SB Nation - Corey Lynch

Another Coordinator may be on the way out...Bisaccia.

Niko Houllis — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:48:29 -0000

Bisaccia has pointed the Bucs to the top special teams, and is sure to be at the top of someones Head Coaching list.

No, were not going to blame the special teams coordinator for the fake punt, or its failure to be executed. Were not going to blame him for anything, except doing such a good job he is sure to be on the list of head coaching candidates for next season. Bisaccia was spared from the coaching purge in the offseason after the release of Jon Gruden because of his excellent work with special teams in Tampa Bay.

Under his watch, the Bucs have ended a generation full of frustrations returning kickoffs. The amazing thing, is he did it with not one, but three rookies. In each of the last three years a rookie has returned a kick off for a touchdown; Michael Spurlock in 2007, Clifton Smith last year, a pro bowl year for him, and Sammy Stroughter this season. The 3 guys have an "S" on their chest as well as last name.

Overall, the Bucs special teams have been leading the league for several years now, and have the top spot this year. On top of covering punts and kickoffs better than your average Bucs team, this years squad has another stat to boast of. Five, count them, 5 blocked kicks, with 5 games still to play.

Appalachian State's Corey Lynch was the latest to block a punt, something he did six times in school, including the potential game winning FG by Michican in App states upset of the perennial college powerhouse. All told, the Bucs have blocked 2 extra points, 2 punts, and one FG.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign Corey Lynch of the Bengals practice squad; Rico Murray returns

Kirkendall — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:09:18 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Swinger - AP

4 months ago: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco attempts a tackle on cornerback Rico Murray after a reception at a practice game during NFL training camp in Georgetown, Ky. on Saturday Aug. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/The Cincinnati Enquirer, Jeff Swinger)

Browse more photos »

In the same piece that announced Antwan Odom being named the defensive player of the week, Bengals.com beat writer Geoff Hobson wrote, "Tampa Bay picked safety Corey Lynch off the Cincinnati practice squad and the Bengals replaced him with rookie cornerback Rico (Murray)." Lynch was signed onto Tampa Bay's 53-man roster in an effort to build the team's secondary depth.

Lynch was the seventh player the Bengals selected in the 2008 NFL draft in the sixth round. He played in seven games last year, recording nine tackles and an interception before going on Injured Reserve for the season. A position battle broke out during Training Camp this year and Tom Nelson beat out Lynch for a spot on the roster. Nelson has been inactive both weeks this year.

Rico Murray was one of the team's 2009 undrafted free agents, lasting through Training Camp and the preseason before he was one of 18 players waived on final cut down day. Murray replaces Lynch on the team's practice squad.

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Preseason Wrap-up: Can We Build a Team That Can Beat the Raiders? Yes We Can!

Sugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:22 -0000

I understand how important this last preseason game was for roughly 20-30 players per team. I do. For some it was the difference between making the 53-man roster or getting cut. For others who were relatively certain of their impending unemployment, it was a chance to get on tape for potential future employers. For coaches, it was one last look at a few players they may try to retain on the practice squad. But for just about everybody else (in the world) these games were simply painful to watch.

As a Redskins' fan, I of course watched the game against the Jaguars intently and hung on most every play. But as I watched the games around the league, I found myself losing interest quickly as penalty flags rained down on my living room as if Pacman Jones himself were throwing them.

To write a recap of each game would be worse than having to read Peter King rate every latte he has ever drank. So instead, this week I thought I would put my preseason watch-a-ton to the test. Every team has made their final cuts. I will attempt to build a 53-man roster from all the players released by the Saturday deadline. This may include some players who ended up on the practice squad, but you'll have to excuse that. After all, even though I did watch pretty much every preseason game played in the last month, my knowledge of certain teams' backups probably doesn't go much further than guys who should rightfully land on the practice squad. This already feels like a poor man's version of Madden fantasy draft. I get to decide who I am going to keep and at what position they will play. My ultimate goal: a 53-man roster capable of beating the Oakland Raiders final 53-man roster. Our team name: Sugartime Ballers. At the end, you'll get to vote on whether you think the Ballers can take down the Raiders. The first picks after the jump...

