Bengals: Odds and ends (and two questions)

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Odds and ends (and two questions)

1. The Bengals do not expect to have the contract completed today for linebacker Darryl Blackstock. He is still in Arizona.

2. If I were a Bengals fan, I'd like the acquisition of Blackstock. You can't have enough special teams players, and he has upside as a pass rusher. And the price is right: The one-year minimum for a player with three credited seasons, $520,000, and only a $40,000 signing bonus. It's a no-risk proposition.

3. I might be wrong, but I get the sense the Bengals won't make a serious effort to sign linebacker Takeo Spikes, released last week by the Eagles. He's an 11th-year player. The deal with Blackstock might be a sign that Spikes won't be making a homecoming. The Bengals have a lot of linebackers: Ahmad Brooks, Dhani Jones, Rashad Jeanty, Eric Henderson, Anthony Schlegel, Corey Mays, Jim Maxwell and, if he is re-instated, Odell Thurman. And, given how the draft might unfold, the best player available at No. 9 could be Southern California linebacker Keith Rivers.

4. If I were a Bengals fan, I would be nervous about the defense. Still. Debate the effectiveness of end Justin Smith and linebacker Landon Johnson, but they were on the field all the time and made a lot of tackles. That said, if the Bengals are blowing up the defense and kind of starting all over again, that makes sense, too. It's an "until-proven-otherwise" situation.

5. You never want to reach at a position to fill a need in the draft, but the Bengals need a space-eating, hard-to-move defensive tackle. I think about packaging original picks and moving up to get Sedrick Ellis. He was impressive to speak with at the scouting combine in Indianapolis.

6. I wish David Pollack nothing but the best, regardless of what he decides -- whether to attempt a comeback or retire as a football player -- but I don't know how he can play again. And there is no guarantee he'll be good enough as a defensive end to contribute. Pollack has a lot to offer in many areas outside of being a pro football player.

7. Question: Of these defensive ends in the draft, which one do you like the best: Phillip Merling of Clemson, Derrick Harvey of Florida or Kentwan Balmer (who also can play tackle) of North Carolina? Why?

8. If the Bengals stay at No. 9, and with a realistic view of which players are going to be gone in the first eight picks, who's your first-round Bengals draft choice?

41 Comments:

at 3/11/2008 3:05 PM

Anonymous said...

Mark. You are like John the Baptist, speaking the truth ahead of it's time. Pollack is a great guy no doubt, but with that being said I don't know how he would even make the roster if he came back. He won't play linebacker or special teams, so he can only play defensive end. I don't think anybody would say they envision him as an end that can stand up against the run game, so he would be a pass rush specialist. He said in his training that his legs aren't back to where they are despite his upper body strength being good. His legs is what made him a good football player, if they aren't what they were before, forget about it. It would be a small miracle for him to even make an NFL roster and starting would be out of the question, to one dimensional.

at 3/11/2008 3:08 PM

Anonymous said...

That was 30 seconds of my life that I will never get back reading more useless information from you.

at 3/11/2008 3:12 PM

Ankur Varma said...

Good post. I think you try to bring Takeo back because of what you said about losing Landon and Justin Smith. He provides veteran leadership...none of those linebackers you mentioned make me comfortable. Right now they have quantity over quality to avoid what happened last season. But that's not good at all.

I agree with you about Pollack. I think that through his comments, he has shown that he's not ready mentally to come back if he's afraid to play LB. If he's tentative out on the field, he WILL get re-injured.

I like Phillip Merling, based on just what I've heard about his personality, and he's got good size. And if the Bengals stay at No. 9, with Ellis, Dorsey, Gholston gone, I think they have to take Harvey or Merling. You can never have enough defensive linemen, and since there's no DT available there, go with the next best thing.

at 3/11/2008 3:22 PM

Anonymous said...

I think we have a realistic shot of either landing Dorsey, Ellis or Gholston the way the draft currently stacks up. I'd much prefer Dorsey or Ellis after signing Odom to sure up at DT, but I don't know how you pass on a prospect like Gholston (whom you could potentially move to LB as well).

