I don't want to get carried away but...

Reserve your seats.  Buy your sun block.  After many years (remember Super Bowl XXIII), the Bengals' Bandwagon is headed back to Miami in February 2010. Get on board.  Group rates are available. 

After hitting a minor speed bump against the Broncos named Brandon Stokley (and I mean that with all due respect to the diminuitive Stokley who I would like to squash like a bug), the Bengals' Bandwagon is rolling as the Bengals have two impressive wins in a row.  What was most impressive on Sunday was the team's intensity.  The poise and resiliance shown when the Bengals were down 13-0 was impressive. 

Before the season, I wrote a column where I dream the Bengals won the Super Bowl and looking at how they did it:

A healthy Carson Palmer - check.  He looks good.  Numbers are deceptive. He led two fourth quarter scoring drives yesterday against a "genius" (Steeler defensive coordinator and former Bengal head coach, Dick LeBeau).

A Physical Defense - check.  See below.

Field Position - check.  Kevin Huber is a game changer and, overall, special teams are much better

The O-line - check.   A pleasant surprise.

Chad Becoming a Leader and Emergence of Andre Caldwell - check.

In sum, folks, we are living the dream.  A victory over the World Champion Steelers can only mean one thing -- it is time to stop naysaying and complaining, it is time to jump on the Bengals Super Bowl Bandwagon. 

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February 2010 -- In one of the most surprising turnarounds in NFL history, the Cincinnati Bengals were crowned Super Bowl champions after defeating the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLIV.  Here is how they did it.

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Rosenhaus Sports announced Tuesday that NFL super agent Drew Rosenhaus has been hired by the fans of the Florida Panthers to renegotiate season-ticket pricing for the 2009-2010 season.  Drew Rosenhaus also posted a message on his Twitter feed.  Upon reading this, my heart started racing.  Do you think Drew would be willing to come to Cincinnati to discuss fans' concerns with the Bengals and Mike Brown?  Would he be willing to chat live on Cincy Jungle about the prospect of representing Bengal fans?  This could be our big break. 

I couldn't believe that hockey fans were actually smart enough to launch the first formal, class-action fan rebellion in professional sports history.  Then, I looked for more information.   It turns out that hockey fans are not smarter than football fans.  In fact, they may be dumber if they fall for this scam.  Rosenhaus was actually retained by the Panthers as part of a marketing campaign, hence the press release and the Twitter feed.  Yahoo Sports is reporting that the team reached out to Rosenhaus and the team announced that it is indeed part of the team's new "viral" marketing strategy which includes tv and radio commercials.

This sham insults the intelligence of fans everywhere but Drew Rosenhaus has done that before.

The Sporting News Today ran a "Camp Countdown" story today on the Bengals that had multiple themes:

• There is no such thing as a short leash with the Bengals; Marvin Lewis is safe.
• Without Carson Palmer, opponents don't fear the passing game.
• According to an opponent, Marvin Lewis prefers the 4-3 defense but keeps drafting linebackers better suited to the 3-4. The defense can't stop the run, can't rush the passer and has no identity.
• Unless Carson can "energize" the offense, the Bengals will again finish last in the division.
• There is not enough stability on defense to ensure success.

I am actually surprised by the shallow analysis by authors Gerry Dulac, Vinnie Iyer, and Chick Ludwig.  Putting it all on Carson's back or a lack of stability on defense is so easy, but the article fails to cite any off-season upgrades or probe the implications of the lack of an established running back, the inexperience on the offensive line, etc.

On a positive note, the article includes a boxed quote from CBS analyst Phil Simms, who said, "I would be leery of this team.  They stayed competitive last year, even though they didn't have a healthy Carson Palmer and their offense was dreadful.  You look at how hard they played - and with passion.  It's possible they surprise some people this season."  I think that aside from Lapham, Phil may have just became my favorite analyst.

Unfortunately, I think Bengals fans see a last place finish in the cards.  I see that the team is now running ads for ticket packages.  I recently donated two season tickets to a charity for auction and the selling price was less than the price of one ticket alone.  I guess I could blame the economy but it is so much more fun to blame Mike Brown.

I have a guilty pleasure -- mock drafts. I love the mock drafts. Thanks to all of our readers I know I am not alone.  I know that beyond the first 15 picks, they are ridiculous speculation but I can't help myself. 

Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. has now extended his mock draft to seven rounds which raises the bar in terms of its absurdity.

Nonetheless, let's take a look at McShay's projected Bengals picks:

Eugene Monroe, OT, UVA

Eric Wood, C, Louisville

Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina

Jeremiah Johnson, RB, Oregon

Victor Harris, CB, Virginia Tech

Matt Shaughnessy, DE, Wisconsin

Rhett Bomar, QB, Sam Houston State

George Hypolite, DT, Colorado

Quan Cosby, WR, Texas

Antonio Appleby, MLB, University of Virginia

Anthony Felder, OLB, Cal

McShay's first two picks are no-brainers. 