QB (3): Jeff Garcia, Joey Harrington, Chase Daniel

This team is going to have a questionable offensive line, so I am going to need a veteran quarterback capable of escaping pressure and getting rid of the ball. I watched as much of the Raiders' preseason as I could stomach and to me it seemed like Jeff Garcia was the quarterback that gave them the best chance to win now. My guess is that they sensed that too and decided that going with a guy staring down 40 years old would be the nail in the coffin for the JaMarcus Russell era, at least from a confidence perspective. Joey Harrington (cut by the Saints) is experienced in the art of art of hand signaling, which is what I want in my backup QB. Plus he is a great pianist so he can play getaway music on the piano as Jeff Garcia is running fro his life behind whatever offensive line I can put together. Chase Daniel gave it a good run in D.C., but failed to be named as the 3rd quarterback when the team decided to go with nobody instead (ouch).

RB (5): Dominic Rhodes, Anthony Alridge, Ian Johnson, Fui Vakapuna, Isaac Redman

It struck me as a little odd when the Bills jettisoned Rhodes. With Lynch out for the beginning frames of the season and Fred Jackson a little dinged this preseason, I figured a veteran like Rhodes would have value for that team. Alridge just barely missed being the last running back kept by the Redskins and adds speed out of my backfield. Ian Johnson is a young buck that got bounced by the Vikings. I have a soft spot in my heart for this guy after watching him have such a great career at Boise State, not to mention the now famous Statue of Liberty play against Oklahoma a couple seasons ago. Vakapuna is a guy I picked because I need a blocking fullback and I have been watching HBO's Hard Knocks this season featuring the Bengals. He is a big, athletic dude, and we are going to need a Samoan presence in the backfield on this team. Redman had a great preseason in Pittsburgh but the numbers game beat him. We are lucky to have him and Vakapuna muscling up in our backfield.

TE (4): Leonard Pope, Alex Smith, Bear Pascoe, Garrett Mills

The Cards cut Pope and the Pats cut Smith. Both are capable receivers that understand the position well. Bear Pascoe was on the 49ers squad and I remember hearing his name for the first time late in the game against the Raiders I think. He was described by his college coach at Fresno State as the "most devastating blocker" they had ever seen. He started out there as a quarterback. He blocked 6 kicks on special teams, and keeps his edge by participating in rodeos. He's an old-school kind of player and on my team he will play an old-school role: Iron Man. At 6'5", 250+ lbs, he will never leave the field. Our wildcat offense will be called the "Wild Bear" formation and we will direct snap it to him. He will rush the passer on defense and he will line up all over the field on offense. His importance on this roster almost necessitated adding a 4th tight end to help carry the load at the position, and Mills, fresh off the Vikings roster, will fit in nicely. The Raiders will not have a chance.

OL (9): Damien McIntosh, Tony Pashos, Andrew Crummey, Kynan Forney, Jeremy Bridges, Scott Burley,Justin Geisenger, Mike Butterworth, Mark Wilson

McIntosh (Chiefs), Pashos (Jaguars), Crummey (Bengals), Forney (Chargers), and Bridges (Redskins) are my starting five. Burley (Redskins), Geisinger (Panthers), and Butterworth (Falcons) are my backups. Burely went to University of Maryland and has been hanging around the league the last two years. Geisinger is a journeyman lineman who spent a season with the Redskins but has also been a member of the Bills and Titans. The Raiders gave Mark Wilson his walking papers, but he has had steady employment as a backup since 2004. Mike Butterworth made this team because I simply ran out of guys that I really knew much about...and I love maple syrup on pancakes.

All of my starters would likely be welcome on most squads in the league after a few weeks when teams are all of a sudden hit by injuries and become starved for guys who have played before. Forney was a huge shock getting cut by San Diego. He might be one of the two or three best players on the Ballers.

