NFL Draft Info - Cincinnati Bengals

Events leading up to the 2010 Season

2009 AFC North Champs: In 2009, the Cincinnati Bengals were kings of the AFC North. In a division full of tough guys, the Bengals were the toughest. Behind a power run game led by Cedric Benson, and a suffocating defense, they swept the division and finished at 10-6. Eventually losing to the New York Jets in the wild card round of the playoffs, the season was still considered a step in the right direction.

2010 Off-season: The Bengals lack of weapons for franchise quarterback Carson Palmer became the accepted reason for the Bengals struggles late in 2009. You could literally feel Bengals management pushing the issue hard. They cut the unproductive Laveranues Coles just 1 year after signing him to a 4 year deal. Drafted a tight end Jermaine Gresham and slot wide receiver Jordan Shipley in the 1st and 3rd rounds respectively. Then signed wide receiver Antonio Bryant to a 4-year deal to start opposite Chad Ochocinco. Weapons for Carson Palmer? Check.

Batman and Robin: Days before training camp, rumors surfaced that Antonio Bryant's knee wasn't healthy. Again, Bengals management went forward with its "win now" attitude. Just as the 2nd practice of day one in Georgetown started. Superstar wide receiver Terrell Owens trotted onto the field wearing his infamous #81 jersey. The number that Antonio Bryant had been wearing until this point. Of course the crowd went nuts and fans were excited. Could you blame them? This was our year. It had to be. I mean who would ever think that T.O. would be signing with Cincinnati? Things like this just don't happen. This was fate.

The Season of Hope that Turned into Disaster

Good Start: The Bengals started with the ultimate litmus test. They went into Foxboro week 1 to take on the New England Patriots. They were crushed 38-24. So much for that defense. At least the passing offense looked improved... sort of. Don’t worry, we'll be fine... right? The next week against the rival Baltimore Ravens, the 2009 defense returned, but so did the 2009 offense. The same trend continued into week 3 in Carolina. The defense looked great again, but the passing offense looked worse than before. But it was fine because it was raining outside. Yeah that’s it. Blame it on the rain. Either way, the Bengals were 2-1 and heading into their "easy" portion of the schedule. Everything was fine.

10 straight: Week 3 would be the last time you would feel good about the Bengals season. The next 10 games felt like an entire season. How many ways can you lose a game? I know of at least 10 now. Fumble the game away in the 4th quarter. Throw an interception on 3rd down, with the lead, and just under 3 minutes remaining. Miss field goals. Jump offsides when the other team is settling for a field goal. Your superstar WRs give up in the remaining seconds. Drop the ball on 4th down at the opposing 7-yard line. Throw another interception while attempting a comeback. Fumble it again. Here’s a good one, go into half time with a 31-14 lead, but ends the game losing 49-31. That’s how the 2010 Cincinnati Bengals lost 10 games in a row.

Where was this all season? Here the Bengals sit at 2-11. Long out of the playoff race. Somebody should have told them. They played the next 3 games as if their jobs were on the line, and many were. Cedric Benson ran all over the Chiefs. Anthony Collins shut down some of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Reggie Nelson seemed to have the light click on. Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens sat out with injuries, so young players like Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell had the chance to shine. Even Carson Palmer had a career day vs. the Chargers. It was a 3 game stretch that could fuel off-season hope.

2010 Offensive Review

What power run game? The power run game that ignited the offense in 2009, was now used to augment the passing game. As a result, Cedric Benson seemed to never get into rhythm with his lineman. In 2009, the Bengals frequently used unbalanced lines, and extra offensive lineman instead of tight ends. This became a staple of their former power run game. In 2010, these plays became bright neon signs that read “Running Play”, and opposing defenses took advantage. The play calling was inconsistent at best; as a result, the offensive line never had that workman mentality. Lost that tough guy attitude.  Sometimes when a team becomes reliant on the passing game and big plays to score quickly, the offense can become soft. That’s what looked to be the problem with Cincinnati’s run game. The unit ended the season with a pathetic 3.6 yards per carry average.

Dynamic Duo: The Bengals quickly became a pass first team. Three wide receiver sets became their go to formation. In the beginning, it looked as if Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco were having successful seasons. Terrell Owens kept his production up the entire season and led the team with 72 receptions for 982 yards and 9 touchdowns. But in the 14 games Owens played, there were too many plays that made fans and analysts wonder if he was giving full effort 100% of the time. You would see balls go right by him, or he didn’t reach for a ball, or block all the time. Carson Palmer threw 10 of his 20 interceptions towards Terrell Owens. The miscommunication between the three veterans showed up at the most inopportune times. Even a player like Chad Ochocinco who has played with Palmer since 2003; it looked as if this was their first season together. Chad sometimes let his emotions get the better of him, like on the Monday Night Football game vs. the Steelers. Ochocinco didn’t have a catch deep into the 4^th quarter. He went nuts after Carson overthrew him over the middle of the field. Chad had to sit out the next few plays when Palmer and the Bengals needed him most. They lost that game in the final seconds. A game they seemed to always pull away with a Win in 2009. It was a different team in 2010.