Cook in the third makes some sense. Experts say he can add weight, ran fastest 40 among TEs, and won the weight-room award at South Carolina so has good work ethic.  Sounds like a good pick. 

After this, it gets more complicated.  Keep in mind that the Bengals can stretch on a couple of picks because all 11 draft choices will not make the team. 

McShay's next two picks are good football players but raise questions.  In the late third round, McShay has Bengals picking Oregon RB Jeremiah Johnson.  I don't like this pick.  Johnson can play football but has limited upside due to average speed, body type that won't allow him to add weight, and injury history (knee).  In the fourth, Hokie CB Macho Harris has average speed, is a poor run tackler and reportedly has some character questions but he sure looked good against our beloved UC Bearcats in the Orange Bowl.  Not sure about him either.  In the AFC North, don't we need corners who can tackle?

Former Oklahoma QB Bomar is an interesting pick.  Great athlete. Poor decision maker with character question.  Very little risk for the Bengals in picking him late when they have 11 picks.  

Draft Guru Mel Kiper has the Bengals taking Andre Smith, Cal C Alex Mack and Utah DE Paul Kruger in first three rounds, followed by Rashad Jennings, a RB from Liberty.  Jennings had two brothers play in the NFL , has great work ethic, and played one season at Pitt before transfering.  He reminds me of Rudy Johnson.  Mel has the Bengals drafting LSU FB Quinn Johnson in the 4th Round.  If Mel has it right, I am happy. 

I have written that I want to see OT, C, DE or LB, RB in first four rounds so was glad to see Mel agreed with me.  Great minds think alike.

I am somewhat incredulous at the trade buzz around Chad.

In February, I wrote that I didn't think it was worth it to trade Chad Johnson because, in my view, I didn't think he would command much in return.

Let's look at the facts. 

While he was once the most feared wide receiver in the league, Chad is now 31.  He has a torn labrum in his shoulder that should have been surgically repaired but wasn't.  He is coming off his worst season.  He continues to throw tantrums on the sideline and behave petulantly in the locker room.  To further drive his stock down, last week he failed to report to the Bengals' off-season work out program. 

In November, The Sporting News surveyed NFL scouts and published a list of the top 40 wide receivers.  TJ was #11.  Chad wasn't listed.  I think it is clear that he is no longer regarded by those in the league as an elite wide receiver.

As Kirkendall wrote, ESPN's John Clayton has said the Bengals want a first and a third-round pick for Chad.  No wonder Clayton says there is a 20% chance that Chad will be traded.  If that is truly what the Bengals want for Chad, I think Clayton's guess is about 19% too high.

If the Bengals are lucky enough to get the Eagles or the Giants to give up a late pick in the first round, they should take it.  At this point, I think a high second round pick, perhaps packaged with something in 4th round, is more than enough for Chad.   Are you listening Oakland?

When he failed to have his shoulder repaired and did not report to off-season work outs last week, he breached the trust of his teammates and coaches.  

Chad will get his due when he gets traded to a team with a sub-par QB and a coach that will punch his lights out if he tries to kiss him.

Note that I am joining Kirkendall's "juvenile" protest against a grown man changing his name to Ocho Cinco and will call him Chad Johnson as well.

The Ben-Gals will hold tryouts in April at PBS.  On April 11th, at a cost of $35, there will be a clinic to familiarize participants with the tryout process.  Participants must be 21 and be employed or a full-time student.  There are two practices a week from June - December and three during the pre-season.  Pay is $80.00 a game and outside paid appearances are possible.  Team members will be expected to perform at a minimum of 10 outside charity functions supported by the Benals.

The registration materials put emphasis on the following quotes,

" Glamour is important and will contribute towards your score.  Full complete hair style and make up is HIGHLY recommended." 

"Flexibility and a good attitude is a Must!!"

$80 a week?  NFL cheerleaders need to unionize and get a CBA.  These hard-working ladies are seriously underpaid.  Just think of all those sideline shots on tv as they go into commercials...all the jumbo-tron shots...the late-season cold games...and all the times the Bengals are going 3 and out, Kyle Larson is coming into to kick a 30-yard punt, you are bored and have the binoculars...I know you sneak a look -- everybody does it.  I have even caught my sons sneaking a peak.  The bottom line is that sometimes the Ben-Gals are the only smiling faces in the whole stadium and that, in and of itself, is worth a lot more than $80 a game.

