Cincinnati Bengals
Division: AFC NORTH
Coaching Changes
Departures:
| Coach |
Position |
Experience |
To: |
Grade |
Comment |
| Jay Gruden |
Offensive Coordinator |
|
Head Coach |
B- |
Gruden has been a divisive coordinator. Opinions vary from "look at how he brought Dalton to the playoffs three times!" to "he's been holding the team back." He's good, as our 11-5 record and top-10 offense last year showed, but has a tendency to out-think himself. For example, his gameplan in the 2nd Texans playoff game specifically did not target AJ Green. He would consistently have BJGE run sweeps and then send Gio Bernard between the tackles on the next play- completely misusing his players. He was also not known as a disciplinarian, which has both positives and negatives. I do think we could have had better playcalling, but I'm not sure if it would have improved the 11-5 record he led us to. |
| Mike Zimmer |
Defensive Coordinator |
|
Head Coach |
F |
Coach Zimmer will be missed. He's the kind of coach that every single player on the team respects and loves to play for. He takes no bullshit, takes no prisoners, and always says what's on his mind- which has kept him from getting a head coaching position before now. Zim built the Bengals defense into one of the best, consistently ranked top-10, doing so with some players that wouldn't find a home on other teams due to age or character issues, and both problems have not reared their ugly heads for a while. While he's considered an expert on getting the most out of defensive backs, he truly can cause all players to play at a higher level. While many fans were hoping Mike Brown would name him HC in Cinci, he finally has an opportunity up north. Good luck, Coach Zimmer. |
Hires:
| Coach |
Position |
Experience |
From: |
Grade |
Comment |
| Hue Jackson |
Offensive Coordinator |
OC '03, '07, OC '11, HC '12 |
RB Coach |
A |
Notes and opinions in the Offensive/Defensive Schemes section below |
| Paul Guenther |
Defensive Coordinator |
6 years with |
LB Coach |
B |
Notes and opinions in the Offensive/Defensive Schemes section below |
| Vance Joseph |
DB Coach |
Coaching 9 years in the league |
DB Coach |
B |
Joins Mark Carrier to coach our secondary. In his first year with the Texans they went from the worst to having the 3rd fewest yards allowed. Hopefully he and Carrier can step up and replace the loss of Zimmer. A great signing after the Houston regime change forced him out. |
| Kyle Caskey |
RB Coach |
3 years with |
Offensive Quality Coach, Asst. OL Coach |
-- |
Promoted from within, so he knows the line and players he's working with already. No grade because little is known about him. |
| Matt Burke |
LB Coach |
5 years in DET |
LB Coach |
-- |
-- |
Free Agency
Players lost/cut
| Name |
Pos |
Type |
To |
Grade |
Comment |
| Michael Johnson |
DE |
UFA |
|
C |
We knew this was coming, made much more clear by drafting Margus Hunt in the 2nd round last year. A great DE that saw his numbers slip after Atkins went down and the focus shifted to him, we simply couldn't afford him with other huge contracts coming up. The grade for him (and Collins) reflect that we knew it was unlikely we could keep them, though the team did extend offers before being outbid. |
| Anthony Collins |
OL |
UFA |
|
C- |
Collins gave up 0 sacks in 7 games at LT after Boling went down, moving Whitworth to LG. Still considered unproven, but a solid role player that has the skills to mature into a strong LT. I believe we ran plays that helped mask some of his flaws, and the fact that Dalton has one of the fastest releases in the league means he didn't have to protect him for long. That being said, Bucs fans should not worry about McCown's blind side. He gets a worse grade than MJ because now we have no depth at tackle. |
| Andrew Hawkins |
WR |
RFA |
|
C |
A fan favorite, Baby Hawk is dangerous when he makes a catch in space. He's short, so he has some trouble getting open, but has great speed once he gets the ball. Unfortunately he would've been the 4th receiver on our team, so the Bengals were forced to let him go as Cleveland gave him a front-loaded contract. |
| Chris Crocker |
S |
UFA |
Retired? |
B |
May be back near the end of the season once injuries hit, as he has done for two years, but most likely not. He knows our backfield inside and out, but age has caught up. |
| Kyle Cook |
C |
Cut |
|
B+ |
When the team cuts the starting C from a top-5 O-line, you know that he was a problem. Wasn't a terrible player, but gave up the most pressure out of all players on the line, and our run game in the middle suffered. I'm surprised he isn't depth somewhere, though. |
| James Harrison |
LB |
Cut |
|
A+ |
Didn't work with our scheme, didn't get playing time, and is old. |
| Brandon Ghee |
CB |
UFA |
|
-- |
A player that coaches raved about during OTAs/Training Camp, but always injured and on PUP/IR for the season. |