Ellis would be my favorite right now. Here is how I see the top nine spots shaking out:

1. Miami-Chris Long
2. St. Louis -Jake Long
3. Atlanta-Matt Ryan
4. Oakland-Glenn Dorsey or Darren McFadden
5. KC-Ryan Clady (LJ had no line last year, and still looking for Shields' replacement; Clady will not last long on the board).
6. NY Jets-McFadden or Gholston
7. NE-McKelvin (they need a corner to replace Samuel and gay) or Gholston.
8. BAL-McKelvin or potentially Brohm
9. CIN-Sedrick Ellis

Obviously we need some things to fall in place, but the only team I think that could throw a big wrench in us getting Dorsey or Ellis would be Baltimore, but I think they are set with Ngata and Gregg at DT. They could potentially trade down as well if McKelvin is gone; Brohm will still be available further down the board as will Talib and Case.

at 3/11/2008 3:22 PM

Anonymous said...

Of course you would like the Blackstone signing. You don't know anything about football. Your just a desk jockey who still has hope in this awful franchise we call the Bengals.

at 3/11/2008 3:30 PM

Anonymous said...

Even if the Bengals get FA DT Dewayne Robertson or Larry Triplett, they should do everything they can to move up and grab Sedrick Ellis. Barring that, their pick at #9 should be DT Kentwan Balmer or OT Jeff Otah. Balmer can play inside or out, and the Bengals could benefit from that versatility while they are toying with varying defensive sets. Keith Rivers is tempting, but the roster at this stage is getting crowded with LBs.

at 3/11/2008 3:32 PM

Anonymous said...

1. Take your time, he isn't going anywhere.

2. I love the addition of Blackstock as a great special teams addition and wonderful stats per play production.

3. Look, I love Takeo as much as anyone, but ever since he left Cincinnati, he has been a walking injury. Briniging him back would be nice for the locker room, but he just wouldn't make it through the season.
5. Trade for Ellis!
6. I love Pollack but how about coaching, I'd hate to see this guy in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
7. None of these guys at #9 (and for the record, Balmer is a DT)
8. Sad as it sounds, all the defense will be gone if we stand pat. Trade up or go with Stewart or Mendenhall and cut Rudi and Perry.

at 3/11/2008 3:49 PM

Anonymous said...

i believe the Bengals will draft a running back and pick Mcfadden...

at 3/11/2008 4:18 PM

Anonymous said...

Assuming that the defense is going to stay a base 4-3 and since they have Geathers and Odom at defensive end, it makes sense to focus on defensive tackle in the draft. If either Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick Ellis are there at 9, take one of them. If Gholston is there, he might be worth taking as long as either he or Geathers can play outside linebacker.

I wouldn't do it, but if McFadden were to fall to 9, bet the ranch that Mike Brown would take him.

Other than the four players above, I would try to trade down. Nobody else would have enough of an impact on the team to justify the 9th pick.

at 3/11/2008 4:47 PM

Anonymous said...

2. I do like the acquisition of Blackstock both for the price and his pass rush ability.
4. I actually have to disagree...I feel better about this defense primarily because of the new coaches. Justin and Landon might have made a lot of tackles but neither provided a good pash rush which is what this team needs. Odom is greater than Smith in my opinion and Landon is nothing more than a backup...why not save the money?
5. Several mocks show either Dorsey or Ellis will be available at #9.
7. Balmer because of his versatility at both DT and DE. Merling is my second choice then Harvey (and I'm a huge Gator fan but that combine by Harvey scares me.)
8. I think Dorsey or Ellis will be available so they are the obvious choice. If not, try to trade down but that is not likely to happen. That means take the best player available and I agree that player is Keith Rivers.

at 3/11/2008 4:49 PM

Anonymous said...

Great post Mark.

1. My understanding is that Kentwan Balmer is a DT, not a DE. If this guy can play DE and/or DT, then I draft him if Dorsey and Ellis are gone.

2. I think either Dorsey or Jake Long are going to drop to us, I'll draft any of these two.

However, I would evaluate the possibility to trade up and get Ellis. The Raiders are definitely going for DT.

at 3/11/2008 4:52 PM

Anonymous said...

Most mock drafts I've seen have either Ellis or Dorsey falling to or past the Bengals at 9 (usually Ellis). If they decide to trade up, I think you have to at least wait until the start of the draft to see what happens.

Out of the ones you list, I would go with Merling because he seems like the most well rounded of the ones listed. But I would grab Ellis or Dorsey before that.

at 3/11/2008 4:55 PM

Anonymous said...

