SBNation.com User Blog: Cry

Bobbie Williams is now a Baltimore Raven.

Cry — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 18:58:07 -0000

I.. I think I'm gonna faint.

Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider

Ravens have a two-year agreement in principle with offensive guard Bobbie Williams, team announces
2:56 PM - 8 Jun 12 via web

Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider

Bobbie Williams is a former Cincinnati Bengals starter
2:56 PM - 8 Jun 12 via web

Pretty crazy. Rehabbing at PBS only to jump ship to the Ravens. Can't be mad at him I guess, he didn't think his career was over. But it just feels dirty. Wrong. I think I'll take a shower.

Edit: And here is the official article.

I.. I think I'm gonna faint.

Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider

Ravens have a two-year agreement in principle with offensive guard Bobbie Williams, team announces
2:56 PM - 8 Jun 12 via web

Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider

Bobbie Williams is a former Cincinnati Bengals starter
2:56 PM - 8 Jun 12 via web

Pretty crazy. Rehabbing at PBS only to jump ship to the Ravens. Can't be mad at him I guess, he didn't think his career was over. But it just feels dirty. Wrong. I think I'll take a shower.

Edit: And here is the official article.

The new Bengals playbook.

Cry — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 18:55:59 -0000

The new Bengals playbook.

Rey has a better Run Stop % than Sean Lee, Stephen Tulloch, Desmond Bishop.

Cry — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 04:34:12 -0000

Rey has a better Run Stop % than Sean Lee, Stephen Tulloch, Desmond Bishop.

Are we as fans giving up on him too early?

Evan Mathis does an Ask me Anything on Reddit.

Cry — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:49:15 -0000

Evan Mathis does an Ask me Anything on Reddit.

He seems to purposely avoid any questions related to the Bengals though. Still cool.

Whit says Collins deserves to be a starter

Cry — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:15:56 -0000

Whit says Collins deserves to be a starter

His mentor, LT Andrew Whitworth, believes Collins' time has arrived. "Anthony Collins continues to show that he deserves to be a starter in this league," Whitworth said.

Dungy names Jay Gruden one of his top 3 NFL Head Coach candidates.

Cry — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:58:01 -0000

Dungy names Jay Gruden one of his top 3 NFL Head Coach candidates.

All this talk, looks like Jay is not long for Cincinnati.

Officially looking towards the 2012 Draft

Cry — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:05:43 -0000

So I decided to throw together a table of the Bengals' positions of need for the next year. I ordered them, roughly, by level of need. I tried to ignore FAs too old for a young and building team as well as impossibles (Ray Rice). I only included players I think would be in the draft through the first 3 rounds, as anything past that isn't worth speculation until the combine.

Positions of Need

Free Agency

Draft

Guard

Carl Nicks (NO)

Ben Grubbs (BAL)

David DeCastro (Stanford)

Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
Kelechi Osemele (Iowa St)

Kevin Zeitler (Wisconsin)

Corner

Brent Grimes (ATL)
Cortland Finnegan (TEN)

Brandon Carr (KC)

Morris Claiborne (LSU)

Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska)

Chase Minniefield (UVA)

Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama)

Dre Kirkpatrick (Bama)

Stephon Gilmore (SCar)

Casey Heyward (Vandy)

Safety

$ LaRon Landry (WAS)

S Reggie Nelson (CIN)

$ Mark Barron (Bama)

S Kenny Vaccaro (Texas)

S Robert Lester (Bama)

S Trumaine Johnson (Montana)

Running Back

Matt Forte (CHI)

Ryan Grant (GB)

Marshawn Lynch (SEA)

Michael Bush (OAK)

Trent Richardson (Bama)

Lamar Miller (Da U)

Montee Ball (Wisconsin)

Chris Polk (Washington)

LaMichael James (Oregon)

Doug Martin (Boise St)

Receiver

Dwayne Bowe (KC)

Marques Colston (NO)

Robert Meachem (NO)

Mario Manningham (NYG)

Pierre Garcon (IND)

Jerome Simpson (CIN)

Andre Caldwell (CIN)

Justin Blackmon (OK St)

Michael Floyd (ND)

Alshon Jeffery (SCar)

Kendall Wright (Baylor)
Mohamed Sanu (Rutgers)

Line Backer

Curtis Loften M (ATL)

Stephen Tulloch M (DET)

Dan Connor M (CAR)

Jarret Johnson O (BAL)

D’Qwell Jackson M (CLE)

Manny Lawson O (CIN)

Courtney Upshaw O (Bama)

Luke Kuechly M (Boston)

Donta Hightower M (Bama)

Manti Te’O M (ND)

Zach Brown O (UNC)

Bruce Irvin O (WVU)

Travis Lewis O (Oklahoma)

Breakdowns by position

Guard:

Both Nicks and Grubbs would be welcome additions to this squad. Guard depth after 2012 will be scary with only Otis Hudson and Clint Boling under contract. Bobbie Williams and Nate Livings may be brought back. Unfortunately I'm not sure if Mikey will be willing to shell out the cash needed to land these guys, but with this many needs he will have to spend somewhere. And Guard is probably the best place.

