SB Nation - Angelo Craig

Arizona Cardinals Weekly Flock: Beanie Wells Looks Great (In Practice)

Hawkwind — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:06:55 -0000

Arizona Cardinals first-round draft pick Beanie Wells runs drills during training camp. (AP Photo/Matt York)

For the second consecutive day Chris "Beanie" Wells not only participated in a full practice but also impressed quite a few people in the process. While showing no signs of a gimpy ankle, Wells was explosive and fast during team drills and on several occasions was able to use his speed to get to the perimeter of the defense. It certainly sounds like Wells will see his first action of the preseason on Friday against the Packers and the return to action couldn't come soon enough. For the first time since his signing with the Cards, Beanie was reluctant to talk to the media and persistent questions about his ankle led to short, quick, frustrated answers.

"I'm back to where I was before," the optimistic Wells said. "I'm just going to keep saying my prayers and keep working hard."

The rest of the injury report is pretty much the same (Ali Highsmith, Elliot Vallejo and Keilen Dykes) all missing practice and for the past two days Brian St. Pierre has also been sidelined with a bad back. His status for Friday's game doesn't seem to be in doubt at this point though.
The team also worked out a DE/OLB yesterday, Angelo Craig. Craig, a former Cincinatti Bearcat, was selected by the Bengals in the seventh round of last year's draft but was cut before the season started. He spent time on the Panthers and Patriots practice squad. He's got good size (6-4, 250) but is considered a marginal athlete and didn't become a starter in college until his senior season. Ken Whisenhunt noted that the team will continue to work out a couple of players in hopes of signing one before the final preseason game (when veterans play very little if at all). It's worth noting that the first 'cut down day' is September 1st so the team will have to cut five players in order to get down to the maximum number of 75, but moving Cody Brown to IR and not signing someone else would mean that they only have to cut four.
In a final bit of injury news, Kurt Warner has said that he's feeling much better about his surgically repaired hip.

"I feel probably twice as good as I felt at any point since I injured my hip," he said. "It's exciting for me that I'm seeing strides being made. I'm feeling more comfortable, and I don't have to worry about trying to manage the pain. I'm definitely feeling better than I have in a long time."

Bengals release tight end Matt Sherry and receiver Mario Urrutia

Kirkendall — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:11:10 -0000

Last year the Bengals took tight end Matt Sherry and wide receiver Mario Urrutia in the 2008 NFL Draft. Sherry, a sixth round draft pick, spent all season on Injured Reserve after suffering a preseason shoulder injury. Urrutia, a seventh-round pick, spent the entire season on the team's practice squad in a draft designed to build wide receiver depth.

Both have been released, writes Geoff Hobson. Of the ten players drafted last year, seven remain (Angelo Craig was waived, then signed onto the Carolina Panthers practice squad).

The Bengals also released quarterback Billy Farris and James Smith. With four players released, that leaves the Bengals with 81 players on roster.

Cowboys Hybrid Rookies In Transition Phase

Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) — Thu, 28 May 2009 22:54:51 -0000

With veteran outside linebacker Greg Ellis now out of the picture, DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer will bookend the Cowboy defense. Ellis' departure means that in 2009 the Cowboys will always be one injury away from having to throw a rookie into the fire. Making the switch from college defensive end to NFL linebacker, rookies Brandon Williams and Victor Butler have a difficult transition ahead. However, recent history shows us that amongst converted ends, there have been more hits than misses, and few have been able to contribute right away.

I took a look at the last 5 NFL drafts. I charted every college defensive end selected to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 system. While I found a few guys who have to this point made virtually zero impact, I found a comparable number of success stories as well. This list is not all-inclusive, but a collection of highlights and lowlights.

2008: Obviously the jury is still out on anyone drafted in 2008, but it is fair to say that none of the converted ends made an impact in their inaugural season. Most famously there was New York Jets 1st round pick Vernon Gholston, who struggled to get on the field and was at times a healthy scratch. The Steelers took UCLA’s Bruce Davis in the 3^rd, and New England took Cincinnati’s Angelo Craig in the 7^th. Neither player logged a stat in 2008.

