Comments on: Let the buzz begin

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:19:47 +0000

With your ear so low to ground, I thought you might have heard some rumblings about the status of Sims & Collins. Haven’t heard anything on them. Leading up to free agency there was plenty of speculation from multiple sources that these 2 could be signed as starters for other teams. Yet there has been zero info about them talking to any teams, including us. Do you think that’s a good sign for us, or just an indication that a run on their respective positions just hasn’t started yet? Aside from Reggie Nelson, Collins & Sims were the guys I thought we should next try to keep. But only if we could get them in the 2M-3M range. They aren’t starters but they could jump right in and be starters without us missing a thing. The 2 best backups on our roster IMO. Also there a 5 other names we haven’t heard yet. Andre Caldwell, Dennis Roland, Gibril Wilson, Brandon Johnson & Bo Scaife. Any news on them?

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 07:05:49 +0000

In the same article previously referenced you also commented on the CB situation. We now have 5, are expected to draft one and you say we are probably about done. I think we will sign one more. And I’m going on the record to say we may pass on a CB in the draft this year, due to not matching up with one of value when we pick. I will stress the words “may pass on a CB”. We may pick one with #17. But the way the roster is starting to shape up points to a DT or DE @ 17. I said earlier in the year I thought we would sign a CB in the 3.5-4M range in free agency. I also said we would sign one more, either one of our UFAs or an at large one. We seem to be pursuing just that. I also suggested if we signed 2 in FA and drafted one that we will cut either Clements or Crocker. And I really think it could be Clements. I know you’ve said already it won’t happen. But we can save 4.3M on this years cap hit by cutting him vs 1.5M saved by cutting Crocker. You said yourself if we draft another CB that’s 6. If we sign one too that’s 7 and one has to go. In fact one S would have to go as well. So both could be cut if we needed/wanted to clear cap space. Rivers (save 1.9M) & Geathers (save 4.2M) could be cut too but it’s very doubtful. All 4 are on the last year of their deals and are the only players that offer any significant savings. Do you still think it’s out of the question that Clements could be cut?

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 06:22:48 +0000

@Hobson: In your recent article ‘…Back Debate’, you question whether it wouldn’t be better to match BScott with a drafted RB instead of Green-Ellis and Bush who had ypc below Benson’s. I agree, but also warn that Benson had a better run blocking line. But you have a strong point. Do we want to pay them Benson money for Benson stats? IMO Benson is, even at his age, on a different level than those guys. But your comments assume that we are going to only feature 2 backs and stock 3 on the roster. I think Gruden is talking a true committee instead of a duo. Which means stocking 4 RBs on the 53 man roster and featuring 3. If you look at it like that then we can keep Leonard and BScott, sign a RB in free agency and draft a RB. But honestly you could counter with a better one and suggest that simply drafting 2 RBs in this deep RB draft would be the best move then. To be honest I don’t understand Green-Ellis, because he is a terrible pass catcher…only 26 receptions in 53 career games. Bush on the other hand would be a good signing to me, because he’ll provide power running and he had 37 catches at 11.3 ypc last season.

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 18:09:26 +0000

Good move at G! They are approaching this as I had hoped the team would. The team is being smart with it’s money and it should be. The only big money we should unload in free agency is to a starting CB or if the contract is a 1 year deal. And by big I mean over 2-3M a year. Just too many guys to re-sign in the next 2 years. And even if we leave space i future years, it’s going to be hard to re-sign them all. By the time 3 years passes we will have had to do new deals or replace everyone on the roster but Hall, Cook & Whitworth, That’s 37 contracts that expire by the end of 2014 or before. 29 of them expire by the end of 2013 season. 18 of them by the end of this season, including 6 starters from 2011 roster. What puts us in a unique position is we have tons a young talent on the roster and if we don’t mess it up we will have the money over the next 1-3 years to re-sign a great deal of that young talent.

By: rparr32

rparr32 — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:54:03 +0000

@Hobson. Is it me or does it seem like the Bengals are just sitting by watching alot of their key players being signed by other teams while not doing anything as far as signing the remaining or obtaining any free agents? I know this question has nothing to do with your blog post but it was the only way I knew how to reach out to you. As a fan, (for 30 years) this seems to be typical Bengals again. It is already Friday and I havent heard of one signing that fits a major need. If anything, I see them allowing key players being picked up by other teams hence Rucker/Fanene and now a Mcglynn (not sure if that is how you spell it) I dont know about what you think , but arent we already thin at gaurd? I still havent heard anything about Nelson either. Can you fill us fans in on this and why they are allowing this to happen. Also, with all this money why havent they signed Bush yet? AKA Michael Bush. I just know as someone who has lived in this city for forty years that if they dont start getting on the ball, and quit allowing key players to walk out of here, the blackouts from last year will be even worse this year. Us fans are tired of this crap. Just saying