The Riddler: Carson Palmer had a roller coaster season. If he answered a question one week, he posed a new question with his play the next week. Who was this man taking snaps for the Bengals? In some games he looked like Ryan Leaf. In others, like the Carson Palmer we once loved. In all, he ended with 3,970 yards, 26 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. 5 of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns, and the bulk of his yards came when the Bengals were losing and forced to pass. Which happened for 10 straight games. Carson looked good enough in his last 3 games of the season to give fans hope for the future, but another surprise from Palmer. On January 23^rd, Carson Palmer reportedly demanded to be traded from the Bengals or he will retire. What now?

Defensive Review 2010

Injuries can hurt: The 2010 Bengals defense resembled an emergency room by seasons end. 11 defenders ended the season on Injured Reserve. Almost of the 11 players were expected to contribute in 2010.

Gibril Wilson   S   Left Knee   8/29/10

Adam Jones   CB   Neck   10/26/10

Morgan Trent    CB   Knee   11/15/10

Jonathan Fanene    DL   Hamstring   11/18/10

Chris Crocker    S   Right Knee   11/22/10

Frostee Rucker   DL   Knee   11/22/10

Tank Johnson   DT   Right Knee   11/23/10

Antwan Odom   DE   Wrist   12/2/10

Brandon Ghee   CB   Groin   12/8/10

Rico Murray   DB   Ankle   12/10/10

Chinedum Ndukwe   S   Knee   12/13/10

Slow and Steady win the race: Veterans and Captains, Dhani Jones and Domata Peko were their usual selves in 2010. Dhani led the team in tackles for the third straight year, while Peko was the rock that played every game on the defensive line. Chris Crocker, the veteran leader of the secondary was also having a solid year until he tore his knee up mid season.

What have you done for me lately? Some vets on defense didn’t take the next step and continued to fight for a roster spot. Defensive end Robert Geathers played more snaps on the line than any other Bengal in 2010. Yet he did nothing, registering just 1 sack and 33 tackles. Profootballfocus.com ranked him as the NFL’s worst pass rusher. Slated to start opposite Geathers, Antwan Odom again battled injuries that have plagued him in his 3 seasons with the Bengals. I wouldn’t be surprised if both players were cut this off-season.

The Real Dynamic Duo: The media might not make these players out to be better than they actually are, but Bengals fans know exactly what CBs Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph bring to the table. These 2 together are what the defense is built around. Lock down opposing receivers on the outside, and make the other team one-dimensional. Joseph battled injuries for the majority of the season, but when he was in the game, the difference was noticeable. Hall is the technician; Joseph is the world-class athlete. Together, they can match up with best WR corps in the NFL.

It wasn’t all bad; Players who stepped up in 2010

Cornerstones to build around: We talked about Hall and Joseph as franchise players, but two young linebackers came on at the end of the season. Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga; teammates at USC, are starting to reach the potential Bengals fans expected when they were drafted in 08 and 09 respectively. On the offensive line, LT Andrew Whitworth took the next step into the elite offensive lineman in the NFL. With a Division full of pass rushers, Whitworth has kept his quarterback clean in 6 straight divisional games. These 5 guys are the new leaders of this team, and need to be locked up ASAP.

Young and restless:  The 2010 draft may go down as one of the best drafts in Bengals history. They drafted starters in the first 3 rounds in Jermaine Gresham, Carlos Dunlap, and Jordan Shipley, as well as major contributors in Brandon Ghee, Geno Atkins, and Roderick Muckelroy.

• With the 21^st overall pick, the Bengals selected Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gresham. He stepped in day 1 as the starter and never looked back. Gresham was exactly what we expected, big, strong, tough, and dynamic as a pass catcher. Jermaine ended the season leading all rookie TEs with 52 receptions for 471 yards and 4 Touchdowns.

• In the 2^nd round they drafted a high risk, high reward type of player in Florida’s defensive end Carlos Dunlap. Dunlap didn’t play at all in the first 4 weeks, inactive for all 4 games. He didn’t receive almost any snaps until the 8^thweek. Then he exploded. Dunlap recorded 9.5 sacks over the last 8 games, breaking the Bengals rookie record of 8.5 held by Justin Smith. Dunlap figures to be the starter next season at left defensive end.

• In the 3^rd round, Cincinnati selected Jordan Shipley to come in and compete for the starting slot receiver position. There was no competition; Shipley was the slot guy from day 1. Jordan is everything you like from a slot guy. Quick, tough, good hands, smart, and a very hard worker. Shipley is the future at WR for the Bengals. He ended the season with 52 receptions for 600 yards and 3 Touchdowns.

