Cincinnati Bengals (2013 Season)

[RB07OSU]

Name an NFL team that spends less money on scouts and coaching than the Bengals. Right. That's why their draft picks always look so WTF-is-going-on?

Oh I know...it's just baffling to me that we refuse to realize the deficiencies at the safety position year in and year out. It is the thorn in our side every year on an otherwise stout defense...not sure why we so willingly ignore this reality and keep drafting 3-5 round safeties hoping we won't get the same results as before.

Shawn Williams over Bacarri Rambo??

Yeah that really confused me too.

Hunt pick makes sense to me, actually. I believe Michael Johnson is a FA after this season and with the Bengals needing to extend Atkins, you're probably going to let Johnson walk. So, fill the position with the best available at the position. 4.6 for DE is pretty sick. I'm comfortable with the selection.

I usually agree with you on everything but not here...we have Johnson, Dunlap, Geathers, Anderson, and Gilberry. Even if Johnson walks, we have a solid two deep and that is a speculative need right now, whereas we have an obvious need for safety THIS year. We needed to make a move for a top safety either in the FA market or move up in round 1 or 2 to get a guy.

 

[RB07OSU]

Love the Porter pick at LB in the 4th...guy is great in coverage, can get pressure on the QB, is a turnover machine, and a very physical player. Watch out for this guy, I could see him being a solid starter here down the road and possibly even a guy who can come in and play some immediately, particularly on 3rd down. Very good all-around LB.

 

[Honor&Glory]

Oh I know...it's just baffling to me that we refuse to realize the deficiencies at the safety position year in and year out. It is the thorn in our side every year on an otherwise stout defense...not sure why we so willingly ignore this reality and keep drafting 3-5 round safeties hoping we won't get the same results as before.



Yeah that really confused me too.



I usually agree with you on everything but not here...we have Johnson, Dunlap, Geathers, Anderson, and Gilberry. Even if Johnson walks, we have a solid two deep and that is a speculative need right now, whereas we have an obvious need for safety THIS year. We needed to make a move for a top safety either in the FA market or move up in round 1 or 2 to get a guy.

No problem. its ok to disagree. Dunlap and Johnson are both FA's next season, FYI...not sure there is cap room to sign both AND extend Atkins.

I read up on both safeties from UGA and BOTH had a consensus 3rd round grade. One covered better than the other according to what I read and one was known as a much better tackler...the Bengals took the one who had the higher tackling grade. Most analyst (outside of Mayock The Irish Fan) liked the pick for Cincy.
The only 'questionable' pick I've really seen so far is the RB from UNC...Personally, I would have prefered Ball and found a 'scat' back later in the draft.

 

[bearonu]

I see the Hunt pick as more of a way to push Geathers out on the other side, independent of Johnson and Dunlap. It seems that the Bengals may have been looking to part ways with Geathers for a while due to contract and I think this pick may help speed that up.

FWIW, Kiper said after the third yesterday that he loved what the Bengals had done so far.

 

[BengalsAndBucks]

Seems to me like we are drafting this year to fill holes when people walk next year (Gresham, Dunlap/Johnson). Would be way more ok with this if we had more than one safety on the roster and Rey Rey wasn't sharpied in to a starting role.

 

[RB07OSU]

No problem. its ok to disagree. Dunlap and Johnson are both FA's next season, FYI...not sure there is cap room to sign both AND extend Atkins.

I read up on both safeties from UGA and BOTH had a consensus 3rd round grade. One covered better than the other according to what I read and one was known as a much better tackler...the Bengals took the one who had the higher tackling grade. Most analyst (outside of Mayock The Irish Fan) liked the pick for Cincy.
The only 'questionable' pick I've really seen so far is the RB from UNC...Personally, I would have prefered Ball and found a 'scat' back later in the draft.

I think we have enough room to get Atkins and Dunlap back...those guys are our defensive identity now and on down the road. I see Johnson either taking a significant cut or walking. I'm just saying I think Hunt was a bit of a reach and I think this was a best pick saved for next year when we know more about our DE situation, or wait until the 3rd or 4th to get a guy like Okafor, Lemonier, or Damontre Moore.

Now the Williams pick I am OK with for sure. Good player and the UGA connection has worked before. My only real beef with the Bernard pick is I think we could have got him where we selected Hunt and I agree completely...if we don't get him late 2nd, take an APB like Barner in the 5th or 6th and take Lacy or Bell in the 2nd.

Seems to me like we are drafting this year to fill holes when people walk next year (Gresham, Dunlap/Johnson). Would be way more ok with this if we had more than one safety on the roster and Rey Rey wasn't sharpied in to a starting role.

Agreed completely. Kind of wish we would have used the money we spent on Rey to get a legit safety in the FA market (for what was out there, we could have done this) and spent one of our first three picks on either of Ogletree, Minter, Alonso, or Bostic.

All this being said, I think we are having a GOOD draft...not in love like the pundits but I like I'm coming around on the idea of adding a receiving and running/receiving threat with the first two picks. Lack of scoring, particularly in the redzone, was a huge issue for this team...Eifert and Bernard are both great candidates to fix that. Follow up with a guy that could compete at safety, a developmental freak at DE, and then I really like the Porter pick for this year and down the road.

 

[RB07OSU]

And we take an OL with the 5th round pick, likely a guard...guessing Wharton and Pollack aren't seen as being on the roster for long. Guessing that the Smith signing means we aren't looking at Fragel now...we have Roland and Collins as solid backups already. I'd love to see us take Boren in one of our last 4 picks, a WR, and probably another RB.