WR (6): Keary Colbert, Robert Ferguson, David Tyree, David Patten, Trent Shelton, Steve Sanders

Ferguson (Falcons), Colbert (Lions), and Patten (Browns) have all been unfortunate members of previous unfortunate fantasy teams of mine. So they owe me. Hard to argue against Tyree (Giants). He can start on special teams and catch balls with his helmet. With Bear Pascoe behind center, he might have to catch a few wild pitches. Shelton (Redskins) should make their practice squad and Steve Sanders (Cardinals) was great on Beverly Hills, 90210.

DL (8): Shaun Smith, Alex Buzbee, Ryan Boschetti, Darryl Richard, Rob Jackson, Tommie Hill, Matthias Askew, Terrance Taylor

The Patriots drafted Richard last April, and that is pretty much good enough for me. I recall Tommie Hill made a huge play late in the first Monday Night game against the Panthers, scoring a touchdown with no time left on the clock. Not being good enough for the Giants defensive line does not necessarily make you bad. Rob Jackson and Alex Buzbee both got cut from the Redskins so I have seen plenty of them and are comfortable with them as backups. Boschetti got dumped by the Raiders--can't remember anyone listing their personnel decisions as better than...well, anyone's. Shaun Smith was a shock to get sent home by the Lions. He is definitely good enough to anchor the Ballers' defensive line. And Terrance Taylor was a 4th round pick for the Colts. I am little surprised to see him gone from there, but we will not ask too many questions and scoop him up.

LB (8): Tim Crowder, Zach Thomas, Rocky Boiman, Khary Campbell, Bruce Davis, Jeremy Leman, Robert Thomas, Cody Glenn

Crowder should have cracked the Broncos' Final 53. Our squad will benefit from the veteran presence of Zach Thomas, who might not really have ever been realistically in the Chiefs' plans. Rocky Boiman has been around, most recently ending his second stint with the Titans. He has a ring from the Colts' Super Bowl victory and his experience will be put to good use for the Ballers. Khary Campbell is a special teams standout that did not make the last cuts in Houston. Bruce Davis was a huge underachiever for the Steelers. Here's hoping he can turn it around for the Ballers. Leman (Panthers) was a guy who I thought played well enough in the preseason to stick. I guess that is why my phone isn't ringing off the hook to become anybody's GM. Thomas and Glenn were both waived by the Skins. Thomas has plenty of experience in the league and Glenn (while still an odd draft choice by Vinny Cerrato--read: "wasted draft choice") is a raw player from the Nebraska Cornhuskers' program.

DB (8): Deltha O'Neal, Brian Russell, Brian Williams, Bernard Pollard, Corey Lynch , Deangelo Smith, Corey Ivy, Lendy Holmes

O'Neal (Texans), Williams (Jaguars), Russell (Seahawks), and Pollard (Chiefs) are my starting defensive backs (first two are CB's, second two will man the safety positions. Smith (Cowgirls), Lynch (Bengals), Ivy (Browns), and Holmes (Redskins) round out our scrappy secondary.

P: A.J. Trapasso - Any guy who takes aim for a $40 million video board in a preseason game, ESPECIALLY one bought by Jerry Jones, gets a spot on my team.

K: Brandon Coutu (Seahawks) - The 'Hawks kept this guy on their roster all season last year behind Olindo Mare in the hopes they could trade him. He has a hell of a leg and will get a shot from another team very soon.

Give Me the Numbers, Stat!

27-17, Ballers over the Raiders. Bear Pascoe has 78 yards rushing, 2 rushing touchdowns, 1 blocked field goal and 3 sacks. Jeff Garcia runs in for the other TD and throws the ball straight into the owner's box where Al Davis is sitting. Davis sues the NFL.

Next week at this time, we will be through the first weekend of meaningful football. Imagine...four quarters without any fourth-stringers (God willing). The season of excessive penalty-calling is over. Let the games begin. We'll see you back here on Tuesday--with nary a mention of any battles for the backup long snapper position.

Poll

Can this team I have constructed beat the Raiders today, on a neutral field, with a run-heavy offensive philosophy behind the Iron Man Bear Pascoe?