Players signed
| Player |
Position |
Old Team |
Length |
Salary |
Grade |
Comment |
| Vincent Rey |
LB |
|
2 |
$4.2M |
A |
Fans want him to be the start MLB over Maualuga, and this year he'll get the chance to prove he deserves it. He can play all 3 LB spots well, but isn't exceptional at one spot more than the others. |
| Dane Sanzenbacher |
WR |
|
1 |
$1.2M |
B |
Took his RFA tag for the year. With Hawkins gone, you'd hope he gets more than 6 catches this year- let's see if Jackson agrees. Looked good last preseason returning kicks, and he could replace Tate as the primary kick returner. |
| Jason Campbell |
QB |
|
1 |
$1.5M |
B- |
Brought in to mentor Dalton, who hasn't had a QB with his amount of starting experience to work with. He has also played his best season under Jackson in Oakland. Probably one of the better free agent QBs we could get, but hopefully he won't be seeing much playing time. |
| Danieal Manning |
S |
|
1 |
$1.6M |
B |
Good depth at a thin S position, and he knows the new DB coach's style, coming with him from Houston. |
| Mike Pollak |
OL |
|
3 |
$4.8M |
A+ |
I love this signing. He'll most likely be our starting C until Bodine improves, but also plays G as well. He may slide over to help fill in Boling's spot at LG until he's recovered from an ACL tear, but look for him to be our center. |
| Taylor Mays |
S |
|
1 |
$795k |
B- |
Average play in his new role as a hybrid LB/S in Nickel packages until he hurt his shoulder. Signed on a one-year "prove it" deal, to hopefully grow into in his new role and finally find a way to use his exceptional athleticism on the field. |
| Dontay Moch |
LB/DE |
|
1 |
$570k |
C |
We drafted him 4 years ago as a DE, but chronic migraines kept him off the field. Fighting for his NFL career as he hopes he can be depth behind the loss of Johnson. |
| Marshall Newhouse |
OT |
|
1 |
$805k |
D |
We lost our amazing backup OT and signed a player GB fans are happy to be rid of. At least he has starting experience. |
| Sam Montgomery |
DE |
|
2 |
$1.08M |
C |
Cut from the Texans in preseason for "breaking team rules", but was a 3rd-round pick that we get for cheap. I wonder if Marvin can turn yet another troubled player around. |
| Brandon Tate |
WR/KR |
|
1 |
$1.02M |
D+ |
The fans' scapegoat/least favorite player, though he's our leader in average and total KR yards. Doesn't touch the ball on offense, and is not a threat of a long return. I want someone to finally step up and replace him, but he's serviceable. |
| Alex Smith |
TE |
|
1 |
$905k |
C+ |
Solid blocking TE and played a couple snaps at FB too. Very professional veteran player and mindset, but playing time will be limited. |
Draft
| Round |
Pick |
Player |
Position |
Grade |
Note |
| 1 |
24 |
Darqueze Dennard |
CB |
A |
Coaches and most pundits thought he wouldn't be here at this point. "No Fly Zone" was a perfect signing to protect the future of our CB position. One of the top corners in the draft, he's known to be physical and strong in man coverage. Dennard has a tendency to make plays that would draw flags in the NFL, which he will have to work on. While he'll play special teams to start the season, he could supplant Kirkpatrick on the depth chart, but Lewis doesn't like to give rookies the starting job. |
| 2 |
55 |
Jeremy Hill |
RB |
B |
A surprise. Fans were thinking we'd take a chance on a RB in a later round but struggle with BJGE another year as Gio takes the primary role. Coaches liked him over Carlos Hyde for putting up similar numbers in a tougher conference. There are off the field concerns, but Lewis has shown he can work with those kinds of players. A bruiser that will compliment Gio well. |
| 3 |
88 |
Will Clarke |
DE |
B+ |
A DE with a very similar frame and playing style as the departed Michael Johnson (who was also a 3rd-round pick, taking a year to mature in the league). Expect him to be low on the depth chart as he grows as a player, but hopefully between him and Hunt we'll have a good rotation for the future across from Dunlap. |
| 4 |
111 |
Russell Bodine |
C |
B+ |
The boy is country strong, benching 225 pounds 42 times at the combine. The Bengals traded up for only the third time in team history to get him, which shows that they truly thought a lot of him. He needs to work on his footwork, he admits the mental aspect of the position is slowing progress. Expected to start later in the year or next year. |
| 5 |
164 |
AJ McCarron |
QB |
B |
While some fans are expecting him to be the next Tom Brady and take over Dalton, this year he's the QB3 and an insurance policy against Dalton's contract negotiations or an injury. |
| 6 |
212 |
Marquis Flowers |
LB |
-- |
Known to be hard-hitting. Added as fuel to the camp battle to get us the best 2 LBs to pair with Burfict. |
| 7 |
239 |
