SB Nation - Michael Myers

Former Bengals Lineman Michael Myers Suing NFL Over Concussions

Ryan Harper — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:00:09 -0000

Concussions have been a problem in the NFL for quite some time now, though unfortunately it has seemingly been swept under the rug. The league has begun taking drastic measures to ensure the safety of its players. However, it's too late for some former players as the lasting affects of concussions have taken a toll on them.

Former Bengals defensive lineman, Michael Myers is suing the NFL for negligence, conspiracy, and fraud in its handling of head injuries that players sustain. Myers is alleging that the concussions he sustained throughout his career have affected his short-term memory along with causing migraines and other health problems.

The league claims that Myers' case has "no merit," thus they aren't taking it very seriously. His suit is one of numerous that have been filed recently by former players regarding how the league has handled concussions.

For those of you who don't remember Myers, he spent the 2007 season with the Bengals. During that season he had 34 tackles and one sack in 15 games. He finished his 10-year career with 316 tackles and 15.5 sacks. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, and Denver Broncos.

Under the old concussion policy that was established in 2007, a player wasn't allowed to return to the same game or practice if they lost consciousness. Before returning to play a player had to be completely asymptomatic and pass his neurological tests normally before returning to action of any nature. At the time, the league also vowed to expand neurological testing for all players, especially anyone who previously suffered a concussion. A player was required to undergo extra neuropsychological tests later in the year if they suffered a concussion during the season.

Then two years later, the league decided to make some adjustments to the concussion policy. In August of 2009, the league was criticized by lawmakers for not taking more action against concussions and following a meeting at the House Judiciary Committee, a new set of guidelines was released.

Under the new policy, a player isn't permitted to return to practice or a game if they show any symptoms of a concussion, not just a loss of consciousness. After a player has been confirmed with a concussion they must be analyzed by an independent neurologist as well as the team physician.

Then came the giant crackdown as the NFL began issuing large fines and even suspensions to players who commit a helmet-to-helmet infraction. This was the league's first large-scale attempt to reduce the amount of concussions that players suffer. Then came another requirement after Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy suffered a concussion and was allowed back in a game against the Steelers, the league instituted a policy where an independent trainer would observe games and alert team training staffs of a possible head injury.

When the NFL was founded in 1920 players wore leather helmets and little equipment changes were made until the 1950's. Players didn't have helmets that contained thick padding on the inside and a face mask to protect them. But as time has progressed and the field of medicine has advanced, the measure taken to protect a player's health in the long-term has become more evident.

In recent years the league has created rules that basically have changed the face of the game. In the last 15 years chop blocks have become illegal along with defensive players being prohibited from rolling or lunging and forcibly hit the passer below the knee area, even if he is in contact with another player. In the last six years horse collar tackles, unnecessary roughness, roughing the passer, protection of defenseless players and snappers along with too many other rules to list have been integrated into the game. It's gone from a game where players sweat and bleed until their bodies can't take it anymore to a league that's comparable to flag football.

Players have become more hesitant to tackle opposing players because it seems as if any type of tackle results in a penalty, fine, or suspension. But the league assures the fans that this is all to ensure the safety and health of the players, which is understandable. But at some point league officials have to let players play the game because despite all of the efforts from the league, concussions will always remain a problem.

Charting The 53-Man Roster At The Deadline Over Five Years

Josh Kirkendall — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:21:31 -0000

Believe it or not Cincy Jungle has been around since the 2006 season with our sixth regular season approaching this September. Sixth. And of the five seasons before it, we've experienced only one winning season (2009) book-marked with two four-win seasons with an 8-8 and 7-9 season kicking off our young history. Not that we're growing bitter; we're still a chipper folk.

And throughout those years we've had an interest in tracking the 53-man roster, especially when the season kicks off. How close are we with our lock predictions? We've already released our quarterback locks with one open spot remaining. In order to make predictions, we have to have an idea of what the Bengals have done in the past. So we took the data we have since Cincy Jungle has been in existence, rounded up each season and charted how many players the team took at respective spots. And during those five years the Bengals have always taken three quarterbacks, six wide receivers, nine offensive linemen and your standard core special teams players with a punter, place kicker and long snapper. Every other position has been fluid enough, often dictated by the level of talent on that team. If the talent is low at one position, sometimes they'd add another piece to strengthen it. The roster is also dictated on the philosophy employed that year -- hence the four running backs and a full back taken in 2009.

Yet we should also point out that the final roster announcement isn't always the actual roster when the Bengals play their first regular season game. The announcement is made before teams can plunge into the waiver wire, turning coaches into kids in a candy shop. For instance the Bengals signed linebacker Anthony Schlegel days after the final 53-man roster was announced in 2007 to increase their linebacker numbers (which was a sort of premonition that year with the injuries they'd face). In the process they waived lineman Dan Santucci reducing the overall offensive line roster, while also waiving running back Quincy Wilson and defensive back Blue Adams for Clinton Dawson and David Jones respectively. During the 2008 season the team had to place Santucci on Injured Reserve after announcing the 53-man roster and signed Frank Davis to replace him. Defensive tackle Orien Harris, recently waived by the New Orleans Saints, was signed by the Bengals, who released Michael Myers; all of which happened after the 53-man roster was announced. And after the 2010 53-man roster announcement, Cincinnati claimed quarterback Dan LeFevour off waivers and terminated J.T. O'Sullivan's contract (so much for commitment). Yet some years, like in 2009, the Bengals stand firm.

That being said, let's chart the team's final (before the waiver wire) and see what the team has historically taken when forced to make a decision on the 53-man roster.