Through the draft a Decastro or Glenn would be fantastic. Players that could likely start immediately and are worth the late teen picks we will end up with. Two first round picks makes a top notch guard a pick we can't afford to miss out on unless one of the aforementioned FAs are inked.

Corner:

Grimes and Finnegan aren't exactly #1 corners, and they won't come cheap. Finnegan will likely test the market and Grimes may give ATL a hometown discount. Carr would be a cheap but solid #2.

Much more likely, we draft one very early. This is what the fans want and the pundits are predicting and I agree. Claiborne won't likely be available but Dennard, Minniefield, or Jenkins (though I don't like the troubled past) could and should be there to be drafted. Though in a class this deep an argument could be made to wait for round 2, though you won't likely get your #1 of the future.

Safety:

Not much out there in Free Agency. LaRon Landry could be a solid addition at Strong, but won't likely be cheap. Reggie Nelson needs to be resigned, he's a system fit that will only continue to get better.

In the draft there are some intriguing prospects, certainly a couple that project outside of the first couple rounds that could be starters in not too long. But if the Bengals want a starter now they can go after someone like Kenny Vaccaro, he's a free but I believe he could play either safety position, as Zimmer likes. Mark Barron has high grades but I believe we have his carbon copy in Taylor Mays under contract. Trumaine Johnson is an intriguing prospect from an FCS school that could be had later, he's a CB but I think he projects as a Safety in the NFL.

Running Back:

Matt Forte has it all. He's unhappy with the inattention the Bears' front office has given him and his injury may have brought his price tag down. But with so many needs and so many teams likely willing to pay da man, I doubt he lands in Cincy. Ray Rice is a FA but I'm sure he'll be locked up the moment the Ravens' season ends. Marshawn Lynch is intriguing but I'm not sure how much more you'll get out of him and he'll likely be seeking big money. Grant and Bush are both two very good stop-gaps that could come relatively cheap.

The draft has no shortage of talent at RB in the high rounds but I'm not sure if it's still there after round 2. Richardson will likely be gone before we pick but Miller and Ball (unless he replaces Trent after the combine) should be there for one of our first picks. There are also decent 2nd/3rd round prospects in Polk, James, and Martin.

Receiver:

I don't think we have the luxury of taking another receiver high in the draft, especially with very good options there in Free Agency. Any of the names listed in the table under free agency would make the receiver position better. Some more expensive than others but all talented and experienced. The Front Office will have to make a decision on the inconsistent duo of Simpson and Caldwell, but the smart money would be put towards one of the more talented Free Agents.

In the draft there are quality options, but I don't think any of them are like Green in that they can be Pro Bowl caliber right away, and we need talent now. Not to mention more pressing needs in the early rounds. Perhaps you take a flyer on a late round prospect but I'm confident in a receiving corps consisting of Optimus Prime, Jordan Shipley Jermaine Gresham, Baby Hawk, and one of the Free Agents.

Linebacker:

This I consider a luxury pick. But it may be wise to invest in this position now. Rey is having a rough first year in the middle and the outside backers aren't locked up long term. Manny Lawson will be a free agent, as will Howard the year after. Muckleroy will be fighting an uphill battle after tearing his Achilles, Brandon Johnson isn't a sure thing to stick around, and Skuta/Rey are pure backup/ST players.

The Free Agent crop isn't very strong. Players are either too expensive, not exactly starters, or a very rough scheme fit. Curtis Lofton will likely stay in ATL. Tulloch isn't a lock to stay in DET but it's likely. D'Qwell Jackson could likely be had but I think Zimmer will give Rey at least another year at MIKE. Dan Conner could be a very nice depth signing however.

Though there are some very intriguing LB picks in the draft they will all be gone in the early round and I believe those picks are better spent elsewhere. Perhaps a pick in the later rounds. I'll take this space to say, though, that I despise Burfict and didn't even add him to the table. He was partially responsible for his coach's termination, his terrible attitude infected the rest of the locker room, and he's now been demoted to the second team in bowl practices.