I agree with you alot, our defense is very weak and we wont miss Smith, as I believe he was very overated.He didnt sack the quarterback only a few times compared to other top rated defensive ends and the man we got from Tenn just might do the job.We have alot of draft picks this yr so maybe we could give up some draft picks and move up and get the young man from USC, as he looks like a real run stopper to me. We have alot of linebackers like you have said so we should be fine there and also our special teams are in the bottom part of the league , so any help with special teams is needed and sometimes just 1 or 2 players can make the difference. Now just one other thing which might really help us alot.Our offense is really fine with some minor tweaks with the line so one thing that hurt us alot was Rudy is ok if he has a hole but no break away speed. The answer could be out in Seattle.When they release Alexander try to sign him and let Rudy go as Alexander was hurt and played with a broken hand which should be fine this year and two things Alexander could do that Rudy couldnt do was look for a hole that wasnt there which Rudy cant do and if he gets beyond the linebackers he can take it to the endzone which Rudy never could do , just look at how many runs he has had over 25 yards which isnt many at all.

at 3/11/2008 4:59 PM

Anonymous said...

Mark, I think you make a very good point about Sedrick Eliis. The Bengals should target him in the draft, even if it requires trading up to get him.

The good news is it appears Chris Long, Glen Dorsey, Matt Ryan, Darren McFadden, Jake Long and Vernon Gholston will go in the top 6 in some order.

After that, the Patriots biggest need is by FAR their secondary after losing Samuel, Gay (top two corners) and Wilson. If they dont want to take a corner they will look to trade down. Ellis is also said to be a tampa-2 DT and would not fit their 3-4

And finally Ellis again does not fit in with the Ravens defense, not to mention they have much bigger problems.

The Bengals need to target Ellis in the first round...

at 3/11/2008 5:25 PM

Anonymous said...

Defensively, there is one move that needs to be done and if it isn't done, our ownership doesn't understand what is needed to do right now.

You said it Mark, we should figure out what we need to do in order to trade up and draft Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick Ellis. To me, we still don't need a Defensive End (at least in the first round). We have Geathers and Odom. We committed to Fanene and we still have Rucker. Our D-tackle is a disaster with Peko, Meyers and Thornton. We absolutely need a difference making D-tackle...so much that we should definitely trade up for one. To me, if this doesn't happen, it is extremely disappointing. We were willing to give up a couple picks for Robertson/Rogers, there is no reason we should trade two picks in order to select one. Not everyone we draft will be making the team anyway.

In my mind, if we don't get one of these two, the draft is a failure.

at 3/11/2008 5:48 PM

Anonymous said...

If you put stock into the rambling of all the guru's, you can count on Ellis not being there at #9. BUT, one expert from NFL.com doesn't even see Ellis going in the first round. His bad combine showing with some other issues as stated by this guru, has him dropping to early 2nd. I am not buying that, but that would be good for us.

In answering the question, Balmer is a DT, but I still like him over Merling and Harvey. Although those two are very good DE, I think Balmer's style would fit perfectly. If Ellis or Gohlston are at #9, I think it is a no brainer. Realistically though, both are probably gone, so here is the question. DO YOU MOVE UP TO GET ONE, OR DO YOU MOVE DOWN? I don't think it is worth moving up to get Ellis or Gohlston, even as much as I would love to have one of those guys. When both are gone at #7 or so, I think you immediately look to deal down. I like Balmer, but of him, Harvey, Merling, and Calais Campbell, all are pretty close in talent on most boards. And there is a good chance that a couple of them will be there at the end of the 1st round. Like I said before, a trade with Dallas would be awesome. At #22 and #28, you could get Balmer at DT and Merling at DE (in a perfect world). No matter what the key is not to do something STUPID, like take a LB from USC, or RB from who knows where.

at 3/11/2008 5:55 PM

Anonymous said...

I think if the top defensive players are gone @ #9 and assuming we do not trade up (which is a safe assumption based on history and stinginess) then I say go with the best OT on the board. I've heard it say that we are overly deep at this position, but with both starters coming off injuries and having only one true back up in Andrews I say pull the trigger. I like Whitworth, but I think it weakens positions with too much shuffling on the line. I think it would be a waste to spend another high draft pick on an RB. Recent years have shown that they are too risky. Rudi is not the runner he used to be, I would definitely cut him. Kenny Watson and DeDe did a good combo job last year. The way to fix the running game is with a formidable and deep o-line.

at 3/11/2008 6:10 PM

Anonymous said...

We now have the biggest rag-tag bunch of linebackers in the NFL. The best one hasn't played in 2 seasons. Just because we have a lot of them doesn't mean it's not a crying need. If Ellis isn't there, draft Rivers !

at 3/11/2008 6:48 PM

Anonymous said...

