SB Nation - Ben Utecht

Jay McDonnell's Free Agency Wishlist - Restricted Free Agents Edition

Jay McDonnell — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:18:18 -0000

18 days ago: In this Nov. 8, 2009, file photo, San Diego Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson celebrates after scoring the go-ahead touchdown against the New York Giants in an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J. Jackson pleaded guilty to a DUI charge and was sentenced to four days in jail and five years of probation. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)

Browse more photos »

When a team looks to continue building on the success (or eliminate the failures) from the previous season, they look toward signing a veteran that could fill a need. As fans, we all have our own perspective as to who the team should sign based on what we perceive as the team's various weaknesses. So with that in mind, I have put together a free agent wish list of those who I would like the Bengals to sign during this free agency period, which opens this Friday.

Vincent Jackson. After T.J. Houshmandzadeh's departure, teams easily focused their attention on Chad Ochocinco, taking away the big play potential from the offense. With the signing of Laveranues Coles, there was a hope that he could fill T.J.'s shoes shifting the focus away from Ochocinco. Coles struggled early and never became the threat coaches had hoped for, fueling speculation that he may be released. I believe that signing Vincent Jackson from the San Diego Chargers would not only bring the offense an additional deep threat, but his presence would also mean a tall receiver with great body control, becoming a red zone threat in jump-ball situations. He would surely command a nice paycheck, but he would make an instant impact on a team in need of another deep threat receiver to take some heat away from Chad. Currently Jackson is a restricted free agent and the Chargers have reportedly offered him the highest one year tender, allowing them to garner a first and third round draft pick, if the Charges elect not to match an offer sheet from another team.

Owen Daniels. Another area on offense that lacked in the passing game, was tight ends. Season ending injuries to Reggie Kelly, Ben Utecht and Chase Coffman, coupled with Dan Coats' inability to catch the football, forced the Bengals to rely on an unemployed tight end. Even though J.P. Foschi brought some stability to the position, the Bengals elected not to tender him a contract in the belief that they could sign him to a cheaper deal after March 5. As of now, this leaves the position in Coffman's hands; unfortunately he never appeared to have gained the confidence of the coaching staff due to his inability to grasp the offense. Signing Owen Daniels of the Houston Texans would strengthen the position with his reliable hands and ability to get down field. Over the past few seasons his catch total steadily rose from 63 in 2007 to 70 in 2008, and he was on pace for 80 catches in 2009 before his season ending ACL injury. His talents would provide the Bengals a pass catching tight end; something unknown to this team. Daniels is also a restricted free agent but no offer has been reportedly tendered as of this posting. With the ACL injury, I would not be surprised if the Texans offered him the lowest tender, which would provide Houston with no compensation if Owens were to accept another offer.

Elvis Dumervil. Antwan Odom set the NFL world on fire early in 2009 with six sacks in the first two games, including tying the team record of five sacks in one game against the Green Bay Packers. His season ended with a ruptured achilles tendon after six games at which time he was leading the league with eight sacks. Prior to Odom's injury, the defense had accumulated 16 sacks, nearly half of their season total of 34. Signing Elvis Dumervil from the Denver Broncos would provide the defense with a player who would be another threat to opposing quarterbacks. His long arms and large hands give him an ability to keep blockers off of his body, giving him better vision of the quarterback's location in the pocket. Dumervil’s addition would give a boost to an area on the defense that slowed after Odom's injury. Dumervil is a restricted free agent and no tender has been reportedly offered. Expect the Broncos to make a top tier tender in the near future unless a long term deal is made.

Barrett Ruud. The run defense greatly improved with the addition of Rey Maualuga, making an instant impact. However, when Maualuga was lost to injury late in the season, the rush defense suffered. Signing linebacker Barrett Ruud of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would give the defense one of the league's best tackling machines, finishing third last season with 142 tackles. His addition to a linebacking corps and defense that is gaining respect around the league would provide the depth needed to make a championship run, bearing in mind the Bengals may also lose the services of Rashad Jeanty. Ruud currently is a restricted free agent that has been offered the top tender that would give the Bucs a first and third round draft picks as compensation.

Jahri Evans. The Bengals' offensive line could be considered an area of concern. Allowing 29 sacks last season while still proving to be effective run blockers, giving the team's running game an average of 4.1 yards-per-rush, the team could always improve. To keep the offensive line together, they would have to re-sign Bobbie Williams who is an unrestricted free agent. If the Bengals do not achieve this, signing Jahri Evans of the New Orleans Saints would fill this void nicely. His pass blocking would be an upgrade over what Bobbie gave us last year, and his run blocking is solid. He is considered by the Saints as their top lineman allowing them to have a very effective running game, helping carry them to their first Super Bowl appearance and win. He carries a positive attitude and team first mentality, attributes that would fit in well with the current tone of the team. Evans is a restricted free agent who has been offered the highest tender with a first and third round offer, which is a steep price to pay for a right guard. This will give many teams pause.

I know the stakes are high for any of these players. The likelihood that the Bengals are going to make many high-profile moves in the market is low. Throwing money at top-level free agents is out of character for our team and isn't expected.

The level of free agency for these players is solely based on the outcome of any negotiations between the players' union and the NFL. If by some miracle there appears an 11th hour agreement between the two sides, this could all change. If not, Friday begins the uncapped season and these players will stay restricted free agents. So, please understand that this is solely a wish list. I know that there are a number of variables that will influence the outcome of this year’s free agency season for the Bengals.

With the possibility of 2010 becoming a non-cap year, some of this will not materialize. Heck, maybe none of it will. But I can wish, can’t I?

Colts Homer's NFL Scouting Combine Mock Draft

Colts Homer — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:04:02 -0000

More photos » BAHRAM MARK SOBHANI - ASSOCIATED PRESS

Clausen is the best QB prospect since Peyton Manning, but will he go number one? (AP Photo/Bahram Mark Sobhani)

Browse more photos »

With Shake posting his yesterday, I wanted to make sure to get in on the action before all of the tests start. Right now it is just the weigh-ins (which I have not seen yet), so I still have some time. I'm going to do the first 3 rounds since up to the Saints' pick at the bottom of the third will be the order with no comp picks or anything of the sort to mess it up. Looking over Shake's mock draft, the things we agree on are about nothing except we all want the same guys for the Colts. I'm not as high on Washington (like every other middle linebacker) as he is, but I would not be opposed to taking him.

In this draft, the Colts get a left tackle, another target for Peyton Manning, and a kick returner. Who are these future Colts? Well, click the link below and find out. Let's just say it is a bitter sweet first round pick and a brilliant second and third round. Also, the Broncos had a terrible draft, the Raiders continue to draft for speed, the Messiah went down to Florida, and the Patriots had enough second rounders to draft an entire new team. Yes, the next 8 weeks are going to be long yet very fun. Hopefully the Colts can be this successful on draft day. And maybe Charles Brown will fall. Please?

The draft starts after the jump.