 

[RB07OSU]

Love picking Burkhead at RB and taking a WR, although I am not familiar with Cobi Hamilton...great stats in a tough conference though, sounds good. Burkhead should slide right into the Leonard role for us.

 

[cincibuck]

Love picking Burkhead at RB and taking a WR, although I am not familiar with Cobi Hamilton...great stats in a tough conference though, sounds good. Burkhead should slide right into the Leonard role for us.

I like what I saw of him in his two games against OSU, but doesn't he have a major knee problem?

 

[RB07OSU]

I like what I saw of him in his two games against OSU, but doesn't he have a major knee problem?

From what I understand, his knee slowed him down some last year but he is gradually getting back up to speed. For a 6th round I think the upside is there...if he gets back to form, he can be a slightly shiftier Leonard and contribute to us on screens and swing passes on 3rd downs either this year or down the road.

And I might officially have to retract some on Hunt...seems like a perfect project. He is WAY raw and has much work to do, but the guy is a freak and plays the game violent. Long DEs have worked well for us in the past, I think Hunt can too a year or two down the road, plus maybe block some kicks for us on special teams.

Also, entire list of rookies including FAs. Of note, DT Larry Black from Indiana and Roy Roundtree...no other names I recognize: http://www.bengals.com/team/rookie-minicamp-roster.html

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiqRrJ35lzE"]Ultimate Margus Hunt Highlights (NFL Draft 2013 - 53rd Pick // Cincinnati Bengals) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[southcampus]

I'm not a Bengals fan, but I think they had a good draft. I know you guys don't like the Eifert pick, but that gives them a really dynamic set of TE's to go with AJ Green. If Sanu can progress and they can get production from the law firm and Bernard, that's probably the best offense in the division.

 

[BengalsAndBucks]

Just for shits and giggles, here is how I would have drafted. I'll assume we make no trades, and that there wouldn't be massive second order affects from the Bengals taking different players that would have resulted in someone falling super far or being taken much earlier than they were:

21: Tyler Eifert - I'm coming around to this pick. Everything I've read has him as a great value at 21, and we could use another intermediate weapon on offense, not to mention not overpay Gresham next year. Given what else was available at this point, I'm content to take him here.
37: Arthur Brown/Kevin Minter - each has their merits, and you can debate which of the two would have helped more, but I would have taken one of the two at this spot.
53: D.J. Swearinger - safety was a big need, I'm not a huge fan of the one we got, and given that Franklin lasted until the late 4th, we can wait on an RB.
84: Jonathon Franklin - I don't think you can possibly expect him to fall this far but given that he did, I jump on him late in the third and couldn't be happier.
118: William Gholston/Malliciah Goodman - I actually think the Porter pick was one of our best, but having already addressed LB, and obviously with the team viewing DE as a need, I think Gholston or Goodman are good values here, just take whichever is highest on your board.
156: Josh Evans/David Quessenberry - personally, I see safety as a bigger need than OT, and given that we eventually got Fragel in the 7th round I think that Josh Evans is a good value here. That being said, if OT really is this big of a need, taking Hawkinson over Quessenberry, Wagner, or Painter is just a joke.
190: Jordan Poyer - I think one RB in Franklin is enough this year, and Poyer is an unbelievable value here. I'm also in the camp of you can never have enough corners.
197: Da'Rick Rodgers - Cobi Hamilton is not a bad pick here at all, I like him a lot. That being said, I think end of the 6th is late enough to take a chance on a guy who could be one of the 6 or 7 most talented wideouts in the class. Not unhappy with Hamilton, but would have taken Da'Rick myself.
240: Reid Fragel - I think getting him here is a steal.
251: T.J. Johnson - need center depth, best one available, good pick I'm happy with it.

Of course, if we draft differently players fall differently and who knows what happens. All that said, given who was on the board at the time we drafted, I would have much preferred this draft to the one we have.

 

[RB07OSU]

Signed Jayson DiManche as a UFA couple days ago...unreal athlete and flys off the edge. Should contribute on special teams right away and potentially as a pass rusher/coverage LB on third downs. Film is unreal. Tons and tons of upside. With our starters and adding Harrison, plus bring in Porter and DiManche (also Bruce Taylor from VaTech isn't bad either as a UFA), I think we are going to be fine at LB with the guys we have up front.

Only real question to me moving forward is safety play...plenty of depth at CB with Hall, Newman, Kirkpatrick, Jones, Ghee, and Prater. I almost wish we could put Newman back in the open safety spot with Nelson and have Jones/Kirkpatrick split time at corner...that is if Williams doesn't come in and impress right away. We already know Mays and Miles aren't going to cut it, no word on how Iloka looks...so Williams or a corner are the only viable options in my eyes. The Clements move to safety worked out fairly well last year.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UOon6GISAI"]Jayson Dimanche 2012 Highlights Southern Illinois University #34 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[ulukinatme]

Can't go wrong with Eifert really. Notre Dame's last 4 starting TEs have all gone in the 1st or 2nd round, and all of them as of last year were starting for teams in the NFL except for John Carlson who was playing backup to Kyle Rudolph. Eifert's hands probably aren't as soft as Rudolph's, but they're close and he's a better blocker.

 

[Bucknut24]

Bengals doing HBO Hard Knocks again