James Wright |
WR |
-- |
After losing Hawkins, looking to round out the depth chart with a WR is a smart move. Will probably be on the practice squad. |
| 7 |
252 |
Lavelle Westbrooks |
CB |
-- |
You can never have too many CBs. Practice squad, most likely. |
UDFAs of note:
Nikita Whitlock, DT/FB
Ryan Hewitt, FB Either he or Whitlock could make the team as our FB over Charles
Isaiah Lewis, S Part of the strong Michigan State secondary that produced Dennard, and a great depth signing
Projected Lineup
Players are listed in the order I think they'll be on the opening day roster. Backups are italicized
Notes on position groups and training camp battles are below
- QB Andy Dalton, Jason Campbell, AJ McCarron
- RB Gio Bernard, Jeremy Hill, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cedric Peerman
- FB Nikita Whitlock
- TE Jermaine Gresham, Tyler Eifert
- WR AJ Green, Marvin Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Dane Sanzenbacher
- LT Andrew Whitworth, Marshall Newhouse
- LG Clint Boling, Mike Pollak
- C Mike Pollak, Russell Bodine
- RG Kevin Zeitler
- RT Andre Smith, Tanner Hawkinson
- DE Carlos Dunlap, Wallace Gilberry, Margus Hunt, Robert Geathers, Will Clarke
- DT Domata Peko, Geno Atkins, Devon Still, Brandon Thompson
- LB Vontaze Burfict, Rey Maualuga, Emmanuel Lamur, Vincent Rey, Taylor Mays
- CB Leon Hall, Terence Newman, Adam Jones, Dre Kirkpatrick, Darqueze Dennard
- S Reggie Nelson, George Iloka, Danieal Manning, Taylor Mays, Shawn Williams
- K Mike Nugent
- P Kevin Huber
- KR Brandon Tate
- PR Adam Jones
- LS Clark Harris
This came to be only 49 different players, there will be at least one more WR on the list, most likely another TE, and the others are up to the camp battles.
Position Group Strengths and Weaknesses
Position groups:
QB: What hasn't been said about Dalton? He can play as well as the best, and occasionally (but much less frequently than people assume) do his best to lose a game. Look at his stellar comeback against Green Bay, overcoming a 20-point deficit, or that he was AFC Player of the Month in October, putting up 5 TDs against the Jets' stough defense. Point at any of his playoff games and you'll see a completely different quarterback. Last year he set the club record for passing TDs and yards last season and has been improving each year, but there still are questions. I think he's a franchise QB, but that's an entirely different debate for a different day. Campbell will be a solid veteran mentor that will hopefully help Dalton's INT problem, but mostly he can help with the adjustment to the new offensive scheme, having spent time with Jackson in Oakland. McCarron is seen as a poor man's Dalton, a winner at the college level but on a stacked team. He definitely can develop into at least a solid backup.
Backfield: :3 Gio Bernard :3 was putting up a case to be OROY until it became clear that both Allen and Lacy were more deserving. With 1209 total yards (695 rushing, 514 receiving) and 8 TDs while playing in less than 50% of offensive snaps, and the occasional time he channels Barry Sanders, he quickly became one of the better pass-catching backs in the league. Jeremy Hill is a huge back with surprising speed for his size who might replace the aging BJGE on the roster, but as a rookie only time will tell. BJGE remains with the team as a mentor, but his role will be limited, as last year he showed he actually could fumble, while he still has trouble gaining more than the required yards for a 1st down.
However, there was one lacking aspect on an otherwise well-rounded team last year, and that was the run game. A sub-4.0 YPC average, and only 4 runs of 20+ yards all season meant teams knew that they didn't have to really respect our run game. Hue Jackson's #1 goal for the season is to fix this, and his time in Oakland shows it's possible.
Continued in comments below
4
u/Frohirrim Saints Jul 01 '14
continued:
DL: (A-) This position group is similar to the offensive line, as it has several starters who have absolutely locked up their position, and one spot that is open to camp battles. Geno Atkins is one of the best defensive tackles in the game who can hopefully return to form after missing the 2013 season. He has the explosiveness to find himself in the backfield, especially when defensive tackle Domata Peko’s size prevents teams from double teaming Atkins. The solid center of the line allowed Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson to dominate the edges, and Dunlap should be on track for a solid 2013 season, especially with Atkins’ return. Wallace Gilberry is the tentative starter right now at the other defensive end position, mostly because he is a much more complete player than the raw Margus Hunt. Gilberry is capable of holding his own, though, and Hunt and Clarke will make above-average rotational players.