Round 1

Pick	Team	Player	Position	School	Comments
1.	St. Louis Rams	Sam Bradford	QB	Oklahoma	I can not see how a competent team could take a defensive tackle over a franchise QB like Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen. Of course, there is a reason why the Rams won just 6 games over the past 3 years. I prefer Jimmy Clausen over Sam Bradford, but they can't go wrong with either guy.
2.	Detroit Lions	Ndamukong Suh	DT	Nebraska	With the Lions picking up their franchise QB in the 2009 NFL Draft, they need to work on their defense. Brady Quinn picked apart this defense. They need all the help they can get. Reportedly, the Lions will take the best non-quarterback available. I can't see how anyone other than Suh is that guy.
3.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Gerald McCoy	DT	Oklahoma	The Buccaneers have got to take McCoy if he is left on board. The Bucs' biggest need is on the defensive line, so to find a great tackle in the first round is incredible luck. The Bucs have a bright future on offense, but the defense is a problem.
4.	Washington Redskins	Jimmy Clausen	QB	Notre Dame	This should be an easy pick. Clausen is going to be an absolutely amazing NFL quarterback, and the Redskins are lucky that he fell to them. Clausen is a taller Drew Brees. His production last year was the best by a pro style QB in college football history. That's unbelievable.
5.	Kansas City Chiefs	Russell Okung	OT	Oklahoma State	At this point, I don't see how this pick isn't spent on an offensive tackle. Pioli loves positional value, and there is no bigger need on the Chiefs than offensive tackle. Okung would be able to play left tackle and let Brandon Albert move back to his more comfortable position of right guard.
6.	Seattle Seahawks	Bruce Campbell	OT	Maryland	With the top quarterbacks off of the board, the Seahawks are in a tough spot. Left tackle is easily the biggest need for the 'Hawks, but Eric Berry is left on the board. I think Carroll will decide to go with the new left tackle. Eric Berry is a great player, but it is too early to draft a safety, especially when it's not a position of need.
7.	Cleveland Browns	Eric Berry	SS	Tennessee	Could the football gods ever let the Browns be this lucky? Berry is going to be a superstar. Even if safety isn't their biggest need nor is it a position where players should be going in the top 7, he is too good to pass up at this point in the draft.
8.	Oakland Raiders	Carlos Dunlap	DE	Florida	Bruce Campbell seems to be the consensus in a lot of mocks, but he is long gone in this mock. Dunlap seems like a logical choice for the Raiders. He has a high bust potential, amazing size, and will blow up the Combine.
9.	Buffalo Bills	Anthony Davis	OT	Rutgers	The Bills are in the same exact situation as the Seahawks were. The Bills really need a new quarterback, but Clausen and Bradford are off the board. That means offensive tackle should be the focus. Davis is going to be very good, but I'm not sure if he can be a left tackle in the NFL. That could be his downfall.
10.	Jacksonville Jaguars	Derrick Morgan	DE	Georgia Tech	I can't see Jason Pierre-Paul going right here. He's very talented, but he has so many question marks that it would be a wasted pick. On the other hand, Morgan is going to be a very good pro even if he struggled in the Orange Bowl. Never judge a player off of one game, good or bad.
11.	Denver Broncos	Rolando McClain	ILB	Alabama	I've had Dez Bryant going here for a while, but I do not think that McDaniels would go for a wide receiver in the first round even if Brandon Marshall is traded. McClain is the best player left available, and he fills a position of need.
12.	Miami Dolphins	Joe Haden	CB	Florida	With McClain off the board, this pick comes down to 3 players: Dez Bryant, Dan Williams, and Joe Haden. I don't see a run-based team going wide receiver, and it's too high to take Williams. Haden forms an amazing combo with Vontae Davis, one of the best rookie corners last year.
13.	San Francisco 49ers	Bryan Bulaga	OT	Iowa	With Davis off the board, Bulaga becomes the most highly-regarded tackle on board. Bulaga can play both left tackle and right tackle and is a fantastic run blocker.
14.	Seattle Seahawks	CJ Spiller	RB	Clemson	The Seahawks get lucky that Spiller falls to them. He is a dynamic returner and a big play man. He could easily be what people thought Reggie Bush would be. If the 'Hawks don't get a quarterback, the next best thing is to get weapons for Jake Locker or Ryan Mallett next year.
15.	New York Giants	Brian Price	DT	UCLA	This is a very popular pick. The Giants have major problems with their defensive tackles, and Price is perfect for a 4-3 defense.
16.	Tennessee Titans	Jason Pierre-Paul	DE	South Florida	The Titans won't draft Pierre-Paul because he has great potential and defensive end is their top position of need, but because they like players who can't read. See Vince Young.
17.	San Francisco 49ers	Brandon Graham	DE	Michigan	After an amazing Senior Bowl, Graham's stock has skyrocketed. The Niners need another pass rusher. After taking their tackle earlier to keep their QB standing, they need a player who can put the opposing QB on his backside.
18.	Pittsburgh Steelers	Dan Williams	NT	Tennessee	Even though Hampton was re-signed, he's still 33 years old and the Steelers need to look for a replacement.
19.	Atlanta Falcons	Sean Weatherspoon	OLB	Missouri	Weatherspoon is a great player who showed why he should be a top 20 pick at the Senior Bowl. The Falcons do have a need at outside linebacker with Mike Peterson being at risk of dying from old age.
20.	Houston Texans	Earl Thomas	FS	Texas	The Texans need to improve their secondary. Right now they do not have a quality safety to play next to Bernard Pollard. Cornerback is also a big need but it is a little early for McCourty or Wilson.
21.	Cincinnati Bengals	Dez Bryant	WR	Oklahoma State	With the Broncos passing on him, Bryant free falls all the way down to number 21. The Bengals get a steal of the century.
22.	New England Patriots	Jerry Hughes	OLB	Texas Christian	The Patriots really need some rush linebackers. The defense is still ancient. Hughes should be a fantastic rush linebacker for the Patriots. If they can't get Graham, Hughes should be next on their list.
23.	Green Bay Packers	Charles Brown	OT	Southern California	This sucks. Brown weighed in at 303 pounds. He may be gone before the Packers. Maybe the Colts should trade up.
24.	Philadelphia Eagles	Everson Griffen	DE	Southern California	The Eagles do need another defensive end to partner up with Trent Cole. Griffen is the best left on board. He's a project, but he has the opportunity to be a stud.
25.	Baltimore Ravens	Golden Tate	WR	Notre Dame	The Ravens need to give Flacco a target other than Derrick Mason. Tate is a big play guy who would fit the offense perfectly. It's either Golden or Gresham here.
26.	Arizona Cardinals	Kyle Wilson	CB	Boise State	The Cardinals should consider trading up or down. They are in a tough space. Luckily Kyle Wilson fell to them. DRC-Wilson would be a formidable small school duo.
27.	Dallas Cowboys	Mike Iupati	OG	Idaho	You see this pick a lot. It makes a lot of sense. The Cowboys like big linemen and need a guard, so it seems obvious. A little too obvious...
28.	San Diego Chargers	Jonathan Dwyer	RB	Georgia Tech	The Chargers need a new running back. LT is gone and Sproles could be on his way out as well. Even if they re-sign Sproles, he is not a number one running back. This pick has to be Dwyer or Jahvid Best.
29.	New York Jets	Donovan Warren	CB	Michigan	Warren is the best cornerback left on board in my opinion. I don't know why some people have him as a third rounder. Warren is a solid corner who played well despite Rich Rodriguez being his head coach. I wouldn't mind seeing the Colts take him.
30.	Minnesota Vikings	Devin McCourty	CB	Rutgers	Rutgers has been sending out some solid players. McCourty is looking to follow in the steps of Ray Rice and Kenny Britt (not to mention Gary Brackett and Eric Foster) and be a starter early in his career. With the mediocre Vikings secondary, it should occur very early.
31.	Indianapolis Colts	Jermaine Gresham	TE	Oklahoma	Right now if Gresham is off the board, I would want the Colts to trade down or trade away this pick for a first rounder next year. However, with the Ravens taking Golden Tate over him, the Colts stay and draft a top tight end. Gresham has a very good chance of being the next Tony Gonzalez. He is a wide receiver in a tight end's body who has enormous potential as a blocking tight end as well. I'm a big fan even if he is coming off of an injury.
32.	New Orleans Saints	Jared Odrick	DT	Penn State	The Saints need a defensive end, but all of the top ones are off the board. However, Odrick is a solid pass rusher from the defensive tackle position and would definitely help the defensive ends.