1. I'm not sure how good Blackstock will be, seeing that he was Pace's backup in Arizona, and they still didn't try keeping him after Pace left. You hear every year how important special teams are to Marvin, yet they never look any different from one year to the next.
3. I'd like to see Takeo back, at the right price. They have to have some veteran leadership, and he certainly is better than half of the LB's you listed.
4. Bengals fans are "always" nervous about the defense, enough said.
5. I think KC is the perfect trade partner, most have them taking Clady, and he will surely be there at #9, unless Ravens take him to replace Ogden. Trade spots with them, add a 3rd or 5th, and even throw in Perry if needed. Bengals "must" get a dominant DT !!
6. If the Bengals don't trade up, and the DT's are gone, don't be shocked to see a WR or a trade down.

at 3/11/2008 7:04 PM

Anonymous said...

IF Ellis is available that is the obvious choice but i really like Rivers from USC. He has big game expirience and could be the best linebacker on the team upon arrival(thats not saying much). I would love to get Gholston but we would have to trade up so....get ELLIS and if hes not there get RIVERS!

at 3/11/2008 10:50 PM

Anonymous said...

I agree that KC would be a perfect trade partner, but I say they go after Gholsten. The Bengals need to get after the quarterback and Vernon is the best pure pass rusher hands down. He is the only true difference maker in this draft on defense. As for DT they can still do something with Robertson, because the Jets can not have that much tied up with a backup. And I think you can get Trevor Laws a round or two later that also looked very good at the Senior Bowl and combine.

at 3/12/2008 12:11 AM

Anonymous said...

"If I were a Bengals fan".....are you not a Bengals fan? I know you need to stay independent to some extent as a journalist, but considering you do the Bengals blog, I would hope you are a fan of this team. And to everyone of the Brown/Lewis haters out there, can you please rally behind the team you allegedly like? If not, go find another team? Mike Brown and family will always own this team and Lewis is our coach, so put a little positive thought out there this year. If you can't, it's probably better for you to go watch another team. Hey, the Browns have overpaid a lot this summer on defense. You can go to their websites and start complaining about them.

at 3/12/2008 1:17 AM

Anonymous said...

The D is weak, weak, weak. We will be picked to finish 3rd by every talking head in football. At best we will be in a late-season dog fight for the wild card spot...WHY WOULDN"T WE TRADE CHAD JOHNSON TODAY FOR A 1ST ROUND PICK?! Yeah it would sting, yes he is fantastic. But he has mentally checked out, and he isn't young anymore. We need to play for 2009 IMHO. Get a pick or two and bolster the O-line and D-line.

at 3/12/2008 2:30 AM

Anonymous said...

Dhani Jones is a leader in the locker room, so bringing in Spikes for that reason is not valid. Also, if anyone thinks David Pollack wouldnt be a player on Defense, you are crazy, the organization and coaches absolutely love him. He would make a difference because of his skills and attitude that he brings.

at 3/12/2008 3:15 AM

Anonymous said...

I have been a Bengals fan since day one, and it always seems like they are weak on defense. That is not going to change in the near future, but with a good draft they could improve a poor unit. I do think Ellis will be there at #9 but I am hoping that McFadden is not. If McFadden is there the Bengals will take him thus keeping the defense down. Unfortunately the Bengal drafts of late have not panned out. Smith was a #4 pick and he was ok, but certainly not a dominating player. The last dominating defensive player the Bengals drafted was Spikes. Unfortunately he is a little long in the tooth. But it would be nice to see him in stripes again for the right price. Stay with #9 and take Ellis.

at 3/12/2008 9:03 AM

Unknown said...

Mark,

Again, you are just like many other of these fans who don't understand football...other be on the field every down, explain what level of successful production Landon Johnson has had? Sure, he led the team in tackles three of the last 4 years, but again, most of them were 4-6 yards down the field?

Show me the last play he blew up a guard or tackles a RB behind the line of scrimmage...guy is a loser and should have been gone a long time ago. He'll be out of the league in two years.

at 3/12/2008 9:04 AM

SportsMania said...

I think the Bengals need to take the best defensive player available with the 9 spot. If Ellis or Gholston are still on the board, then they are the pick. I know Dorsey won't still be there.
If McFadden is still on the board, that is the perfect oppurtunity to trade down. I doubt he will be though since he should be a top five pick.
Speaking of trades, don't trade with a team like the Patroits, you will probably get ripped off. Trade with a team that you know likes to get the raw end of the deal, like the Oakland Raiders.

at 3/12/2008 9:26 AM

Anonymous said...