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 07:07:22 +0000

Well McGlynn is the next guy to get signed with another team. That makes 3 now. What will be interesting is how we fill these holes. Because there will be more. We could fill these holes in free agency or in the draft, but we may also fill it by subtraction. And it may be the case that there are guys on the roster already that they feel comfortable moving too. Like Boling, Hudson, Mays, etc. But DT & DE are going to require some kind of moves. We only have 3 DTs & 3 DEs on the roster right now. I think with Fanene & Rucker gone the chances of getting Sims back are better. But again like with the other 2, if it takes more than 2.5-3M a year we won’t sign him. We may not even sign him then. There are not a lot of attractive free agents at DT/DE. But we are simply looking for a role player/backup. But it would also seem that drafting a Dlineman in the 1st round is becoming more likely.

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 06:26:17 +0000

I don’t understand the Mock Draft. I read all the way down then there is no projection on our 17th pick. I appreciate the point that there are a group of players we will choose from at 17, and it will be hard to tell which one it will actually be until we make the pick. But for the point of the exercise, don’t we have to go ahead and pencil a player in that slot? If not, how do we get to #21?

By: kschoenfel01

kschoenfel01 — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:26:51 +0000

Is anyone else upset that the bengals organization says that they want to keep the players they already have and let two great role players walk? I am sick of it….Look at last year with Jonathon Joseph, we give him a low ball offer and the guy walks. WOW!! Great job bengals! Second of all, it is sad how under prepared you are for free agency, its ridiculous, that is your full-time job, to anticipate and be ready for these times. We have almost more money than any other team to spend by next year and we barely anything to show by it. Oh wait, we signed big named players dan skuta, hayden, and peerman…since they are our go-to guys. I am sick of seeing and hearing the bengals talk about how they want to be like the New England Patriots and develop their own team and then we let two of our great role players walk. We are nothing like the New England organization and will never be as long as Mike Brown is around. What a laugh stock this bengals organization truely is.

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:41:31 +0000

I just read we have a visit scheduled with Michael Bush. This intrigues me and scares me at the same time. He’s a great power back, and has great ability catching balls out of the backfield. At 6’1″ 245 he’s a big back. And he would work nicely against some of the AFC North Ds we face. I think that one thing that was not appreciated about Benson was his durability. And whoever takes his place he will not likely fill those part of his shoes. All I can say is I’m for the back by committee if that is what we are going to do. But be careful how you build the committee. Because it does give flexibility in game planning, etc. But it leaves you open bad scenarios. You better make sure you have 1 back that can be the lone runner if injury hits your backfield. And you probably need 1 that could do the same if that guy goes down. To me if you want examples, the current Giants do the committee thing well, but there RBs can also function as featured backs if injury requires it. The best historical example was the Broncos under Shanahan. But you build a stable like that through the draft. They drafted a RB at some point in almost every draft for 10 years. When your contract was up it was time to go play for someone else and they would bring another up from the stable.

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:14:15 +0000

I think if DeCastro is there at 17 take him unless RIchardson is there (he won’t be!). If we miss on DeCastro, and Glenn is there at 21, take him! What I don’t want to see is us take a chance on a character problem @ CB. Kirkpatrick could be there at 17, but that’s going to be a big judgement call on our part. Janoris Jenkins has way to many character dings and it’s looking like he’s going to project from #25 on down. It’s starting to look like the better option at CB is to trade down into the late first/early second and try to get Gillmore. And I know that finding a starting level CB after the 2nd round is unusual. But if you look at the makeup of this years CB class it’s unusual. The more this goes on I think with the first 2 picks we have to do 2 of these 4 choices: CB-Steven Gillmore, Oline, Dline or the right WR if he presents himself. Oh and of course Richardson at 17, if he’s there, above anything else. But he won’t be there! If had to make a guess right now. I’d say he’s going #6 to the Rams if he doesn’t go 4 to the Browns. If he made it passed there then surely the Chiefs get him at #11. If he was still there we will still need him to go past the Cards @13, Eagles @15 & Jets @16 to get our crack.

