SB Nation - Mario Urrutia

Thanks to T.J. Houshmandzadeh's departure, Andre Caldwell can flourish. And flourishing, he is.

Kirkendall — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:01:34 -0000

2 months ago: Cincinnati Bengals receiver Andre Caldwell (87) catches a four-yard touchdown pass against Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Farrior (51) in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Cincinnati. Cincinnati won the game 23-20. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

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Remember before the 2008 season how much uncertainty surrounded the team's wide receiver position? Chad Ochocinco demanded a trade. He sat out voluntary workouts and generally became just as irritating as a camera inside team meetings with Mike Brown at the head of the table. T.J. Houshmandzadeh was entering the final year of his contract and generally speaking, no one believed he would return. Chris Henry was released in the offseason after another meeting with law enforcement; he was later re-signed to the team because Brown had a fondness for him.

To say the team's wide receiver position was this close to disaster, would be such an understatement, that the readers of Cincy Jungle would hire a hitman to put an end to the obnoxious statements of obviousism (my word). The Bengals drafted three wide receivers in the 2008 draft; Jerome Simpson (second round), Andre Caldwell (fourth round) and Mario Urrutia (seventh round). Not only does Simpson one career reception for two yards, but Simpson has been declared inactive in 11 (three due to injury) of 19 possible games; six of which he played and two of which he was active, however did not play. The New York Jets picked up Mario Urrutia off waivers after the Bengals released him less than two weeks before training camp this year. The Jets waived him less than two weeks later. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a couple days later. Tampa Bay waived him in September, signing him to the team's practice squad. Last weekend, Tampa Bay promoted him to the 53-man roster. I need a break.

Even though quarterback Carson Palmer has targeted Chad Ochocinco 25 times so far this season, Andre Caldwell is already a dependable option for Palmer. Of the 19 times Palmer has thrown to Caldwell, the second-year receiver has caught 14 passes for 122 yards receiving. Of all the wide receivers, he's caught the highest percentage of passes thrown his way (74%), which doesn't include poorly thrown passes or well defended plays -- in other words 26% of the passes he hasn't caught doesn't constitute as something he did wrong. He's tied with Chad Ochocinco for a team leading 14 receptions.

When the Bengals tried to convert their first two-point conversion against the Steelers, Palmer looked at Caldwell; which was subsequently deflected by Lamar Woodley. Palmer looked for Caldwell early in the game during long (15 yards or more) third down conversions, which weren't converted. Then, with 18 seconds left in the game against Pittsburgh, Palmer found and hit Andre Caldwell in the endzone for the game winning touchdown.

That's not all.

On what was supposed to be the game winning touchdown drive against the Denver Broncos, Palmer hit Caldwell three times for 26 yards with the third reception requiring a booth review to see if he scored the go-ahead touchdown. He didn't. Cedric Benson took into the endzone a play later. He was only targeted twice against the Green Bay Packers, catching both, including an eight-yard reception on third-and-six that eventually led to the Bengals go-ahead touchdown.

It's evident that Caldwell's opportunity is granted thanks to T.J. Houshmandzadeh's departure. I said last week that I still don't think he's at the level Houshmandzadeh was when he left for Seattle. However, I believe that Caldwell could surpass Houshmandzadeh in both the underneath game, as well as the deep game. I believe his overall talent is superior to Houshmandzadeh; he's still yet a little green to have that realized yet. Most importantly, when the weight of Cincinnati rested on the offense's shoulders, Caldwell easily caught the pass that sent the city into a frenzied celebration.

Here's a breakdown with all intended receivers through three games.

	Target	Receptions	Yards	TDs	% Tar/Rec
Chad Ochocinco	25	14	234	1	0.56
Andre Caldwell	19	14	122	1	0.74
Laveranues Coles	15	8	54	1	0.53
Chris Henry	8	3	42	1	0.38
Daniel Coats	7	4	50	0	0.57
Cedric Benson	6	5	37	0	0.83
Brian Leonard	6	5	52	0	0.83
J.P. Foschi	2	2	15	0	1.00
Jeremi Johnson	3	1	9	0	0.33

A quick note on Houshmandzadeh. Even though Houshmandzadeh has caught 14 passes for 145 yards receiving this season, he's actually ranked third behind Nate Burleson and John Carlson. Houshmandzadeh is still without a touchdown and his season high, thus far, is a six-reception effort against the Rams and a 62-yard effort against the 49ers. He's on pace for 75 receptions and 733 yards receiving. Leading into Sunday's game, Houshmandzadeh provided plenty of attention for himself.

Seahawks receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh made more noise Wednesday than he did Sunday.

In a conference call with Chicago reporters last week, Houshmandzadeh pledged to show Bears general manager Jerry Angelo that he was wrong for not pursuing Houshmandzadeh as a free agent. He also said he would win 95 percent of the time against Bears defensive backs.

Houshmandzadeh was much quieter on the field. He made four catches for 35 yards -- seven players had more receiving yards.

Asked if Briggs got the best of it, Houshmandzadeh said after the game: "Of course he did because they won. But I was open all game. They just didn't throw me the ball."