Summary: It sucks that Charles Brown is off the board before the Colts pick, but that's what happens when you are constantly picking at the bottom of rounds. Gresham is going to be a phenom wherever he goes. He would be one of Peyton's top targets and has a chance to be a better receiver and blocker than Clark. Once he polishes his route running and blocking he could be the best tight end in the league. At the worst, he is just another target for Peyton. I still think Jimmy Clausen is better than Bradford, but taking either of them is a lot better than taking another defensive lineman. There is no reason to believe Clausen and Bradford won't be studs in the pros. Even if Suh is the next Warren Sapp, the Rams should be satisfied with the pick if the QB they pick turns out well.

Round 2

Pick	Team	Player	Position	School	Comments
33.	St. Louis Rams	Trent Williams	OT	Oklahoma	After drafting a QB in the first round and the left tackle of the future in 2008, the Rams should go after their right tackle. Williams did a great job in 2008 of blocking for Bradford from the right side of the line.
34.	Detroit Lions	Brandon Ghee	CB	Wake Forest	The Lions got their pass rush with Suh in the first round, and now they get their pass defense in the second round. Ghee was one of many standout corners at the Senior Bowl. He should be a quality starter almost immediately.
35.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Damian Williams	WR	Southern California	The Bucs are lucky Williams fell all the way to the second round. He should be a number one receiver in the NFL and a nice target for Josh Freeman.
36.	Kansas City Chiefs	Terrence Cody	NT	Alabama	Cody is a big man. Like disgustingly big. He is going to bust, but Pioli loves positional value so much that he won't care.
37.	Washington Redskins	Jahvid Best	RB	California	Clinton Portis is done. I doubt he is ever a starter-worthy back ever again. The 'Skins need to find a replacement. If Best recovers from his injury, he would be the perfect pick.
38.	Cleveland Browns	Sergio Kindle	OLB	Texas	This is the same coach who took Vernon Gholston. Kindle is his man. At least this is only a second round pick this time. I don't think Kindle will amount to much in the pros, but he does have big time potential.
39.	Oakland Raiders	Selvish Capers	OT	West Virginia	Believe it. Al Davis will take the huge project left tackle with the great 40 time. Is it a reach? For Al Davis, nothing is a reach.
40.	Seattle Seahawks	Chad Jones	SS	Louisiana State	This is a tough one. There really are no defensive ends worth being taken here except for maybe Corey Wootton, but the 'Hawks need a pass rusher. Jones is a ballhawking safety who could be great.
41.	Buffalo Bills	Cam Thomas	NT	North Carolina	The Bills are moving to the 3-4. When making this change, a team needs to find a nose tackle. Thomas is the best bet in this round for being a top NT.
42.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Patrick Robinson	CB	Florida State	The Buccaneers have Aqib Talib who is a thug but a damn talented thug. Ronde Barber is about finished. They need to find his replacement. Robinson is a solid pick at this point.
43.	Miami Dolphins	Ricky Sapp	OLB	Clemson	The Dolphins have the oldest rush linebackers in the league with Taylor and Porter. With Porter bound to get cut, it only enhances this need.
44.	New England Patriots	Arrelious Benn	WR	Illinois	The Patriots need another wide receiver to go along with Moss. They will take the chance on Benn and hope he doesn't drop as many passes as he did in college.
45.	Denver Broncos	Alex Carrington	DE	Arkansas State	Carrington's stock went through the roof after his awesome Senior Bowl week. Josh Mishandles will take him in a reach.
46.	New York Giants	Daryl Washington	MLB	Texas Christian	With the Giants cutting Antonio Pierce, they have a huge hole at middle linebacker. Washington will be a very good 4-3 middle linebacker. This is a little bit of a reach though.
47.	New England Patriots	Corey Wootton	DE	Northwestern	The Patriots will go for the smaller but more athletic 3-4 defensive end. Wootton would be a solid 3-4 or 4-3 defensive end. It's too bad he will be a Patriot.
48.	Carolina Panthers	Brandon LaFell	WR	Louisiana State	The Panthers have Steve Smith, a top receiver, but they need another target for Matt Moore if they plan on having a passing game. LaFell would be a great big target.
49.	San Francisco 49ers	Vladimir Ducasse	OG	Massachusetts	If Alex Smith is ever going to be a successful NFL QB, he is going to need an offensive line. Ducasse would be a great addition on the line next to Trent Williams.
50.	Kansas City Chiefs	Maurkice Pouncey	C	Florida	The Chiefs need a center. Pouncey is the best center left. With the Chiefs and Pioli, it's just that simple.
51.	Houston Texans	Perrish Cox	CB	Oklahoma State	Again, more help for the secondary. Cox is a solid cornerback and a fantastic returner.
52.	Pittsburgh Steelers	Brandon Spikes	ILB	Florida	James Farrior is over the hill. Since they couldn't snag Rolando McClain, the go for the next best thing in the 2nd round.
53.	New England Patriots	Ryan Matthews	RB	Fresno State	Laurence Maroney is a major bust. They need to get another RB, and Matthews should be a stud. Great pick by the Patriots.
54.	Cincinnati Bengals	Taylor Mays	SS/OLB	Southern California	Even though he is bound to have a good Combine, scouts know that he is horrendous in coverage. If the Bengals didn't love anyone who came from USC he could have fallen farther.
55.	Philadelphia Eagles	Navorro Bowman	OLB	Penn State	The Eagles need an outside linebacker as much as they need a defensive end. Even though Bowman was arrested (much like every other current and former Penn State player over the past few years), he is still a stud.
56.	Green Bay Packers	Kareem Jackson	CB	Alabama	I'm not sure if Jackson is as good as Javier Arenas, but the Packers do not have a huge need at returner so they should lean towards Jackson.
57.	Baltimore Ravens	Aaron Hernandez	TE	Florida	Yeah, Flacco still needs more targets. If they are ever going to get passed the Colts or Chargers, they will need to be able to score points.
58.	Arizona Cardinals	Kyle Calloway	OT	Iowa	The Cards will have to block better for Matt Leinart than they did with Kurt Warner. Leinart doesn't have the quick release of Warner, so Leinart needs all the help he can get.
59.	Dallas Cowboys	Nate Allen	FS	South Florida	The Cowboys have a huge need in the secondary. I think Allen would be the right pick after years of notoriously bad drafting for the secondary.
60.	San Diego Chargers	Lamarr Houston	DE	Texas	The Chargers have a huge need on the defensive line. Houston is a minor steal at this point in the draft.
61.	New York Jets	Eric Norwood	OLB	South Carolina	After grabbing a corner in round 1, the Jets grab their biggest need, a rush linebacker. Norwood is a nice pick here. He's not Brandon Graham but he is solid.
62.	Minnesota Vikings	Morgan Burnett	FS	Georgia Tech	The Vikings continue to improve their secondary. Age is starting to catch up to the Vikings.
63.	Indianapolis Colts	Javier Arenas	CB	Alabama	I don't see him making it all the way to the third round. The Colts would be wise to pick up an amazing returner and a solid nickelback at this point. The Colts offense would be even more explosive with good field position.
64.	New Orleans Saints	A.J. Edds	OLB	Florida State	The Super Bowl champs need to get younger on defense. Edds is a solid SAM linebacker who would be able to contribute immediately, something early Saints picks have not done in a while.