The Bengals need someone who can create problems for a QB stepping up in the pocket. Ellis is tht guy.
While the draft is still shaping up as if he'll be there at #9 I wouldn't take the chance. Move up, take Oaklands pick by trading them first round picks and give them our supplemental pick in the third. If we can't get Ellis I'd take Rivers. You can never have enough LB's. They get injured and can always play special teams.

at 3/12/2008 9:47 AM

Carson said...

The Browns are about to sign Phil Savage to a long term deal... But hey we have Petey Brown and the Blackburns for LIFE....

at 3/12/2008 9:57 AM

Anonymous said...

Hey Anon 1:17 AM,

What part of "Salary Cap Hit" you don't understand? Do I have to explain you with apples??

at 3/12/2008 10:27 AM

Anonymous said...

Our problems on Defense can be solved with the signing of 2 guys...

Tom Tumulty
Steve Shine

I have a sneaky feeling that they are available.

at 3/12/2008 10:37 AM

Anonymous said...

If they are going to get Ellis they have to at least get to #5 he will not make it past KC. I really think that Dorsey will fall to us at #9 though.

There is noway they should draft another running back. You can use any combination of two RBs on the current roster and with decent OL play they can have a good enough running game to be a winning team.

at 3/12/2008 10:40 AM

Anonymous said...

Pollack could play DE on passing downs, he's fast and quick, maybe more so now. He's really not that small, 255 weights the same as Michael Strahan. This is assuming he is able to recover mentally.

A good player will drop to #9, and Dorsey could be that guy. If it's a guy the Bengals don't need, then they have a chance to trade down, Ryan or McFadden for example. Worst case senerio, the Bengals grab an OT or Keith Rivers, which is not that bad. I would love for the Bengals to trade down and pickup Balmer and/or Merling.

at 3/12/2008 10:43 AM

Anonymous said...

I think there are 5 guys that would fit at #9 for the Bengals:

Gholston
C. Long
Ellis
Dorsey
McFadden

This means we have to hope for 4 other guys to be drafted for one of these to fall to us.

Jake Long and Matt Ryan will definitely go into top 8.

We just need a CB (Pats or Ravens) and one other guy. Will KC reach for an OT? Will Brohm go that early? Will another RB or the first WR go off the board? I think so.

If we were to trade, I think KC makes the most sense because the Jets will not want to leave that spot if McFadden is a possibility. However, we need to give up more than just our 3rd round pick to move up to #5 overall.

I predict Dorsey falls to #9 because I think Ellis has passed him. Mostly we need KC to pick something other than DLine for us to get what we want.

at 3/12/2008 10:53 AM

Anonymous said...

looks like ellis could easily slip to 9 - what a gift that would be.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80721d2b&template=with-video&confirm=true&campaign=ec0005

at 3/12/2008 11:25 AM

REddlegg in Colorado said...

I'm sure MB,ML,& cohorts will find a way to bungul this draft.

Probably a Fine from the NFL because they are so inept that they will screw something up. I really think the NFL owners can't stand MB & it shows.It's obvious that the Commissioner doesn't like Cincy.Laughing stock of the whole league.

MB your the worst owner in the NFL,you run a carpet-bagging franchise, & you don't care about the fans. You are going to keep running this team into the ground, Please Hire a GM that knows football,not family that have been taught the darkside by you the Grand Darth Sith Order of GREED

sellthebengals2markcuban.com(This guy cares about his players,teams.fans, & winning)

at 3/12/2008 11:26 AM

Anonymous said...

First, their is no doubt in my mind that both Ellis and and Dorsey will be gone by #9. Second, I do not see the Bengal's trading up as the risk is too great for Marvin to encourage Miek to do so. With that said we all know Marvin was very high on Derrick Harvey DE Florida last season, however I don't see that this year because where does Harvey fit unless you play 3-4. My best guess at this time looking at the talent is either Rivers who would provide insurance at WLB, or Kenny Phillips S Miami. Phillips is a rare talent that would be a start at FS. This may also allow them to free cap money by releasing D. Jackson by using Ndukwe, White, Kilmer,Phillips, and the new guy from the CFL as the safeties. My sleeper are Pat Simms DT Auburn and DeMario Presley DT from NC St. Presley is enough versatile to play inside and outside, while Simms is very similar to Peko. Just because the so called experts don't have Presley in the top 10 doesn't mean the Bengal's don't, as they had him rated #12 in 2007 before he decided to stay in college. In fact the Cowboys had him rated as high as #7 in 2007. Source Pro Football Weekly. I think Presley has the talent to best DL in this entire draft, he can play the 1 or 2 gap, he can drop in coverage, as well as play the strong side DE spot in a 4-3. He's as versatile as you will find.

at 3/12/2008 1:00 PM

Anonymous said...