Yes, handily

164 votes

Maybe 51 times out of 100

142 votes

Maybe once in a 100 tries

51 votes

Not a chance

42 votes

399 votes | Poll has closed

Cincinnati Bengals announce the 2009 Practice Squad; welcome back Chris Pressley

Kirkendall — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:28:28 -0000

On Sunday afternoon, the Cincinnati Bengals announced the team's practice squad, Tweets Joe Reedy. One of those players is beloved fullback Chris Pressley, who impressed the hell out of fans and coaches for his physicality during Hard Knocks and the preseason. Jason Shirley also returns with the Cincinnati Bengals, who is learning how to play guard and likely Marvin Lewis' newest pet project. After playing sparingly in 2008 as a rookie, Corey Lynch joins the practice squad.

Other practice squad signees are Tight End Darius Hill, Running back James Johnson, Defensive Tackle Clinton McDonald and Linebacker Dan Skuta. Here's the complete list:

FB	Chris Pressley
WR	Maurice Purify
OG	Jason Shirley
TE	Darius Hill
S	Corey Lynch
RB	James Johnson
DT	Clinton McDonald
LB	Dan Skuta

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

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

Analysis of the 2009 Colts roster cuts: Part One

BigBlueShoe — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:42:14 -0000

by Michael Conroy - AP

Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell, right, and team president Bill Polian. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

View full size photo »

We have the final roster cut-down list, written up by shake n bake.

Almost immediately, there was significant reaction. Granted, every year cuts happen and there is always those one or two cuts where people scream NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! only to get over it once the season starts. But, with players like Dante Hughes, Mike Hart, and (especially) Marcus Howard getting the boot, it should serve as a reminder that the Colts do indeed have a new coach. This new coach has new ideas; ideas that in some cases will differ from his predecessor. And as we have seen, the 2007 and 2008 drafts, which were very heavily influenced by what Tony Dungy likes in players, were not drafts that tickle the fancy of new Colts coach Jim Caldwell.
MasterRWayne discusses whether Bill Polian has lost his touch as a draft guru. Currently, only three players remain from the 2007 draft, and three significant players from the 2008 draft were recently let go.
John Oehser offers his roster analysis at Examiner.com.
18to88 chimes in.
My favorite reader comment on the roster cuts thus far comes from Cassieper:

Lance Ball: He wasn’t that good. We only considered keeping him because Hart was injured.

Guns: Always injured. Never was going to contribute.

John Gill: Who?

Mike Hart: Serious injury. The Colts can’t wait until midseason on him.

Brett McDermott: Once again, who?

Tom Pestock: Only played in garbage time, never showed anything.

Taj Smith: Talented, maybe one year away. Cut him to get him on the practice squad. Should have no trouble getting him through the waivers.

Mike T: Another guy who’s practice squad bound. Wasn’t quite good enough to deal with starting talent.

Terrance Taylor: A huge project. Cross your fingers and hope he makes it to the practice squad.

Jaimie Thomas: A huge disappointment so far. Hasn’t shown anything. Practice squad bound.

Josh Thomas: Only good against the run. Putting him at end would concede the pass. Dawson is as good as him against the run and better as a pass rusher.

Michael Toudouze: I like him, but he is nowhere near Ugoh and CJ in talent.

Key and Petrowski: Bad players and injured. Bad combination.

So there you go.

In just a 24-hour period, this site has over 1,000 comments from numerous readers about the cuts. I did my best to read as many varying opinions as possible. After reading the comments, the articles, and examining how other teams dealt with the roster cut-downs, I have finally posted my analysis after the jump.

First off, I understand that the immediate reaction to the cuts seems like a stinging indictment of Polian's job, particularly when you look at the 2007 and 2008 drafts. Now, important to note that in neither of those drafts did Polian "bust" his first round pick, like Jerry Angelo with the Chicago Bears has done pretty much since 2004 (Rex Grossman, Cedric Benson, Chris Williams, etc.) With 2007 and 2008, it is important to note that those drafts were made with Tony Dungy working with Polian. Dungy had a specific philosophy about players. He valued certain traits over others. Bill respected that philosophy and draft accordingly.

But Dungy's philosophy on players is not necessarily shared by Jim Caldwell.