So that's all. Thoughts? I know that this team still has a shot at the Playoffs and maybe even a Super Bowl. But if we're honest, this team isn't a playoff team yet. And that's fine. We were all going to be happy with a 6 win season at the beginning of the year and we will likely go 9-7. Time to get excited for Free Agency and the draft and fight each other about what direction we want the team to take.

Edit: Cleaned up spelling, grammar, and fixed the lack of margins in the table. HTML between the Visual View and the HTML view is a headache.

Positions of Need

Free Agency

Draft

Guard

Carl Nicks (NO)

Ben Grubbs (BAL)

David DeCastro (Stanford)

Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
Kelechi Osemele (Iowa St)

Kevin Zeitler (Wisconsin)

Corner

Brent Grimes (ATL)
Cortland Finnegan (TEN)

Brandon Carr (KC)

Morris Claiborne (LSU)

Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska)

Chase Minniefield (UVA)

Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama)

Dre Kirkpatrick (Bama)

Stephon Gilmore (SCar)

Casey Heyward (Vandy)

Safety

$ LaRon Landry (WAS)

S Reggie Nelson (CIN)

$ Mark Barron (Bama)

S Kenny Vaccaro (Texas)

S Robert Lester (Bama)

S Trumaine Johnson (Montana)

Running Back

Matt Forte (CHI)

Ryan Grant (GB)

Marshawn Lynch (SEA)

Michael Bush (OAK)

Trent Richardson (Bama)

Lamar Miller (Da U)

Montee Ball (Wisconsin)

Chris Polk (Washington)

LaMichael James (Oregon)

Doug Martin (Boise St)

Receiver

Dwayne Bowe (KC)

Marques Colston (NO)

Robert Meachem (NO)

Mario Manningham (NYG)

Pierre Garcon (IND)

Jerome Simpson (CIN)

Andre Caldwell (CIN)

Justin Blackmon (OK St)

Michael Floyd (ND)

Alshon Jeffery (SCar)

Kendall Wright (Baylor)
Mohamed Sanu (Rutgers)

Line Backer

Curtis Loften M (ATL)

Stephen Tulloch M (DET)

Dan Connor M (CAR)

Jarret Johnson O (BAL)

D’Qwell Jackson M (CLE)

Manny Lawson O (CIN)

Courtney Upshaw O (Bama)

Luke Kuechly M (Boston)

Donta Hightower M (Bama)

Manti Te’O M (ND)

Zach Brown O (UNC)

Bruce Irvin O (WVU)

Travis Lewis O (Oklahoma)

Breakdowns by position

Guard:

Corner:

Grimes and Finnegan aren't exactly #1 corners, and they won't come cheap. Finnegan will likely test the market and Grimes may give ATL a hometown discount. Carr would be a cheap but solid #2.

Safety:

Running Back:

Receiver:

Linebacker:

Edit: Cleaned up spelling, grammar, and fixed the lack of margins in the table. HTML between the Visual View and the HTML view is a headache.

Cosby to the Broncos..

Cry — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:42:35 -0000

Cosby to the Broncos..

Good for him.

Open Thread: Madden 12 And The Bengals

Cry — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:06:48 -0000

Carson Palmer is the starting QB, Dalton holds for FGs. Chad is your starting receiver with AJ Green. Keith Rivers is your starting WILL and Muck is your starting SAM. JJoe is still on the team.

Clint Stitser is your starting kicker, and at one point it said "Shay Hodge kicks off".. what? I have a lot of work to do to fix this team. Does anyone know when the rosters are updated? At least the game actually looks updated. Also, general Madden 12 discussion.

Update: Roster updates are already available in the Madden Online section that fix these problems. Thanks for the heads up in the comments guys. As usual with the two systems, the update is free for PS3 and an XBL Gold account is required for the Xbox360.

With the updated roster the Bengals are rated 80 overall, tied with several teams for lowest in the league. Offense is rated 78 while defense is rated 82.

Carson Palmer is the starting QB, Dalton holds for FGs. Chad is your starting receiver with AJ Green. Keith Rivers is your starting WILL and Muck is your starting SAM. JJoe is still on the team.

With the updated roster the Bengals are rated 80 overall, tied with several teams for lowest in the league. Offense is rated 78 while defense is rated 82.

Reggie Kelly signed by Falcons.

Cry — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:20:47 -0000

Reggie Kelly signed by Falcons.

Hope he gets a ring.

I have to take this chance to rub it in, McElroy looks good.