I agree Mark - there is absolutely no reason to feel any better about the state of the D.

We were between mediocre and awful last year, and we've basically lost 3 of the more productively players from that squad, replacing them with nothing better.

Williams, Smith, Johnson gone. Odom and Blackstone in. We got younger and more importantly, cheaper than what our guys got in FA. Business wise, things looks great. Mike Brown is happier than a pig in you know what, less $ leaving his pockets.

We needed veteran upgrades at both DL and LB, and got neither. And now are stuck with a drafting on need, uncertain a quality DT will be there. I think letting go a veteran steady (certainly not ideal) performer like LJohnson was really a crucial mistake. The only way I'd feel even remotely better is if we got a veteran LB like Spikes, which is probably not a chance in hell.

More of the same from this franchise of amateurs.

I honestly don't see how the new DC can sleep at night, he is being setup for complete failure. I guess we are depending on a stud DT falling into our lap at number 9, and finding another quality DL, plus a center, plus have career years out of comeback players (pollack and/or thurman). (In their infinite stupidity, it wouldn't surprise me if they burn a high round pick on a RB.)

From what I can tell, that appears to be our strategy: Get younger, cheaper, hope on a wing and a prayer in the draft, and career comeback years.

Good luck with that.
Greg

at 3/12/2008 8:33 PM

Anonymous said...

Anon Posters: 9:26am: You can't trade the supplemental/comp picks, so it would have to be their original 3rd round....NOT WORTH IT!

10:40am: NO WAY Dorsey falls to #9. The best bet is that he goes #1 to Miami. He will be a hall of fame DT, and I don't even like him, but I am willing to bet he turns out to be just like Sapp. He will never drop out of the top 5, unless he loses a leg or something, so don't count on him at #9. Ellis has a better chance of dropping, but not likely, because the Ravens need help at D-Line and they know we want him, 2 reasons why Ellis will never make it past #8. We also don't need anymore LB's, how many do we need? I understand that Rivers maybe a good one, but so was a lot of other players that didn't pan out. We MUST shore up our LINES! We can't solve a defensive line problem with LB or S, and we can't solve our offensive line with RB or TE. OUR PHILOSOPHY HAS TO CHANGE TO BE A WINNER, we have to build from the trenches first. I do agree we need to move down and get Balmer and Merling.

at 3/12/2008 10:10 PM

Anonymous said...

1. So?

2. Sounds like a fair price for a backup LB. BTW, you are a Bengals fan, aren't you?

3. There will be plenty of time after the draft and mid-way through training camp to sign veterans such as Spikes.

4. I'm nervous about the defense and Hey, I thought you were are Bengals fan too. Am I wrong about that? I'm nervous because all I see is the team rebuilding the IR list and not actually working to make substantial improvements to the defense.

5. I agree, the team needs a big space eating DT. In fact, since you're a Bengals fan you should know that they Bengals don't have a choice now because of what Cleveland has done in the offseason. Cincy either has to be competitive in the divison or stick to playing Bingo on Wednesdays.

6. Correct about Pollack. You either want to play or you don't because there's no in between on this one.

7. Of the DE's in the draft I think I would go with Chris Long of VA.

8. I think the Bengals need to solitify the DL and to do so they need to move up in the draft to be sure they get the player they need.
In fact they may need to draft 3 DLM in the draft.

at 3/13/2008 10:31 AM

Anonymous said...

Another mock draft having Ellis going to the Bengals:

1. Miami Dolphins: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
2. St. Louis Rams: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
3. Atlanta Falcons: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
4. Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
5. Kansas City Chiefs: Jake Long, OL, Michigan
6. New York Jets: Chris Long, DE, Virginia
7. New England Patriots: Keith Rivers, LB, USC
8. Baltimore: Ryan Clady, OL, Boise State
9. Cincinnati Bengals: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
10. New Orleans Saints: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
11. Buffalo Bills: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
12. Denver Broncos: Chris Williams, OL, Vanderbilt
13. Carolina Panthers: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina

Previous Posts

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Odds and ends (and two questions)

41 Comments: