Shop Til You Drop

The word “shopping” is thrown around pretty loosely in today’s NFL. It almost always means a team is looking to unload one of its overpaid, overhyped or overaged players in the form of a trade. Agents and general managers alike, prefer to think of the off-season as a shopping mall where one can waltz into a team’s store and talk business, then go next door to another team and compare prices.

Among the bored suburban teens and the power-walking elderly of this place sits a large man in the food court, eating hamburgers with his leg propped up on the seat beside him. He is Levi Jones, injured and deflated, wishing he could just go home.

Football has had its way with Levi, leaving him permanently scarred and far older than his anatomical age suggests. Fans watched his career climax in 2005 with all the other stars on that offense, earning him Pro-Bowl accolades and granting Levi with the NFL’s golden ticket: a reputation throughout the league. The phenomena of reputation can elevate a player’s career to impressive plateaus, sometimes unfairly. Levi was named a Pro-Bowl alternate after the 2006 season based solely on his rep over his play.

Since then, his health has deteriorated like a cardboard box left out in the rain. When he does manage to suit up, he is devoured by speed rushers who have eaten him for Sunday brunch for the past three seasons. After his foreseeable collapse last season, his replacement, Anthony Collins, managed to stop the bleeding along a severed offensive line, seemingly overnight. He was once pulled from a game in Kansas City due to his general crappines, exemplified by his three sacks given up in the first half.

The reason his agent dragged him to the NFL mall today – kicking and screaming – was to help the Bengals shop him around. It’s hard to imagine a team more desperate than the Bengals for offensive tackles, and the ones that do come to mind have better draft positions than Cincinnati. This year’s draft is a bumper crop of premium, freshly-picked tackles that can be used right away in all kinds of teams’ recipes. Levi follows his agent from one team to the other, head down and speaking to the floor, while it becomes increasingly apparent to the Bengals that no one is interested in trading for the once-was.

Levi will likely be released from the team and be allowed to finally go home. He’s been beaten up on the field and off it, he’s fell out of favor with the fans and he now lumbers along as a huge pile of crumpled talent and dollar bills. His tale is that of the fiery harlot that can be the NFL; as a young man, he limps away from it, satisfied but unloved.

Mojokong – walking backwards through time.

Up, up and Away

The sun warmed up this morning, and the air became fresher, seemingly based on one celestial event: finally, my least favorite Bengal, Dexter Jackson, has been cut.

When Dex Jax arrived, I was excited to get a “hard-hitting” tackler with a natural scowl fixed to his face, but I soured on him quickly when I realized that he couldn’t cover or tackle. It seems he landed a contract here via free agency based on his wonderful performance (the only of his career) in the 2002 Super Bowl, earning him that game’s MVP honors. By year two of his Bengal career, he was exposed as a tackling fraud, and by year three he was too injured for any of it to matter. He will not be missed.

The release of Jackson is the latest of off-season moves that have me confused, only because all of them seem to make sense. What’s happening here? Aren’t these pages supposed to be jam-packed of venomous disdain toward the eternal blundering that this organization has carefully molded its reputation on?

Outside of the overpriced lump of Coles we landed in a moment of desperation after watching Housh take flight to bluer, more mountainous pastures, this team seems like it’s on course toward conventional wisdom. Crocker, Dorsey, Benson, and Brandon Johnson have all been very sensible signings at reasonable prices, as is the new backup quarterback, J.T. O’Sullivan.

O’ Sullivan posted modest numbers around a jalopy of an offense in San Francisco last season, and still without a serviceable offensive line here in Cincinnati, a decent backup to Carson becomes most important. After all, not suiting a capable line around our franchise-player is like attaching couch cushions to Palmer and heaving him into a busy intersection; it’s only a matter of time before something else on him breaks. Second-string quarterbacks are unusual because they’re the only thing ownership decides is necessary to buy but never wants to actually use. They’re expensive insurance policies or a luxurious collectors item like a firearm from the civil war; worth pointing out and admiring but hoped to never function again. Still, we as Bengal fans know it only takes one play, one second, to look upon an item like this with terrified hope in our eyes. Welcome aboard, J.T.. Now sit quietly in the corner and hold this clipboard for us.