	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006
Offense	25	26	25	25	24
Quarterback	3	3	3	3	3
Running Back	4	4	3	3	3
Full Back	0	1	2	1	1
Wide Receiver	6	6	6	6	6
Tight End	3	3	2	3	2
Offensive Line	9	10*	9	9	9

Defense	25	24	25	25	26
Defensive End	5	5	4	4	4
Defensive Tackle	4	3	5	4	4
Linebacker	7	6	6	6	8
Cornerback	6	5	4	5	5
Safety	3	5	6	6	5

Special Teams	3	3	3	3	3
Place Kicker	1	1	1	1	1
Punter	1	1	1	1	1
Long Snapper	1	1	1	1	1
* Andre Smith was a roster exemption.

2010 53-Man Roster Announcement
2009 53-Man Roster Announcement
2008 53-Man Roster Announcement
2007 53-Man Roster Announcement
2006 53-Man Roster Announcement

Denver Broncos Greats... By The Numbers: #96

KaptainKirk — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:30:33 -0000

Six past players and one current player have donned #96 for the Denver Broncos. Four Defensive Ends, three Defensive Tackles and one that hasn't defined a role for himself yet. Here is the lineup for the Greatest Bronco to wear #96.

Mitch Unrein DL Present

Tim Crowder DE 2007-08

Michael Myers DT 2005-06

Dorsett Davis DT 2002-04

Harald Hasselbach DE 1994-2000

Kenny Walker DE 1991-92

Jake McCullough DE 1989-90

Mitch Unrein (UN-rhine), the current owner of the #96 jersey, is a rookie Defensive Lineman who spent the 2010 preseason with Houston after being signed by the Texans as a Undrafted College Free Agent out of Wyoming. He has 2 preseason games experience with one Tackle.

Jake McCullough was drafted by the Broncos in the 4th round (97th overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft. He spent 2 seasons in Denver and appeared in 16 games.

Kenny Walker was drafted by the Broncos in the 8th round (200th overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played 2 seasons in Denver, starting 16 of 31 games at Right Defensive End. Walker contributed 4.5 Sacks and 2 Fumble Recoveries in 1991-92.

Dorsett Davis was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 3rd round (96th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft. Davis was on the inactive list for all 16 games in 2002. After attending strength coach Rich Tuten's workouts in the off-season, Dorsett was expected to become an impact player. That never happened. Davis played in 14 games during the 2003 season, with 10 Tackles and one pass deflection. He didn't play a regular season game again in the NFL. Dorsett missed the entire 2004 season with a torn tendon in his left pinkie. The team doctors decided it was best to have surgery immediately to prevent the loss of his finger. The Broncos waived Davis at the end of Training Camp on September 3, 2005. He had a tryout with the Dolphins that November, but they did not sign him. He last played for the Edmonton Eskimos in 2006.

Tim Crowder was drafted by the Broncos in the 2nd round (56th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played 2 years in Denver from 2007-08. Crowder had one start in 19 ganes, with 18 Tackles, 4 Sacks, 1 Forced Fumble and 2 Fumble recoveries. He returned one Fumble 50 yards for a score during a Week 7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tim's touchdown gave the Broncos a 21-7 lead at the half. Crowder went on to play 2 more seasons after signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Michael Myers was drafted by the Cowboys in the 4th round (100th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played 6 seasons in Dallas until his release on October 7, 2003. Myers signed with the Browns as a Free Agent on November 12, 2003 and spent 2 years in Cleveland. On March 30, 2005 Michael and Ebenezer Ekuban (EK-u-bon),were traded to the Broncos in exchange for Reuben Droughns. Myers, along with Courtney Brown, Gerard Warren and Ekuban were known as the "Browncos," Mike Shanahan's absurd answer for failing to draft defensively. ESPN's Len Pasquarelli called them the "Four Flops." It's safe to say that the experiment failed. That first year in Denver, Michael started 15 regular season games and two playoff games including the AFC Championship game against the Steelers where he made 7 Tackles and one Sack. He posted a career-best 57 tackles in 2006. As a Bronco, Myers started 31 of 32 games at Left Defensive Tackle. He contributed 88 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 4 pass deflections, 1 Forced Fumble and 3 Fumble Recoveries. The Broncos offered to re-sign Myers in March of 2007, but Michael chose the Bengals and inked a 2-year deal worth $1.65 million on April 20, 2007. He only played one year in Cincinnati.

This one has another clear-cut winner. The Greatest Bronco to wear #96 is...

Harald Hasselbach

Harald Hasselbach signed with the Denver Broncos in 1994 after playing the previous 4 years with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders, including a Grey Cup in 1992. He was also named a CFL All-Star in 1993. Hasselbach played 7 seasons in the NFL from 1994-2000; all with the Broncos. Harald started 29 of 112 games, with 154 Tackles, 17.5 Sacks, 4 Forced Fumbles and 4 recovered Fumbles. He won two championship rings and started Super Bowl XXXIII for Denver. He is one of the few players to have been a part of a winning team in a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl.

Hasselbach currently runs the photography template website Blu Domain.

MHR gives a Mile High Salute to Harald Hasselbach as the Greatest Bronco to wear #96.

Go Broncos!

Poll

Who was the Greatest Bronco to wear #96?

Tim Crowder

4 votes

Michael Myers

8 votes

Dorsett Davis

4 votes

Harald Hasselbach

204 votes

220 votes | Poll has closed

Relatively Speaking About the Denver Broncos (Part Two)

Brian Shrout — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:11:29 -0000

     In 1997, the Denver Broncos finally broke through and won their first Super Bowl. They won it for a second time the following year. It was a good time to be a Denver fan. It was widely believed that the Broncos had come of age and would be a permanent fixture in the post season for years to come.

     Alas, this was not to be. An unexpected decision by then coach Mike Shanahan to go with second year player Brian Griese over Elway's heir apparent, thirteen year veteran Bubby Brister contributed to a year of disarray in which the Broncos went 6-10. The Broncos would only go to the playoffs once in Griese's four years at the helm. The arrival of Jake Plummer as Denver's starter ushered in three straight years of post season appearances, including an appearance in the AFC Championship game in 2005. Once again, it was thought that the Broncos had broken through and were on their way back to the Super Bowl.