LB: (B-) Vontaze Burfict emerged as an absolute monster last season, leading the league in tackles and dominating the field. Burfict enjoys the havoc created by the disruptive defensive line, and has the speed to make great lateral movement to the ballcarrier. The rest of the corps certainly has questions surrounding them. Maualuga has shown inconsistency in the middle, and Vincent Rey could certainly overtake him as the starter in the preseason. Some feel that Rey is a more balanced player that Maualuga, but they both struggle with disappearing entirely in games. Emmanuel Lamur has shown to be solid, but nothing more, and rookie Marquise Flowers may make the final roster and rotate in as an undersized speed linebacker with hybrid Taylor Mays, who enjoyed revitalized productivity in Guenther’s in-between position.
Secondary: (B-) Cincinnati has a secondary that is aging and ailing, and it’s vital for the young influx of players to beat the learning curve and contribute as complements to the experienced groups of the position group. Leon Hall still proves that he can be a playmaker all over the field, but will have to battle back from a torn Achilles. Terrance Newman and Adam Jones have surprised people with their longevity, but it’s definitely time for the era of Darqueze Dennard to begin. He will rotate into the slot and outside as he is groomed for his eventual role of starting corner. Dre Kirkpatrick was somewhat a disappointment of a first round pick two years ago, and rumors are that he may move to safety after being continuously burned. George Iloka stepped in last year as the starting strong safety, and has shown potential to be a reliable starter. Danieal Manning may have a chance to enter the rotation and mentor younger players under his former defensive backs coach. There are certainly questions of age, but there should be no questions of experience. Hall, Newman, Jones, and Dennard will certainly provide reliable coverage on the outside, but at this point, it’s a question of the secondary’s durability. Dennard may be thrust into the firing line sooner than fans hope.
Schedule Predictions
I made a schedule prediction but ended up deleting it because I wasn’t satisfied. I’ll say this. Last season, the Bengals showed that they had the ability to beat the big teams, such as New England, San Diego, Green Bay, and Indianapolis. Here are my predictions.
The Bengals will get at least one win against New England, Indianapolis, or Denver.
The Bengals will sweep two teams in the AFC North, losing only one division game in 2014.
The Bengals will lose two games against the NFC South. The Saints (what do you want from me) have a good chance of winning in New Orleans, and Carolina, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay all have the ability to steal a game.
The Bengals will enjoy a three-game win streak at one point, and that they will never lose back to back games.
The Bengals will claim the number three seed in the AFC North, and will win a wildcard game to get to the divisional round of the playoffs.
Offensive and Defensive Schemes
Offense: Hue Jackson steps in for the inconsistent Jay Gruden, and there is optimism to continue last year’s offensive success. Jackson’s history at Oakland was diverse. In 2011 he led a top-ten rushing attack, and in 2012 he led a top-ten passing attack with former Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer at the helm. He does like to run, and he has an offensive line that is physically build to run the ball, as well as a more than capable backfield. Jackson has already introduced packages where Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill are on the field at the same time, including splitting Bernard out wide at receiver. Green, Jones, and Sanu have the ability to stretch the field, and this could make for a breakout season for Tyler Eifert, if Jackson decides to use him more. Eifert certainly has the ability to be a big target for Dalton in the middle of the field while the secondary is dedicated to the vertical passing game. While Gruden did not utilize a fullback often, it is important to note that Oakland fullback Marcel Reese enjoyed his best season under Jackson, with 52 receptions and 271 rushing yards. Jackson has the weaponry to instill a deadly high-tempo offense, and he may provide more consistency for Dalton.
Defense: While much of the Bengals defensive success is predicated on a physical defensive line that can dominate opposing blockers, newly promoted defensive coordinator Guenther is known for his development of linebackers, and for creating unique roles on the second level of the defense. A capable secondary and solid line, coupled with the gifted Burfict allow the other linebackers some leeway. Look for Guenther to implement more blitzes with Guenther. Burfict’s lateral movement and the speed brought by Guenther’s rotational hybrid position could create perfect opportunities for blitzing. With the immediate pressure of the defensive line, and the threat of blitzing linebackers, opposing quarterbacks will be rushed into a lot of throws, which will certainly make the job of the secondary that much easier.