Of course.

Poll

Finish this statement.

Andre Caldwell is already better than T.J. Houshmandzadeh

98 votes

Caldwell isn't better than Houshmandzadeh, but Caldwell has a higher ceiling

473 votes

Not even close. Houshmandzadeh will always be the better receiver

81 votes

652 votes | Poll has closed

Game Preview (Preseason Game 2): Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

Buc Wild — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

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Training camp is over. The first game is under the belt. As we head into the second preseason game there is a lot at stake. Not only the learning and retention of new schemes and systems, but with Coach Morris stating that most of the depth chart (particularly the quarterback position) will be decided by the third preseason game, this is the last chance for players to put together solid film to be considered for any starting position. Both teams are trying to respond to a somewhat poor first outing and get headed in the right direction.

As the Bucs head up to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars, let's take a look at the storylines of the game and a few things to watch for as the game progresses.

Date: Saturday, August 22, 2009

Time: Kickoff at 7:30 PM ET

Where: Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (Seating capacity of 67,164)

Where to Watch: In the Bay area, WFLA-TV - Channel 8 (Brighthouse/Verizon) or 508/608 in HD (Brighthouse/Verizon)

Where to Listen: 103.5 FM or WDAE 620 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags are coming off a down season, mainly due to their inability to stop the run and the loss of half their offensive line to injuries. Their top two picks went towards offensive line in hopes of building some depth and re-establishing the run game and protection of the quarterback. After going 5-11 year, the Jags are looking to get back to being a top tier team in the AFC.

Offense

A new identity should be forming as Fred Taylor is gone, making way for Pocket Hercules aka MJD aka Maurice Jones-Drew. He will be asked to carry the load as "the guy". Backing him up is former 'Nole Greg Jones and Rashad Jennings. The wide receivers are a mainly unknown and young group, with the exception being free agent signing Torry Holt. Holt may not have the YAC ability anymore, but should be a solid possession guy. Running the show is David Garrard. After a stellar 2007 season that had the media praising him and Del Rio (for sticking with Garrard over Leftwich), 2008 was a return to Earth. A slightly better than 1:1 TD to pick ratio won't get it done this year. When Garrard gives way, we'll be treated to Todd Bouman. I think it's safe to say that the Jags need Garrard healthy and upright. The OL had a ton of injuries last year and has to remain healthy for the Jags to have a chance to win a few games this year.

Defense

The defensive unit has seen some slippage. First round pick Derrick Harvey remains an enigma, and Quentin Groves, starting left end may not have the size needed to play with his hand down. Their secondary does have playmakers in Rashean Mathis and Reggie Nelson, and while they have great ballhawking skills, must work on positiong and reading plays and avoiding the mental lapses that plagued them last year. You can run against the Jags, so look for the Bucs to exploit that. The Jags have been seen as a defensive stalwart in the past and look to get back after a slip in 2008. They were 17th in 2008 in total yards allowed, while ranking 24th against the pass and 13th against the run.

Previous Game

The Jaguars lost their first preseason game to the Dolphins in a shootout, 12-9. Jacksonville couldn't find the endzone, relying on 3 field goals for their scoring. While it's early, the turnovers (two picks, neither by Garrard) and penalties (11 for 98 yards) have to be a concern. This will be their second game and first home game. On a side note, will be interesting to see how full the stadium is. In fact, some Jacksonville media are already reporting a full blackout for all 10 home games this year. Yikes!

Top Story Lines - Jacksonville

The most notable is MJD taking over the starting role. While he always was a featured back, this time there is no Fred Taylor to help with the workload. Will he be able to withstand the touches given to him? Garrard looks to rebound, which will depend on how and if the O line can protect him. A lot of hype has been fed to Rashad Jennings, this will give a good glimpse into a potential back up to MJD. Who will catch the passes? Holt is here, but with leading receiver Matt Jones leaving, someone else needs to step up. On defense, can Nelson and company rebound from a down year? For other news on the Jags, head over to Big Cat Country.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

We find the Bucs stumbling into this week on the heels of a suspension and arrest. Getting back on the field should prove to be a good thing for the team. The Bucs will continue with the installation of the new schemes and look to make some progress on that front, as well as solidify the lineup. The rookies and young players know this may be the last chance they have to hit the field and show their worth. The first game really didn't show too much in terms of progress. If nothing else, it created some bigger questions and fueled the pessimism surrounding the team.

Defense

Coming off a better than expected performance against Tennessee, the defense looks to hold serve and continue shutting down the opposing team. The goal for this game should be consistency, particularly from week to week and then from first team to second team. The pressure on the quarterback has to be ramped up, no questions there. The secondary may also be cut in half, as T-Jack and Talib both appear ready to play, but Morris will need to find out what kind of depth we have at those positions as we know Jackson is out the first 4 games and it looks like Talib will miss a game or two. Look for Elbert Mack and Torrie Cox to try and step in to fill the voids left by Talib and T-Jack. I'd like to see some consistency from the linebacking corp also. Quincy Black needs to translate his camp hype to game performance.