     Then the wheels came off for a second time, and Broncos fans had to endure five years with nary a post season game. After the jump, we'll take a look at the starting rosters of the 2005-2010 Broncos through the eyes of pro-football-reference.com's Approximate Value ratings.

The Approximate Value Method -- Digging a Little Deeper

In the first part of this series, we looked at the Approximate Value of the starters on the six Super Bowl teams. I asked Neil Paine at PFR how the "starters" were determined, he responded with this:

"It is determined by who had the most starts during the season. That data is complete since 1980, but for earlier seasons it had to be estimated from media guides, scoresheets, newspaper accounts, and sometimes educated guessing. The data we have is the same that's found in the ESPN Pro Football Encyclopedia. In the event of a tie in starts, we give starter credit to both players."

     The calculation of AV for a player uses a fairly complex formula that is based on the premise that every drive in a football game ends in one of the following: a rushing touchdown, a passing touchdown, a field goal, a field goal attempt, a punt, a turnover, or the end of the half/game. Using the information from those categories for each offensive drive, PFR generates a set of points which are then divided among the offensive players on the team. The same information from the opponents' drives are used to generate the points shared by the defensive players. The points each position receives are weighted by a formula that is loosely correlated to the historical percentage of the draft value chart points spent by the NFL teams on each position.

     Offensive players then get a percentage of the offensive points based upon position. Offensive linemen receive points for games played, games started and bonuses for being named All Pro or to the Pro Bowl in a given season. Running backs add credit for rushing yards plus a bonus if their rushing yards were above the league average and a penalty if they were below the league average. Receivers receive similar bonus/penalties based on receiving yards. Quarterbacks, of course, have their value based on passing yards, plus the bonuses mentioned above. It should be noted that any offensive player who runs the ball, catches or throws a pass will receive credit for those actions.

     Defensive players also receive a percentage of the team's defensive points based upon position. The defensve players receive credit for games played, games started, sacks, fumble recoveries, interceptions, defensive touchdowns, and tackles. They receive bonuses for being selected to the All Pro and/or Pro Bowl teams.

An in-depth explanation of the method can be found here.

     One final note on the AV method: Tunesmith in his post on the AV ratings of the 2010 roster noticed that Zane Beadles had been given an AV of zero. He contacted PFR to ask about this and was informed that they were aware of the issue and that it was the result of a bug in the system which incorrectly gave zero value to a number of 2010 rookies. He was told that the problem would be corrected. As of the writing of this article, Beadles was still showing a zero for his AV.

Now, on to the AV ratings for the starters from 2005 to 2010:

2005: 13-3 1st Place AFC West
Defeated New England 27-13 in Divisional Round
Lost AFC Championship game to Pittsburgh 34-17

Pos	Name	AV	Pos	Name	AV
QB	Jake Plummer	15	LDE	Courtney Brown	7
RB	Mike Anderson	11	LDT	Michael Myers	8
FB	Kevin Johnson	2	RDT	Gerard Warren	7
WR	Ashley Lelie	10	RDE	Trevor Pryce	8
WR	Rod Smith	13	LLB	D. J. Williams	7
TE	Stephen Alexander	5	MLB	Al Wilson	15
LT	Matt Lepsis	10	RLB	Ian Gold	9
LG	Ben Hamilton	8	LCB	Champ Bailey	15
C	Tom Nalen	8	RCB	Darrent Williams	4
RG	Cooper Carlisle	8	SS	Nick Ferguson	6
RT	George Foster	10	FS	John Lynch	9

2006: 9-7 2nd Place AFC West

Pos	Name	AV	Pos	Name	AV
QB	Jake Plummer	6	LDE	Kenard Lang	8
RB	Tatum Bell	8	LDT	Michael Myers	8
FB	Kevin Johnson	1	RDT	Gerard Warren	7
WR	Javon Walker	12	RDE	Ebenezer Ekuban	8
WR	Rod Smith	5	LLB	D. J. Williams	7
TE	Stephen Alexander	4	MLB	Al Wilson	12
LT	Eric Pears	5	RLB	Ian Gold	7
LG	Ben Hamilton	7	LCB	Champ Bailey	16
C	Tom Nalen	7	RCB	Darrent Williams	6
RG	Cooper Carlisle	7	SS	Nick Ferguson	4
RT	George Foster	7	FS	John Lynch	9

2007: 7-9 2nd Place AFC West

Pos	Name	AV	Pos	Name	AV
QB	Jay Cutler	12	LDE	John Engleberger	6
RB	Selvin Young	7	LDT	Sam Adams	4
FB	Cecil Sapp	1	RDT	Alvin McKinley	4
WR	Brandon Marshall	12	RDE	Elvis Dumervil	7
WR	Brandon Stokley	6	LLB	Nate Webster	6
TE	Daniel Graham	4	MLB	D. J. Williams	7
LT	Matt Lepsis	8	RLB	Ian Gold	6
LG	Chris Kuper	5	LCB	Champ Bailey	11
C	Chris Myers	7	RCB	Dre Bly	5
RG	Montrae Holland	7	SS	Hamza Abdullah	3
RT	Eric Pears	8	FS	John Lynch	9

2008: 8-8 Tied for 1st Place in AFC West
Lost tiebreaker to San Diego

Pos	Name	AV	Pos	Name	AV
QB	Jay Cutler	15	LDE	Ebenezer Ekuban	4
RB	Peyton Hillis	4	LDT	Dewayne Robertson	4
WR	Brandon Marshall	11	RDT	Marcus Thomas	4
WR	Eddie Royal	9	RDE	Elvis Dumervil	4
TE	Daniel Graham	6	LLB	Jamie Winborn	4
TE	Tony Scheffler	7	MLB	Nate Webster	4
LT	Ryan Clady	13	RLB	D. J. Williams	4
LG	Ben Hamilton	7	LCB	Champ Bailey	3
C	Casey Wiegmann	9	RCB	Dre Bly	5
RG	Chris Kuper	7	SS	Marquand Manuel	4
RT	Ryan Harris	8	FS	Marion McCree	2