There likely won’t be much more to this free-agent season for the Bengals. They’ve managed to ride the undercurrent, picking up a part here and there, but allowing the big-spenders to snatch the headlines and the limelight.

Outside of Coles, Mike and Marv showed patience this year, sticking to the blueprint that says free-agents only work as stop-gaps – and in cases like that of Dexter Jackson, sometimes create even bigger holes to fill. The draft supplies teams with the soft clay that eventually form championships, and is where the regime’s philosophy will be most tested this season. The existing brain-trust has shown a willingness to go about business in a similar fashion to that of the rest of the league, instead of remaining faithful to an antiquated do-it-yourself manual that Mike Brown has kept beneath his pillow or locked away in the team’s safe. With a sensible draft in April, this team may regain my severely damaged esteem after all. Someone must have received the memo.

Mojokong -- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the NFL.

A Letter to Seattle

A Seattle blogger requested I give him and the city some perspective on what they can expect from Housh. Here is what I wrote:

While some receivers are able to get by on size or athleticism, T.J Houshmandzedah is truly a craftsman at his trade. Seahawks fans can expect from him excellent route running, a fearlessness to catch passes over the middle, and, most importantly, a pair of reliable hands. Housh won’t blow by corners on deep routes and isn’t much of a sideline receiver, but he does have a knack for pulling down ‘jump balls’ by leaping earlier than defenders, and is also very tough to bring down for a guy his size. After catching the ball, he often times takes a step backward in order to find a seam to gain additional YAC yards. His best strength might be his ability to convert those crucial third-and-medium scenarios on a fairly regular basis.

When on the field, it’s necessary for T.J. to become very angry in order to give it his best effort. This usually takes shape in the vehement trash-talking he feels comfortable engaging in with opposing defensive backs. Occasionally, he may focus his ire on the closest referee that apparently missed a penalty call, sometimes, but rarely, invoking a flag for generally disagreeable conduct toward the offending zebra.

Off the field, however, Housh willingly and honestly provides sharp, insightful commentary and analysis to whichever microphone asks for such a thing. His post-game interviews became the most accurate and most believable voice coming from the Bengal locker room within the past five or so years. His ability to teach young players the ropes – on life and on football – and line up the strays to the line of scrimmage before the snap, has prevented the Bengals offense from deteriorating even faster than it has.

Housh will arrive in Seattle with glowing reviews from the Bengal nation. While once an unpopular player in Cincinnati (due largely to many dropped passes and a knack for fumbling punt returns very early in his career), he resuscitated himself brilliantly winning the hearts of every knowledgeable, legitimate Bengals fan by being nothing more than an extremely hard worker and an honest person. We’re all sad to see him leave, but everyone here wishes him nothing but the best. Enjoy him; we sure did.

— B. Clifton Burke

Cutler over Cassel

For the Patriots, trading Matt Cassel makes sense after the career backup seized his moment in the spotlight last year once Brady was injured in Week 1. What doesn’t make sense, is the Broncos willing to part ways with proven starter, Jay Cutler, in order to acquire Cassel.

A quarterback that walks away from a season with an 11–5 record and a QB rating of 89.4 is going to get attention when dangled in front of more desperate teams, but I wouldn’t have thought Denver belonged to that group.

Cassel landed in Kansas City instead, but word had leaked that the Broncos were ready to trade away their starting quarterback, Jay Cutler, in a three-team trade in order to reunite Cassel with former Patriots offensive coordinator and new Bronco’s head coach, Josh McDaniels. It’s a logical approach; the two had success last year in New England together, so theoretically it could result with the same outcome in Denver. But at what cost does a team take that chance?

Cutler felt slighted by the team’s interest in a new quarterback and initially refused to meet with management to try to repair the relationship. He was very public with his gripes and seemed to be talking his way out of town and into other trade scenarios.

Since then, McDaniels has back-peddled with statements that the Broncos only listened to trade talks and never initiated any negotiations. Cutler will be the Mile-High starter next year and should be for many years to come.