Offense

There's just no good place to start here. The offensive line has to block someone and help out the running game. With Faine likely out, Mahan will be the guy again, and that doesn't bode well for the Bucs. Leftwich will get the start against his old team and looks to lock down the starting job. McCown will try to rebound from a pretty bad performance and Johnson and Freeman continue to look for playing time to show their worth. The first string tandem of Ward and Graham need to get going and this looks like the optimal time to do it. At wide receiver, we should have Clayton back, but beyond Stroughter, we have more questions than anything else. Brian Clark could claim the 3rd WR spot this week with a strong performance. It all starts up front, and while many say it takes half a season to learn the new zone blocking scheme, I'd just like to see progress.

Previous Game

The loss to Tennessee seems like a long time ago, but nonetheless, we're 0-1. The Bucs were able to limit the Titans on offense, but their inability to get anything going on the offensive side, coupled with an untimely pick 6 from Freeman cost the Bucs the game. The good news is, the team did show positive signs in the loss. A better than expected defense, and some flashes from all QB's minus McCown

Top Story Lines - Tampa Bay

From a team standpoint, the top story lines are can the offense get going, and will the defense continue. On a player basis, it's the Jackson and Talib story. Who will step in and how much will it hurt us? A fair amount of playing time and starting jobs are on the line as Morris has said and confirmed repeatedly that most of the depth chart will be decided before the first home preseason game. The QB battle should end on Saturday, witha winner declared in the next week. The pressure is on, who will step up?

Players To Watch

- Luke McCown - This may be his last viable chance at winning a starting job here (or anywhere else).

- Bryan Clark - Will he step up and claim the 3rd WR spot?

- Stylez G. White - Had an excellent first performance in the new scheme. Will need to continue it

- Elbert Mack and Torrie Cox - For reasons listed above, will need to show they can fill in when/as needed.

- Mario Urrutia - A late addition to the Bucs, he has a chance to show his size and speed will fit well with the Bucs.

Things to Watch For

- How will Leftwich do in his return to Jacksonville?

- The entire first string offense, but mainly the offensive line with the new scheme.

- Will Jacksonville's OL be able to contain the pass rush?

- How Talib, Jackson and the team handle the latest commotion

- Does Josh Johnson really have a chance at making the team?

- Will there be any fans in the seats for the game?

Injuries

It sounds like Michael Clayton will be able to go, but Jeff Faine may be out. Also mentioned as a possibly injury casualty is Gaines Adams. Will keep you posted on any other injury news.

Update: Dexter Jackson and Will Allen did not make the trip.

Prediction

Always tough to predict who wins these meaningless games, but I think Tampa and it's defense play well and the offense does enough to win. We'll call it Bucs 20 - Jags 17.

(Editor's note: This is preseason for the staff also. If there are other looks, pieces of info or segments you want, let me know. I figure a look at each team, their injuries, stat leaders, team stats, and stories on each side of the ball should work, but as always, I'm open to suggestions).

A look back at the first week of training camp

Buc Wild — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:30:09 -0000

More photos » by Brian Blanco - AP

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The players are out watching the new G.I. Joe movie. And deservedly so, they just finished the first week in training camp, one that was more physical than the last few seasons due to Coach Morris' mandate on wearing pads and hitting. We've seen and heard alot about the Bucs in the last week, but what have we learned? With week one fully in the books, let's take a position by position stop around the team and recap the first week of the Tampa Bay Buccaneer's 2009 training camp.

Quarterback - We all know about the expectations, question marks, and relative inexperience at the quarterback position. But how is the battle shaping up? Josh Johnson, though not performing poorly, seems like a man destined for the practice squad, either here or with another team. Josh Freeman has had ups and downs. The young gun definitely has the arm strength, but as you'd expect, he's still green. A three interception day in camp is not what you want to see. At this point, I'd expect him to have a clipboard in hand come opening day. The last two are the vets, Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown. They'll be battling for the job all camp long. McCown has been fairly level while Leftwich started slow and has come on towards the end of the week. It'll be interesting to see who wins out. No one seems to separate themselves from the pack. I wonder if it's possible that Johnson could be kept on over Leftwich or McCown? Too soon to tell.

Running Back -Here we have the four headed monster. Earnest Graham has looked good, even ripping up equipment and ending a drill early when he pulled a cord off the goalposts. Derrick Ward is a bit hobbled right now, with his foot in a walking boot. Let's hope it's nothing serious. We need him this year. Clifton Smith is Mr. Everything right now, hitting special teams and running back. Cadillac is back at it on the field, looking good. His hands are still suspect, but he will be a valuable commodity during the year. No real movement on the depth chart here. Graham and Ward (assuming both are healthy) are the guys here.