2009: 8-8 2nd Place AFC West

Pos	Name	AV	Pos	Name	AV
QB	Kyle Orton	11	LDE	Ryan McBean	6
RB	Knowshon Moreno	6	NT	Ronald Fields	7
WR	Brandon Marshall	9	LOLB	Mario Haggan	7
WR	Eddie Royal	5	LOLB	Kenny Peterson	6
WR	Jabar Gaffney	6	LILB	Andra Davis	6
TE	Daniel Graham	4	RILB	D. J. Williams	8
LT	Ryan Clady	13	ROLB	Elvis Dumervil	15
LG	Ben Hamilton	3	LCB	Champ Bailey	9
C	Casey Wiegmann	6	RCB	Andre Goodman	7
RG	Chris Kuper	5	SS	Renaldo Hill	6
RT	Ryan Harris	3	FS	Brian Dawkins	11

2010: 4-12 4th Place AFC West

Pos	Name	AV	Pos	Name	AV
QB	Kyle Orton	11	LDE	Kevin Vickerson	4
RB	Knowshon Moreno	8	NT	Jamal Williams	5
WR	Jabar Gaffney	7	RDE	Justin Bannan	5
WR	Brandon Lloyd	12	LOLB	Mario Haggan	6
WR	Eddie Royal	5	LILB	D. J. Williams	6
TE	Daniel Graham	4	RILB	Wesley Woodyard	1
LT	Ryan Clady	9	ROLB	Robert Ayers	4
LG	Zane Beadles	0	LCB	Champ Bailey	9
C	J. D. Walton	8	RCB	Andre Goodman	3
RG	Chris Kuper	7	SS	Renaldo Hill	5
RT	Ryan Harris	6	FS	Brian Dawkins	4

Pulling It All Together

Team	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Record	13-3	9-7	7-9	8-8	8-8	4-12
Ave Win Margin	+12.6	+8.4	+10.6	+8.1	+14.8	+11.0
Ave Loss Margin	-9.7	-8.9	-18.1	-17.9	-14.5	-14.2
MVP (20-25)	0	0	0	0	0	0
All Pro/Pro Bowl (14-19)	3	1	2	2	1	0
Starter (14-19)	12	7	4	4	6	5
Backup (3-7)	6	13	15	15	15	15
Scrub (0-2)	1	1	1	1	0	2
Team Average	8.9	7.3	6.9	6.3	7.1	5.9

The first thing that is noticed here is that the average team rating declined from 2005 to 2008 -- falling from the starter range in 2005 to the backup range in the other years -- before experiencing a slight upturn in 2009, followed by an extreme drop in 2010. We can see a parallel decline, upturn and decline in the average margin of victory during that span. I was surprised to see that the greatest margin of victory came not in the 2005 season where we made it to the AFC Championship, but in 2009 -- the first year of the McDaniels experiment. It is also interesting to note that the greatest margin of defeat did not come in the year when the team average was at the lowest (2010).

Offense	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Record	13-3	9-7	7-9	8-8	8-8	4-12
Ave Win Margin	+12.6	+8.4	+10.6	+8.1	+14.8	+11.0
Ave Loss Margin	-9.7	-8.9	-18.1	-17.9	-14.5	-14.2
MVP (20-25)	0	0	0	0	0	0
All Pro/Pro Bowl (14-19)	1	0	0	1	0	0
Starter (8-13)	8	2	4	5	3	5
Backup (3-7)	1	8	6	5	8	5
Scrub (0-2)	1	1	1	0	0	1
Offensive Average	9.1	6.3	7.0	8.7	6.3	7.0

The offensive ratings do not parallel the team ratings. The offensive average was highest in 2005, dropped sharply in 2006, rose back up through 2007 and 2008, then fell off in 2009 before rising again in 2010. It is odd that the greatest margin of victory came in the year when the offensive AV average was at its lowest.

Defense	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Record	13-3	9-7	7-9	8-8	8-8	4-12
Ave Win Margin	+12.6	+8.4	+10.6	+8.1	+14.8	+11.0
Ave Loss Margin	-9.7	-8.9	-18.1	-17.9	-14.5	-14.2
MVP (20-25)	0	0	0	0	0	0
All Pro/Pro Bowl (14-19)	2	1	2	0	0	0
Starter (8-13)	4	5	0	0	3	0
Backup (3-7)	5	5	9	10	8	10
Scrub (0-2)	0	0	0	1	0	1
Defensive Average	8.6	8.4	6.8	3.8	8.0	4.7

The defensive averages help understand how the team and offensive averages fluctuated. What we can see here is that the smallest margin of defeat came when the defensive average was the highest. Strangely enough, however, the largest margin of defeat did not come when the defensive average was at its lowest. We do see a decline in the averages from 2005 to 2008, with an upturn in 2009 followed by a sharp drop in 2010.

So, what does this all mean? I suppose ultimately, it doesn't mean a whole lot. We can see how while in given years (2005-10) we have come close to the averages of some of the Super Bowl years, overall, we have lagged well behind in most years. On the other hand, it is one more way of looking at the last several seasons, in comparison to the years that Denver made it to the Super Bowl and seeing just how far we need to climb to return to what is ultimately the goal of our franchise.

If you look at the Cincinnati Bengals roster, you have to ask yourself, is this team better than 2008?

Josh Kirkendall — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:59:11 -0000

Relatively surprised by the lack of overall reaction from other fan sites, I had hoped for an idea of what others thought about the team's 53-man roster. Maybe some expected the look we received Saturday afternoon, thus electing to play off the analysis. Others could be sitting by, waiting for the practice squad announcement, as well as any changes after the Bengals make claims on the waiver wire; as well as possibly signing veterans; not that the practice squad has anything to do with the 53-man roster the Bengals will have heading into the regular season. And then maybe some are simply too disgusted to logically differentiate how the Bengals look this year, compared to last year, that led to a 4-11-1 season.