Summary: We saw a lot of great players go off the board. The Colts never even got a chance to look at Corey Wootton or Daryl Washington. Javier Arenas is not slouch however. I am a huge fan of him and I think he will be one of the best returners in the league. Selvish Capers was the only left tackle to go in this round, and he was a horrible reach by Al Davis. The third round is the last one I will do. It should be interesting.

Round 3

Pick	Team	Player	Position	School	Comments
65.	St. Louis Rams	Greg Hardy	DE	Mississippi	The Rams need a DE, but this is a risky pick. Hardy is a bit lazy.
66.	Detroit Lions	Dexter McCluster	RB/WR/RS	Mississippi	The Lions need a playmaker to go with Pettigrew and Johnson. Stafford needs all the help he can get.
67.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Reshad Jones	SS	Georgia	The Bucs are in need of a safety to go alongside Jackson.
68.	Kansas City Chiefs	Jordan Shipley	WR/RS	Texas	Cody is a big man. Like disgustingly big. He is going to bust, but Pioli loves positional value so much that he won't care.
69.	Oakland Raiders	Akwasi Owusu-Anash	CB	Indiana University (PA)	This is the first good pick by Al Davis. The Raiders need some depth at cornerback, and Owusu-Anash is a very talented corner. Luckily he will have a good 40 time.
70.	Philadelphia Eagles	Jared Veldheer	OT	Hillsdale	Veldheer has ridiculous potential coming from a small school. He's absolutely massive at 6-9, 321 and could be the left tackle of the future for the Eagles.
71.	Cleveland Browns	Dominique Franks	CB	Oklahoma	This is a bit of a steal. Franks is a solid cover corner who could be gone a lot earlier if it weren't for the just incredible depth at cornerback in this draft.
72.	Buffalo Bills	Dan LeFevour	QB	Central Michigan	The Bills need a new QB. Sadly, they didn't get Bradford or Clausen, but LeFevour is a decent consolation prize. He's mobile and has a lot of potential.
73.	Miami Dolphins	Torrell Troup	NT	Central Florida	The Dolphins could consider Dan Williams in the first, but if they do not pull the trigger, they must get a nose tackle quickly. Jason Ferguson is old and almost finished.
74.	Jacksonville Jaguars	Tim Tebow	QB	Florida	You know what's funny about this pick? The Jaguars fans will get excited because they drafted 15, but then they will realize what a terrible pro he will be and that he will never play. They won't show up and the Jags will move to London anyways.
75.	Chicago Bears	Mike Johnson	OG	Alabama	The Bears traded their first pick to the Broncos for Jay Cutler. That hasn't worked out so far. Then they traded their second pick to the Bucs for Gaines Adams. He died tragically and now this is the earliest pick for the Bears. This should make up for a tough first two rounds.
76.	New York Giants	Darrell Stuckey	SS	Kansas	The Giants-Eagles game in December last year was ridiculous. New York was torn apart by Donovan McNabb and DeSean Jackson. It was ridiculous. Stuckey should help keep that from happening again.
77.	Tennessee Titans	Amari Spievey	CB	Iowa	The Titans need to get a cornerback here. Harper is old and finished. Finnegan needs someone across from him to cover. Spievey is the best bet at this point in the draft.
78.	Carolina Panthers	Mike Neal	DT	Purdue	Even after signing Big Ed Johnson, they will still need more help assuming Johnson eats his way out of the Panthers like he did with the Colts. Neal fits Meek's Tampa-2 perfectly.
79.	San Francisco 49ers	Myron Rolle	SS	Florida State	In today's NFL, we see teams draft thugs and morons. The Niners break this disturbing trend by drafting Myron Rolle, a smart and incredible person. Singletary will love him.
80.	Denver Broncos	Colt McCoy	QB	Texas	I thought it was weird in the national championship game when they said McCoy couldn't come back because "he could only throw the ball 7 yards." That hadn't stopped him from playing the first four years of his college career. Josh Mishandles likes his quarterbacks to have the arms of 7 year old girls.
81.	Houston Texans	Joe McKnight	RB	Southern California	The Texans had major problems running the ball last year. Steve Slaton is a good back in a 2 back set but he will never carry the full load. Throw Joe McKnight in there and they may be able to complement their outstanding aerial attack.
82.	Pittsburgh Steelers	Jerome Murphy	CB	South Florida	The Steelers cornerbacks are a mix between old and over the hill and young and underachieving. Murphy should help a lot.
83.	Atlanta Falcons	Brandon Lang	DE	Troy	The Falcons really messed up by taking Jamaal Anderson a while back. He's a certified bust and they need a replacement.
84.	Cincinnati Bengals	Rob Gronkowski	TE	Arizona	Here's another target for Carson Palmer. Gronk is a great receiving tight end who is a decent blocker as well. He will replace the failed Ben Utecht experiment.
85.	Oakland Raiders	Tyson Alualu	DT	California	Sub 5.0 40 time from a defensive tackle? Check. Slight position of need? Check. He's a Raider alright.
86.	Green Bay Packers	Jon Asamoah	OG	Illinois	This is a pick to give the Packers some more depth at offensive line. The Packers are really good and should be the team of the 2010s, so they don't have many needs.
87.	Philadelphia Eagles	Major Wright	FS	Florida	The Eagles did not have a replacement for Brian Dawkins when they cut him. Oops. Wright should be the guy. He won't be as amazing as Dawkins was, but he will be serviceable.
88.	Baltimore Ravens	Arthur Jones	DT	Syracuse	Trevor Pryce is about finished with his great career, so it is time for the Ravens to start looking for his replacement. Jones is a good start.
89.	Arizona Cardinals	Jermaine Cunningham	OLB	Florida	He outplayed Carlos Dunlap last season. He's an underrated pass rusher who fills a position of need.
90.	Dallas Cowboys	Linval Joseph	NT	East Carolina	Jay Ratliff is great, but he's a better fit at 3-4 defensive end rather than nose tackle.
91.	San Diego Chargers	Larry Asante	S	Nebraska	Asante was a main part of the fantastic Cornhuskers defense last year. He can play both safety positions and would provide some depth for the Chargers.
92.	Cleveland Browns	Mardy Gilyard	WR	Cincinnati	Although Brady Quinn was really bad last year, you can't say he had the receivers on the other end he needs. Gilyard was a big target for Tony Pike who could very well end up a Brown later in this draft.
93.	Minnesota Vikings	Mitch Petrus	OG	Arkansas	Anthony Herrera is not a great right guard. Petrus is the guy who opened lanes for Felix Jones and Darren McFadden. He should be a strong run blocker on the next level.
94.	Indianapolis Colts	Rodger Saffold	OT	Indiana	And the Colts take the local product. Saffold only gave up one sack last year, and that is going against the solid defensive ends of the Big Ten. He has started 41 straight games and is perfect for a zone blocking scheme. This would be a quality pick that I doubt could bring back the 3rd round curse.
95.	New Orleans Saints	Austen Lane	DE	Murray State	Lane is a big time prospect. He's absolutely massive and can rush the passer as well as stop the run. This would be a great pickup.

Summary: The Colts ended up coming out of the first two days pretty well. They got the best tight end in this draft who could be the next Tony Gonzalez. They got a nickelback who is going to be a great returner. They got a left tackle who should be solid. It is impossible to find an All-Pro left tackle after the early second round, but Saffold should be an improvement upon Charlie Johnson and a boost for the entire offensive line. Now we wait until after the Combine when the stock changes have occurred and we get a better image of what's to come.