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:23:44 +0000

Looking at the current 19 unrestricted free agents I’ve put them into 3 groups to predict how likely we are to re-sign them. Group 1 are players that we want to keep, can afford market value, but not on a long term deal. Collins, Fanene, Rucker & Sims. They all will require mid-level long term deals, but they are all backups, and we can only afford so much for them. The best chance is a short term deal. Not likely. Group 2 are players we can afford, but have dings, like legal troubles, past injury, underachiever, etc. that may stand in the way of a deal. Benson, Caldwell, Simpson, Williams & Jones. They all have their dings of some sort. We may not want them at all. If we do some will be at discounted price. Deals in this group are anybody’s call. Maybe…maybe not. Group 3 are players we want back, can afford but will have a limit on what we will pay for them. Lee, Scaife, Livings, McGlynn, Roland, Johnson, Lawson, Jennings, Nelson & Wilson. These guys are all wanted back. Virtually all want to be back. I think it’s a matter of matching up on $$$ here. Signings are likely in this group. We could see from 7 to all 10 of these guys back.

By: ekupike569

ekupike569 — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 05:31:41 +0000

Let’s look at the teams who made the playoffs last year. IMO 7 of those 12 teams had a single dedicated running back. 7… 2 more of them rarely ever ran the ball. If you tell me we are headed toward never running the ball, then I agree, don’t draft Richardson. Find some better receivers. Also, if we are headed toward a committee of mediocre running backs, why not give the ball to the players we will have after they let Benson walk? Remember, committees consist of multiple people. One, they take multiple roster spots, and two Mike Brown will have to pay these multiple people. That means paying less per person for sure!

By: lostwou

lostwou — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:40:58 +0000

Also ML said himself hes not concerned about the OL. He seems to think they r fine in that department. He doesn’t ever seem concerned about any position. The Bengals haven’t traded up in years you r right. If anything they trade down and look where thats gotten them. Until they show me they can consistantly make wise choices in the draft, more picks just means more mistakes. Our draft needs wont be clear until after FA. Aside from Decastro, who cud also be gone when we pick, they can get equal talent at the position in the second rd than to draft Cordy Glenn. After Decastro you have at least 3 OG who imo are pretty equal.

By: lostwou

lostwou — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:54:16 +0000

IMO they wud be crazy not to make some sort of play for richardson. I wouldn’t give up the farm for him but if he were still there when the cards pick I wud give up a 3rd and 5th to get him. So if he were sitting there at 17 like other posters said i wud run to the podium. We play in the afc north. Smash mouth football. Richardson is as durable a back as any that have come along. For the bengals to compete in this division a running game is just as important as a great defense. If there was ever a “can’t miss” rb he would be the one. Trent Richardson on this team would be scarey crazy. And this is the 1st time I have ever agreed with the bengals moving up. I wud rather have quality than just a bunch of picks.. For one it wud take up alot of cap space to sign too many high pick player and we wud just lose them when their contracts were up anyway. Wud I give up our 2nd first rounder for him? No I’m sick of watching us let other teams get guys like him and kill us when we cud of had them. Its not often we have an opprotunity like this. I think our chances are small but u better believe if they got him i’d be doing a dance!

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:28:53 +0000

It was sad watching Manning today. I like an article I read that said that Irsay had no choice, but he still better hope he was right. You know Luck may be the best QB prospect since Manning or Elway as we keep reading. But that doesn’t tell us how good an NFL QB he will actually believe. I’m kind of with Phil Simms on this one. He’s a bit over-hyped. He doesn’t have an Elway arm. He has a slightly side arm release. He gets very little rotation on the ball. Now I’m sure Luck will be a starter and an above-average QB. But I think the kid is bound to be a disappointment. He may be more hyped than LeBron James. Luck will have to win a ring and be a first ballot HOFer to match his hype. And even then I can’t see how he can ever live up to the hype. He isn’t even being criticized at all. Not his side arm release, or Tebow-like waist level wind up. I mean don’t get me wrong, I think he’s going to be good. But he has some kinks to work out to be great. And even then part of it is being in a good system with a supporting cast, etc.

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:57:57 +0000

@Hobson: Poe at 17 = dream pick of the draft for me! DT is deep and we could get a difference maker with any of the first 5 so long as they fit the scheme. It’s just so wide open what we could do this year. There are several good scenarios. It’s a good thing. I think once we re-sign our own and make any FA additions, we’ll maybe get down to 2-3 positions. Right now it looks like there are 6 positions in the discussion…CB, G, RB, WR, DE & DT. And you could argue a pass rushing LB too, but we need someone to rise or fall in draft status for that.