2007: Cowboys’ 1^st rounder Anthony Spencer fought nagging injuries, but had a decent rookie season. Spencer logged 36 total tackles and 3 sacks in limited action. Spencer probably could have been a full-time starter if needed, but filled in pretty well in a secondary role. Pittsburgh Steeler Lamarr Woodley had a similar rookie campaign. In a secondary role as a rookie, Woodley managed 4 sacks, before blossoming into a star in his second season. Woodley may or may not qualify for this conversation, being that he played both defensive end and linebacker at the University of Michigan.

2006: First round selection Kamerion Wimbley rewarded the Browns with an admirable rookie season. As a first-year player in 2006, Wimbley tallied 62 tackles and 11 sacks, garnering some consideration for defensive rookie of the year honors. The 49ers Manny Lawson however (1^st rounder as well), has been on the opposite end of the spectrum. The ultra-athletic Lawson did give the 49ers 12 starts in 2006, but recorded only 2.5 sacks. Lawson has struggled with injuries, and to this point has just 5.5 career sacks to his credit. Lawson’s teammate Parys Haralson has been slightly better from a production standpoint, despite being a 5^th round selection.

2005: Jackpot!!! With back to back 1^st round selections, the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers selected Troy’s DeMarcus Ware, and Maryland’s Shawne Merriman respectively. Both had stellar rookie seasons, and quickly ascended to ranks of the league’s best at the position. 2005’s class of hybrids was not without it’s misses. Transitioning back into a 3-4 at the time, the Baltimore Ravens invested a second round pick in Oklahoma’s Dan Cody. Cody was ravaged early by the injury bug, and has to this point been a non-factor.

2004: The only real hybrid keeper from this class was San Diego 4^th rounder Shaun Phillips. Phillips was a standout situational player as a rookie, and became a starter late in year two. Phillips has since become a nice bookend to teammate Shawne Merriman.

Brandon Williams and Victor Butler face a daunting yet achievable task. In a perfect, injury-free world the pair would be used only on a situational basis. But if the injury plague strikes again as it did last season, these guys may see some live bullets whether they are ready or not. The Cowboys have to prepare the pair of rookies as if they are starters, as they will likely be one injury away from being just that. There is certainly a learning curve involved with making the transition from college defensive end to NFL outside linebacker. Like any position, some guys handle the adjustment better than others. Let’s hope that at least one of these guys is a fast learner.

Patriots changes by position: Outside Linebacker

MaPatsFan — Wed, 13 May 2009 00:02:31 -0000

via www.beloblog.com

View full size photo »

In a 3-4 defense, the front three are usually large and take on the role of stuffing the line while the outside linebackers assist on the edges and create pressure in the backfield. For years, OLB on the Patriots D had been synonymous with Mike Vrabel. In 2007, he was giving quarterbacks fits as he generated never ending pressure on the QB's blind side. In 2008, it seemed Mike lost a step and there just wasn't a formidable pass rush to speak of. That and Adalius Thomas was injured quite a bit while rookie Shawn Crable was finally IR'd. No pass rush, no pressure on the quarterback and you put an extra load on the DB's.

There has been wide speculation that either Carolina's franchised Julius Peppers or ex-Fin turned Redskin Jason Taylor would switch from 4-3 DE's to 3-4 OLB's in the Patriots' D, but none of that has materialized. A Peppers signing seems less likely as Julius hasn't signed Carolina's tender making them unable to deal him. Taylor could be a more likely addition, but both sides remain tight lipped.

Even more interesting, most everyone thought NE would try to draft an OLB high on the board. Just about every mock draft had an OLB at 23 or 34. But, as the name implies, they're mock drafts and not based in reality. Apparently Bill's got a bigger football brain and knows what he needs better than us fans. Hoodah thunk...