Report: Bengals unlikely keeping Matt Sherry around

Kirkendall — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:13:41 -0000

Bengals tight end Matt Sherry was drafted by the Bengals in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft. After playing in the 2008 preseason opener, Sherry hurt his shoulder and was later placed in Injured Reserve. Sherry was released by the Bengals in June of 2009 and returned in August after Ben Utecht had, what could be, a career-ending concussion. Unfortunately, Sherry hurt his shoulder during Training Camp and went back on Injured Reserve.

Now it appears that the Bengals won't be retaining Matt Sherry.

Writes Scout.com:

...it appears he is out of the mix again in Cincinnati. He's moved out of his furnished apartment and says he'll try and hook on with another team.

The issue of Tight Ends is influx right now. With Reggie Kelly becoming an unrestricted free agent and Utecht already released through an injury settlement, the Bengals are paper thin. J.P. Foschi is likely to return and Chase Coffman will hopefully make the field after a season in which he learned on the sidelines before being lost for the year due to injury.

This, of course, doesn't mean that Sherry won't return. He could be the team's backup of backup of backup options. When they need a tight end that'll spend the season on IR, Sherry will be our man. And yes, we did a full post about Matt Sherry. We so rule!

Matt Jones for Tight End?

IFChris — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:54:58 -0000

With his size (6-6, 220), there are some rumors going around that Matt Jones might be playing tight end when the Bengals kick off the 2010/11 season. While he's not known as a blocker, if Jones decides to give a damn, he has the talent to be a Ben Utecht/Jay Novacek-style of tight end.

The question is, is Jones motivated enough to be effective in that area?

The reason I ask is because when that not-very-flattering report about Jones' workout for the Bengals broke, PFT speculated Bengals coaches were trying to motivate Jones by criticizing him to Yahoo Sports. Of course, they also said, "It's more likely that the sources are fighting back against a move orchestrated by owner/G.M. Mike Brown."

Whatever the case, it's up to Jones to decide whether or not he wants to be a contributing member of this team, be it at receiver or tight end. Considering the amount of talent in the upcoming NFL Draft at both tight end and receiver, I'm hoping the Bengals wouldn't suffer an unmotivated Jones for very long.

On the other hand, perhaps Jones can channel such fine folks like Dhani Jones, Cedric Benson and Tank Johnson and use the Bengals to revitalize his career. It's all up to him.

Another Colts Mock Draft: Big Steps Towards Super Bowl XLV

Colts Homer — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:40:02 -0000

More photos » Dave Martin - AP

3 months ago: Alabama's Javier Arenas (28) reacts after sacking Auburn quarterback Chris Todd in the first half of an NCAA college football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Browse more photos »

I did one of these back in December, and a lot of things have changed. We've seen the Senior Bowl, the playoffs, and the Combine is on its way. I feel like I know a lot more about the prospects in this draft after all of the games and just more time around the draft. It's sad to see the Colts picking at #31, but a great draft like the 2009 one would help me get over it really quickly. The Colts are just a few pieces away from a championship. Hell, they are a pick 6 away from one right now and that is with this team that is full of flaws. The draft is what creates championships. That's why it is so great. This draft is deep, and the Colts could find multiple starters like they did in the 2009 draft. Of course, it all starts at pick 31.

1st: Charles Brown/OT/USC-It is well known that Charles Brown is my favorite mid-to-late first rounder in the entire draft. For someone who could fall out of the first round, he doesn't have a lot of flaws. The main knock on him is surrounding his size. A growing trend in college football is converting tight ends to offensive tackle to keep up with the new faster offenses. Jason Smith, the #2 pick overall in 2009, was a converted tight end. The difference between him and Brown is that Smith went from 220 pounds to 310 pounds, which is nothing short of amazing. Brown played last season at around 285 pounds. For an offensive lineman, this is pretty small. However, for football, size isn't everything.

Brown's footwork is tremendous. He first caught my eye at the Notre Dame-USC game when he dominated all of the Notre Dame defensive ends and blitzers. This wasn't as impressive at first glance since I believe a traffic cone could contain the Notre Dame pass rushers, but what was impressive was that he did the same thing against Cal and Ohio State, schools with football teams. He went up against Tyson Alualu and Cameron Heyward in those games and held his ground. Those two guys are bigger than him but he used his great technique to keep freshman QB Matt Barkley on his feet. Brown also has great initial quickness and uses this to his advantage when run blocking. Brown isn't a great run blocker and doesn't have the size most GMs would look for in a lineman, but he makes up for it with his intensity and technique.

Other players considered: Brandon Graham/DE/Michigan, Perrish Cox/CB/Oklahoma State, Bryan Bulaga/OT/Iowa, Mike Iupati/OG/Idaho, Kyle Wilson/CB/Boise State (No one came close to Brown)

2nd: Javier Arenas/CB & RS/Alabama-Arenas is another one of my favorites. Not only did he have a great year at cornerback, but he is the best returner in SEC history, setting the record for most punt return yards and punt return TDs in conference history. Imagine what Tim Jennings could have been if he knew what he was doing out there. Now imagine him plus the return abilities of Devin Hester. That's Arenas.

Arenas isn't the next Nnamdi Asomugha, but he is going to be a great nickelback like Jennings should have been. Like Jennings, he is very small (5-9, 198), but unlike Jennings, he is great in zone coverage and is an excellent tackler. He has great quickness and can tackle. He had 12 tackles for a loss which is unbelievable for a cornerback.

Hey, maybe he doesn't pan out as a cornerback. However, he is a sure thing as a returner. In all of his returns that I have seen, never has he been taken down by a half-assed tackle attempt. If the defender didn't wrap up, Arenas bounces off of him. If the defender just tries to dive at his feet, he steps out of it. This leads to massive returns. My favorite was his 86 yarder against Oklahoma State in the 2006 Independence Bowl when he was surrounded by 4 Cowboy defenders right when he caught it with only one blocker in sight. Needless to say, none of them stand a chance. This is one of his many amazing returns. He has the potential to be the next Devin Hester.

Other players considered: Daryl Washington/MLB/TCU, Geno Atkins/DT/Georgia, Mike Neal/DT/Purdue, AJ Edds/OLB/Iowa, Chad Jones/S/LSU, Kareem Jackson/CB/Alabama

3rd: Austen Lane/DE/Murray State-Austen Lane is the classic Division 1-AA prospect. Great size and speed, amazing production, and loads of potential. Lane has reportedly ran a 4.58 forty yard dash and has a 35 inch vertical, all while weighing in at nearly 270 pounds. Not Freeney-like athleticism, but it is very impressive. Not only is he fast, but he has enough moves to hold his own. All of this goes with his great production. He had 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss as a senior, and that was worse than his 2008 season of 22 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks. Shake called him "a love child of Robert Mathis and Josh Thomas." I've seen him compared to Jason Taylor as well, which is very high praise. Lane's main problem is against the run. He's a pass rush specialist for sure. At best, he is Jason Taylor or bigger Robert Mathis. Lane seriously hurt Vladimir Ducasse's stock by dominating him at the Senior Bowl practices and even scored a TD in the game. For a player who hasn't played good competition (hell, IU was on their schedule in 2008!), a good Senior Bowl goes far for a prospect. In the third round, a team that is coming off of a Super Bowl appearance could use a player like Lane.