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:33:46 +0000

I was excited when we signed Binns. But now that we are hearing reports that he’s catching on and is in the mix, I’m really exticed. This guy has a combo of size and speed that is almost identical to AJ Greens. Look at the combine ht, wt 7 & 40 time. Green is 6′ 3.5″, 211 lbs, 4.48 40 time. AJ also posted a low of 4.40 during the team workout process. Binns is 6′ 3.0″, 209 lbs, posted a 4.50 @ combine, and posted a low of 4.43 during the team workout process. AJ’s vertical jump is 34.5″, Binns’ is 33.5″. Their 10 & 20 yard splits during the combine 40 were identical, except for .02 secs on the 20 yard. The obvious difference was AJ had him beat big time on the fundamentals. Other than the frame I think he could be a top 20 WR or better in this league. I know he wasn’t drafted, but I never got why? He should’ve went in the 5th-7th round. And if there wasn’t questions about his frame and strength he could’ve went 3rd-4th round. THat’s why I think it is totally plausible that he could from undrafted to starting #2 this season. The draft process misses sometimes. Man, we had great year in the personnel dept last season. I hope we can continue the streak this time around. I can’t hardly wait for free agency to start and see which of our own free agents we want and are able to land. Then our roster needs will be well defined.

By: mwindle1973

mwindle1973 — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:42:52 +0000

@bengalpirate: The combine is usually when the game of smoke and mirrors start. And I’d bet that Gruden’s comment was a negotiating position, as was Benson’s response. I agree with you, but I don’t think Ced will settle for being in a committee system. He reminds me of Rudi Johnson, YOu have to let him get into a rhythm or he often won’t perform well. Second I don’t think we will offer more than about 3M. Then I’m wondering why he resisted the offense scheme so much, and why his performance was so lackluster. And I’m inclined to think that it’s either he didn’t fully commit or this offensive scheme really isn’t meant for his skills or both. But like you I’m very afraid for the team to make this move and cut ties with him. But to be honest. I was afraid to cut ties with Brat, Palmer, TJ, Ocho, Rudi, Levi. I was wrong on all accounts. We were wrong on Kelley Washington and Kevin Walter though. But they weren’t star players. The only time I can think that we cut a star player because we thought we could do better and it backfired was Willie Anderson. And it back fired for about 2.5 seasons. We thought his replacement was on the roster and Stacey Andrews was not the guy. WIllie ended up starting in the AFC championship. I miss that guy. You could run the off tackle 15 times a game and it would be successful 15 times a game. Ced is a special RB. IMO he’s the most violent, brutal RB in the NFL.

By: bengalpirate

bengalpirate — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:36:48 +0000

I’m hoping, Geoff, that the current Ced Benson situation is a negotiating position and not a final position on both sides. If we got Ced more involved in the passing game that gives him more carries and in a potential 2012 season with Ced in the mix it allows depth for the inevitable injuries that push teams out of playoff contention. I also see Benson’s fumbles in the Rams and Cards games as more an aberration, as opposed to the norm. If only there was a little give-and-take on both sides, perhaps both Ced’s DNA and Gruden’s back-by-committee DNA are altered enough to make a run thru the playoffs. Maybe only a forlorn dream, but I’m haunted by the thought of no Cedric as a Bengal and future nightmares of his presence elsewhere and against us. Who Dey!!!

By: hobsonschoice1

hobsonschoice1 — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:32:36 +0000

PIRATE: A big issue with Ced seems to be the back-by-committee thing isn’t in his DNA. I think if he was more open to sharing the carries, he’d be in their plans and they would be in his plans.

I also think they’re worried about the fumbles and how close he came to fumbling them out of the playoffs in the fourth quarter vs. Arizona with two. Can’t have that in an AFC North grindfest.

That said, Ced has been a huge factor the last several seasons and saved them from the injury heap of Chris Perry and Kenny Irons. You’ve got to love his toughness and his old-school style. Part of that style is he loves getting the ball all the time and it seems to be no longer a match.

WINDY: I’m not a chart guy, but it would seem to make sense it’s now much easier to throw around those those top 10 picks in trades, given that they cost about a third of what they did prior to the new CBA. Which should be fun.

Also…I can’t get too fired up either way about the franchise tag. The kicker is the only guy you would use it on. Nelson is a good player, but you wouldn’t give him $6M and you might as well use it. And I don’t think you can compare Graham to Nugent. Two completely different guys. It would seem that both sides want the other in this case and I’m not sure it was that way with Graham.

P.S. _ You just can’t go wrong drafting good linemen on either side of the ball in any round. If there’s a good D-tackle there at No. 17 (Poe, Still), take him. I do think they’ll end up taking a tackle at some point with Sims unsigned.