Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals hope to rebound from last year’s 4-12 record eventually, but to label the upcoming season anything but a rebuilding year would be unrealistic. Positive reinforcement, while delusional, is over-taxing a fan’s optimistic reserves. Whereas the Bengals were hopeful challengers in the Steelers and Ravens dominated AFC North, this season will be more about how the Bengals can beat the Browns to stay out of last place. Too much has changed for this team; there are no existing components that could largely benefit from the infusion of talent through free agency and become a sudden playoff powerhouse. Idealistically a fan in my position would wave the pom poms and write a glowing review why the Bengals are the team to beat in 2011. But the fear of having credibility replaced by the ramblings of an overzealously biased fan is too great. No matter how free agency goes, no matter how quickly the team’s draft picks evolve or the steals that Cincinnati could obtain through undrafted free agents, a five to six game improvement from a four-win season stretches well outside their grasps.

Carson Palmer, the team’s starting quarterback since 2004, isn’t planning to return. Starting wide receivers Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens are not expected to return. That doesn’t include the collection of free agents this team could lose; such as starting cornerback Johnathan Joseph, starting linebacker Dhani Jones, starting running back Cedric Benson, starting safeties Roy Williams and Chinedum Ndukwe and Brandon Johnson, who plays nearly every snap in nickel formation at linebacker. The Bengals have admitted that Joseph and Benson are the team’s highest priorities when free agency finally kicks off. Joseph is critical for two reasons. Keeping a talented cornerback duo together that helps defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer implement exotic blitzing schemes with trust in his cornerbacks. And this time next year, the Bengals will be dealing with two more cornerback free agents in Leon Hall and Adam Jones – both having started games at cornerback in 2010. Benson could be weighed with equal authority. The Bengals newest offensive coordinator, Jay Gruden, will be implementing his version of the West Coast offense (aka, the offense developed in Cincinnati 40 years ago) that will rely heavily on the running game.

This doesn’t mean that the team hasn’t planned on rebuilding through the draft. In fact many observers have responded to the Cincinnati Bengals draft as one they “finally got right”. It addressed many needs with an eye towards the future. A.J. Green addresses a departing Ochocinco, teaming the rookie wide receiver with Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell and Jordan Shipley at wide receiver. Simpson and Caldwell combined for 35 receptions, 547 yards receiving and three touchdowns in the final three games of 2010. No AFC rookie had more than Shipley’s 52 receptions; Bengals rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham tied Shipley. The core of wide receivers on this team is young, but promising. No more veteran signings like Laveranues Coles, Antonio Bryant or Terrell Owens. Talented receivers drafted by the team that spent years working hard to develop into productive core receivers is going to pay off at a position increasingly rich in talent, and deep with motivation.

This helps Andy Dalton, who addresses an eventually departing Carson Palmer. Linebacker Dontay Moch, largely expected to be a pass rusher within the next two seasons, could be an eventual Rey Maualuga replacement, who is expected to move inside this year. Robert Sands (safety) and Korey Lindsey address a shortage in the secondary and offensive lineman Clint Boling addresses a talent-deficient left guard position.

In the meantime, while coaches are restricted from talking with their players, the Cincinnati Bengals are doing their part to workout on their own. Several defensive starters, like defensive tackle Domata Peko, cornerback Adam Jones and linebacker Rey Maualuga, joined by wide receiver Jerome Simpson and offensive guard Bobbie Williams, work out regularly together, a few days every week. Quarterback Jordan Palmer has already spearheaded two workouts with quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs and tight ends in Southern California. Offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth gathered the offensive linemen together a few weeks ago for a workout. Then Whitworth, along with Peko, organized a two-week practice session that began on June 6 that was attended by nearly 50 players allowing the offense to finally work on the team’s new offensive system that will be implemented by Jay Gruden when the lockout ends.