• Last but not least, the Bengals found defensive tackle Geno Atkins from Georgia. Geno lasted until the 4^th round because of his build. Scouts said he might be too small to hold up. At 6’1” 295 lbs, Atkins is small, nut he gained a reputation very quickly as an inside pass rusher. In the pre season, Atkins recorded a sack in every game. This earned him a starting role in the nickel defense. Atkins ended the regular season with 3 sacks, but he was disruptive all season long. I’m still not sure if he will ever be an every down DT, but he will head into the 2011 season as a big contributor for the Bengals defense.

Taking advantage: With all of the injuries the Bengals faced in 2010, younger vetran players had the chance to show what they’ve got.

• Reggie Nelson was acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars just before the start of opening day. It took Nelson a few weeks to see playing time other than special teams. Then after starting free safety Chris Crocker tore his knee in mid season, Nelson got his shot. He wasn’t spectacular until the final 4 games, where it just seemed like the light turned on for Nelson. He ended the season with 54 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles. The way he played in the final few games, may have won him a spot on the team in 2011.
• Andre Caldwell had a breakout year in 2009, but lost his spot to Jordan Shipley in 2010. When Terrell Owens got hurt in week 15, Caldwell got his chance again. Not only did he look better than he did in 2009, but he actually used his speed to stretch the defenses of San Diego and Baltimore. Heading into 2011, can Caldwell be a starter?
• Anthony Collins didn’t get a start until the final few weeks. See a trend yet? Starting the last 3 weeks at right tackle, Collins not only kept pass rushers like Terrell Suggs and Shaun Phillips away from Carson Palmer, but the entire line didn’t allow a sack. Collins seemed to be a better pass blocker than Dennis Roland and Andre Smith. If the Bengals were smart, Collins would come into the 2011 season with a chance to be the starter at RT.
• Jerome Simpson; The forgotten man. Drafted in the 2^nd round in 2008, Simpson caught just 1 ball in the first 3 seasons. Bust, right? That’s what we thought. I mean the guy didn’t even know where to line up. All the talent in the world, but coming from a division II School, Simpson had a lot to learn. Maybe too much. When the Bengals activated him in week 15 vs. the Browns, fans didn’t think anything of it. Then he and Andre Caldwell started the game instead of the Ocho and T.O. Simpson caught 3 balls for 30 yards. Career highs! Simpson would start the last 2 games and he would completely explode. He caught 17 balls for 247 yards and 3 TDs. Simpson actually looked like the guy we thought they drafted in 2008. With all the traits to be a starting WR in the NFL; tall, fast, huge hands, jump through the stadium, can win any jump ball. Simpson looks to be heading into 2011 as a starter for the Bengals.

Heading into the 2011 off season

Unrestricted Free Agents:

• CB Johnathan Joseph, 27 years old. Starter since drafted in 2005. Joseph is a high priority. At the very least, Bengals must franchise tag him.
• RB Cedric Benson, 28 years old. Benson wont return if the offensive coordinator is retained, which looks like he has been. Lets see.
• TE Reggie Kelly, 34 years old. Kelly is a great lockerroom and spiritual leader. Only great blocking TE on the team. I would like to see him re-signed.
• MLB Dhani Jones, 33 years old. Leader and Captain, but will the Bengals go younger with Maualuga’s natural position being inside?
• WR Terrell Owens, 37 years old. He’s as good as gone.
• S Roy Williams, 30 years old. Roy doesn’t help much in the passing game, but he still brings a physical presence to the entire defense. Do they go younger at the posiiton? They need to.
• S Chinedum Ndukwe, 26 years old. I would say re-sign him, but he’s coming off of a severe knee injury. With Crocker and Nelson the only vets under contract for 2011, maybe they do extend him anoffer if healthy.
• LB Brandon Johnson, 29 years old. Special Teams captain, starter on nickel packages. Johnson could start on other teams, is that his goal? Or will he be willling to return?
• DL Jon Fanene, 29 years old. Fanene should be re-signed if Odom and Geathers are cut. Fanene adds experience and girth to the DE group.
• RB Brian Leonard, 27 years old. Leonard is a guy I want back. Good 3^rd down back, great on special teams, trustworhty in clutch siuations. Re-sign him.
• G Evan Mathis, 29 years old. Has played well when given the chance. Could come back to compete for LG spot.

Restricted Free Agents: OT Dennis Roland, G Nate Livings, S Chinedum Ndukwe, QB Jordan Palmer, LB Dan Skuta, WR Quan Cosby, C Kyle Cook

Team Needs:

• The Bengals need to upgrade their starters at LG, FB, SS, and WR
• Depending on what happens to Carson Palmer, add QB to needs list.
• Depending on what happens to Cedric Benson, add RB to needs list.
• If the don’t re-sign Jonathan Joseph, Adam Jones could take over at CB
• Other spots they could look to add depth; RG, C, TE, WR, RT, DE, MLB, LOLB, CB, FS, K

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