I've often chalked up last year as a season in which the Karma gods said, "it's your turn" to have a bunch of things happen that you won't recover from -- such as losing the starting quarterback, a disgruntled receiver, over 20 guys on IR (many of whom were starters), aging players where their body's are breaking down, etc. I know. It's an excuse. Excuses don't change the fact the Bengals started last year 0-8 and finished with the worst ranked offense in the league (note: we had a better record than Cleveland, so that's cool). That also doesn't mean the Karma gods won't point at us again in 2009. Perhaps it's our turn again. Carson Palmer goes down, the offensive line continues to struggle and the rushing offense becomes the biggest disappointment after high expectations. The defense has to bail us out, and historically speaking, that's not something we're capable of believing. Then again, if you believe in balance, all the went wrong last year, is righted. Palmer retains his title as the God of Golden Arms, the rebuilt offensive line comes through and Cedric Benson resumes what he did in the final three games last year -- averaging 154 yards from the line of scrimmage per game. Oh, and last year's 12th ranked defense with added personnel, makes a run at the top ten. Hey, anything could happen, right? After all, the Bengals are playing a much weaker schedule than they were in 2008. And in the division, during the past two even numbered seasons, the Baltimore Ravens struggled (6-10 in 2005, 5-11 in 2007) and the season after winning the Super Bowl in 2005, the Pittsburgh Steelers missed the playoffs. We can only hope for trends.

Will the Bengals make a run this year? That, like most things in life, is totally unpredictable. And no one predicted that quarterback Carson Palmer would miss 12 games in 2008. However, I believe that the Bengals will be far better this year than 2008. You can see that if you take a position by position look at the roster.

Quarterback - Saying that Palmer is returning assumes he won't get hurt again in 2009. And I won't say that durability issues are starting to become worrisome with our starting quarterback. The fact is, injury forced him to miss 75% of the regular season last year and this year's preseason (though mostly out of caution and additional time for rehabilitation during needless preseason games). The foundation of where the question is more answerable, points towards the team's backup quarterback. If Palmer goes down again, do you believe J.T. O'Sullivan is a better passer than Ryan Fitzpatrick? Some could point to this years preseason and answer yes. O'Sullivan also has a history of being a decent performers in some regular season games. Others will point to the same collection of arguments saying that Fitzpatrick had a good preseason in 2008 and J.T. O'Sullivan also has a history of being a disaster in some regular season games.

Running back - Let me remind you of last year. Chris Perry and Rudi Johnson had decent offseasons which fooled enough people into believing that both would mimic their incredible one-two combination in 2005. Johnson was hurt through the preseason and subsequently released. Perry never recorded more than 75 yards rushing and through six games in which he recorded 10 rushing attempts or more, he averaged three yards or more in only two games.

This is what you have to ask this year, adjusting your mindset into a comparitve analysis of where we were last year: Is Cedric Benson a better option than Chris Perry? Is Bernard Scott a better option than Kenny Watson? Is DeDe Dorsey in 2009 a better option that DeDe Dorsey in 2008? I suppose if he plays more than four games this year, that answer is yes.

Wide Receiver and Tight End . T.J. Houshmandzadeh leaves and Laveranues Coles arrives. This, to me, isn't the argument. Chad Ochocinco is far more motivated to play this year and he looks to play two combined Pro Bowl seasons in 2009. Chris Henry looks like he did his first two seasons where he recorded 15 touchdowns; along with his total life change in which you get the feeling that you can finally trust him. Even if you're asking for a comparison between two wide receivers (Houshmandzadeh and Coles) to see if the position is stronger, I believe looking at Chad and Henry's motivations clearly makes the position stronger alone.

Tight End on the other hand, is different. I do believe the position is weaker. I won't go on what we expect out of Chase Coffman, he's a rookie. We won't know until the season plays itself out. Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht going down hurts the position, because two rookies are manning the position with Daniel Coats, who benefited greatly after Kelly went on IR because he was fighting for a roster spot with Coffman as the team's third Tight End. Now Coats, having the perfect scenario of two injuries playing out to make a roster spot, is now the team's starter. This will be the second time in two seasons he became the default starter because of injury.

Offensive Line. Not only is this the most critical for the team to improve upon, it's also one of the more dramatically changed compared to the starting lineup last year against the Baltimore Ravens.

	2008	2009 *
LT	Levi Jones	Andre Whitworth
LG	Andrew Whitworth	Nate Livings
C	Eric Ghiaciuc	Kyle Cook
RG	Bobbie Williams	Bobbie Williams
RT	Stacy Andrews	Anthony Collins

* Projected

I believe while we've improved at left tackle, we've dropped at left guard; Livings is replaceable at best. I also believe it's obvious that we've improved at center, while as of right, we're kind of pushing at right tackle. However, I'm too hesitant to actually say if we're improved or worse. Apart of me wants to say we are, because of the changes in perseonnel. However, another part of me just isn't sure.

Defensive End. Oddly enough, this position holds the same personnel this year as it did last year with one exception; Michael Johnson, who did not record a single sack during the preseason. In fact, this group only recorded two sacks in four preseason games; Robert Geathers sacked Tom Brady and Frostee Rucker had a sack, forced fumble and fumble recover.

This is where I believe we improved (albeit only slightly). Antwan Odom entered last year with a bum ankle, having been carted off at the start of Training Camp when he suffered the injury. He missed four games in the season and recorded three sacks on the first year of a well-paid contract. During the offseason, he gained bulk without losing the speed. Geathers looked great in the preseason, aggressively fighting blockers against the run and pass. I believe he's the best overall defensive end on the roster. Fanene has always been solid and can play both end and tackle. The biggest chance that the Bengals took was holding onto Rucker for one more season. It's not that he lacks talent; he just lacks the ability to stay healthy.