Wide Receiver/Tight End - We know what we have in Antonio Bryant, and he hasn't let us down yet. Michael Clayton has come on strong in camp and looks like a number two receiver. The battle for the third spot continues and each day a new receiver has a strong day. Today was Cortez Hankton, but Brian Clark, Sammy Stroughter and even new addition Mario Urrutia have come on strong. Dexter Jackson started off strong but in recent days has started shying from contact again and dropping passes, not a good combo. Winslow and Stevens are known commodities and while Winslow was called out for his emotional outbursts, it's nothing we didn't know. As far as camp goes, no real surprises here as the top dogs are performing as such and there are some good battles going on for the lower spots

Offensive Line -Let's just hope everyone stays healthy. Jeff Faine is out with a groin injury and with Arron Sears still not in camp, we can't afford any more losses. The line is still adapting to the new zone scheme and for every great play and correct read, they have one that doesn't look so good. But that's to be expected in training camp.

Defensive Line -Big movers here. Gaines has been called out by the coach for a double digit sack year. Stylez G. White and Jimmy Wilkerson are having alright camps, but not spectacular. Chris Hovan hasn't had his name called much and I'd imagine he and Ryan Sims are incumbents in name only. The guys making some noise are newbies Kyle Moore and Roy Miller. Moore has been everywhere in the backfield drawing praise and Miller has been eating up the middle. I'd like to see Gaines get to the QB more and be more aggressive. This group, although the rookies are playing well, needs to step it up

Linebacker -Let's start with Barrett Ruud. I'm just happy he's in camp without that new contract. We need him to be a leader and he is doing just that. Jermaine Phillips can still hit you, but his reads have got to improve. He's learning on the job, and that will have some bumps in the road, but let's go Flip, you're a linebacker now. Geno Hayes may not be turning heads, but he's been alright. Consistent with only a few big plays. The big game changer thus far? Quincy Black. I hope his performance translates to the field. His performance in camp has been great and if he can make it count on Sundays then we have a pretty good player here.

Defensive Back -This group, well, it's been tough. Much like the OL, for every good play, there's a bad play. Ronde Barber has actually been fairly solid in the new scheme, something most Bucs fans didn't expect. Elbert Mack has been on fire, making play after play after play. Smart money is on him to be no worse than second string. The surprise? Aqib Talib and his poor play. He's been beaten, missed some tackles, just seems in a funk. Hope he can find his form quickly. The safety position has been quiet, with Tanard Jackson and Sabby Piscitelli making few plays, but also being somewhat solid in coverage. Will Allen looks to be in the mix as a rotating player.

Special Teams - Josh Bidwell is doing his thing. The kicking battle is close. Though Mike Nugent has missed more kicks, I'd say he's in the lead just based on Matt Bryant sitting out with a leg injury. Bryant has to get back into camp and make some kicks to show he's the man in Tampa. Several players have been returning kicks and punts. Clifton has been back there, Sammy Stroughter, Elbert Mack, even Cadillac. Alot of faces back there, but it's gonna be Clifton's job to lose.

So there you have it, a quick run around camp position by position. As far as dominating story lines, here you go

- Padding up: Players in full pads and live hitting in most drills. Not usual for Bucs camp

- No rest for the weary: The cool down tent is gone, get used to the heat

- McCown running with the ones: He's had first crack most days with the first team, followed by Leftwich

- Cadillac is back: Hasn't missed a practice, good to have you back

- Injuries: The lack of injuries is a great thing, though a few players have been dinged up

- All players in camp: Outside of Sears, every player has been in camp, another good sign

Practice starts back up tomorrow morning and is followed with an afternoon session. Hope the players enjoyed the night off, it's a full day tomorrow.

Cannon Shots: Friday practice over, Morris to take team out

Buc Wild — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:50:20 -0000

The early morning session for the Tampa Bay Buccaneer's is over, meaning the players are free the rest of the day, sort of. More on that later. Let's take a quick trip around the Buc's Friday morning practice.

- Buc 'Em brought you the story of Mario Urrutia being signed to the squad. Well on this first day of practice, in 2 minute drills, he caught a slant from Josh Johnson and took it to the house. He also caught passes from Leftwich over Torrie Cox and Tanard Jackson. Welcome to the team.

- An update on some injuries. Michael Clayton is still out with the hamstring injury. Antonio Bryant did make it back to practice today (more on him later). Kelly Campbell, Jeff Faine, and Angelo Crowell all missed practice, though this was expected. Some new injuries. Greg Peterson hurt his left knee again, Clifton Smith pulled up with a hammy injury, and Jeremy Trueblood hurt his back. None are expected to be major and are just part of playing the game.

- Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson did get some good reps in, but the reports are so-so. Nothing really on Johnson, which makes it seem like he's an after thought. Freeman did throw a TD pass in drills but also overthrew Stovall (all 6'5" of him) along with some other over throws. When Byron Leftwich came in to replace him in the drill, the offense started moving. Leftwich hit Bryant on some nice plays, including one where Bryant got tagged, but held on to the ball. Also made a nice one handed catch.

- McCown was again, steady but not spectacular. It's a two dog race and I'd imagine that the first game Leftwich or McCown run with the ones, and the second game they flip flop.

- The team ran a few special teams sessions, but no kickers were dressed. Just run throughs

- Raheem Morris sounded happy with how the QB's did today, and said that Freeman and Johnson were impressive. Take it for what it's worth.