Cry — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 02:16:51 -0000

I was pining for McElroy all offseason long. I really believed in the kid and he showed the same maturity and ability to manage a game that Dalton did, with slightly less athleticism. I'm watching him on MNF and he has shown all the poise and ability that Dalton has shown us and he's actually lead several sustained drives and thrown a TD. He also threw a pick, and bounced right back to score.

The kicker? He was there waiting for us in the 7th round. Imagine if we would have taken one of the top guards in the 2nd? Or a corner? Or an impact DT?

I know it's way too early for any speculation on how one QB's career will compare to the other's, and I am firmly behind Dalton as the future of Bengals football. I believe in Dalton, but damn, McElroy looks really poised and damn is he accurate.

So now that I've had my chance to gloat a little, and maybe even generate some conversation (hopefully) I'm done. Nothing to really take away from this one folks.

The kicker? He was there waiting for us in the 7th round. Imagine if we would have taken one of the top guards in the 2nd? Or a corner? Or an impact DT?

So now that I've had my chance to gloat a little, and maybe even generate some conversation (hopefully) I'm done. Nothing to really take away from this one folks.

Going over the game at 2AM. Thoughts and observations.

Cry — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 05:30:32 -0000

The Bengals allowed a touchdown, fumbled, allowed another touchdown, and threw an interception before 5 straight Cedric Benson carries generated some offense. 35 yards of offense largely on the backs of Andre Smith and Bobbie Williams who looked imposing. A visibly shaken Dalton attempted a 3rd and 2 conversion that didn't connect with Chris Pressley to add a punt to the chain.

Rey was impressive in the middle. He looked at home. He flew to the ball and finished with 5 tackles, 2 for a loss. In fact the whole defense was pretty good against the run. Leon Hall (who allowed two TDs, one an overturned incompletion) and the pass defense in general looked rough.

Andy Dalton had a very rough start but finished showing the mental strength we've heard about since the Senior Bowl. He was picked, sacked, and then almost killed by a mountain of a man named "House of Spears" and the lights seemingly came on. He picked his helmet off the ground (I'm surprised his head wasn't still in it) and got to work. He would finish the night 11 of 15 for a meager 69 yards. He sustained a couple drives and converted a few 3rd downs before he was pulled at the end of the half.

AJ Green and Jerome Simpson looked great. AJ Green, when remembering which direction to run it, looked like a starter. Jerome Simpson did his best to pick up where he left off from last year, looking athletic and getting aggressive. In fact his aggression would be the only real enthusiasm I saw until Jason Shirley made his "last call" TFL and celebration in the fleeting moments of the game.

Standeford, the new OchoCinco in town got a hell of a lot of playing time for a guy who was just signed.

Marvin Lewis apparently wanted Jordan Shipley dead because he played almost the entire game, even returning a punt or two. That wasn't the only puzzling decision however, John Griffen who coughed up the ball on the opening kick return and barely go out of the gate on the second wasn't even on the team's depth chart at KR until tonight.

Finley looked pretty good. He ran better than his 2.1YPC would imply and he returned a kick 35 yards. When he ran right he reeled off a couple 8 yard runs. When he went up the middle or towards KVB on his left, he didn't have much success. Showed good hands and some return ability.

Brian Leonard probably isn't our every down back, but he showed he's still a playmaker. We were treated to two of his Halmarks, the Leonard Leap and inhuman effort. After hurdling a defender he was nailed and managed to fight forward a couple yards for a first down. Of course, this was called back by a Nate Livings holding call.

If Livings isn't cut I think we start to investigate the possibility of some sort of "reality distortion bubble" over Georgetown and PBS.

Nugent broke his streak. Oy Vey.

According to Reedy, Moch "broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, which likely will keep him out for two months."

Atkins and Peko looked good. Clinton McDonald and Jason Shirley didn't look too bad either, do either or both of them make the final roster?

Rough game. You know that for all the NFL's talk about taking violent hits out of the game, they sure like to glamorize them. NFL.com lists Suh's sack of Dalton as a "Highlight" in the PBP. It's worth a watch to see Andre Smith get in Suh's face. Although Smith's pass pro was part of the reason Dalton got slammed around.

Standeford, the new OchoCinco in town got a hell of a lot of playing time for a guy who was just signed.

If Livings isn't cut I think we start to investigate the possibility of some sort of "reality distortion bubble" over Georgetown and PBS.

Nugent broke his streak. Oy Vey.

According to Reedy, Moch "broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, which likely will keep him out for two months."

Atkins and Peko looked good. Clinton McDonald and Jason Shirley didn't look too bad either, do either or both of them make the final roster?