Defensive Tackle. John Thornton went into semi-retirement after this year, Jason Shirley converted to an offensive linemen and Michael Myers wasn't re-signed. The Bengals responded by replacing all of them with Tank Johnson. The Bengals will go into the regular season (as of this post) with three defensive tackles, likely using Rucker and Fanene in rotation. Is the position improved, worse or is it a push? I think this has everything to do with Sims, who led the team with three quarterback sacks during the preseason and led all defensive linemen with 13 total tackles. It's with my belief that he, not Tank Johnson, made a convincing argument to start opposite Domata Peko. The question though, is the position stronger than it was last year? I believe it is.

Linebackers. Think of it this way. Brandon Johnson recorded 112 tackles and Rashad Jeanty recorded 97 tackles last year. They ranked second and fourth respectively on the team. And there's a shot that neither will be starters against the Denver Broncos. Keith Rivers will retake his spot as the team's weak-side linebacker and it's evident that the Bengals coaching staff wants to start Rey Maualuga over Jeanty on the strong-side. Having two guys that combined for 209 tackles just shouts to the heavens that the Bengals strongest position, in terms of depth, is linebackers. The team's starting middle linebacker, Dhani Jones, is coming off a season in which he led the team with 165 tackles.

Compared to last year, the Bengals replaced Darryl Blackstock with Maualuga and Mays with Abdul Hodge, who led the Bengals with 18 tackles (13 solo) this preseason. Furthermore, if you watched the way Rivers played this year, he already looks far superior last year. He's quicker, stronger and far more aggressive than he was last year. He has the potential to be a multiple Pro Bowler. It's my belief that the Bengals linebackers is the strongest position on defense.

Secondary. Simeon Castille, Dexter Jackson, Herana-Daze Jones, Corey Lynch and Marvin White all have something in common; all were with the Bengals in 2008 when the season started; none are with the Bengals in 2009. Replacing those five are Geoffrey Pope, Morgan Trent, Chris Crocker, Roy Williams and Tom Nelson. I believe cornerbacks is improved, mostly because Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall look better this year than last. Morgan Trent lacked a solid pedigree with the Michigan Wolverines that makes us conclude we've improved the position with Geoffrey Pope as a filler. The Bengals could even look at upgrading the position from now until the season kicks off on the waiver wire or on free agency.

As for safety, we appear better. The questions are; is Tom Nelson better than Corey Lynch and is Roy Williams better than Marvin White? Chris Crocker is obviously an improvement, considering he could be one of the team's secondary leaders.

Special Teams. Kyle Larson. Kevin Huber. Set. Serve. Match.

The roster as it is, isn't perfect. No roster in the NFL could possibly be perfect. However, that isn't the question. The debate right now is: Is the 2009 Bengals better than the 2008 Bengals?

Poll

Simple poll question. Do you believe that the Bengals roster in 2009 is better than the roster in 2008?

Yes

490 votes

No

40 votes

530 votes | Poll has closed

Strength in numbers; an examination of who the Bengals started the regular season since 2006

Josh Kirkendall — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:05:45 -0000

When the preseason marches towards a welcomed conclusion, discussion and debate takes place on who the team cuts and keeps. Sometimes the topic goes into salary cap causalities; veterans that are cut, like Willie Anderson and Rudi Johnson last year. Other times, the debate talks about players that surprisingly make the roster. As jsl413 broke down, the Bengals depth is strong in some areas, weak in others. Which means the Bengals could strengthen weaken positions by increasing the depth. It's a numbers game.

You see that notably with linebackers. In 2006, Brian Simmons was nearing retirement; his production was falling. David Pollack, while great with potential, was only then starting to adjust from being a defensive end in college to an outside linebacker in the NFL. Rashad Jeanty was a rookie. Landon Johnson was arguably our best linebacker. If you look back to that season, only one linebacker remains (Jeanty) with the Bengals and as far as I can tell, three are still in the NFL (Jeanty, Johnson and Ahmad Brooks). The position didn't improve in 2007 and grew worse when it was decimated by injury. Dhani Jones, an unlikely stability force who would join the team later in the year, became the most productive middle linebacker during Marvin Lewis' tenure. By 2008, the linebackers were on pace to be the most talented group assembled, taking less into the regular season while numerically increasing their numbers at other spots, like running back, defensive tackles -- two spots with limited production. You'll obviously see that again this year, with Jones, Jeanty, Rivers, Brandon Johnson and Rey Maualuga as the depth leaders.

Running backs is another example. In 2006, and even 2007, Rudi Johnson was considered the team's feature back. No competition. Hands down. After all, he set franchise rushing records in 2004 and 2005. However, along with the offensive line's degradation, he started degrading (some will note his inadvisable weight loss regiment, losing all of his strength in 2006) until he was finally cut in 2008. More importantly, the Bengals decided to take two fullbacks because Jeremi Johnson was simply not the force he used to be and the team liked Coats' enough to make room for him. While the talent level dipped, the team decided to strengthen the depth with numbers.

Take note of this. Am I saying that the depth and position is stronger because there's more players? Obviously not. You either have talent or you don't. A combination of average talent still makes that position average. But it is a luxury that most teams have, which largely depends on play-calling philosophy, as well as projecting your opponents philosophies. If you take on more defensive backs in any given year because your passing defense is poor, it allows you additional packages. But it's also dictated by strength. You will note how once the team had Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph, they believed the position strong enough to only take four cornerbacks in 2008, as opposed to five in 2007 and 2006. Safeties increased because a long-standing issue of giving up big plays was still unanswered. You can bank on at least six safeties this year.

After the jump, you can see which players the Bengals took after cutdown day and how many players the team took at each position.

First thing we should note are the roster cut deadlines:

DATE	EVENT
September 1st	Roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players
September 5th	Roster cutdown to maximum of 53 players

Here's a breakdown on what positions the Bengals after final cutdown heading into the regular season.