Dungy valued speed over size. This is why Marcus Howard and Curtis Johnson were so valued by Tony D. Clearly, Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell do not value speed over size as much. The Colts asked Cujo to add 15 pounds of muscle this off-season (which he did), but his efforts were not enough to supplant Keyunta Dawson. Dawson made the transition back to DE (his college position) during the off-season, and performed very well in camp and pre-season. Last season, Dawson was the starting defensive tackle, weighing in at 260 pounds. Now, he is more comfortable, and better suited, as a DE.

Thus, the smaller, quicker players like Howard and Cujo are expendable.

And I know some of you are screaming "WHAT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2007 WHEN FREENEY AND MATHIS GOT HURT!" Folks, if Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis get hurt again as they did in 2007, it is the equivalent of losing Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday. A player like Marcus Howard is not going to replace Dwight Freeney; not in this new defensive system. Indeed, one of the reasons Freeney and (especially) Mathis got hurt in 2007 was because the Colts relied too much on them for the pass rush. In a Tampa-2, the front four (not the front two) need to apply QB pressure. And now with Larry Coyer dialing up blitzes from Philip Wheeler (an excellent blitzer in college), Melvin Bullitt, and eventually Bob Sanders, the scheme should (in theory) create more rush without solely relying on Freeney and Mathis.

Also, I think Caldwell is just tired of seeing teams run the football at Indy's front, and having DEs weighting 245 pounds is not going to help you stop the run.

For Mike Hart, it is possible that he could be signed to the practice squad, but I think that's remote. Hart's knock coming out of college was he was "beaten up" after all the hits he took rushing for all those yards in the Big Ten. Last year, he blew out his knee and this pre-season he injured both his ankles. This is a bottom line business, folks. If you cannot stay healthy, you're not going to keep your job long.

And for all the Doom and Gloom folks who think that the cuts signal the "downfall" of the Colts, please take a moment to check out KFFL.com, or browse through the numerous SB Nation football sites. You will see all the cuts and roster moves other teams had to wrestle with. Many of these moves involved players many of us wanted the Colts to draft or sign in 2007 and 2008:

Buccaneers safety Tanard Jackson was placed on the suspended list. We thought highly of him in 2007.
The Bengals cut safety Corey Lynch. We also thought highly of him in 2008.
The Patriots cut Kevin O'Connell, another player in the 2008 NFL Draft we liked.
Packers first round bust Justin Harrell was placed on IR. For all the screaming about getting a quality DT the last three years, it seems Harrell clearly was not the answer in 2007. I thought he was. Clearly, I was wrong. Green Bay had to suffer through a horrid 6-10 season to draft B.J. Raji, and none of us know if he will be any good. He also signed late.
Packers also cut Brian Brohm, the "insurance QB" in case Aaron Rodgers turned out to suck. Brohm had a prolific career at Louisville, and if he had come out after his junior season, he might have been a first round pick.
John David Booty was cut.
Kory Sheets was cut.
Mitch King was cut.
Dominic Rhodes was cut. Hell, Marshawn Lynch is suspended for three games, and Dom still got cut. The Bills are a complete mess, folks.
DeMario Pressley, a DT from 2008 some wanted the Colts to grab, was cut by the Saints. So was former Colts WR Courtney Roby.
Adam Carriker, who I wanted the Colts trade trade for last season, is now on IR.
Broncos cut Tim Crowder, their second round pick from 2007.
The Jaguars IRed their starting DT from last season, Rob Meier.

So, no offense, but to those who seem to second guess Bill Polian for the 2007 and 2008 drafts (like Paul Kuharsky at ESPN), kindly tell me who he was supposed to take. Many of the players we all wanted Polian to pick up then are now in the same boat as Mike Hart, Marcus Howard, and Dante Hughes. If you want to bash him for trading up to get Tony Ugoh in 2007 and, thus, preventing Indy from getting a player like Matt Forte in 2008, then fine. I think that's fair. But, from where I'm sitting, it looks like the 2007 and 2008 drafts just did not foster the kind of overall NFL talent we are used to seeing from the collegiate ranks.

It's also important to note that from the now dreaded 2007 draft, Polian managed to sign then-free agent rookie Melvin Bullitt. So, it's not like lunch meat came out of 2007. Clearly, taking Anthony Gonzalez worked out better than trading up to get someone like Justin Harrell.