Adalius Thomas - I'll be very surprised if they don't put Thomas on the quarterback's blind side. I've always liked his pass rushing capabilities and his ability to shed blockers. Add to his quickness a 6-2 270 lb frame, and you have a freight train coming at you. Suffering a 2008 season ending arm injury against Buffalo on Nov 9, we didn't benefit from Thomas and I believe suffered because of it.
Pierre Woods - A standout special teams guy, Pierre has grown into a very productive outside linebacker. At 6-5 250 lbs, he's less bulky than many OLB's, but he used that to his advantage in 2008. when he started at OLB, it seemed Pierre was all over the field, making tackles. If Belichick decides to start Woods at OLB, which I believe he's earned, I think we'll be in good shape.
Tully Banta-Cain - Back with the Patriots after a two year stint with the 49ers, OLB Banta-Cain is back with the team he spent the first four years of his career with. A special teams standout and strong reserve, I see Tully adding depth when we need it. This is also a good move as Banta-Cain knows the system.
Vince Redd - A productive special teamer, Vince saw action in 2008 as a reserve. With a year in the system under his belt, he'll be a nice reserve option when called upon and a necessary guy on special teams.
Shawn Crable - Oh, this one hurt. Last year I was sooooo big on this kid and really wanted to see him do well. I don't know if he has Mayo-level talent, but I was hoping. Bang, he injures his shin in preseason and is inactive for the first eight games, finally being placed on IR. In preseason he looked like he had the goods, using those long arms to bat down passes. I'm hoping for more of the same this year and look for him to be a primary backup to Thomas or Woods.
Angelo Craig - A defensive end in college, he's the lone question mark in this mix; information on him is hard to come by. I'm not really sure where he fits in, but depth is never a bad thing.

Analysis

Who do you think our starters will be? Has Thomas proven his worth and will Woods be his sidekick? Are you curious to see what Crable will do? Should we pull in an experienced vet like Jason Taylor. Let's hear it.

Breaking down and ranking drafted positions in Cincinnati since 2003

Kirkendall — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:47:42 -0000

Breaking down Cincinnati's draft since 2003, I wanted to see how many players were left at each position and the strength of that position based on the foundation of the team's drafted players. There were some positions I didn't bother listing. Like quarterback, since there's no emphasis of improving the position after the team drafted Carson Palmer. I didn't list Tight Ends, because the last Tight End taken before Matt Sherry in 2008, was Matt Schobel in 2002. We're not going to grade positions based on arbitrary made-up numbers and letters; rather simply point out how many players are left, and perhaps some equation of how many are (and were) starters. I placed a strong emphasis on where the team is today based on these draft picks; not how they've performed during their Cincinnati career, other than possibly being starters. We can have that discussion if you'd like, but that's not the heart of this post.

I am, however, going to rank the positions we've drafted. This is nothing more than my opinion, and not some concocted Football Outsiders formula.

Here goes.

Dating back to 2004, the Bengals have drafted eight defensive backs -- six of whom have multiple starts, two of whom are first-round draft picks. During the 2006 and 2007 draft, Lewis drafted four guys at all four defensive back positions that started at one time in multiple games. Of the nine defensive backs since 2003, five remain, one signed a rich contract with the Vikings and another helped the Colts into the playoffs. There has been talent drafted by the Bengals at defensive back.

Defensive Backs	Year	Round
Corey Lynch	2008	6
Leon Hall	2007	1
Marvin White	2007	4
Chinedum Ndukwe	2007	7
Johnathan Joseph	2006	1
Keiwan Ratliff	2004	2
Madieu Williams	2004	2
Greg Brooks	2004	7
Dennis Weathersby	2003	4

If you look at the list of offensive linemen, there is a lot of good. Eric Steinbach wasn't just a starter -- he played tackle and center. He was signed to one of the richest contracts in NFL history as a guard. Andrew Whitworth took over Steinbach's departed role as the team's starting guard, that can play tackle at a moment's notice. Anthony Collins was perhaps the biggest surprise when he was asked to block some of the league's best pass rushers at the tail-end of 2008. Stacy Andrews started several games, and left for more money in Philadelphia. While we're generally not happy about the way Ghiaciuc's career panned out, he has been the team's starting center since 2006 -- perhaps that's just lack of options? Of eight drafted offensive linemen, four remain and only one has significant starting experience -- however, Collins is on pace to be the team's starting tackle for this season and beyond.

The problem with the offensive line is the lack of players drafted that are starting today. Levi Jones was a 2002 draft pick and has possibly already played his final game in a Bengals uniform. Bobbie Williams was a free agent and Ghiaciuc and Andrews are likely gone. Heading into this season and next, the Bengals are lacking a core of drafted players because most of them have already left Cincinnati, or are, at best, backup talent.