- As reported yesterday, the Bucs will have Friday afternoon off. The 4:45 practice was canceled. Sounds like Morris is still planning on hitting a movie with the squad. They'll be back at it on Saturday, with two full sessions.

That will do it for Friday. The first full week of practice is in and we've escaped major injuries thus far. Keep it tuned to Buc 'Em for all your Bucs info.

Bucs make another roster move

Buc Wild — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:21:10 -0000

Being that it's training camp, we expect to see some roster moves, and the Bucs haven't let us down there. They let go RB Josh Vaughan, who was making a bid at being a back up running back, full back or special teamer. He may get another look, but is on the street for now.

Mario Urrutia, a wide receiver, was signed to take his place. Urrutia went to Louisville where he caught passes from Brian Brohm. He was drafted in the 7th round in 2008 by the Bengals, and was with the Jets this offseason before being let go a few days back.

The 23 year old brings size at 6'6" and decent speed for a taller player, clocking 4.6 in the 40.

Welcome to the team Mario.

Check back to Buc 'Em for an update on this morning's (and today's only) practice.

Jets Claim Aundrae Allison

John B — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:00:34 -0000

The Jets have picked up receiver Aundrae Allison off waivers from Minnesota.

The New York Jets have claimed WR Aundrae Allison off waivers from Minnesota and waived WR Mario Urrutia. The announcement was made by Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum. Allison (6‘0", 198) was drafted by Minnesota in the fifth round (146th overall) of the 2007 NFL draft. In his two seasons with the Vikings, he recorded 18 receptions for 231 yards. In his rookie season, he set a Vikings record with the longest play in team history, a 104-yard kickoff-return touchdown against Detroit on Dec. 2, 2007.

For a scouting report, we turn to SB Nation's Vikings blog, Daily Norseman.

Yes, in a move that comes as a bit of a surprise. . .to me, anyway. . .the Vikings waived WR Aundrae Allison this afternoon after being unable to work out a trade for him. Allison, the Vikings' 5th round selection in 2007 out of East Carolina University, has long had a reputation as an outstanding athlete with great speed. Unfortunately, he also had a reputation for having a lousy work ethic and for having a bit of an attitude problem.

If I had to guess, the latter is the reason that he now finds himself unemployed.

There was obviously a catch. If the Jets were able to pick this guy up for cheap, there had to be some issues. Still, I'm for this one. There's no risk involved. This is a high ceiling acquisition at a position of need. The Jets surely can use a receiver with speed to stretch the field. Maybe this staff can reach him in a way Minnesota's couldn't. Maybe after his first team sent him packing, something will click, and he will start taking the game seriously knowing he might not get a third chance. If not, the Jets can just drop him.

This affects all of the receivers under Jerricho Cotchery on the depth chart. It creates another competitor. If one guy should be a little more concerned than the others, it's David Clowney since Allison also possesses his signature attribute, speed. Jerricho Cotchery is a lock to make the roster as the number one receiver. So is Chansi Stuckey who is proven in the slot if nothing else. Brad Smith and Wallace Wright are too valuable on special teams to cut. If the Jets only want to keep five receivers, it probably will be a battle between Clowney and Allison.

Jets Grab Mario Urrutia Off Waivers

John B — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:32:17 -0000

...from the Bengals

Ok, so he's no Plaxico Burress, but the Jets figure they've got nothing to lose in going after wideout Mario Urrutia. They have put a waiver claim in on the former Bengals receiver, a seventh-round pick (246th overall) in 2008.

Urrutia, 6-6, 232, was released by Cincy last Aug. 30 and signed to the team's practice squad the next day. He spent the entire season on the practice squad and was subsequently released.

During his college career at Louisville, Urrutia had 130 catches for 2,271 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Height is a luxury in a receiver. All it really does is provide the quarterback a bigger target, particularly useful in the red zone. It doesn't make up for route running and hands. The jury is still out on Urrutia in both of these areas. I guess the Jets figure the more guys they stick at the position, the better the odds they find somebody who pans out.

Bengals fans haven't gone anywhere, we're just broke; Carson Palmer just wants to throw

Kirkendall — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:52:01 -0000

+ This Monday, the Cincinnati Bengals will start selling ticket packs for 2009, the site announced on Thursday. The two packs will be broken down to four regular season home games each, ranging from $256 to $328 per pack.

ORANGE PACK: Sept. 13 vs. Denver (regular season home opener), Oct. 25 vs. Chicago, Nov. 29 vs. Cleveland and Dec. 6 vs. Detroit.

BLACK PACK: Sept. 27 vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 18 vs. Houston, Nov. 8 vs. Baltimore and Dec. 27 vs. Kansas City.

We can only assume that last Saturday's walk in the park, while watching the team practice, didn't prompt as many season ticket purchases as the team would have liked. If the four-game packs don't sell out, then it's likely their home-stretch of panic finalizes with two-game and single-game tickets later. So the blackout watch is on.

Paul Daugherty says, "I would urge you to take a massive pass on that. But I'm not one to tell people how to spend their money." At 1:30 AM on Friday, the really tired Chick Ludwig writes the never before used headline, "Bengals fans may be a little fed up."