Other players considered: Pat Angerer/MLB/Iowa, Geno Atkins/DT/Georgia, Brandon Lang/DE/Troy, Jason Fox/OT/Miami, Mike Johnson/OG/Alabama, Myron Rolle/S/Florida State, Matt Tennant/C/Boston College, Robert Johnson/S/Utah

4th: Anthony McCoy/TE/USC-I had trouble deciding whether there was a chance McCoy would even be left right here. I've seen him be as far down as the 6th round but as high as the 2nd. I guess I met them in the middle in the fourth round. Watching McCoy play, he doesn't have great speed, but his hands are fantastic. However, if the Colts are drafting him, it's for his blocking. McCoy is big and a punishing blocker. He's one of the best blockers in this class. His threat in the receiving game is just a complement to his fantastic blocking. He's a more athletic Ben Utecht with better hands. He is good value in the 4th. I just can't see him being taken in the 2nd round with his lack of speed and production at USC. He also had some academic problems which cost him some time as well. With the big need of left tackle and two minor needs at cornerback and defensive end covered, it's all about value. If Gijon Robinson doesn't see the field, I will be just fine. Tom Santi has a lot of potential, but he is also too injury prone. Jacob Tamme is a receiving tight end, not a blocker. Cut Gijon and draft McCoy? I'd be down for that.

Other players considered: Ed Dickson/TE/Oregon, Robert Johnson/S/Utah, Myron Lewis/S/Vanderbilt, Micah Johnson/MLB/Kentucky, Darryl Sharpton/MLB/Miami (Fla.), Rennie Curran/OLB/Georgia, Vince Oghobaase/DT/Duke, Jeff Byers/OG/USC

5th: Barry Church/SS/Toledo-None of my struggles deciding who to take compared to the one I had for the 5th round. I looked at a bunch of middle linebackers, offensive guards, centers, outside linebackers, defensive tackles, and safeties. Church ended up coming out on top. This is a bit of a stretch depending on who you ask, but Church is really good, and as I recall, Jerraud Powers was a stretch as well. Church is a very poor man's Bob Sanders in the way that he plays. He is very good in run defense and has good coverage skills in the zone defense. He is a good open field tackler with a lot of experience. He started every game in his college career and was on the All-MAC team in all 4 years as well. He has great size at 6-2, 219. His main problem is man coverage, but thankfully the Colts run a Cover-2 defense where he will rarely have to play in man. He also has a shot to grow into a linebacker in my opinion. No matter where he plays, I like this pick a lot.

Other players considered: Earl Mitchell/DT/Arizona, Boris Lee/MLB/Troy, Joe Pawelek/MLB/Baylor, Kenny Alfred/G & C/Washington State, Leigh Tiffin/K/Alabama

7th: Phillip Dillard/MLB/Nebraska-I just can't see Leigh Tiffin falling all the way to the bottom of the 7th round. I think Tiffin is going to be awesome, and if the Colts get a 6th round compensation pick, then Tiffin would be that pick. However, since there is no kicker worth taking, middle linebacker seems to be the best route. Dillard seems like a good value pick in round 7. When a team is picking this late, special teams has to be a concern. Dillard projects well as a kickoff and punt coverage man. He is a nice tackler and has good speed. Another concern is if Dillard could be a successor to Gary Brackett. Brackett will be re-signed. I have no doubt about that, but he is also getting up there in age. Dillard is pretty good in pass coverage and can stop the run. I don't know if he will ever be starting material, but he should get his chances.

Other players considered: Vincent Rey/MLB/Duke, James Williams/OT/Harvard, Thomas Welch/OT/Vanderbilt, Will Barker/OT/Virginia, Aaron Pettrey/K/Ohio State, Tim Hiller/QB/Western Michigan, Armanti Edwards/WR/Appalachian State, Chris Chancellor/CB/Clemson

So there you go. Six picks and the Colts pick up a strong left tackle, a cornerback who is electric on special teams, a defensive end with unbelievable upside, a blocking tight end who can also make great catches, a safety who I consider to be a major sleeper, and a middle linebacker with a history of good leadership and work ethic. I regret not finding another offensive lineman or a kicker in the draft, but there are only so many picks. There are still some undrafted free agents left to be picked up. As Jacob Lacey, Eric Foster, and Gary Brackett proved, not being drafted doesn't mean failure is ahead. Polian will pick out a gem in UDFAs. It is too hard to project all of the undrafted free agents, but a kicker, defensive tackle, and offensive guard seem like the positions with the most potential to find the next UDFA star.

I would grade this draft as an A+ for sure. I see a Pro Bowl left tackle, a Devin Hester-like returner, a defensive end who could be a superstar, and 3 other players who should be big contributors on offense, defense, and special teams. If the draft week brings the Colts this team, I would be absolutely thrilled.

Question of the Day: Should the Bengals re-sign tight end Reggie Kelly?

Kirkendall — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:13:46 -0000

One of the unfortunate early storylines during HBO's Hard Knocks (how long ago was that?) was losing Reggie Kelly to a season-ending injury. Soon afterwards, the Bengals lost Ben Utecht to a nasty concussion that eventually forced the Bengals to negotiate an injury settlement, releasing him as a free agent. With Kelly soon to become an unrestricted free agent and Utecht's question if he'll play again, the Bengals, as it stands, have Chase Coffman, Darius Hill and Clark Harris under contract for 2010. Daniel Coats and J.P. Foschi are both restricted free agents and very easily could return.

But as it stands, that's how the Bengals tight end prospects appear right now. Words like bleak, dim, grim, desolate, dreary, gaunt, bare, gloomy, somber, funereal, depressing come to mind.

One of our offseason questions this year is: Will the Bengals bring Reggie Kelly back, who is a leader, great character and lockerroom presence or will they move on with unproven youth? Geoff Hobson writes that the Bengals haven't contacted Kelly's agent, but his agent expects there to be contact at some point. Kelly has played in ten seasons in the NFL, six of them with the Bengals (excluding 2009, obviously). In those six seasons with Cincinnati, Kelly has caught 184 passes for 1,718 yards and five touchdowns.

Your question of the day. If you were the general manager, based on where the team is at and what you know, would you bring Reggie Kelly back?

Six-Pack of Hu-Dey: Time for a new contract extension for Marvin Lewis?

Kirkendall — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:11:27 -0000

Welcome to this week's Six-Pack of Hu-Dey. Today Jay McDonnell joins us. I (Josh Kirkendall, the Alpha Male) discusses why the Bengals should give Marvin Lewis a contract extension, why Leon Hall should be grouped with the league's elite cornerbacks and I ask whether the team's three-tackle rotation at right tackle should be changed.

Jay says that it's time to cut Daniel Coats, that it's time for Bob Bratkowski to become less predictable and that fans of our divisional foes (ah hum, the Steelers) should give a little respect to the Bengals this season.

Let's get to it.

The Bengals give Marvin Lewis another contract extension after this season. I believe in two things. If the moon had never existed, the complex living organisms that exist today simply don't exist either. I also believe that Marvin Lewis has developed a talent rebuilding teams. Theoretically, it would be nice that rebuilding projects were spaced out more with the Bengals and that the train keeps rolling year, after year, after year. Realistically, even organizations that pump out winners like the Patriots or the St... St... St... Steelers need periods to rebuild themselves. Marvin Lewis is now in his seventh season, finishing his second rebuilding project. This, just perhaps, could be his masterpiece.