Patriots were awarded OT Mark Wetterer off waivers from the Bengals

Cry — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:32:49 -0000

Patriots were awarded OT Mark Wetterer off waivers from the Bengals

Our trash, Patriots treasure?

Quick thoughts after observing Ravens' practice.

Cry — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 18:54:38 -0000

So I took the GF to the Ravens only practice open to the fans. It was at M&T, parking and admission were free. Cans of Bud Light were still 7.75. She wore her 52 jersey, I wore a plain black shirt. She got into it with the crowd, I watched the drills and scrimmage. And god are most Ravens' fans.. simple. I have to hear the guy behind me talking about how excited he is because they got Bernard Pollard who had 100+ tackles last year and Ed Reed only had 30.

Really? You're happy because a SS like Pollard who was the only gifted player in the Texans secondary had 100+ tackles cause you're disappointed with Reed, a FS, who lead the league in INTs after missing 6 games? Surefire Hall of Famer Ed Reed? My god. Then you hear everyone calling Tyrod Taylor Troy Smith. Do they follow the team? Sorry couldn't vent my rage there.

I was impressed most with Torrey Smith. I wrote a couple fanposts here about him, I really wanted him, but I'm very happy with how the draft turned out. Torrey was automatic. He caught everything and he was the only receiver who had any chemistry with Flacco. He burned every corner they put on him. He made Boldin look ordinary.

Speaking of Boldin, he had some nice catches but he was hit or miss. Tandon Doss showed promise but dropped a surefire TD on more than one occasion. Chykie Brown showed great flashes all over the field at CB. Most importantly though, Flacco was miserable. He overthrew balls left and right. Every attempted back shoulder fade in the redzone drills ended up sailing out of the endzone. He threw a pick to Cary Williams, who was miserable last year.

Also, I'm not sure who was starting at Center with the 1s. May have been Birk, I don't know. But he was getting eaten up. In fact the whole offensive line was getting eaten up. Sacks for everyone. The only linemen who really impressed me was Jah Reid. This made me salivate.

Anyways, they are probably like any team two weeks into camp. Really rusty. But it was great to get to see that rust. Oh and did I mention Torrey Smith is scary?

Bengals sign another 4.4 OLB in Manny Lawson

Cry — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:33:59 -0000

Bengals sign another 4.4 OLB in Manny Lawson

I'm totally okay with this.

Hobson posted the camp videos for 7/30

Cry — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 02:40:13 -0000

Hobson posted the camp videos for 7/30

Hobson hints that Brandon Johnson may not be back.

Cry — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:32:03 -0000

Hobson hints that Brandon Johnson may not be back.

The offense is not only revamped with a new coordinator in Jay Gruden and without its two most senior men in quarterback Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco, but the defense is adjusting to the loss of left cornerback Johnathan Joseph's 58 starts and a linebacker group looking to replace the 33 starts of injured WILL linebacker Keith Rivers, the 48 starts of free agent Dhani Jones, and the 49 versatile games of nickel backer Brandon Johnson.

First look: Ocho rocking the Patriots gear with new QB Tom Brady

Cry — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:40:41 -0000

First look: Ocho rocking the Patriots gear with new QB Tom Brady

Bengals lose Gallery sweepstakes.

Cry — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:23:16 -0000

Bengals lose Gallery sweepstakes.

Per PFT, Gallery signs a 3 year deal with SEA.

Just got my email, single game tickets to go on sale this Saturday.

Cry — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:20:21 -0000

Just got my email, single game tickets to go on sale this Saturday.

Well the Bengals are confident that the lockout will be lifted by Saturday. I'm going to be buying a few tickets to a couple games. I live in Baltimore (I know) so I only get to see a couple games a year, but I'd like to know which games you guys are going to so I can maybe get a few drinks with you fine folks.

Some of you may be boycotting, that's cool. But as someone who has to watch Bengals games in low quality on internet streams most of the time, Games are the holy grail for me. I gotta go.

PFF says we have a top 5 offensive line.

Cry — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:57:36 -0000

PFF says we have a top 5 offensive line.

Not only that, but they improved their ranking from the 2009 playoff run. Maybe things aren't so gloomy.

We have competition! Houston has Joseph at top of FA list.

Cry — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 15:32:37 -0000

We have competition! Houston has Joseph at top of FA list.

Texans beat reporter John McClain predicts that Houston will have our very own Jonathan Joseph at the top of their list when (if) Free Agency opens.

It makes sense given their miserable secondary. Ochocinco has tweeted that he was interested in playing for the Texans, prompting Antonio Cromartie to chime in saying he'd like to land there as well. Hopefully they end up with the former Charger and Jet, and not our beloved CB.