My favorites are comments:

"No thanks…I’d rather enjoy myself reading a book or playing video games. I’ve given up as a fan."

"I cannot be a Bengals fan again until Mikey boy is in diapers in an Arizona rest home. Losing just hurts too much."

"I quit cheering for the bengals when they all started having serious trouble staying out of jail."

"I am just tired of it all. Every year same old story. Lose lose and lose, arrest, arrest, arrest."

So the question is this. Are you glad those people aren't fans anymore? Or do you laugh like I do that non-Bengals fans comment on an article that's clearly about the Bengals?

+ How is Carson Palmer going to build his arm strength?

“Throw,” Palmer said. “It’s just like when a track guy needs to get faster. You don’t do 5,000 squats, you run and run some more. To get your arm in shape you throw and continue to throw. So I will be throwing all summer long as well as in training camp.”

Apparently even Gods of the Golden Arm need work.

Moving on.

James Walker's AFC North mailbag has all Bengals. Say what?!

The New York Jets claimed former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mario Urrutia on Thursday.

KC Joyner says that the Bengals will see a significant improvement in the overall rushing productivity in 2009.

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.

Detailed Analysis of Bengals Roster - Examining likelihood of drafting each position

Kirkendall — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:48:06 -0000

Every so often we try to re-examine the team's current roster and how it relates to the NFL draft. Since we have less than a week to go, I figure it was time for us to examine the roster, look at (unscientific) probabilities that we'll draft at that position, and get a general feel for where this team stands. We'll do this all again a week or two after the draft to reexamine the team's roster. Note: Best and Worst Case scenarios are based on long-term visions that I have after drinking some funky blue stuff. Here goes.

QUARTERBACK (3)
Even though the Bengals signed J.T. O'Sullivan this off-season in response to Ryan Fitzpatrick departure for Buffalo, Cincinnati could look at drafting a quarterback, whom would compete with Jordan Palmer for that number-three emergency quarterback slot. If all goes well, and the Bengals select a late-draft quarterback (sixth round or later), there's a chance they could luck into finding a long-term backup solution. If all goes poorly, then we'll have another Jeff Rowe on our hands. I rated the Bengals quarterbacks as strong, weighting Palmer's return much more than any player does at any position. Without Palmer, it's a mediocre position.

Strength of position: Strong
Probability of drafting position: Maybe
Best case scenario: Find a quarterback late in the draft to eventually become a long-term backup solution.
Worst case scenario: Jeff Rowe
Highest round team could draft: Fifth Round

Carson Palmer
J.T. O'Sullivan
Jordan Palmer

RUNNING BACK (6)
This off-season, the Bengals were able to re-sign Cedric Benson to a two-year contract, and recently claimed Gary Russell off of waivers. Still on the roster is Kenny Watson, who briefly became the team's feature back in 2007 and recorded two 130-yard plus performances. Chris Perry's low yard-per-rush and propensity to fumble likely cost him. DeDe Dorsey and James Johnson will have to put together masterful off-season and training camp performances just to have a shot on the roster. The Bengals are likely drafting a running back to backup Benson while, we think, Russell will be primarily used as a short-yardage/goalline back.

Strength of position: Average
Probability of drafting position: High
Best case scenario: Draft a running back that plays behind Benson and eventually replaces him as the team's starting running back within a year or two.
Worst case scenario: Kenny Irons
Highest round team could draft: Second Round

Cedric Benson
Gary Russell
Kenny Watson
Chris Perry
DeDe Dorsey
James Johnson

FULLBACKS (2)
In 2004 and 2005, former Bengals running back Rudi Johnson broke franchise single-season rushing marks in back-to-back seasons. A large part of that contribution goes to quality blocking from the fullback spot. Daniel Coats moved to fullback last season. And while he did his best in the transformation from tight end to fullback, he's just not an NFL-caliber blocker.

Strength of position: Very Weak
Probability of drafting position: High
Best case scenario: A bull-dozer.
Worst case scenario: Not realizing the need for a quality fullback and doing nothing about it.
Highest round team could draft: Fifth Round

Daniel Coats
J.D. Runnels

WIDE RECEIVER (8)
This has been the most talked about position during the off-season; ranging from T.J. Houshmandzadeh's departure to trade rumors about Chad Johnson. Furthermore, the Bengals costliest free agent pickup was Laveranues Coles. With all that said and done, there's really no concrete idea of what the Bengals are going to do here. One argument suggests that the Bengals will pick up a top-tier wide receiver in the first round, with an opposite argument that the Bengals won't draft anyone. With Johnson, Coles and Chris Henry the top-three receivers on the depth chart, and Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson drafted last season, I don't see any way the Bengals draft a receiver. When and where would he play? Basing a conclusion at this position is a matter of conjecture and I don't believe the Bengals will, or even should, draft a receiver. If Johnson is traded, we'll see. However, I've been very clear on my position about the team drafting a receiver. I don't like it. However, this is the only position in which I rate "probability of drafting position" as unknown.