Offensive Linemen	Year	Round
Anthony Collins	2008	4
Dan Santucci	2007	7
Andrew Whitworth	2006	2
Eric Ghiaciuc	2005	4
Adam Kieft	2005	5
Stacy Andrews	2004	4
Eric Steinbach	2003	2
Scott Kooistra	2003	7

I was conflicted with our defensive line. Since 2003, we've drafted ten defensive linemen -- six of whom remain with the team. Both of our projected starting defensive tackles are our draft picks, and the team's best pass rusher, Robert Geathers, was drafted in 2004. Toeaina was favored with some -- but having placed him on the practice squad for a significant period of time in 2007 opened the door for the Chicago Bears to sign him away. Pat Sims has a high ceiling and could be the team's starting defensive tackle for some time, while guys like Frostee Rucker, Jonathan Fanene and Jason Shirley remain fixed as backups. I don't believe we've drafted great with defensive linemen, but there we have picked up a few pieces that figure into the team's long-term vision.

Defensive Line	Year	Round
Pat Sims	2008	3
Jason Shirley	2008	5
Matt Toeaina	2007	6
Frostee Rucker	2006	3
Domata Peko	2006	4
Jonathan Fanene	2005	7
Matthias Askew	2004	4
Robert Geathers	2004	4
Langston Moore	2003	6
Elton Patterson	2003	7

I realize that ranking wide receivers could be the most premature of all positions. First of all, there was little reason to draft the best wide recever in any draft because the team had already invested in Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh -- even Peter Warrick was figuring into the team's long-term vision until a degrading knee condition suffered in 2003 ended his NFL career. Between 2003-2007, the teams drafted six wide receivers, primarily looking for depth and that viable #3 receiver. Even though he's embarrassed the team, and stunted his own growth, Chris Henry had both the talent and size to be the league's best #3 receiver. He's still with the team and reportedly working hard to have his talent and potential realized. During the last off-season (between 2007-2008), Chad Johnson cried and negotiations for T.J. Houshmandzadeh weren't going well. So the Bengals drafted three wide receivers, two of whom were thought to be replacements for both 30-plus year-old receivers. The 2008 draft was definitely considered a rebuilding draft for wideouts, therefore it's hard to really grade this. You can't based their projected careers on their rookie season's because of the talent that they had to leap-frog to get there. This season and next will be critical for them.

Wide Receivers	Year	Round
Jerome Simpson	2008	2
Andre Caldwell	2008	3
Mario Urrutia	2008	7
Ethan Kilmer	2006	7
Bennie Brazell	2006	7
Chris Henry	2005	3
Tab Perry	2005	6
Maurice Mann	2004	5
Kelly Washington	2003	3

Linebackers have always been cursed during the Marvin Lewis era. David Pollack, Odell Thurman, Ahmad Brooks and A.J. Nicholson never really had their careers realized for one reason or another -- ranging from injury, off-the-field issues to simply not being good enough. Landon Johnson started many games, led the team in tackles then left. Of the nine linebackers drafted since 2003, six have started. What makes linebackers ugly, is that only drafted linebacker remains on the team today.

Linebackers	Year	Round
Keith Rivers	2008	1
Angelo Craig	2008	7
Ahmad Brooks	2006s	3
A.J. Nicholson	2006	5
David Pollack	2005	1
Odell Thurman	2005	2
Caleb Miller	2004	3
Landon Johnson	2004	3
Khalid Abdullah	2003	5

Drafting running backs has been terrible for this team. If you exclude Jeremi Johnson, the Bengals have drafted Kenny Irons and Chris Perry since 2003. That's it. Irons' NFL career is likely over and Chris Perry has suffered through several season-long injuries that's hampered his production and development. Our ranking of running backs is mostly degraded based on the fact that we've picked up so few, and of those we did pick up, have been disappointing at best. Perry's 2005 season was cause for hope that he'd become the team's "two" or a one-two punch with Rudi Johnson -- or another powerback. That vision never fulfilled itself and if Perry isn't cut by the regular season, he's likely playing his final season in a Bengals uniform.

Running Backs	Year	Round
Kenny Irons	2007	2
Chris Perry	2004	1
Jeremi Johnson	2003	4

That's my opinion guys, what's yours?