After going 1-11-1 in 2008, the Bengals have remarkably won 13 of their next 16 games. These changes include, but are far from being limited to, a deep understanding of the team's personnel. Most notably, Lewis revised the team's entire philosophy to a powerful rush offense and a tremendously performing defense. This will be his second rebuilding project after taking on a team that was 2-12 in 2002 and delivering four straight non-losing seasons and a playoff appearance in 2005.

I really believe that Lewis, like any NFL player, is getting better every season. I'm not just talking about his record either. Controversy is being handled with ease. Adversity is a distant thing of the bitter past with this team. Even his draft picks are improving. And when the team is down and out (ala, 2008), they unified and matured like we've never seen, into this group that we're damned proud of in 2009.

Lewis' existing contract expires after the 2010 season -- the same time the CBA expires, which may be a factor in NOT giving him an extension. The Bengals' biggest mistake would be letting two people leave Cincinnati, namely Mike Zimmer and Marvin Lewis. Lewis could arguably be the most important of the two. After all, he's the face of this franchise.

Is it time to for Andre Smith to get his first start or is the three-tackle rotation working? Okay, I get it. Why mess with chemistry? Let's read into the facts. The Bengals are 9-3, sport the league's sixth best rushing offense and have allowed only 22 sacks (which is tied for eight-best in the league). Quite honestly, the Bengals offensive line is the most improved unit, of any unit, on this team. They deserve tremendous credit for the team's transition into one of the best AFC teams that's dismantled both teams that played in the 2008 AFC Championship game. Personal note: I still like writing that.

One of those success stories on the line is Dennis Roland, who has come from undrafted free agent, to starting right tackle, to the biggest guy in human history to go into motion causing safeties and outside linebackers to say under their breath, "oh f**k." Also, in truth, Roland is an accomplished run blocker, if not one of the better run blockers on this team.

But where he's strong with the rushing offense, he's weak in pass protection. At times he appears slow against defensive ends with a quick inside step. This also leads to the lack of communication or awareness when a stunt brings an outside linebacker or safety on a blitz. Slowly Anthony Collins has quietly won more playing time, especially on passing downs.

From our understanding, Andre Smith's playing time is growing. They started him slowly with basic packages and plays. As they expand the playbook for Smith, he'll keep experiencing an increase in playing time. Cincinnati's use of the jumbo packages (putting three, sometimes four offensive tackles on the line) has led to Cedric Benson's best rushing this year. Whatever the Bengals are doing with the offensive line, it's working.

So the question is should the Bengals keep doing what they're doing, or should they give Andre Smith his first NFL start soon?

Should the national media put Leon Hall in the same class as Darrelle Revis? The other day I had a healthy helping of Hamburger Helper that did a Flozell Adams on my stomach. With an older copy of ESPN shouting "hey, I'll help you kill some time," I flipped to an NFL report. Like it was destiny, I kid you not. One of those reports called Leon Hall "the irreplaceable cornerback". Look at the numbers of the receivers that he's shutdown.

Week	Receiver	Att	Comp	Yrds	TD	YPA
1	Brandon Marshall	2	0	0	0	0
2	Greg Jennings	4	0	0	0	0
3	Santonio Holmes	3	1	18	0	6.0
4	Braylon Edwards	1	0	0	0	0
5/9	Derrick Mason	4	1	12	0	3.0
6	Andre Johnson	6	4	39	0	6.5
7	Devin Hester	3	2	28	0	9.3

As I said, it was an older copy so that's where the list ends. We could go on and presume that Hall is strictly covering the opposing team's best wide receiver, but that would be factually incorrect. Leon Hall mostly lines up on the left and the opposing offenses can shift wide receivers anywhere on the field. Furthermore, when the Bengals call zone, he's not always covering a receiver; rather a specific area on the field. However, we do know that in the past four games against the Steelers, Raiders, Browns and Lions, only two receivers gained 80 yards receiving or more (Santonio Holmes with 88 yards and Calvin Johnson with 123 yards).

The Jets' Darrelle Revis is widely considered the best cover cornerback in the league. He leads everyone with 28 passes defensed with five interceptions. Hall is second with 22 passes defensed and four interceptions. At the rate that Leon Hall is shutting down opposing wide receivers he should without a doubt be considered in the elite group of cornerbacks in the league.

Want to know the most scary part? Johnathan Joseph could theoretically be in the same elite group. Third in the league with 21 passes defensed and five interceptions, Joseph is developing a nasty habit of being one hell of a tackling cornerback -- kind of in the league of Charles Woodson. Well, close to it at least.

Would it be a stretch to say that the Bengals have the league's best cornerback duo?

A decision needs to be made about Daniel Coats. At the start of the season the kicking game struggled, which cost the Bengals valuable points, putting the game in doubt and forcing us to constantly check our blood pressure. When executing an extra point or a field goal, the snap was either too high or mishandled due to a bad snap causing Shayne Graham to get out of sync. This led to missed field goals or extra points, weighing heavily on the outcome of the game. So to solve the problem the Bengals released Brad St. Louis and brought in little known long snapper Clark Harris to take over these duties. This seems to have largely solved the problem with the kicking game.

At the same time another problem exists with Tight Ends not being able to catch the ball, specifically Dan Coats who has dropped more passes in the end zone than any other receiver on the team. When he does catch it, the ball is prone to squirting out only to see it recovered by the opposition. These drops and fumbles have cost the Bengals as much as Brad St. Louis ever did.

The Bengals set the standard by releasing the usually reliable St. Louis, sending a statement that poor play is not acceptable. But somehow, they see fit to hang onto a tight end that cannot catch a ball that hits him in his hands over and over again. Yes, the tight end position is thin with Ben Utecht being released and Reggie Kelly out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. That however is no excuse for hanging onto a player that is extremely inconsistent and costing the team valuable points. J.P. Foschi seems to have taken on the opportunity and showed that he is not only able to block, but able to catch and hang onto passes. The precedent was set with the release of St. Louis; with Foschi showing his worth I think it is time for the Bengals to continue their message that mediocrity is not acceptable. Cut Dan Coats.

It is time for the predictable Bratkowski to become unpredictable. Despite the Bengals 9-3 record and mostly the same ingredients of an offense that once established a reputation as being an explosive offense in the past, the Bengals have only one game this season where they routed a team by more than 20 points. The defense has been the unit doing the heavy lifting while the offense seems to only do what is necessary to win the game. To some extent that is fine, until they run into an offense that is able to put up points and quickly (read: the Minnesota Vikings). There appears however to be a reason the offense has not been as explosive as first thought.

In this article published on Cincinnati.com, Bob Bratkowski acknowledges that he is “getting a little too ‘run on first down, run on second” in his play calling. Really? When did he find this out? How many of us see his play calling develop a pattern that causes teams to load eight in the box on a weekly basis? Does he not see this and want to make some kind of adjustment?

This kind of play calling makes the Bengals offense predictable allowing the opposing defense to load up the box, trying to force the Bengals to be one dimensional. But so far, teams have been unable to accomplish this on a regular basis. There is a thought process that you keep calling the same play until the defense stops it. I am not saying this should continue, but I am sure Brat does this because it works and he will probably continue to do this until someone stops it. However, since Brat has recognized this problem I hope he is able to adjust and open up the passing game showing opposing defenses that predictability is no longer an issue.

How about a little respect from our division foes? My wife and I live in an area that somehow seems to have more Pittsburgh Steeler fans then those who support the local team, the Washington Redskins. We work with several Steeler fans as well. These fans are as loyal as any. They will defend their team no matter the record and performance. But when the discussion turns to how the Bengals have surged ahead of the Steelers, they immediately run behind the 6 Super Bowl Championships and how they won two of the past four. They even cite how they qualified as a wild card team in 2005 and went on to win the Super Bowl, never mind the fact that Carson Palmer had his knee torn up by the Steelers.