Position	2006	2007	2008
Quarterbacks	3	3	3
Running backs (including FB)	4	4 (1)	5 (2)
Wide Receivers	6	6	6
Offensive Linemen	9	8	9
Tight Ends	2	3	2
Total on Offense	24	24	25

Defensive Ends	4	5	4
Defensive Tackles	4	3	5
Linebackers	8	7	6
Cornerbacks	5	5	4
Safeties	5	6	6
Total on Defense	26	26	25

Specialists	3	3	3

After the jump, we chart which players the Bengals kept since 2006.

2006

Position	#	Players
Quarterbacks	3	Carson Palmer, Anthony Wright, Doug Johnson
RB / FB	4	Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Quincy Wilson, Jeremi Johnson (FB)
WR	6	Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry, Tab Perry, Antonio Chatman, Kelley Washington
O-Line	9	Levi Jones, Eric Steinbach, Rich Braham, Bobbie Williams, Willie Anderson, Andrew Whitworth, Eric Ghiaciuc, Stacy Andrews, Scott Kooistra
TE	2	Reggie Kelly, Tony Stewart

DE	4	Justin Smith, Bryan Robinson, Robert Geathers, Frostee Rucker
DT	4	Sam Adams, John Thornton, Domata Peko, Shaun Smith
Linebackers	8	Brian Simmons, Landon Johnson, David Pollack, Rashad Jeanty, Marcus Wilkins, Ahmad Brooks, A.J. Nicholson, Caleb Miller
Corners	5	Deltha O'Neal, Tory James, Johnathan Joseph, Keiwan Ratliff, Greg Brooks
Safeties	5	Dexter Jackson, Madieu Williams, Kevin Kaesviharn, Ethan Kilmer, Herana-Daze Jones

Specialists	3	Shayne Graham, Kyle Larson, Brad St. Louis

2007

Position	#	Players
Quarterbacks	3	Carson Palmer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jeff Rowe
RB / FB	4	Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Clinton Dawson, Jeremi Johnson (FB)
WR	6	Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Tab Perry, Glenn Holt, Skyler Green, Antonio Chatman
O-Line	8	Levi Jones, Willie Anderson, Bobbie Williams, Andrew Whitworth, Stacy Andrews, Scott Kooistra, Eric Ghiaciuc, Alex Stepanovich
TE	3	Reggie Kelly, Daniel Coats, Nate Lawrie

DE	5	Justin Smith, Robert Geathers, Bryan Robinson, Frostee Rucker, Jonathan Fanene
DT	3	Domata Peko, John Thornton, Michael Myers
Linebackers	7	Ahmad Brooks, Rashad Jeanty, Landon Johnson, Caleb Miller, Lemar Marshall, Andre Frazier, Anthony Schlegel
Corners	5	Deltha O'Neal, Leon Hall, Johnathan Joseph, Keiwan Ratliff, David Jones
Safeties	6	Dexter Jackson, Chinedum Ndukwe, Madieu Williams, Marvin White, Herana-Daze Jones, Ethan Kilmer

Specialists	3	Shayne Graham, Kyle Larson, Brad St. Louis

2008

Position	#	Players
Quarterbacks	3	Carson Palmer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jordan Palmer
RB / FB	5	Chris Perry, Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey, Jeremi Johnson (FB), Daniel Coats (FB)
WR	6	Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Glenn Holt, Antonio Chatman, Andre Caldwell, Jerome Simpson
O-Line	9	Stacy Andrews, Levi Jones, Eric Ghiaciuc, Bobbie Williams, Andrew Whitworth, Dan Santucci, Kyle Cook, Scott Kooistra, Anthony Collins
TE	2	Reggie Kelly, Ben Utecht

DE	4	Antwan Odom, Robert Geathers, Jonathan Fanene, Frostee Rucker
DT	5	Domata Peko, John Thornton, Jason Shirley, Pat Sims, Michael Myers
Linebackers	6	Keith Rivers, Rashad Jeanty, Dhani Jones, Darryl Blackstock, Brandon Johnson, Corey Mays
Corners	4	Leon Hall, Johnathan Joseph, Simeon Castille, David Jones
Safeties	6	Dexter Jackson, Kyries Hebert, Herana-Daze Jones, Corey Lynch, Chinedum Ndukwe, Marvin White

Specialists	3	Shayne Graham, Kyle Larson, Brad St. Louis

Wednesday Afternoon links and notes -- Ndukwe and Sims return

Josh Kirkendall — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:13:01 -0000

Old friend, and one-year defensive tackle, Michael Myers visited the Carolina Panthers Tuesday. He was one of four defensive tackles to visit the Panthers.

Even though Palmer is begging for some protection, Pat Kirwin says that he's hardly alone, with defenses blitzing as much as they are

As I reported during my summer camp tour, defensive coordinators around the league were inspired by the New York Giant game plan that sacked Brady five times and hit him another nine times in Super Bowl XLII. As defenses continue to bring the heat, this could be a tough year for quarterbacks all around the NFL. Week 1 was a just a sign of things to come.

Chinedum Ndukwe and Pat Sims are finally back at practice. However, Frostee Rucker, who left Sunday on crutches, has yet to practice this week and we don't anticipate David Jones returning this week after suffering a concussion. Herana-Daze Jones also missed practice for some unknown reason.

We'll put out the practice/injury report later (usually a late-evening post).

Bengals acquire two off the wire

Josh Kirkendall — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:59:42 -0000

Phase one completed, comes phase two -- waiver wire acquisitions.

The Bengals picked up offensive guard, Frank Davis from the Detroit Lions and defensive tackle Orien Harris from the New Orleans Saints.

The Bengals terminated the contract of Michael Myers and placed Dan Santucci on Injured Reserve to make room.

