On Zimmer, and who would you keep?

Question: Which of the Bengals defensive free agents do you re-sign if you're making the decisions? Or not? Why?

Defensive line: End Justin Smith, end-tackle Bryan Robinson.

Linebacker: Landon Johnson, Dhani Jones, Lemar Marshall, Caleb Miller.

Secondary: Madieu Williams.

Mike Zimmer, introduced Wednesday as Bengals defensive coordinator, certainly has an impressive resume with seven years experience as Cowboys coordinator, followed by one year trying to hold together the defense as the Atlanta Falcons fell apart.

Chuck Bresnahan, Zimmer's predecessor, did, too.

The most impressive element in Zimmer's background might be his ability to work for Bill Parcells and to have been re-hired off the previous Cowboys staff by Parcells.

Zimmer looks like the right fit at the right time for the Bengals.

So did Bresnahan.

Head coach Marvin Lewis talked about the need for he and his coordinator to be aligned philosophically. He and Zimmer talked about Zimmer's visit to Baltimore when Lewis was Ravens coordinator and Zimmer had just completed his first season as Cowboys coordinator.

But was Zimmer the first choice? Was it Rex Ryan, the former Ravens coordinator now a finalist for the Atlanta Falcons head-coaching job?

Moot point now.

Zimmer said all the right things Wednesday. How much control will he have, though, or is he essentially a puppet for Lewis' role as de facto coordinator?

Lewis talked about how Zimmer agreed to fit into what the Bengals were already doing defensively.

I asked Lewis about Bresnahan's comment in an Enquirer interview, about how Bresnahan lamented the unfinished business of fixing the defense and convincing management to spend a more equitable amount of salary cap money on the defense, compared to the offense.

"Chuck worked his tail off for us," Lewis said. "We'll let it go at that."

Zimmer's success as coordinator might depend on how much latitude Lewis gives him and if the organization, indeed, will spend more defensively. Will Zimmer be able to maintain the fire that apparently burns inside as a coach? Or he will become defeated in Cincinnati?

The secondary appears to be in good shape, thanks to some smart drafting. Proven depth is needed, though, especially if the team terminates the contracts of cornerback Deltha O'Neal and safety Dexter Jackson. Re-signing safety Madieu Williams would be smart because he also can play cornerback.

Linebacker is an interesting position because of the injured players who will return, namely Ahmad Brooks and Eric Henderson. Will the team re-sign any of the following combination of free agent linebackers: Landon Johnson, Dhani Jones, Lemar Marshall? I would sweeten the deal to keep Johnson. He is something few defensive players have been for the Bengals -- reliable and consistently productive, though not flashy. Johnson can play any of the three linebacker positions well.

Most of the heavy lifting from a personnel perspective needs to be done on the defensive line. Veteran Bryan Robinson, for one, is gone. Offensive lineman Adam Kieft was moved into Robinson's long-time locker cubicle at Paul Brown Stadium. Will the Bengals spend anything in free agency? Lewis said again Wednesday that free agency doesn't fix NFL teams.

Justin Smith was the team's franchise player, as designated in free agency, which cost the Bengals $8.64 million for one season. He had two sacks.