Carson called me last week.  Seriously.  He called me.  It was tape-recorded but I am still sure the message was heartfelt.  After he thanked me for keeping my season tickets, he said next year was going to be exciting.  His voice bursting with optimism, he said will do anything he can to take the Bengals to the Super Bowl.  

So, to all the naysayers, including my wife (who wasn't especially pleased that "we" renewed our tickets)," stuff it.  Carson is talking Super Bowl.   That's right.  My man Carson is talking Super Bowl.  How many days until training camp starts? 

While we are on the topic of renewing my tickets, perhaps Carson could call my wife...personally... and thank her for her support and loyalty to the Bengals...that may help turn things around for me.

Regarding mock drafts, Steve Wyche of NFL.com now has the Bengals taking Eugene Monroe, the talented tackle from UVA. So does Todd McShay of Scouts Inc., while Mel Kiper Jr. has the Bengals drafting Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree.  If Monroe is still there at 6, we should grab him.  Mel's pick is solid though.  Crabtree is not just a great receiver, he is an awesome football player. 

ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that WR Glenn Holt has signed a one-year contract with the Vikings.  

If he didn't drop so many passes and regularly fumble kickoffs, I might care. 

In terms of geek stats, Football Outsiders can't be beat.  The site now evaluates how teams' performance was affected by injuries in 2008.  The good news is that the Bengals' poor performance had a lot to do with injury.  The analysis shows that they were the team most impacted by injury in 2008. 

"Adjusted Games Lost" or "AGL" uses the injury report, the status and relevance of a player to his team, and historical data regarding how likely a given player is to play to produce a measure of how dramatically a team is affected by injury. A team's shift in AGL from year-to-year bears a significant correlation with changes in their win-loss record.

Other teams that were most affected by injury were St. Louis, Baltimore and Detroit.

This should give us hope.  The Bengals were bad last year, but injuries had a lot to do with it. 

Signing Cedric Benson to a two-year $7 million deal was a good move for the Bengals.  The signing answered all those delusional souls who bombarded the Jungle and WLW with the thought that the Bengals should have designated Cedric Benson as their franchise player instead of Shayne Graham.  By playing it smart, the Bengals re-signed Benson for about half of the $6.62 million annual salary he would have received as the franchise player. 

That said, the Bengals will need even more help at running back.  As I wrote on February 18th, in ranking running backs with over 100 carries, the Football Outsider ranks Benson as the 46th most productive running back out of 49.  Incidentally, Chris Perry ranked dead last, coming in 49th out of 49.

Looking more closely at Benson's 2008 production, he carried the ball 214 times for 747 yards and two touchdowns.  He averaged 3.5 yards a carry.  However, over half of his yards last season were gained in five games against 4 really bad teams: 2 games vs. Cleveland (38/171/0), Kansas City (25/111/1), Washington (21/73/0), and Jacksonville (24/101/1).  Is it possible that Benson could continue to perform like he did in December, averaging 4.1 yards per carry?  Perhaps, but not likely.  His career average is 3.7 yards per carry.  Can he carry the load for a team over the course of a season?  We don't really know.  Prior to last season, he had never carried the ball more than 200 times or gained over 700 yards. 

The bottom line is that this is a good, low-risk signing.  Maybe Benson will finally reach his potential and become a top running back.   Maybe not.  As the Bengals have not yet made a move in free agency and lost top lineman Stacy Andrews, it is uncertain whether Benson will receive better blocking next season.

In any case, the Bengals should continue to look for help on the offensive line and at running back.  After solidifying the OL in the first two rounds, perhaps they can draft UConn's Donald Brown in the third round. 

Former Lions' QB Dan Orlovsky signed a 3-year $9.15 million contract with the Texans today, with a $2.4 million signing bonus.

The Bengals will have to look elsewhere for a back up to Carson Palmer.  In any case, Orlovsky's deal probably exceeds what the Bengals were willing to offer.

Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that, in a text message to the Enquirer, TJ indicated that he will make a decision Sunday evening about whether to remain in Cincinnati or to play with another team.

For all those who wanted Lions QB Jon Kitna to return to the Bengals to back up Carson Palmer, it is not going to happen.  Adam Sheffter of NFL.com has reported that Kitna was traded today to the Cowboys for unspecified compensation. 

Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. now has the Bengals using the sixth pick of the draft on Virginia tackle Eugene Monroe.  He is an athletic tackle with good feet. He is one of 16 children so you know he is tough.  Good character guy too. 

In his mock draft, McShay notes that if TJ leaves, Michael Crabtree is also a strong possibility.  If the Bengals don't go OL in first round, they will likely have to go that direction in the second round and may have to choose between  tackle Eben Brittan of Arizona, center Max Unger from Oregon , South Carolina tackle Jamon Meredith or UConn tackle Will Beatty. 