From a Bengals press released (via Curnutte's blog):

-- Acquired G Frank Davis on waivers from Detroit. (Davis 6-3, 325; South Florida) is a third-year NFL player. He played in 11 games with three starts in 2006, after making the Lions roster as a college free agent. He was on the Reserve/Injured list last season, due to a knee injury suffered in preseason, but he came back this year to play in all four Lions preseason games, with two starts at LG.

-- Acquired DT Orien Harris on waivers from New Orleans. (Harris 6-3, 300; Miami-Fla.) played in all four Saints preseason games and led the team with 20 tackles, including a sack. He has two prior seasons in the NFL, but does not yet have an accrued year toward free agency, and is classified a first-year player. He entered the NFL in 2006 as a fourth-round draft choice of Pittsburgh and played in two games for Cleveland after being signed off the Steelers practice squad. Last season, he was on Buffalo’s practice squad before being signed to the Saints roster, where he was inactive for two games.

Along with Carl-Johan Bjork, the Bengals announced five players signed to the team's practice squad -- they're allowed a maximum of nine with Bjork's exemption.

Dan Howell, LB
James Johnson, RB
Nate Livings, Guard
Maurice Purify, WR
Mario Urrutia, WR

Friday morning links and notes -- the preseason is over

Josh Kirkendall — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:33:57 -0000

We were wondering during Thursday Night's preseason game how the Bengals running back roster would look kickoff weekend. Curnutte believes the Bengals will dump Rudi Johnson and keep Chris Perry, Kenny Watson and DeDe Dorsey on the roster, placing James Johnson on the practice squad after his performance against the Colts.

James Johnson's ran eight times for 54 yards against the Colts with a 42-yard play midway through the fourth quarter. Without that 42-yard run, Johnson rushes seven times for 12 yards. DeDe Dorsey had a nice night rushing for 4.2 yards-per-carry (38 yards, nine attempts), including a six-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter. Kenny Watson had the worst night among running backs (well, other than Rudi Johnson of course) with a 1.6 yards-per-carry average (10 yards, six rushes). In the game, the Bengals rushed for 171 yards on 38 attempts (4.5 average).

Ironically enough, Ryan Fitzpatrick finished the preseason out-rushing Kenny Watson and DeDe Dorsey.

The Bengals leading receivers this preseason were two guys not on the roster last season. Jerome Simpson caught the most passes (11) and recorded the most yards (157). Ben Utecht's 10 receptions and 108 yards receiving ranked second in each category. Glenn Holt is the only player to record more than one touchdown reception. In fact, he has two of the team's three total passing touchdowns with Utecht having the other.

Domata Peko is the only defensive lineman with more than one sack, with one-sack performances coming from Robert Geathers, Michael Myers, Jason Shirley, and Angelo Craig. Darryl Blackstock (2), Keith Rivers, Kyries Herbert, and Dexter Jackson also recorded sacks.

The preseason question of finding that number three receiver was answered, by signing Chris Henry. However suspended through the first four games, it would appear that Simpson has the edge at that spot; but Chatman could find himself there based on whether the Bengals feel confident that Simpson knows the playbook.

Kyle Larson punted a whopping 28 times (average seven-per-game) with a pedestrian 41.9 average.

Even I was pleased with the performance of Ahmad Brooks. But I don't think that the final preseason game against a team that played few, if any, of their starters is that much of a reason to keep him. I still think he's on the chopping block, and I think that if Brooks was good enough, that he wouldn't have fallen so far, so quickly, on the depth chart and been mediocre in the other preseason games. Then again, the Bengals coaching staff loves projects with players that have potential (see Eric Henderson and Stacy Andrews -- who actually worked out).

Are people actually considering Fitzpatrick the better starting quarterback in Cincinnati?

I really enjoyed Fitzpatrick's performance this preseason. He had the best quarterback play, recording a 104.2 passer rating, no picks and two scores. Along with his 218 yards passing (which is second, behind Jeff Rowe's 228), Fitzpatrick added 79 yards rushing (scrambling). However, we don't need is a scrambling quarterback. What we need is our two Pro Bowl wide receivers back without protection breakdowns that force our quarterbacks to scramble. All of which, I believe, will return by kickoff weekend.

Along with Keith Rivers, I think Corey Lynch is one of the most impressive defensive rookies. Even though Pat Sims didn't record those key numbers (which is normal for a defensive tackle), I liked his motor with his noticeable intensity. With Shirley coming on against the Colts, I think the Bengals are close to having a solid defensive tackle rotation. Given more experience with the rookies, and the noticeable improvement with Domata Peko, there's a lot to look forward to this group. Once John Thornton leaves after this season, the Bengals could either draft another defensive tackle in the 2009 NFL Draft, or develop Antwon Burton with the practice squad this season.

Secondary-wise, I think this unit is much better than last season -- or the year before that, or the year before that. Johnathan Joseph was an aggressive hitter during the preseason, coming up to the line of scrimmage when the opposing team rushed to his side. He played the island role, along with Leon Hall, as best as we could expect of them. While big-body wide receivers will generally always have their way with most NFL cornerbacks, I didn't think to myself that our young cornerbacks will be problematic.

My biggest concern wasn't the secondary against the rush, nor the play of our starting cornerbacks. It was our safeties against the pass, allowing the opposing wide receiver to stream past them. This didn't happen against the Colts as much as it did in the first preseason games. Still, Corey Lynch and Marvin White are young enough to learn from it and become better as the season wears on. Not to mention Chinedum Ndukwe missed the preseason.

I do believe, however, that our secondary is as deep as it has ever been during the Marvin Lewis era.

Like many of you, I just don't know what to expect this season. On one hand, this team is talented enough among their starters; everyone returns, the protection schemes improve and the rushing attack is actually meaningful. On the other hand, we could the regular season become an extension of the preseason becoming the worst season during the Marvin Lewis era. Either way, the critical aspect for success on this team will be the offense. An improved defense will be icing on the cake, that could find themselves in the role to win games if the offense sputters.

In the end, your guess is as good as mine.