Kurt Warner: Carson Palmer better fit in Arizona than Bulger, McNabb, Kolb.

Cry — Tue, 03 May 2011 19:59:11 -0000

Kurt Warner: Carson Palmer better fit in Arizona than Bulger, McNabb, Kolb.

The Bengals really, really like that second pick under Lewis. It has netted them solid players,...

Cry — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:00:37 -0000

The Bengals really, really like that second pick under Lewis. It has netted them solid players, guys with first-round credentials that fell for one reason or another, starting with left guard Eric Steinbach, then safety Madieu Williams all the way up through Rey Maualuga and Carlos Dunlap. There are guys like defensive end Da'Quan Bowers, defensive tackle Stephen Paea, and cornerback Brandon Harris that were projected in the first round in some mocks thst could very well trump the quarterback need at No. 35.

Gruden says the QB doesn't have to come out of the draft. He feels that strongly about his system.

"Until we get another guy, we’ll slowly progress with what his strengths are, whoever that is, whether it’s a free agent or a guy we draft," he said. "We feel like we have a good system in place here. We feel like a quarterback could come in here that’s willing and is smart and accurate, and he’ll be able to make some plays, especially with the weapons that he has."

Bevy of options beckon Bengals in 2 Mothership says QB may not be the priority.

Bengals most unhappy team in NFL.com's fan War Rooms.

Cry — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:38:12 -0000

Bengals most unhappy team in NFL.com's fan War Rooms.

Man we are a pessimistic bunch.

Getting to know Torrey Smith (WR Maryland)

Cry — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:48:17 -0000

Getting to know Torrey Smith (WR Maryland)

Since a "Getting to know Prince Amukamara" was featured on the front page, I figure we should also take a look at another first rounder who probably won't go to us. If you have a little time, read this. This kid is amazing and I'd love to trade down and get him instead of AJ Green.

AJ Green and Patrick Peterson among lowest Wonderlic scores.

Cry — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:12:29 -0000

Both talents are projected to go in the top 10, both have been mocked to the Bengals at one time or another. Peterson scored a 9 out of 50, Green scored a 10.

One long time NFL evaluator had this to say of Peterson:

A scout with deep knowledge of the kid said, "The more I'm around him, the more I love him even more. I love the kid, and I love the talent. But I don't like the way he plays with his back to the ball. He has an instinct issue, and I think it's tied to his mental [ability]. He can only handle so much. He's not a quick processor. It's a scary year to be drafting in the top 10 because they all have some issue."

When speaking of Green, another evaluator had this to say:

"He will get it," one evaluator said. "You're going to have to take it slow with him and let him start at one position and let him learn on the run. He's not going to be able to handle learning all three positions. If you ask him to be an X, Y and Z, you're setting him up for failure."

So what does this mean? Well both are going to need to be eased into the pro game. If we get Green, we may have another Jerome on our hands (Jerome scored a 17) who will be stuck in one position. If this is the case, who will have to make the move to Y? And will Gruden be able to simplify the normally complex WCO and all his packages?

So what do you guys think of all this? Sound off in the poll.

Both talents are projected to go in the top 10, both have been mocked to the Bengals at one time or another. Peterson scored a 9 out of 50, Green scored a 10.

One long time NFL evaluator had this to say of Peterson:

A scout with deep knowledge of the kid said, "The more I'm around him, the more I love him even more. I love the kid, and I love the talent. But I don't like the way he plays with his back to the ball. He has an instinct issue, and I think it's tied to his mental [ability]. He can only handle so much. He's not a quick processor. It's a scary year to be drafting in the top 10 because they all have some issue."

When speaking of Green, another evaluator had this to say:

"He will get it," one evaluator said. "You're going to have to take it slow with him and let him start at one position and let him learn on the run. He's not going to be able to handle learning all three positions. If you ask him to be an X, Y and Z, you're setting him up for failure."

So what do you guys think of all this? Sound off in the poll.

Poll

How do these scores affect your opinion of the draft?

I don't care. It's just a number on a test. They have so much talent it shouldn't matter.

36 votes

That's scary. We need these guys to be instant contributers and we're going to be paying them a lot, but the potential is worth it.

24 votes

No way should we get these guys. Get someone who has less questions. Drafting this high, we need reliable starters who can digest an NFL playbook.

23 votes

Trade down! None of the guys at the top of the draft are worth the pick. Let's get additional picks and not have to worry about these problems.

46 votes

129 votes | Poll has closed

Bruce Gradkowski not tendered.

Cry — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 04:31:34 -0000

Bruce Gradkowski not tendered.