Interestingly, McShay now has UC Bearcat Connor Barwin going 25th overall to the Miami Dolphins.  As you know, the Jungle loves that guy.

Now that Ryan Fitzpatrick is officially gone, I am hopeful that the Bengals pursue the Lions' Dan Orlovsky to back up Carson Palmer.  As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, Orlovsky has very similar career stats to Fitzpatrick but is bigger and is a much better passer than Fitzpatrick.  Orlovsky and Fitpatrick both have been in the league for four seasons.  His game is much more similar to Carson Palmer's than is Fitzpatrick's so Orlovsky may be a better fit for the Bengals in any case.   We all have seen the highlight of him stepping out of the end zone last year but, that glaring mistake aside, he was not too bad playing on a very bad team.

I think the Bengals' efforts to attract high quality free agents will be hampered by the organization's poor reputation among players and agents, however free agent wide receivers may be attracted to the idea of playing with Carson Palmer.  

Along those lines, Nate Washington of the Steelers is younger and faster than TJ and knows how to win.  Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com writes that former NFL personnel man Michael Lombardi, who writes for the National Football Post, actually rates Washington ahead of TJ.   I really like that idea.  TJ is tough but we are not going to get a discount.  The idea of paying 32 year-old slot receiver $9 million+ a year seems risky.  If Washington didn't drop so many balls, it would be a no-brainer. Also, what about the Titans' Justin McCareins?

Like Kirkendall, I continue to believe that the Bengals should draft a OT in the first round.  Mel Kiper says Andre Smith of Alabama may now be projecting as a right tackle if he is viewed as not being able to control his weight.  He showed up at the combine out of shape and refused to work out which has really hurt his stock.  Todd McShay of Scouts, Inc. and NFL Network's Charles Davis still have the Bengals drafting Andre Smith but Kiper has them taking Jason Smith of Baylor.  With all the negative buzz about Andre Smith, maybe Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe are better options.  On the other hand, the guy is absolutely huge and looked pretty dominent to me at Alabama.

Amusingly, Kiper also writes that this is the WORST group of senior QBs he has ever seen.  

We in the Jungle love the University of Cincinnati's Connor Barwin.  Todd McShay of Scouts, Inc. writes that Barwin was so impressive in the combine that he has moved into a likely top 50 pick.  Barwin ran the fastest 40 for Defensive Ends (4.66) and also led all defensive linemen in vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill, and shuttle run.  He also displayed "hip fluidity" which means he also projects as an outside LB in a 3-4 or even as a "Sam" LB in a 4-3.

There is a lot of buzz on blogs and WLW this week about how the Bengals should have given Cedric Benson the franchise tag, rather than Shayne Graham.  That would have required the Bengals to pay Benson $6.62 million next season, which, in my opinion, would be ridiculous. 

In ranking running backs with over 100 carries, the Football Outsider ranks Benson as the 46th most productive running back out of 49.  Incidentally, Chris Perry ranked dead last, coming in 49th out of 49.

Let's look more closely at Benson's production last season. He carried the ball 214 times for 747 yards and two touchdowns.  He averaged 3.5 yards a carry.  However, over half of his yards last season were gained against 4 really bad teams - Cleveland (38/171/0), Kansas City (25/111/1), Washington (21/73/0), and Jacksonville (24/101/1).  Granted, the guy did play tough against Pittsburgh (30/87/0) but he averaged less than 3 yards per carry in that game.

Is it possible that Benson could continue to perform like he did in December, averaging 4.1 yards per carry?  Perhaps, but not likely.  His career average is 3.7 yards per carry.  Can he carry the load for a team over the course of a season?  We don't really know.  Prior to last season, he had never carried the ball more than 200 times or gained over 700 yards. 

Do the Bengals want Benson back? Absolutely.  Should the Bengals pay him $6.62 million for such a limited span of production?  No.  That would be foolish.

Should the Bengals re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick?  Last season we saw how important a back-up QB can be so the Bengals should be giving this serious thought. 

As I have written before, Scouts Inc. has him ranked 19th out of 19 free agent QBs but Sporting News ranked him 7th.

Fitzpatrick has proved to be an elusive runner, but how does he stack up as a passer?  Football Outsiders has some pretty innovative statistics to evaluate passers who threw a minimum of 100 passes in 2008.  QBs are ranked according to two criteria: DYAR or Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement and Defense-adjusted Value over Average or DVOA.  DYAR gives the value of a QB's performance compared to replacement level, adjusted for situation and opponent and then adjusted for yardage.  DVOA represents the value, per play, over an average QB in the same game situation.  The more positive the DVOA rating, the better the player's performance.   Using this criteria, in 2008, Fitzpatrick is ranked 37/41 in terms of DYAR and is ranked 35/41in terms of DVOA. 