Marvin Lewis speaks on last year's (2008) NFL draft class

Kirkendall — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:44:52 -0000

On Wednesday, Marvin Lewis spoke to Cincinnati's media (bloggers aren't media, so we're not included... CincyJungle sad) and discussed the rookie class at some lengths. I think most of what he said is something that we all believed with this rookie class.

Lewis said of Anthony Collins that "He's got a chance to be a great pro and one of those tough guys you can build around for a long time." Collins started the final six games of the season, which included a starting debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers' James Harrison. Collins shut down the Defensive Player of the Year impressively; which we talked about during the game. In his second game of the year, Collins went against Trevor Pryce and Terrell Suggs; even though both recorded 12.5 quarterback sacks this year, only Terrell Suggs recorded a shared sack. Dwight Freeney caused some problems with 1.5 recorded sacks. Considering his relative youth, having played during a season in which would have been his senior year at Kansas, we think that Collins played better than we had expected. Some of us, me included, think that even if Levi Jones comes back, and a competition was conducted to determine the starting left tackle that Collins would emerge as the victor.

Geoff Hobson quotes Marvin Lewis about the quality of work with Pat Sims. "We got more out of Pat Sims than I think we knew we could get. I thought he would be coming into his own this year. He played through some injuries, he showed some toughness. He had to deal with some family issues and I think he came out of this year understanding what pro football is about, and he kind of got a taste he can be lot better player. I think he can be as good a player as he thinks he can and sometimes guys don't understand that." In Pat Sims first NFL game, he recorded seven tackles, one for loss against the New York Jets. He recorded his first NFL sack during the Bengals first win in 2008 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sims started six games this season and figures to be the starting defensive tackle opposite Domata Peko in 2009; unless something greater comes along, but that's just the nature of the NFL.

Keith Rivers and Andre Caldwell, while they played, were contributors; Caldwell late in the season and Rivers before Hines Ward broke his jaw. Lewis praised Corey Lynch saying "Being a guy that understands football and has the feel for the game like Corey Lynch, I think next year he'll play lights out and really compete hard at being a starting player and we'll be able to give him some roles." Uh-oh, says Marvin White. Jason Shirley, Jerome Simpson, Matt Sherry and Mario Urrutia were limited with playing time, if at all. Sherry was hurt in training camp and Urrutia was on the team's practice squad. Angelo Craig eventually signed with the Carolina Panthers practice squad.

Judging a draft class after one NFL season is folly, I know this. However, this is a strong class with good foundation players within all three units on defense, and potential still at wide receiver with possible a "great pro" at offensive tackle. I know that potential is meaningless, but if I were to grade it today, I would grade it high with a strong emphasis of potential. Next year will be huge for these players. No one knows this more than Jerome Simpson.

Tuesday morning links and notes -- Craig signs with Panthers

Kirkendall — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:11:04 -0000

Angelo Craig was signed with the Panthers' practice squad (h/t: Prag and kirby28).

Bengals Nation Daily sees a 20-3 win over the Baltimore Ravens Sunday.

The newest Bengals lineman, Frank Davis, takes over Willie Anderson's locker; whether or not he'll fill the 19-EEE shoes is another question; guard/tackle position not withstanding.

Speaking of which, it doesn't appear that Willie Anderson will play for Chicago.

Chad will fuss and complain if the Bengals lose. I just hope that if he does, he doesn't play himself larger than the team and takes responsibilities if he misses that third-down reception.

Chick Ludwig and Chad Johnson are calling the release of Willie Anderson, a mistake. Says Chad, "Usually, you’re able to give a reason why it (getting cut) happens to certain people But I don’t have a reason why you let Willie Anderson go.”

AROUND THE LOCAL COLLEGE SCENE

While there's no time-table for Beanie Well's return, the Heisman candidate sat out Monday's practice still wearing his protective boot on his right foot.

The Sooners are impressed with the University of Cincinnati, even if they're three touchdown favorites.

My first metal album was Metallica's Master of Puppets; have been a ridiculous fan ever since. Anyway, in a few weeks, Metallica is releasing their ninth studio album called Death Magnetic. Here's the first song called The Day That Never Comes. It's eight minutes, and listen to the whole thing. It gets crazy good halfway through.

This is another, called My Apocalypse. Reminds you of Whiplash, somewhat.

Friday morning links and notes -- the preseason is over

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.