All of us are so used to seeing Polian draft picks work out that, when they don't, we scratch our head and wonder if we haven't been transported into some netherworld, alternate reality. But if you look around the NFL right now, lots of "name" players from the 2007 and 2008 drafts are, indeed, now looking for work.

Part two of my roster evaluation will get posted later today while teams begin putting in waiver claims for many of the recently cut players.

Tweets: Quan Cosby and Tom Nelson makes the squad

Kirkendall — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:33:22 -0000

by Al Behrman - AP

3 months ago: Cincinnati Bengals' Quan Cosby, foreground, runs for a 49-yard touchdown on a punt-return against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

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The site Mackbrown-texasfootball.com tweets this morning that Quan Cosby sent a text which said he made the Bengals squad. Joe Reedy tweets that "With Nelson and Cosby making it, that means at least two College Free Agents have survived, which is one more than last year." No other official sites, including the Cincinnati Enquirer, have made any announcements as of this posting.

If Nelson and Cosby made the squad (no official announcement has been made public), then it's likely what seemed like a roster battle between punt returners, was simply a battle at their respective positions. While Maurice Purify is a beast of a receiver who has some quality coverage skills on special teams, Cosby simply brought more to the table, evident on his punt return for a touchdown -- and you have to wonder if it was that one play that gave Cosby a roster spot. Nelson, also a strong punt returner, may have simply pushed Corey Lynch out of the door. Lynch was somewhat disappointing coaches because he wasn't being aggressive enough.

Either way, the writers at Cincy Jungle are two for two on this, saying both players made the squad.

Hard Knocks IV: Cutdown day looms

Kirkendall — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:18:58 -0000

The upcoming cutdown day took front and center with several players. Antonio Chatman, Chris Pressley, DeDe Dorsey and Brian Leonard had dinner, talking about it. Andrew Whitworth and his wife Melissa sat on the couch talking about losing friends. The battle between Brian Leonard, DeDe Dorsey and Bernard Scott at running back. The battle of Corey Lynch and Tom Nelson, who took a carriage ride downtown, at safety. Then there's Chris Pressley and Fui Vakapuna at fullback; which with this episode made you think that the Bengals are definitely going with two fullbacks. You get the feeling that Chris Pressley will make the team, based on the impression that the coach's favor his physical play. During one practice, Pressley had to have his busted facemask replaced. We still haven't gotten to the part where Muhammad Ali joined the Bengals during Training Camp in Georgetown College.

Funny moments.

Pulling into the garage underneath Paul Brown stadium, Marvin Lewis couldn't pull in because the gate was broken; or at least not responding to the proxy card. So he jumped the curb and got in, laughing his unique laugh.
Chad Ochocinco chatted with his girlfriend, who said that Chad faked being in a wheelchair to get a seat next to her. He then faked that he needed to use her cell phone, and put his number in it. Brilliant!
Jordan Palmer promoted his site, runpee.com, which points out times during a movie in which you can go to the bathroom.

Good Moments

Bobbie Williams helped Jason Shirley on the sidelines during practice, who was absolutely obliterating guys against the St. Louis Rams.
Mike Zimmer told Tank Johnson, who called Bill Walsh Donnie, that the only thing that could bring Johnson down is himself.
The team's clubhouse assistant, James Brown, was profiled momentarily. The players and coaches love him. And before each game, Brown leads them onto the field.
During the same game, Carson Palmer pulled Bernard Scott aside, telling him not to worry about the fumble. All that matters, he said, is how you respond.
He gave the same advise to Jordan, who threw an interception on a pass intended for Chris Henry.
While not really a good moment, it was actually nice to see Marvin Lewis talk to a guy that was waived from the team. In this case, he sat with defensive tackle Pernell Phillips, advising him to keep working and maybe another team will pick him up; or the Bengals could sign him to the practice squad.
Tank and Roy Williams went to the Reds game with the Los Angeles Dodgers in town, and got a chance to speak with Joe Torre.
Marvin Lewis advised the team (aka Chad Ochocinco) about Twittering.