He's an option for us. Injury prone but clutch when he's called upon. This is all assuming the CBA is settled in a reasonable amount of time.

My take on the Bengals' WR corps

Cry — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 05:30:33 -0000

This started as a reply to a comment but ended up inspiring a FanPost. The reply was in response to one of the many people that are skeptical of the WRs we currently have, rightfully so. Limited production at the tail end of the 2010 season doesn't mean we are set at the position. But let's analyze what tools we do have.

I'm writing this assuming Ocho is traded or released. And if he isn't, I think most of you already have opinions regarding what we have in Chad. I'll start with the slot and go from there.

Jordan Shipley.

Shipley had instant production. He came in and took firm control of the #3 position. As a third receiver (taken in the third round) he remained near the top of the rookie WR class in receptions and yards. He's got great feet, amazing body control, and usually sure hands. He made a couple key drops over the course of his rookie season, but he made just as many catches that made me want to jump out of my seat in joy. He was the perfect safety valve and it was clear Carson enjoyed having him as an option.

I think it's clear he'll be the starter in the slot next year and we can only expect him to improve his production, even if we have a short or nonexistant offseason. Let me remind you how great football season is with a couple videos, and then I'll address slot depth.

You can't push him around. In the first game of the season the Bengals trailed the Patriots 24-3 with a second left in the half after a thoroughly embarrassing 30 minutes. Carson throws the hail mary and it's Shipley that comes down with the jump ball. He has deceptive speed and he has an eye for the ball, and even if you don't notice it, this kid is tough as hell. Not a touchdown but a huge moral boost to a team that put up a great fight in the second half.

He gets open. He knows how to put himself in the right position to make a play and he has great after-the-catch ability. He's a play maker and whoever is under center will appreciate him.

Quan Cosby.

The guy Jordan replaced at Texas gets replaced again. It seemed like the team never quite trusted Cosby with a starting role until they absolutely had to in the Jets playoff game. And when they did he came through. He did a great job at PR his rookie season and his production sort of faltered this past year but as depth at slot I think he's valuable. When given a chance he's made some pretty big plays and he's a utility player on special teams. With TO and Chad likely out the door, Cosby's roster spot may be safe even if we draft a new receiver.

Chase Coffman

Yeah yeah he's a Tight End I know. But you might remember Hard Knocks, when the coaches told him he needed to learn the man's game. The Bengals drafted him as a vertical TE in a spread offense and tried to make him into the next Reggie Kelly. This stunted his growth as a player and hurt the Bengals depth at receiver. The last appearance he made in 2010 looked promising. He had bulked up quite a bit (he is almost identical to Gresham in size) and may very well turn into the TE the Bengals want him to be. But he should have had a shot at the slot from day 1. He's got that same drive to make a play every time he touches the ball that Brian Leonard does. And he's got the same hops. He's got all the moves of a receiver and he is certainly an option at Slot if needed. Hopefully Jay Gruden can utilize this kid. Just get him on the damn field. I think Chase is safe on the 53, now let's talk about the other TEs.

Jermaine Gresham

The kid is a baller. Every bit the athlete we had hoped he was. There are people that would like to tell you that he wasn't worth a first round pick, that we could have had someone like Gronkowski in the next couple rounds. But they can't see past their nose. This kid has elite size, speed, and hands. He's struggled on the blocking side but he began to pull it together by the end of the year. Gresham is a special talent and as much as we all want to see him get vertical (yes that's about as vertical as Brat managed to get him) it's his Antonio Gates like ability to get the ball in the end zone that has me especially excited. He's a mismatch on almost anyone and he plays with a mean streak, he will not be denied.

Special mention goes to Garrett Mills. A journeyman TE claimed off waivers from Philly. Nothing particularly special, and I don't think he's in the plans for the future. If you're reading this Garrett, no offense. The question then becomes with Reggie Kelly an impending FA; do the Bengals need to address TE depth in the draft or free agency, and does it make the most sense to just let the Rev retire as a Bengal? Moving on to the Y receiver.

Andre Caldwell

Bubba seems to garner a lot of resentment from people around these parts and I'm not sure it's fair. I'm going to paraphrase a comment I made yesterday and say that I think people were a bit mislead by the 09 season. Andre was the guy in the slot after Laverneus Coles was brought on board and that's not where he belonged. He's an outside guy with 4.3 speed and decent moves. Speaking of speed I've heard that people don't think he has it on the field and that's just plain wrong. Watch him burn right by Quentin Jammer for 44 yards. Even Carson didn't expect that speed, underthrowing him on what would have been a sure TD. And it's not a fluke, the kid just takes the top off. In each of the last three games he played, he had no less than 87 yards. In two games he did it on only 4 receptions. He had 13.8 ypc on the year, he made the most out of his chance and he deserves to battle for that spot this offseason. By the way, did I mention that he was fast? Carson put it right on Caldwell after a beautiful play action. Check my man Whit lay the devastating block on Abram Elam and notice Gresham get off the ball to occupy his man. Carson this is what you had to look forward to man.

