For the past week we've acknowledged that while Mike Zimmer could depart Cincinnati for a vacant head coaching position, it all depended on where Jeff Fisher decided to resume his coaching career. Multiple reports are now indicating that Fisher has chosen the St. Louis Rams, which means we're inching that much closer towards discovering Mike Zimmer's future with Cincinnati.
Zimmer interviewed for Miami's vacant head coaching position earlier this week while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers recently received permission to interview Cincinnati's defensive coordinator. If Zimmer leaves Cincinnati then the Bengals will have to start a shotgun search to find his replacement, with names like defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle and former Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio believed as possibilities.
Before Zimmer joined the Bengals in 2008, Cincinnati's defense ranked 19th or worse (four times 27th or worse) every season that Marvin Lewis was the head coach. Zimmer joined the team and Cincinnati's defense never finished worse than 15th with two seasons ranked seventh or better.
0 recs | 26 comments
Will be sad to see Zimmer go
However, I’m not entirely against it. While we were a solid defense, we were never scary. He laid the groundwork, just wonder if we need someone new to take us to the next level.
Mexal - January 13, 2012
Pretty much my feeling...
Love the guy as a coach and what he has done, but while they have always been good, they have not really taken the step to great, especially in key games. There is at least part of me that wonders if the right replacement couldn’t take that step.
I’ll be OK either way…would be happy for Zimmer to get a shot somewhere for sure.
CMT - January 13, 2012
I wonder...
Oregonbengalsfan - January 13, 2012
They don't know what they are missing, IMO.
No, he is not a big name, but I think he is a hell of a DC, and maybe that doesn’t make him a great head coach, but he sure deserves a shot. Would love to have him stay too.
Ben-GAL - January 13, 2012
But I think the things that make him a great DC
will translate very well to head coaching. He’s not and outstanding schemer, and is up and down in player development. Zim’s a great motivator, though. He can get any guy to buy into his system. With the proper assistant’s alongside him, he’d be a fantastic head coach.
Pardon_My_French - January 13, 2012
Oh I am not saying he won't.
I think he has what it takes, I just meant that we will have to wait and see. I think whoever lands him, will be very happy with what he brings to the table. If I was a player, he is the kind of guy I would want to play for.
Ben-GAL - January 13, 2012
Ok I setup a column on Tweet Deck following anything
“Mike Zimmer”
Oregonbengalsfan - January 13, 2012
I'm just seeing everywhere that Kevin Coyle is the favorite to replace him if he leaves
Someone please explain that to me? He has coached maybe the most disappointing unit on the entire TEAM (except maybe running backs) for the last how many years? Even when he had two Pro Bowl talents in JJo and Hall at corner it was still a lackluster unit. This season they were constantly out of position, taking bad angles, missing assignments and tackles. I just don’t see how in the world THAT’S the guy who is waiting in the wings for a promotion.
eric nyc - January 13, 2012
My guess is
Since the bengals denied the Eagles permission to interview Coyle for coordinator position last year, they assume it’s only “fair” to strongly consider him for Bengals spot if it were to free up.
ksimm1 - January 13, 2012
That's a stupid reason
Not saying you’re stupid for suggesting it, or that it isn’t true, but if we give the guy the job just because we made some kind of verbal promise to him last year, that’s stupid…Not when there are premiere defensive coaches out there looking for work.
eric nyc - January 13, 2012
i really don't think our CB's played that bad this year, there were a few missed assignments but the only weakness was the SS
there is only so much you can do as a coach, you can’t physically play for your player and think for them. So from a coaching perspective, he maybe pretty damn good and maybe his players arn’t playing the way their being coached. Again thats just my theory why he maybe a strong canidate for DC.
But yea, the fact that they blocked him from speaking to another team is a pretty good indicator on how a team feels about a coach or player. He must be something right.
AMAS85 - January 13, 2012
another aspect to keep in mind
Coyle maybe a good scout as well. So he probably does a lot of be hind the scenes work thats really benefical to the organization.
