The Cincinnati Bengals had an exciting and surprising 2011 season in which they went 9-7 and went to the playoffs as a wildcard team. They may have not won 10 games in the season or won the division or beat the Steelers or Ravens at least once, but considering they were expected to be in the running for Andrew Luck this offseason, it was a pretty good year and it's a year on which the Bengals can attempt to build a successful team from.
However, that doesn't mean that they're all set heading into the 2012 season. There are a lot of needs that the team has, both on offense and defense, and without filling those needs, they don't have a shot of at least repeating what they did in 2011.
On offense, the Bengals badly need a running back, wide receiver and guard. It's likely that Cedric Benson, who is an unrestricted free agent, is not returning to the team in 2012. That leaves the team without the bell-cow back that they've used for a long time and leaves Bernard Scott as the only back on the roster (Brian Leonard is a free agent too, by the way) and there are major concerns about his durability and his ability to carry the load. There's really no chance that the Bengals don't find a new running back in the coming weeks.
At guard, Bobbie Williams, Nate Livings and Mike McGlynn are all free agents leaving Clint Boling and Otis Hudson as the only two guards on the roster and if you add their game-time experience together, you get next to nothing. It's extremely unlikely that the team brings back Livings or McGlynn, considering how they played in 2011, and the only guard they may bring back is Williams, who will be 36 when the season starts.
Then there's wide receiver. Both Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell are heading into free agency and it's unlikely that either of them are back in stripes in 2012 based on Caldwell's play and Simpson's inconsistency and legal troubles. That leaves A.J. Green as the only big wide receiver threat on the team other than Jordan Shipley, who is returning from injury. The Bengals need to bring in a talented No. 2 receiver, either in the draft or in free agency, to take some attention off of Green.
On defense, the team needs to address the secondary, both at cornerback and safety. At corner, Leon Hall is attempting to return from a season-ending Achilles rupture, both Adam Jones and Kelly Jennings are free agents and Nate Clements is going to be 33 in December and is a liability in coverage at times. The team is still reeling from the loss of Johnathan Joseph and they need to find a replacement for the future of the game. The majority of analysts believe that they'll go after a corner with one of their first-round picks.
Safety is another area of concern, though, and his has been for some time. Chris Crocker, the team's strong safety, is not good in pass coverage and was a liability in run support at the end of the season as well. The starting free safety, Reggie Nelson, is an unrestricted free agent and is considered to be the most important player that the team needs to re-sign once free agency opens. Taylor Mays could be an option at strong safety but he barely played in 2011 and it's unclear as to what Mike Zimmer's plan is for him in the future.
In my opinion, these five positions, running back, guard, wide receiver, cornerback and safety, are the most important for the team to fill in the offseason. The question, though, is what is the most important to fill first.
What do you think?
0 recs | 22 comments
I went Defense with Cornerback
but I think Guard is right up there too. I gave the edge to cornerback because I feel like if the Bengals shore up their secondary their defense will dominate.
Jason Blanton - February 17, 2012
We need a running back the most important
We have decent guard, decent corners, but no running back. With benson going, and none of the other running back worth crap, we have absolutly nothing. With out a running game at all, our next season will end up like 2010.
hewesdilg - February 17, 2012
no decent guard
Jason Blanton - February 17, 2012
and no starting gaurds either
but im hoping we address the Oline in FA and save the play makers for the draft.
AMAS85 - February 17, 2012
DB. OG. RB
draft best available player in the draft at those respective positions and sign FA OGs as well to solidify the oline.
AMAS85 - February 17, 2012
We need to pick up
a great OG in FA and draft richardson and jenkins in the 1st round and then pick up miller or a back with great speed in the second. Then we can have a back for pounding the line and one to break lose for a long run
hewesdilg - February 17, 2012
i thin RB is the most important position to address.
Not saying it should take priority in the draft or whatever, but we have NO ONE at RB. Scott? Benson? Leonard? Benson won’t be back, and Scott or Leonard probably can’t handle the load… at least not if we run as much as we have been.
If we didn’t address guard, we’d still have Williams (assuming we resign him) and an improved Boling, which I think would get us through the year.
If we didn’t adress CB, we’d be eh but ok. Clement and hopefully Hall could start with Jones/Jennings in the nickel. Not ideal, but better than a Benson/Scott/Leonard backfield…
At safety if not addressed we’d have to depend on Mays or Sands or keep crocker, but I still like that better than the RB situation.