The results of this season are not new to those fans; they have suffered through tough seasons following Super Bowl appearances dating back to 1996 against the Dallas Cowboys. Now that the Steelers are struggling and their fans are watching their playoff hopes fade, those fans seem to refuse to accept the fact the Bengals are the better team this season. The Steeler fans my wife and I have come across have shown a bit of arrogance and seem to expect to make the playoffs despite the heavy odds against them. With their current record of 6-6, a playoff appearance seems slim.

The Bengals have the AFC North pretty much sewn up with the magic number being one. Ask any Steeler fan though, and they will tell you how they are going to make the playoffs because of the soft schedule remaining. Well, I have some bad news for those Steeler fans that visit our fair web blog to read what we may have to say. The Steelers are not going to make the playoffs. After losing four straight games and giving up 4th quarter leads in three of those games, the vaunted defense has proved itself unable to protect a lead. This, of course, does not bode well for the defending Super Bowl Champs any chance their fans insist they still have to enter the playoff club in 2009.

Bengals worked out Joey Galloway, Ed Johnson and Mike Doss Tuesday

Kirkendall — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:27:58 -0000

While the signing of Larry Johnson, and to a smaller degree, the release of Ben Utecht, were Tuesday's primary headlines, the Bengals weren't through, just yet. On Tuesday, the Bengals worked out three other players; wide receiver Joey Galloway, safety Mike Doss and defensive lineman Ed Johnson. Johnson was released by the Indianapolis Colts in October because he lacked production. In Joey Galloway's case, he just never caught on with the Patriots. Mike Doss, who played for Cincinnati at the end of last year, was released with Chris Perry, Eric Henderson, Nate Lawrie and Gary Russell in April.

The Bengals invited Galloway, who could be used as a deep threat on a core of wide receivers that are more possession receivers. Unless, of course, you play Jerome Simpson, who has speed. It appears that Ed Johnson is more trouble than he's worth. Johnson was arrested in September of 2008 when Indiana police pulled Johnson over for speeding and found he was in possession of marijuana. Along with lacking production, there's no benefit signing Johnson at this point. Doss was awesome in college. Since then, injuries have really slowed him down and he's, at best, a special teams contributor.

In the end, I'll be surprised if the Bengals offer anyone that visited a contract.

Bengals release Ben Utecht and Antonio Chatman from Injured Reserve; sign Brannon Condren to the practice squad

Kirkendall — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:49:27 -0000

In a somewhat of a surprising move in that category of moves that shouldn't surprise anyone, the Cincinnati Bengals announced that they released Antonio Chatman and Ben Utecht Tuesday afternoon. Both players were released from the reserve/injury list, which means they wouldn't affect the current 53-man roster. Utecht was scheduled to earn $2.25 million in 2009 and $2.5 million in 2010. Chatman was scheduled to earn $620,000 this year only.

Utecht's release is a bit surprising considering the tight ends they have signed for 2010. Chase Coffman. Clark Harris. And Harris is hardly a tight end, now taking on the role as the team's long snapper.

Makes you wonder what they'll plan for next year. Will Coffman be the leading tight end? Will they re-sign Utecht to a cheaper one-year deal? Will Reggie Kelly make his return with Cincinnati? What about J.P. Foschi, who I could argue has been a decent tight end on the rushing offense.

In other news of player transactions, the Bengals signed safety Brannon Condren to the team's practice squad on Tuesday. Since I have no idea who this guy is, I'll cite the Bengals.com piece.

Condren (6-1, 205; Troy) is a third-year NFL player. He opened 2009 with Indianapolis, but was waived on July 29. A fourth-round draft choice of Indianapolis in 2007, he played in eight games for the Colts that season, with two tackles, a pass defensed and four special teams tackles. He was waived by the Colts on Aug. 30, 2008. Later in ’08, he was inactive for four games with St. Louis and played in four games for Miami, with three special teams tackles.

Bengals have eight players on Injured Reserve; Cincinnati has players to fill those roles

Kirkendall — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:41:15 -0000

Remember last year? I know, I know. Why bring up terrible memories of a team that started the season on an eight-game losing streak. Why bring up terrible memories of a team that actually finished a game in a tie causing the entire NFL world to shouting, asking why ties in the NFL? I remember when the active report came in during the fourth week of the season against Cleveland, seeing that Carson Palmer was inactive. It took weeks for me to fully comprehend the implications of Palmer's injury. I was in denial.

This week gave us a few reminders of how much better this team is, in terms of talent and pure luck, which is (if people want to admit it or not) critical to team's successes in a season.

The Bengals placed two players on Injured Reserve this week with arm injuries; wide receiver Chris Henry and safety Roy Williams. This brings the total to eight players on injured reserve since the start of training camp.

Player	Position
Antonio Chatman	WR
Chris Henry	WR
Reggie Kelly	TE
Ben Utecht	TE
Matt Sherry	TE
Antwan Odom	DE
Dan Santucci	C
Roy Williams	S

On November 28, 2008, the Bengals had just put Andrew Whitworth and Scott Kooistra on injured reserved, the 20th players lost for the season due to injury. In fact, I mused at the time that the Bengals could nearly fill out a starting lineup with players on Injured Reserve.

Oh, what a difference a year makes.

While the Bengals can't come close to filling out a starting roster, the biggest difference this year is that the team's depth is strong enough to replace those injured players -- except for maybe Tight End -- and lose limited production. Chinedum Ndukwe, the guy replacing Williams in the starting lineup, has 17 career starts. In the first game he started this season against Cleveland, Ndukwe recorded seven tackles and a quarterback sack. Against Houston, Ndukwe recorded a season-high 11 tackles. Along with Brandon Johnson, Ndukwe recorded a quarterback sack deep in the fourth quarter against Baltimore. NFL.com ranks Ndukwe fifth on the team with 35 total tackles.

Chris Henry is a loss in terms of taking advantage of match-up problems. However, through eight games, Henry only caught 12 passes -- then again, he averaged a team high 19.7 yards-per-reception. Based on the talent and depth chart ahead of him, Henry's loss, in terms of overall production, isn't very significant. The Bengals will likely replace Henry with the receiving committee of Maurice Purify and Jerome Simpson; two unproven players that could surprise/disappoint us.

Antwan Odom is perhaps the biggest injury this team has suffered. Through the first two games, the Bengals recorded nine quarterback sacks -- seven from Odom alone. After going down to injury against Houston, the Bengals production hasn't slacked much -- they've recorded five quarterback sacks in the past two games with the following combination of defensive players: Frostee Rucker (1.0), Brandon Johnson (1.5), Robert Geathers (1.0), Michael Johnson (0.5), Jonathan Fanene (0.5), Chinedum Ndukwe (0.5).

Even though Odom's injury was the biggest this team has suffered, in terms of season production coming to a premature end, the team's tight end spot was decimated by injury. However, there was never really any expectation that tight ends would become vital in the passing game, save for pass protection. J.P. Foschi and Daniel Coats are reasonably good when it comes to rush blocking and the biggest difference between the Foschi/Coats tight end era compared to the Kelly/Utecht era is the dropped passes -- admittedly, there's been a few but fortunately, they're not targeted as much.

Two of the biggest improvements this year over the 4-11-1 team in 2008, is that injury isn't crushing the team's chances and the depth chart is as strong as its ever been during the Marvin Lewis era. And the injuries suffered this season hasn't hurt the team's overall production.