AMAS85 - January 13, 2012
I think he has done fine with what he has had
When he had Hall and JJ, the team was ranked 6th in passing defense and that was without a pass rush. This year, they were 9th and that was without their top 2 CBs (Hall/JJ) and with corners who would be third or fourth on other teams depth charts.
Crocker is certainly a liability but Nelson has played much better since he has been in our system. I don’t blame Coyle for our secondary, I blame the front office for not giving him enough talent.
Mexal - January 13, 2012
damn it
going to be a long week as a bengal fan. worrying about the fins and the bucs 24/7 until they sign their head coaches.
palewook - January 13, 2012
Hope he gets it
He’s earned it.
Evil Monkey - January 13, 2012
Pure speculation but if Zimmer leaves and we bring in Del Rio
Does that mean we probabally are going to loose Reggie Neslon as well. He’s a free agent and everything that I’ve heard from Jags fans is he sucked in Jacksonsville and that’s where Del Rio coached
biggie22 - January 13, 2012
yea but Del Rio would have to follow Marvins game plan
AMAS85 - January 13, 2012
I don't completely follow the logic
Nelson underperformed in Jacksonville. Maybe it was the scheme, maybe it was the coordinator, maybe it was the position coach. I doubt it was directly a result of his relationship with Del Rio. Regardless, if Del Rio came in here, the first thing he’d have to do is look at the holes we need to fill and then look at who’s available to fill them. There’s enough tape on Reggie over the last few seasons here to show that’s he’s a very good FS and there’s no one else either on the roster, in the draft, or in free agency that would be an upgrade. These guys are professionals.
eric nyc - January 13, 2012
maybe its because they used him as a CB instead of a FS
Bengalsfan024 - January 13, 2012
nelson is a pretty big piece to the puzzle on defense
add a playmaker strong saftey and we will be one of the best defenses in the league for years to come. Plus we will have to resign a few of our own. And draft another quality CB.
AMAS85 - January 13, 2012
Do not want Del Rio.
Scumbag. He’s viewed to the jags the same way that Bratkowski was viewed to us. Scumbag!
ddbumpus - January 13, 2012
Jags Defense has always been pretty damn good even when the team is bad
And the big difference is he would being going back to role he obviously excelled in if he got promoted to a HC. Kind of like Wade Phillips maybe not a great HC but very good DC
biggie22 - January 13, 2012
I like Nelson
We love him but if you look at most FA list including the one posted today there are about 9 or 10 FS rated ahead of him. I’m just saying he may not have the same opinion of him as we do and think he could upgrade the position, plus Reggies a FA and he may want not part of playing for Del Rio. Again I do not think this is the case I’m just specualtion
biggie22 - January 13, 2012
9 or 10 free agent FS's rated higher than him?
I don’t think there are 10 FS in the league that are better than him, let alone that are ALL going into free agency this year. Here’s a (subjective) list and ranking:
http://nflsfuture.com/2011/11/15/2012-nfl-free-agent-safeties/
That has him listed 8th out of ALL free agent safeties. 5 of the 7 ranked above him are SS’s. And the two FS’s ranked above him have, in my opinion, not played as well over the past two seasons. They’re a tick younger, but I’d take the guy who knows the system and the personnel. Plus Nelson had somewhat limited playing time during his tenure with the Jags, so he doesn’t have the typical wear on his body.
Of course the whole not wanting to play for Del Rio is a wild guess. I could imagine it…from what I gather he is not a player favorite coach.
eric nyc - January 13, 2012
Again I'm not disagreeing
I really like Reggie and hope we keep him. I’m just palying devils advocate and saying that people on the outside coming in here might not have as high of an opinion of him as we do, especially if they are coming from Jacksonville where he really appeared to struggle
biggie22 - January 13, 2012
Fare thee well Zim
We wish you the best!
EarthwormJim - January 13, 2012
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