Should the Bengals re-sign him? 

I have written before I like Dan Orlovsky with the Lions.  He is ranked significantly higher as a passer (26/41 on DYAR and 23/41 on DVOA).  I think he is a much better fit for the Bengals and would seem to command about the same money. 

Orlovsky and Fitpatrick both have been in the league for four seasons.  They both played as rookies in 2005 and then in 2008.  Both have similar statistics in 2008.  Orlovsky had 8 TDs/8 Ints./1616 yards for a 72.6 rating.  Fitzpatrick has 8 TDs/9 Ints./1905 yards for a 70.0 rating. 

Orlovsky may not have a Harvard degree like Fitzpatrick (and, incidentally, Mike Brown) but he is bigger (6'5"/230 lbs. v. 6'2"/225 lbs.).  His game is much more similar to Carson Palmer's than is Fitzpatrick's so Orlovsky may be a better fit for the Bengals. 

The Bengals had a record number of players on the injured reserve list last season.  Good news. Help is on the way...from India.  The New York Post reported today that a Hindu nationalist movement is developing a soft drink made from cow urine.  “Don’t worry. It won’t smell like urine and will be tasty too,” said Om Prakash, of the group’s Cow Protection Department.  Hindus revere cows as holy and believe that their urine is curative.  Forget weight lifting and conditioning -- this could be the answer to the Bengals injury epidemic.

Today, the Bengals acquired punter Ryan Plackemeier on waivers from the Redskins.  Plackemeier (6-3, 247; Wake Forest) is a 4th-year NFL player in 2009. He was a seventh-round draft choice of Seattle in 2006and punted in every Seahawks game over 2006-07, averaging 42.4 yards with 55 inside-20 kicks and 21 touchbacks. He was an NFL All-Rookie Team selection by Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers in 2006, when he averaged 45.0 yards for the season.  He was waived by the Seahawks on Sept. 9 of last season, after averaging 40.9 yards on 11 punts in the season opener, and he signed with Washington as a free agent on Oct. 15. He played in the Redskins' last 10 games, punting 55 times for a 41.7-yard average, 15 inside-20s and 10 touchbacks.

If the above story from the New York Post on the sports drink of the future wasn't a sign that I have been traveling too much, this story is -- I was on a regional jet today and smelled something. I looked across the aisle and a man was changing his daughter's diaper on the seat-back tray table.  No pad. No towel. Just the diaper and the tray table.  I don't think I can ever eat on a plane again. 

I think the Bengals should draft a OT with the sixth pick, however, if Bengals do choose to go in a different direction, the Sporting News lists the top 10 free agent offensive tackles. Guys of interest include Jordan Gross of the Panthers, Vernon Carey of the Dolphins, John Stinchcomb of the Saints and Donald Penn of the Bucs.  They have Stacy Andrews ranked third.  I like Gross because he has a mean streak.  Gross may be tagged but the others are all unlikely to be tagged. 

I hope the Bengals make a real effort to keep OT Stacy Andrews.  He may be signable at a discount because of his knee injury.  Apparently, his rehab is ahead of schedule.  Several weeks ago, I wrote that I would like to see the Bengals snag someone nasty like John Runyon.  Well, forget about that, the 35-year old Runyon wants to retire an Eagle and just had micro-fracture surgery on his knee.    

Sporting News likes Fitzy. They have him ranked the 7th best free agent QB.  They like his mobility, his intelligence and his age (26).  Maybe I am wrong about him but Scouts, Inc. thinks the same thing - they have him ranked dead last (19th). 

There are some good defensive free agents but they could cost big bucks.  Karlos Dansby, Bart Scott, Channing Crowder, Mike Peterson or Eric Barton all would help strengthen the LB corps where the Bengals need more depth. 

Bengal-killer Leigh Bodden was released by the Lions.  Something must be wrong with that guy because every time he plays the Bengals he looks like an all-pro. 

My favorite blogger (other than Kirkendall), Bengal John Thornton, thinks the Bengals should put the franchise tag on Shayne Graham.  Not unheard of - the Falcons tagged their punter yesterday.

The Bengals have a lot of room under the cap to work with so let's hope they open the purse strings and try to fill some needs.  Ask the Commish projects the Bengals to have $22 million to work with, which is the 12th-most cap room in the NFL.  Perhaps an aggressive foray into free agency can compensate for the career-ending injuries to high draft picks Pollack and Irons in last several years.  Not to cry over spilled milk, but those kinds of injuries to top picks have a long-lasting impact.

Joe Reedy, the Cincinnati Enquirer's new Bengals beat writer, posted the list of Bengals free agents today.  3 weeks to go until free agency officially kicks off.

Scouts Inc. has the free agents ranked.  I am going to stop writing about TJ because I think it is obvious he is not staying so the Bengals need to tag him as the "Franchise" player or we all need to forget about him and move on.

With respect to the Bengals' Outside Linebackers, the Bengals should try to retain Jeanty.  I think Blackstock is strictly a special teams player and can be easily replaced.  In addition, there are some good free agent linebackers who could help the Bengals. Terrell Suggs, Karlos Dansby, Bart Scott all could help.  Poaching from the Ravens also has the added benefit of addition by subtraction. 

Shayne Graham is ranked second among kickers.  If Shayne can't be re-signed, Mike Nugent and Rob Bironas are out there looking for a team.  I hope they can keep Graham. For the most part, he is a very dependable kicker.

The Lions' Dan Orlovsky would be an upgrade for the Bengals as a backup QB.   The Pride of the Ivy League, Ryan Fitzpatrick is ranked dead last (19th) in the free agent QB rankings.  I still can't believe the Bengals actually had to trade for him.

Ravens' Center Jason Brown from would also be a nice addition and fill a serious need on the O-line.  Matt Birk is more seasoned and could be a stop gap solution for a season or two if we are unable to draft someone who is more capable than the hapless Eric Ghiaciuc (which, I candidly admit, seems impossible). 

I really hope the Bengals can re-sign Chris Crocker and I still love John Thornton -- he is a clubhouse leader and we need that.  Plus, he blogs. That is really cool.

I still can't make up my mind about Cedric Benson but I suppose the Bengals should make a bona fide effort to sign him.  Who else is going to play. Chris Perry? Like Kirkendall, I think they should throw some bucks at Dorsey to stay.    

Chris Steuber of Scouts Inc. revised his mock draft again and has the Bengals taking Florida State DE Everette Brown.  I don't really understand this.  Brown is listed much lower in other "experts" mock drafts.  Mel Kiper has him going 15th to Houston.  I don't know if Steuber has seen  the Bengals play but they really can't justify getting anything but a top-flight offensive tackle with their first round pick. 

I can't remember a year where the Bengals' needs have been so obvious - offensive tackle, center, linebacker, running back, and a better backup QB. 

And, by the way, would it be too much to ask that the Bengals hire a GM? 

Free Agency officially begins at the end of this month.  Ask the Commish writes an excellent summary of the NFL's free agency rules, which, I warn you, are very complex.  The key difference between a UFA and a RFA is pretty straightforward - a UFA has the right to sign with any team he chooses without his team demanding compensation.  The RFA differs in that the player's team can benefit from having the right of first refusal which alows it to match the player's best offer.  In some cases, as outlined by Kirkendall using the example of DeDe Dorsey, the team can demand draft compensation.  UFAs must have been in the league for 4 or more seasons.  RFAs must have 3 or more "accrued" seasons but less than 5.

Each club can designate one of its players who would otherwise be a UFA or RFA as the"Franchise Player."  According to the Commish, most people don't realize the Bengals have the option of designating the Franchise Player with one of two tags: "Exclusive" or "Non-Exclusive."  Any club that designates a Franchise player as "Exclusive" shall be the only club that the player can sign with at a salary that is the minimum of the average of the top five salaries in the league at his position or 120% of his salary, whichever is greater.  If the team elects to name the player "non-exclusive" then the player shall be permitted to negotiate a contract with any club as if he were an UFA, however draft compensation of TWO first round picks will be awarded.  If the player elects to play with the team that designated him with the Franchise tag, the one-year salary is guaranteed.  Teams must designate the Franchise player between Feb 5-19th. 

Teams must submit a qualifying offers to their RFAs by Feb. 26.  Free Agency then officially begins on Feb. 27.

I hope this helps.  Ask the Commish also reports that the Bengals have the 12th- most cap space available to sign rookies and free agents so they will have options in terms of wading into the free agent market.  Again, I would like to see them sign a veteran leader who can bring a bit of "nastiness" to our O-line.  

As I wrote last week, I believe the Bengals top priority should be to draft an offensive tackle.  The experts agree.   Mel Kiper has the Bengals drafting Jason Smith of Baylor in his mock draft.  Todd McShay of ESPN's Scouts Inc. has them drafting Andre Smith of Alabama who he has ranked the fourth best player in the draft.  Kiper has Andre Smith going second to St. Louis.  A lot of people like Jason Smith because he is a converted TE so has good feet.

McShay has the Bengals drafting Paul Kruger, a DE from Utah, in the second round with the 38th pick.  Like the rest of the country when it comes to Utah football, I don't know much about Kruger.  Kiper doesn't have him in the top 5 DEs who he has all going in the first round.  Clearly DE is a need, but should it be the Bengals second priority?  Perhaps.  DE is a physically demanding position.  Geathers and Odom are good players but have been injured.  If "best athlete available" were a DE, that would probably be an appropriate choice with the 38th pick.

On the other hand, you can never have enough good inside and outside linebackers.  Big impact LBs can often be found at the top of the second round.

The Bengals desperately need a Center.  They haven't been able to run the ball since Rich Braham got hurt and retired.  According to the "experts," this is a good draft for centers so perhaps we don't need to wade into free agency to overpay for someone like Matt Birk of the Vikings.  McShay has the top-rated interior prospect Alex Mack of California going to the Steelers with the 32nd pick.  If he was still available at 38, he would be a steal.  Other top-ranked centers are Max Unger of Oregon, Eric Wood of Louisville, Antoine Caldwell of Alabama, and Jonathan Luigs of Arkansas.

I know this is weird but I would love to see the Bengals draft Kevin Huber, the punter from the University of Cincinnati and McNicholas HS.   Kyle Larson had a bad year last season (but maybe his leg just got tired from punting so much).

Did anyone notice we need a running back? Cedric Benson may be the answer. He may not.  It may be worthwhile to use a 2 or a 3 on a RB to get some depth.

We have two months to think about the draft so let us know what you think.

I have been noticing a lot of chatter about whether the Bengals should trade Chad.

In November, The Sporting News surveyed real NFL scouts and published a list of the top 40 wide receivers.  TJ was #11.  Chad wasn't listed.  So to all those clamoring to get rid of Ocho Cinco, what do you think we will get for him? 

The answer: Not much. 

We all know Chad's downsides but aren't the Bengals better off with him than getting rid of him at such a deep discount?  He is 30.  Many wide receivers have performed at very high levels into their mid-30s.  He does not have a history of significant injuries.   Perhaps his declining numbers last season can be attributed to his shoulder injury and the fact that Carson was hurt. 

Does his past behavior merit moving him even at a discount?  Perhaps, but he seems to be toning it down this offseason. 

Let's hope he realizes it is time to get serious and shows up for minicamp in top shape.  If not, it may then be time to move him, even at a deep discount. 

What do you think?

1. Some organizations have a winning “culture” and that matters. Pittsburgh is a small-market city but the Steelers have now won more Super Bowls than any other team. The organization and their fans expect to win.

2. Maturity matters. Did you see Larry Fitzgerald crying on the sideline or punching his coach at halftime when he only had one catch? Please take note, Ocho Cinco. Maturity matters.

3. Players matter. Steelers owner Dan Rooney was quoted today on SI.com as saying, “Just have good players. That is the big thing. Players are the ones who do it for you. You can't win without the players. Remember that." I can't disagree with that and hope the Brown Family took note.

4. Fans matter. I noticed that, after the game, Mike Tomlin gave immediate credit to Steeler Nation. As a Bengal fan, as much it pains me to say it, I have total respect for their fans. They bring it every week. Everywhere!

Yesterday afternoon, in Cincinnati, my family and I wanted to see what it was like to be part of Steeler Nation. We stopped by Martinos on Vine in Corryville. The bar is decorated in yellow and black and they serve Iron City Beer, Pittsburgh-Style Wings, Pierogies and Primanti Brothers-Style sandwiches. As I raised my Iron City, I was struck by the question of whether a similar Bengals-themed bar exists in Pittsburgh? Having lived on the East Coast for a number of years before returning to Cincinnati, I know that, at times, I felt like I was Bengal Nation. This feeling, could, however, be attributed to the fact that no one ever seems to leave Cincinnati.

A final note on the Terrible Towel. I hate the Terrible Towel, (absolutely hate it!) but did anyone see that the inventor, the late great voice of the Steelers Myron Cope, bequeathed rights to the Terrible Towel to Pittsburgh-area charities? Myron’s gift generated over $2.5 million this season. It just adds to Cope’s legacy as a guy who loved his team and his city. Something to think about that the next time a drunken black and yellow-clad fan waves one in your face at PBS.

While it is tempting for Bengal fans to draw hope from the Cardinals’ resurgence because of a transition of power from long-time owner Bill Bidwill to his son, Michael, and the hiring of a GM, we should not jump so quickly to conclusions.

Until this season, the Cardinals had exactly one playoff win in 51 years under owner Bill Bidwill.  Several years ago, power in the organization shifted to his son, Michael, a former prosecutor with a hard edge.  In addition to successfully lobbying for the construction of a new stadium, the front office was restructured and now includes a General Manager.  And now, the Cards are in the Super Bowl.

Is this something we should draw Mike Brown’s attention to?

Doing a little research, my answer is probably not.  Phoenix-area press has many articles that paint the younger Mr. Bidwill as a control freak, who has to have his hand in every football decision.  If that is true, it raises the question whether GM Rod Graves is just a figurehead.  Phoenix-area blogs dismissively refer to him as the Bidwill family’s lackey.

This is not to say that Michael Bidwill has not done some things very well.  After all, he hired Ken Whisenhunt.  He has opened the family’s purse strings to do things like upgrading the team’s weight room and workout facilities.  Arizona has become much more attractive to potential free agents.  By all accounts, it is an entirely different organization than it was six years ago when he became President.

However, most organizations that have sustained success create an atmosphere where an organizational strategy is developed collaboratively, coaches coach, the GM oversees football operations, and ownership is supportive, not dictatorial or mercurial.

How to explain the Cards making the Super Bowl?  Perhaps the old idiom best sums it up, “Even a blind squirrel gets lucky once in awhile and finds a nut.”  Time will tell.

Don’t get me wrong, I want the Brown Family to hire a GM.  However, the GM should be empowered to make the football decisions with minimal interference from ownership.  This does not seem to be the case with the Cardinals.  If Bengal fans are to draw lessons from the Bidwill family, I will have to be convinced.

For me, this is a bitter time of the year. Not cold. Bitter. 

I am bitter because every year at this time I have to sit and watch other teams’ fans revel in the California or Florida sun, partying all week, waiting for their teams to play in the Big Game. I want to be them and that makes me bitter. Very bitter. And then, to rub salt into my emotional wounds, replays of the Bengals’ two Super Bowl appearances seem to be running 24-7. I still can’t believe Lewis Billups dropped that interception.

As everyone knows, this year the Bengals finished 32nd in the NFL in points per game and yards per game. But not to worry, yesterday, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Marvin Lewis blamed the players’ eroding discipline for the team’s poor offensive performance in 2008. I have got to hand it to Coach Lewis. He has got it all figured out. 

While I agree that more discipline is needed and the players have certainly earned the right to enjoy a “Junction Boys”-type training camp next Summer, the Bengals have to upgrade the O-line if they want to improve from finishing the regular season ranked 30th in passing yards and 29th in rushing yards. The current group just didn’t get it done.

I saw it reported this week that the Bengal coaches were enamored with several defensive players at the Senior Bowl and several of the articles hinted that they may use their first round pick on a defensive player. Honestly, if I don’t see Andre Smith, Michael Oher, Eugene Monroe or some other massive offensive lineman with a Bengals ball cap on his head on draft day, I will be astounded. But then again, I have been surprised before (I was blown away by the Jerome Simpson pick last year – that guy could be Bart Simpson and I wouldn’t know the difference because he played so little this year).

In addition, the list of free agents has some interesting names that may be able to add some veteran leadership. For example, I don’t care if 13-year vet Jon Runyan can play anymore, that guy is a mean and nasty presence on an O-line. We need these guys to be haters, not fat and happy (see Big Willie in his last season as a Bengal or this year in camp). Other free agent linemen include OT Jordan Gross from Carolina, OT Marvel Smith of Pittsburgh, OT Mark Tauscher from Green Bay, C Matt Birk from Minnesota, C Jeff Saturday from Indianapolis, OT Tra Thomas from Philadelphia, OG Jahri Evans from New Orleans, OG Mike Goff from San Diego, C Jason Brown from Baltimore and others. All of these guys have been around. They know how to play and, most of them know how to win. The Bengals desperately need leadership. Coaches can instill discipline but teams need leaders to enforce it on the field and in the locker room.

A final note on the O-line. My 14-year-old son said last week that he wants the Bengals to draft or sign a center. He said he is tired of seeing Eric Ghiaciuc get blown off the ball and if he has to watch Eric Ghiaciuc start one more game at center, he won’t watch anymore. Hearing this, I was proud. Whether he is being too critical of Ghiaciuc or not, he is now officially one of us – the poor, the suffering, the Bengal fan. 

I must conclude as I need to round up the family to watch old Super Bowl highlights. “See kids, the Bengals almost won it all…twice.” 

It is, indeed, a bitter time of the year.

I will be writing a weekly column on the Bengals for CincyJungle so wanted to introduce myself.  I have been a Bengals fan since 1972, which qualifies me to call myself a "long-suffering" Bengals fan (I know it is somewhat redundant).  I am a Bengals season ticket holder, was awarded the Enquirer’s Bengal fan of the week in 2007 for my Bengals-Elvis costume, religiously and optimistically attend training camp every year, and am raising my kids to be Bengals fans (sometimes against my wife’s objections and my better judgment).  

In my spare time, when not obsessing about the Bengals, I spend a lot of time at my kids' games, on airplanes, and at work as an executive at an unnamed Fortune 500 company.   I hope you enjoy my contributions to CincyJungle.