Oh Boy moments

Do you get the feeling that when the players enter the lockerroom, that they nervously walk past Jim Lippincott, who leans against the wall waiting for the players he has to tell is getting waived?
The relationship and conversation between Katie Blackburn and Alvin Keels presents the most awkward moments of the show.
I don't hate Mike Brown as a man or anything other than an NFL owner. But when he's on the show, I just bury my head.
Replayed the game against the Rams, which ended with Augustus Parrish's disastrous attempt at blocking a guy who would eventually sack Jordan Palmer, who fumbled the ball. Game over.
The show ended with Andre Smith's signing and subsequent broken foot.

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

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

Depth of the 2009 Cincinnati Bengals Part 2: Defense

jsl413 — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:47:09 -0000

My boy Tom Nelson got a free shot at NE backup Brian Hoyer. Soon after this picture was taken, Hoyer was spotted napping quietly on the turf. Sources say Hoyer did not take his helmet off before napping, leading to speculation that Nelson hit him really hard. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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There was some debate as to whether or not the offense was quite as deep as I contended it was, particularly at the running back positions. Today, I'll take a look at the Bengals defensive depth, and make use of the jump to try to shorten our front page a little bit!

In short, I think the defense this year can only improve upon last year's 12th place effort. Additions of guys like Roy Williams and Tank Johnson, rookies Rey Maualuga and Michael Johnson are the primary reasons that the defense is so deep this year. Add to the mix that Chris Crocker will have a full off-season under his belt this year, DT Pat Sims has shown flashes of excellence in his second year, and Antwan Odom and Robert Geathers look to be healthy, and you've got to feel good about this defense.

Significant losses on the defensive side of the ball were relatively few. John Thornton is no longer with the team and Orien Harris was traded (the Harris loss is listed as the only "key" defensive loss at nologoneeded.com, which I find to be hilarious.)

A look at defensive depth (note, I'm looking at depth more than I'm focusing on overall talent), position by position, after the jump.

Defensive Tackle: We'll start up front with the big men. While our defensive tackle rotation is not particularly deep, I think it is more talented this year than we've seen it in quite some time. Domata Peko is the real deal. Pat Sims, as this blog has mentioned, looks like he could be a very good player this year too. Tank Johnson, the smallest of the top three at 305 pounds, has a history of being a productive player when he stays focused on the field.

Peko is a pretty good all around tackle. I think he is especially strong against the run. I haven't seen enough of Sims to really quantify his skill set, but he is a big, powerful man, and could occupy multiple blockers as he develops this year. Johnson is reputed as a guy that gets good pressure on the quarterback from an interior line position. If these 3 stay healthy, I think there is a good chance that this unit is extremely productive this year. Mike Zimmer and DL Coach Jay Hayes have a good combination of size and various skill sets at the tackle position this year.

Defensive End: Similar to defensive tackle, the depth at end is not astounding, but it's solid and exciting. This unit should vastly outperform last year's lackadaisical effort that mustered little-to-no pressure on the quarterback week in and week out.

All that really starts with the return of a healthy Antwan Odom and Robert Geathers. It had to be a very encouraging moment for Bengals fans to see Geathers absolutely light up Tom Brady on Thursday night. Here's to hoping that speed endures this season, and Geathers continues to run around offensive tackles to lay the hurt on opposing QBs. Antwan Odom has not been remarkable this preseason, but looks much better than he did last year when he was hurt.

What makes this unit exciting is the continuing emergence of Jonathan Fanene and the addition of rookie freak athlete Michael Johnson. I was a little put off at the end of the game on Thursday when I saw Johnson take a play off - but I guess it didn't really matter, there were 15 seconds left in a preseason game. It's something to keep an eye on, however. We'll have to really watch how he does at shedding blockers and using his 6'7", 260 pound frame to his advantage this year. Fanene was a project when we picked him up in 2005. But he is a big man (292 pounds) and was very productive when th team was winning games and being "competitive" late last year.

It really seems like every time he's on the field, good things happen. Bengals fans have got to like this sort of depth and potential. All four of these guys are young and can still get better, especially as Zimmer employs more blitzes and the tackles improve this year.