Strength of position: Strong (based on potential), Average overall
Probability of drafting position: Unknown
Best case scenario: Not drafting a receiver and Caldwell and Simpson come through.
Worst case scenario: Bengals use the first-round pick for a wide receiver and he never gets playing time.
Highest round team could draft: First through Fifth

Chad Johnson
Laveranues Coles
Chris Henry
Andre Caldwell
Jerome Simpson
Antonio Chatman
Mario Urrutia
Maurice Purify

TIGHT END (5)
We're a spoiled bunch when it comes to tight ends. No, not recently of course. Through our history, the franchise has seen all-pro quality tight ends with great hands. Then when the Bengals offense recently morphed back to a passing offense, the philosophy turned tight ends into blockers to help protection and limit trends between blocking and receiving specific ends. The question here is how do you think tight ends should be built in Cincinnati now?

Strength of position: Weak (if you think TEs should be receivers), Mediocre (overall)
Probability of drafting position: Low
Best case scenario: Utecht provides a reason why we should have signed him.
Worst case scenario: Kelly leaves after the year, Utecht is disappointing (or injured) again and Matt Sherry amounts to nothing.
Highest round team could draft: Fifth Round

Reggie Kelly
Ben Utecht
Matt Sherry
Nate Lawrie
Brad St. Louis (LS)

OFFENSIVE TACKLE (4)
We've talked about offensive tackles just as much, if not more than Chad Johnson rumors. The facts are appalling; 51 quarterback sacks allowed, and the league's 30th best yard-per-rush average. As it stands, Collins and Jones would figure to be the team's starting offensive tackles. However, Jones has been reportedly on the trading block, and additional reports suggest that he'll just be released if no suitors are found. There is an option that the Bengals could move guard Andrew Whitworth to tackle. However, until that happens, we're keeping Whitworth as a guard in our analysis.

Strength of position: Weak
Probability of drafting position: Certain
Best case scenario: First-round draft pick contributes to an offensive line rebound and multiple All-Pro selection.
Worst case scenario: Bengals do little to address the position leaving the line in a weakened state and pushing back personnel turnover to a point that rebuilding efforts are pushed back an additional year.
Highest round team could draft: First Round

Anthony Collins
Levi Jones
Dennis Roland
Scott Kooistra

GUARD (4)
While offensive tackle is rated as a certain need, guard really isn't that far behind. However the urgency is less because the team figures to have two starting guards, and a third guard that filled in decently when Whitworth went down in 2008. The issue here is 2010. After this year, the only guard on roster will be Andrew Whitworth. If the Bengals don't draft a guard or two this year, it will likely become a critical need in 2010.

Strength of position: Average
Probability of drafting position: Maybe-High
Best case scenario: Bengals draft a quality guard this year, allowing Williams to mentor him for a season and becomes starter in 2010.
Worst case scenario: As typical with the Bengals perception, guards aren't all that critical. Therefore don't address the position and draft guards next year simply to fill the roster.
Highest round team could draft: Fourth Round

Bobbie Williams
Andre Whitworth
Nate Livings
Evan Mathis

CENTER (3)
The first draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals franchise was a center. That's how Paul Brown viewed the offensive line; build from the center out. During the height of the Bengals offensive success during the Carson Palmer era, Rich Braham occupied center, directing traffic and handling the beasts of the AFC North. After his injury in 2006, the Bengals offense began to depreciate. No, we're not blaming Eric Ghiaciuc here -- there's was a general lack of effort by the coaches and front office to rebuild the offensive line allowing the team to suffer so poorly in 2008.

Strength of position: Mediocre
Probability of drafting position: Certain
Best case scenario: Bengals draft one of the top-three centers in the second round as part of a long-term offensive line rebuilding project.
Worst case scenario: Bengals do nothing and put all their faith with the centers on roster, once again, deciding that rebuilding the team's offensive line isn't critical.
Highest round team could draft: Second Round

Dan Santucci
Kyle Cook
Andrew Crummey

DEFENSIVE END (5)
You know the issue here; two highly paid defensive ends failed to pressure the quarterback with any consistency evident by terrible sack numbers. However, because both defensive ends are highly paid, we don't project the Bengals drafting a defensive end on the first day of the NFL draft. However (part 2), because of the Bengals terrible pass rush, many experts are projecting that the Bengals will draft a defensive end high; even in the first round. While they've made some plays in the past, the Bengals roster of backup defensive ends can be, and perhaps should be, easily replaced.

Strength of position: Mediocre
Probability of drafting position: Maybe
Best case scenario: Bengals find a gem in the fifth round or later that challenges the two highly paid defensive end to put in some production. Also, Antwan Odom and Robert Geathers were hurt last year; having a "gem" as a backup player that can get to the quarterback will help immensely if injury becomes a factor again.
Worst case scenario: 2008
Highest round team could draft: First

Robert Geathers
Antwan Odom
Frostee Rucker
Jonathan Fanene
Chris Harrington

DEFENSIVE TACKLE (5)
Last year, the Bengals had defensive tackles Sedrick Ellis and Glenn Dorsey high on their board. This year, with the potential we've seen from Pat Sims, the signing of Tank Johnson and the potential of Jason Shirley, the Bengals could totally leave defensive tackle alone in the NFL draft. On the other hand, the Bengals could draft a defensive tackle high in the draft to complete a four-man rotation of Peko, Sims, Tank and super-massive defensive tackle, forcing the team into a combinations of rush-defensive tackles and pass-defensive tackles. Still, we don't see it. It seems more likely that the Bengals could be content with defensive tackle already.

