiring MLB Ray Lewis, but rather part of a potential committee. Maualuga is coming off a very poor season in Cincinnati.

Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer "doubts" that free agent MLB Rey Maualuga will be back with the Bengals in 2013.

Reedy concedes the team's stance could change, but the Bengals are likely to replace Maualuga with Vontaze Burfict. Maualuga, 26, has a bigger name than his on-field game suggests. He was among the NFL's worst middle linebackers in 2012.

Impending free agent MLB Rey Maualuga expressed doubt that the Bengals would want him back after a roller-coaster 2012 season.

"I felt as if the playoff game was sort of like, if I perform well they would want me," said Maualuga. "I don't know if they want me, but I do know I didn't perform well." Of the 35 inside linebackers who played 50 percent or more of their team's snaps, Maualuga graded the worst, according to Pro Football Focus. He has issues with coverage, penalties, and missed tackles.

Impending free agent MLB Rey Maualuga's Bengals future is up in the air this offseason.

Maualuga was one of the few weak spots on an excellent defense, too often getting burned for big plays throughout the season as well as in the playoff to the Texans. The Bengals would be better off moving Vontaze Burfict to the middle and giving surprising rookie Emmanuel Lamur a shot on the outside. SLB Manny Lawson is also a free agent.

Bengals MLB Rey Maualuga credits losing 20 pounds for his recent run of good play.

Prior to Week 3, the 6-foot-2 Maualuga weighed 265 pounds. He was having trouble shedding blocks and making tackles in space. Now that's he's playing lighter, he's excelled in the nickel and even looked solid in pass coverage. Maualuga leads the Bengals with 77 tackles on the season.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis insisted Monday that the team is not considering benching MLB Rey Maualuga.

Mualauga has been abominable this season, particularly against the run. He overruns too many plays and struggles mightily to get off blocks at the second level. Cincy's run defense has been incredibly disappointing after finishing last season as a top-ten unit. Maualuga does deceptively have 58 tackles through seven games, and is tied for ninth in the league in that worthless statistic.

Bengals MLB Rey Maualuga left Sunday's game against the Dolphins and is being evaluated for a concussion.

Maualuga was hurt while making a tackle on Dolphins RB Daniel Thomas. Both players were injured on the play. Roddrick Muckelroy is Maualuga's backup.

Bengals MLB Rey Maualuga (knee) is expected to miss only a "couple of days" of practice.

"I got good news from the trainer," Maualuga said after Friday's preseason opener. "Tomorrow we've got off and I could be back Sunday for practice." The Bengals are waiting to update DE Carlos Dunlap's (knee) status.

Bengals MLB Rey Maualuga and DE Carlos Dunlap were forced from Friday's preseason opener with right knee injuries.

They're both done for the night, but each walked off the field under their own power. They'll likely be questionable for Thursday's tilt with the Falcons, but neither Maualuga nor Dunlap appear to be dealing with injuries that will affect their Week 1 status.