Linebackers: I'm lumping all these guys together because there are a lot of interchangeable parts at linebacker for the Bengals this year. You've got to really like the wide array of skill sets and talent in the top 6 linebackers this year. Keith Rivers is in line for a monster season. The guy plays with a mean streak and has a chip on his shoulder after suffering the broken jaw last year. I liken him to Troy Polomalu in terms of demeanor - that is, he is soft spoken and cerebral off the field, but he has an animalistic drive to hit, hit, hit on Sundays.

Dhani Jones is a pretty cool guy, and a good football player. He did a very good job last year for the Bengals. I mean very good: he was one of only five players on the entire team to start every game. He led the team in tackles. He was third on the team in passes defensed. To top it off, his teammates voted him defensive captain. He is a positive influence on the young guys like Rivers and Maualuga, and a vibrant locker room personality.

Then it gets interesting. Rashad Jeanty has worked extremely hard since the Bengals acquired him out of the CFL in 2006. But how long can Rey Maualuga ride pine? For now, this is sort of inconsequential because Jeanty has played in the preseason and Maualuga has limited time. We'll see how the preseason finishes out at SAM. Jeanty will likely go into the season as the starter, but Rey Rey will get time off the bench, and he'll be a fun little fireball to watch.

I think Brandon Johnson and Abdul Hodge have had good showings in preseason, and both of these guys are likely to be special teams contributors as well as solid defensive substitutes to keep the starters fresh. There is a pretty significant drop off here, but that's more due to the talent of Rivers, the leadership of Jones, and Jeanty's consistency than a slight to Johnson and Hodge (who, to be fair, have flashed some pretty nice skills in this preseason). We'll see what happens with Maualuga's progression as the regular season nears, but he may need some time to prepare for a prominent role.

Cornerback: I am not particularly ecstatic with our cornerback corps this year. Joseph and Hall, if healthy, will be pretty serviceable and can occasionally cover guys on an island. I still think they'd be best served by regular help over the top, although Jonathan Joseph has speed to burn. Leon Hall shows good coverage skills, especially on intermediate routes. I think our high expectations for these guys are legitimate. Joseph had a pretty good game against Randy Moss on Thursday.

Beyond the starters though, I don't have much confidence in Geoffrey Pope, David Jones, Morgan Trent, or Jamar Fletcher. I was a strong advocate of picking up a third corner in free agency, but the Bengals spurned my desires and instead decided that David Jones could hack it at Nickel Corner. I guess Jones had a lot of playing time last year with injuries to our top corners, so maybe he'll be passable.

Coverage last year was solid - especially given the lack of a pass rush. Can't argue with results. This unit will be okay as long as Hall and Joseph are healthy. It might be okay for a few weeks without one of them, but if both go down, there will be problems.

Safety: Lumping these guys together too for simplicity's sake. I think this is a very deep position for the Bengals this year. The most attractive thing about Bengal safeties this year is a good mix of hard-hitting and strong coverage. Chinedum Ndukwe and Marvin White have not looked great this preseason, and it's sort of early to judge as we haven't seen many teams go over the top against the Bengals first team defense (Brady overthrew somewhat open receivers twice on Thursday).

There is some valid concern about the coverage skills of guys like Roy Williams and Chris Crocker, who are generally known for their hitting - and in Williams's case, knocked for coverage. It is hard to argue that this is not a talented top 4 guys, though. A rotation that caters to the strengths of Williams in the running game and White in coverage could be efficient for Zimmer this year.

The Bengals will likely retain Corey Lynch this year, as he showed value on special teams last year and is a smart defender. While we're talking about safeties, I'll point out that Tom Nelson is from my hometown (Arlington Heights, a NW Chicago Suburb), and is a guy that really improved his stock on Thursday.

Overall: Depth on the defensive side of the ball is strong at safety, defensive end, and linebacker. Defensive tackle and corner depth is decent at best, with some significant fall off in talent and production once you get past the top guys on the depth chart. Let me know what you think about the backup corners, who I haven't paid much attention to but tend to feel unsure about.