Strength of position: Average-Strong (based on potential)
Probability of drafting position: Low-Maybe
Best case scenario: Bengals rely on their two draft picks in 2008 and Pat Sims and Jason Shirley \ come through.
Worst case scenario: Tank lost gas in the... well... and Sims and Shirley play average at best.
Highest round team could draft: First... more likely Fourth or later.

Domata Peko
Pat Sims
Tank Johnson
Jason Shirley
Orien Harris

LINEBACKERS (7)
I've pointed out before that linebackers could be a serious concern after 2009. Everyone save for Keith Rivers and Dhani Jones will be free agents. It's to the point that if the Bengals don't draft a linebacker this year, this could be the primary focus during the weeks leading up to the 2010 NFL Draft. However, it's speculated that Aaron Curry is on top of the Bengals board this year, and if he falls, the Bengals could pounce on him. If that's the case, then the "need" is tremendously reduced. The question at this point would be, at what cost to the offensive line.

Strength of position: Average
Probability of drafting position: Likely
Best case scenario: Bengals draft as many as two linebackers, one middle and one strong-side to eventually replace the current starters.
Worst case scenario: Rivers is hurt again, Jones feels his age and the Bengals don't draft a linebacker in 2009.
Highest round team could draft: First (if Curry falls to us); Fourth or later if he doesn't.

Keith Rivers
Dhani Jones
Rashad Jeanty
Brandon Johnson
Darryl Blackstock
Abdul Hodge
Jim Maxwell

CORNERBACKS (5)
If you base grades on the starters, I believe that the Bengals cornerbacks are very strong. While they're not shutdown backs, perhaps not even elite backs, I think they've made their share of great plays on defense. David Jones showed he has some talent but there's plenty of room for improvement. The difference between the teams cornerbacks and backups is pretty significant. Mike Zimmer has said that he'd love to draft a cornerback to play nickel and/or coverage-specific safety. I believe that the Bengals will address cornerbacks later in the draft to improve their depth.

Strength of position: Strong
Probability of drafting position: Maybe
Best case scenario: Bengals draft a coverage-excellent cornerback and improves the overall depth at the position.
Worst case scenario: Bengals bank on injury-free season at cornerback and do nothing to improve their depth.
Highest round team could draft: Third-Fourth

Johnathan Joseph
Leon Hall
David Jones
Simeon Castille
Geoffrey Pope

SAFETY (6)
This is another position that we could make a strong case for. However, that projection is based on potential. Corey Lynch started well in 2008 before falling to injury. Marvin White has his moments -- good and bad -- but also fell to injury. Chris Crocker was an awesome surprise and now he's talking leadership. Chinedum Ndukwe is the team's best seventh-round pick since drafting Houshmandzadeh. At the same time, there's weaknesses at safety against the pass. How many plays were there when a pass went over the top while the safeties were sprinting to catch up with wide receivers that blazed by him? We suspect that the Bengals will address safety in the draft to acquire a guy that's better suited to defend the pass.

Strength of position: Average-Strong (based on potential)
Probability of drafting position: High
Best case scenario: Bengals find another start-quality safety stacking the position with potential talent.
Worst case scenario: Crocker slumps, Lynch is hurt again and the Bengals have to rely on lesser talent on the team's depth.
Highest round team could draft: Third-Fourth

Chinedum Ndukwe
Chris Crocker
Corey Lynch
Marvin White
Mike Doss
Kyries Hebert

PUNTER (2)
If the Bengals had a good performance from Kyle Larson last year, this might not be a big deal. However, when your offense is forced to punt 100 times in a season, that means a lot depends on field position. And we didn't get that. Opposing teams had shorter field positions and the Bengals were often playing from behind with a terrible offense. A good punter could have helped that. Not only have the Bengals brought in competition for Larson, but there seems to be a very high likelihood that the Bengals draft a punter.

Strength of position: Weak
Probability of drafting position: High
Best case scenario: Bengals draft UC's Kevin Huber; a guy they've targeted since the end of the season.
Worst case scenario: Larson returns as the team's punter.
Highest round team could draft: Sixth

Kyle Larson
Ryan Plackemeier

KICKER (1)
This is an interesting position. Place kicker Shayne Graham still hasn't signed his franchise contract. There's a chance that if Graham doesn't sign a long-term deal by the end of 2009, he could be gone for free agency. Will that mean that the Bengals will draft a kicker this year? No. Next year? Well, probably no.

Strength of position: Strong
Probability of drafting position: Unlikely
Best case scenario: Graham resigns
Worst case scenario: Graham doesn't resign
Highest round team could draft: Eighth

Shayne Graham (unsigned)

That's my analysis. You might agree, you might not. Either way, I expect to hear from your perspectives as the NFL draft is scary close.