Backing up Caldwell is Dez Briscoe. No wait, that's not right. Now he is catching TDs for the Bucs. How in the world did the Bengals go and mess that up? Right now no one is backing up Caldwell. Shipley could possibly move outside if he had to but that would be misusing him. Given that Chad is still on contract, and it's been said that Simpson only plays the X, isn't it smarter to go after a 2nd or 3rd round Y receiver to compete with Caldwell? Ah well, I've resigned myself to the fact that we will probably draft AJ Green. What do you think we should do about depth behind Caldwell? Draft, FA, or hope that Jay is smart enough to have all the receivers switch around outside (and has a system simple enough for these guys to learn). Speaking of X receivers we may as well talk about the only one we have behind Chad..

Jerome Simpson

The athletic freak out of Coastal Carolina that has hands the size of dinner plates and enough speed to leave subtle smoke trails on the FieldTurf at PBS. We've all been waiting to see something out of him, anything, for a few years now. Until this last year he had only one meaningful catch. He was, by all accounts, a bust and a waste of a second round pick. Until he was given a shot. In the two games he started, had had back to back 120+ yard games and 3 touchdowns with a 13.9 ypc. Chad only had 4 touchdowns all year. This kid looked like Chad did in his prime. He may not be a playbook sponge but the kid can play. And if you have a talented kid that wants to play and get better you find a way to use him. Remember it was Antoine Cason who looked like a fool when Jerome blew right by him. Some of the best throws Carson made all year were to this kid and there is no reason to think he won't have a bunch more 100+ yard games with someone competent throwing to him. Just need to teach the kid to hold onto the ball.

And that's it isn't it? Outside of Chad. That's our receiver corps and personally I think there are a few teams that would be quite jealous. We have a depth issue and the Bengals need to figure out the best way to address it, but maybe someone in the front office will stumble across this FanPost so let's give them our opinion.

I'm writing this assuming Ocho is traded or released. And if he isn't, I think most of you already have opinions regarding what we have in Chad. I'll start with the slot and go from there.

Jordan Shipley.

He gets open. He knows how to put himself in the right position to make a play and he has great after-the-catch ability. He's a play maker and whoever is under center will appreciate him.

Quan Cosby.

Chase Coffman

Jermaine Gresham

Andre Caldwell

Jerome Simpson

Poll

How do we address receiver depth in 2011?

Duh! Draft AJ Green (or Julio Jones). Him and Simpson can battle it out and the loser takes snaps at X and Y.

64 votes

No not a receiver in the first round, please! Take someone like Leonard Hankerson or Titus Young in the second round.

35 votes

Don't draft a receiver this year, and if you have to, do it in the late rounds please.

24 votes

Free Agency. Just wait until the CBA is finally settled and start shopping around for a receiver.

8 votes

Depth? We got plenty of Depth. You didn't even talk about that TJ Whosyamamma guy.. or TO. What?

2 votes

133 votes | Poll has closed

Promising quotes from the mothership.

Cry — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:07:21 -0000

Just a quick one about some quotes that caught my eye as we all speculate towards draft day.

» There is no sure-fire, drop-dead, consensus top 10 quarterback prospect. Cam Newton came to town like the next Sam Bradford and left as the next Tim Tebow. All in about 48 hours. Thanks to inaccurate passing and a defensive attitude in team interviews.

Oh thank god!

» It's a deeper draft than usual in the mid rounds, where the Bengals are looking for a guard, safety and running back.

I'm wasn't hot on the idea of drafting a running back, until I read that they may be looking for 7th round value. But I'm glad they acknowledge the need for guard and safety.

» With no quarterback seemingly worthy at No. 4 barring a monstrous campus pro day by Blaine Gabbert at Missouri on March 17, the Bengals are faced with an age-old decision between Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson and Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.

So it looks like Fairley is out of the picture unless Hobson is speaking out of his ass.

And finally if it is AJ Green that we choose with that #4 pick, this might make you smile

» There seems to be one difference between Georgia's Green and the man he would replace, Chad Ochocinco. One guy that sat in on an interview with Green said, "Very soft-spoken. I almost had to lean forward to hear him."

You can read the rest of the article here.