So my order goes RB, CB, G, S. not that we would need to draft in that order, but I think that is the order of importance of adressing or not addressing just in itself.
Luke - February 17, 2012
Let's not forget to include Peerman in the RB competition
DTFCPDX - February 17, 2012
Thought about it
but didn’t include him because we haven’t seen him run really at all. He had like 4 carries all season?
Luke - February 17, 2012
Could Leonard be a Starter... seems perfect WCO type of guy
or can he not handle that many snaps..
Still want a Leonard hillis 2 headed monster.
Bengalsfan024 - February 17, 2012
Leonard has trouble staying healthy as our 3rd down back....
would love to see him more. But has too much trouble staying healthy.
The Van Buren Boys - February 17, 2012
OG, CB, RB
We can’t pass up on DeCastro if he is there at 17.
Jenkins will fall because off field problems.If not, pick up next best CB at 21 . In 2nd get Doug Martin,he is like a small Richerdson. One thing that would change this would be Richardson at 17.
BengalDude - February 17, 2012 via mobile
If we could only upgrade 1 position I would choose G
We need G & CB because we don’t have enough on the roster to play if all the FA walk. If we got everyone back and I could fill one position with a new player it would be a Guard/Guards. Our DB’s were serviceable, even our RB’s would’ve been better with a better line. Good thing is that we can get better at a few positions. Thank god ;-)
Bigcatdaddy - February 17, 2012 via Android app
Priority #1 + 1
Guard and db. Doesn’t matter who they draft at rb. TR or Miller. They won’t be able to reach that 2nd level consistantly until that O-Line is solidified namely at the guard position. And we all know that we need to acquire db’s in fa and the draft to shore up our backend on the d-side. Just hope Marvin and the fo are smart about it. This year is crucial! Bengal fans deserve a championship. They been very loyal to their team…..
Makebelieve - February 17, 2012 via mobile
Almost like needs 1A and 1B between CB and G....
I think the two are interchangeable. We have no depth at either position because of injuries or the guys we had/have are currently Free Agents. It’s a toss up for me.
The Van Buren Boys - February 17, 2012
CB hands down.
TCfromDubVee - February 17, 2012
Gotta be gaurd cause right now we have 1
Bengalsfan024 - February 17, 2012
Middle Linebacker
Evil Monkey - February 17, 2012
One that can be a team leader
Not a team loser.
Evil Monkey - February 17, 2012
Lewis Formula
Win Time of Possession
Win the Turnover battle
Run with success( Like run Benson 25 times a game)
The Prob is Benson. Bengals cant run with success.
I bet the Bengals will take a CB and a running back in the first round.
Bengals will play it safe.
This is The Bengals.
Safe brings no fear. Lewis will want to replace Benson with a workable back.
Then the Lewis Formula will have PUNCH! Play it Safe are the Bengals.
The Bengals Plan is to not Rock The Boat. Baby Steps are of the Order of Persons who have No Backbone!
Why does not the Bengals Management ever MAN UP. Why do the Bengals enter the arena with Sword out of Shithe?
Draw the Sword Bengals! Sharpen the Sword! Bring it!
Who has the will to be a WINNER?
Is the Lewis Project impotent?! Who in the NFL is afraid of Marvin Lewis and
His Cronies?!
And Thats Important!
Bengals are Losers plan and simple. Bengals are dull of mind! Ask Anyone. The Marvin Lewis Project is to play Marvin Ball! Marvin is a Loser! Who is a Coach who cant bring Fear? Who is Next Coach In? Is the Marvin Game plan worth it? Or Will Marvin find HIS GUY! And Save Face?! Or Will Marvin be Proclaimed the biggest Bust Of Ever?!
Chili Dog - February 17, 2012
Safety
Or we could just keep Crocker.
Loyal2aFault - February 17, 2012
OG is important but IMO CB help has been an issue for a while (I know Joseph and Hall, but the #3-5 guys haven’t been good and now we have just Hall). Out of our secondary I only like Nelson and Hall, Jones is a decent backup but otherwise we need to clean out and rebuild our secondary.
However with the draft still a matter of who’s best at the spot, I’m not opposed to getting say a RB or OG in the first round if no CB is worth it at our position. But we really need 1-2 CB’s drafted in the top 4 rounds and a safety as well as possibly an additional CB in free agency or really late draft. If we can get a heavily improved secondary and pickup a guard in the draft we’ll be doing extremely well.
bengalschatter - February 18, 2012
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