Assuming that his diabetes never seriously interferes with his playing career, Cutler could fall into the ranks of the great ones once he decides to hang it up. He has terrific arm-strength and produced in an offense that had to hire anybody with legs to play running back last year. He can be a loose-cannon which has resulted in untimely interceptions – not that any interception has ever been timely, really – but I remember another grey-bearded gentleman that recently concluded a hall-of-fame career (for now) that was labeled as a similar unbolted firearm himself. He worked out alright, didn’t he?

Cassel has been worthwhile in one season on a team managed by masterminds. If the NFL had a salon, it would reside in Foxborough. Not to say that he doesn’t deserve credit on composing a season many observers felt he wasn’t capable of performing (this observer included), but it’s not enough experience yet to call him proven.

I feel he’s comparable, not in style as much as situation, to that of Texans quarterback, Matt Schaub. He too garnered interest from the league, and eventually earned a nice contract, after solid performances in Atlanta as a backup. When healthy, Schaub has played well for Houston, but has yet to assert himself as, say, a top-10 player at his position. I think Cassel would become that same solid-but-never-elite quarterback in either KC or Denver, but Jay Cutler has the physical abilities to become an MVP someday in this league.

It doesn’t make sense to trade away a player like that unless he no longer wants to be there, which, it seems, nearly happened in Denver. The Broncos would be wise to value that rocket hanging from Cutler’s right shoulder a little more; it could really take them places.

Mojokong -- droppin' blogs on 'em.

The Irreplaceable Takes Flight

This time, it seems the Bengals played it the right way.

I think it’s hard to discern the facts from the speculation when examining a situation like that of T.J. Houshmendzadeh’s frantic weekend. Many things were reported, and all three teams in the steeple chase for Housh at one time seemed like favorites, but in the end the Seahawks outbid the deserving contract the Bengals (reportedly) offered him. So be it.

With T.J. out of the picture, the Bengals have turned their attention to the another veteran, 32-year-old, Laveranues Coles, in hopes of scoring another possession receiver with similar abilities as Housh. While this makes sense on paper, there are legitimate fears that Coles’ best years may be behind him, and that the $6 million-per-year he may command, won’t be worth the risk. Also, by making wide receiver such an off-season priority, management is sending the message that Chris Henry, Andre Caldwell or second-round pick Jerome Simpson, will not be a serviceable number-two option within the next two years.

In a sense, there is no replacing Housh. No free-agent will posses the same cerebral command that aided the Bengal offense through such uncertainty; no one to provide the youngsters that expert analysis that comes so naturally to T.J. A proven veteran like Coles will help stabilize an emotionally explosive wide receiving corps. His sure hands and precise route-running would assist Carson more than the young question-marks he currently has to work with. Still, is an aged receiver who isn’t Housh worth $6 million a year? I’d rather pass.

Chad Johnson is still on the team. There are other younger, less expensive receivers floating about on the market, like Devery Henderson and Reggie Williams that can help the situation. There is no need to become desperate in free agency; desperation should be felt during the draft.

Perhaps it’s time we emphasized the receivers a little less in the offense anyway. Bratkowski told Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer that they’re revamping the offense to look more like the offense of six years ago. An overhaul is comically past due – to the point where one wondered if it change would over come to pass. So now is the time to stock up on reliable lineman, a healthy quarterback and loads of tight ends and fullbacks (inviting Green Bay fullback John Kuhn in for a visit was a step in the right direction to build the foundation of a new offense). Once the concrete and rebar are in place, than we can decorate the offense with fancy accessories like expensive wide receivers.


Mojokong – could Cedric Benson sign as a backup in Texas, when he could start here? I smell an agent at work.

Salvageable parts

I envision the Bengals’ headquarters, where shrewd maneuvering and important decisions are made, built secretly into a mountain side like that of Cobra Commander’s hideout. Here Mike Brown consults with Destro and Mr. Commander himself, on ways to rule more tyrannically. “I’m losing my touch,” he admits to the others. They laugh at him in those exaggerated cartoon voices. He sulks and resigns Darryl Blackstock.

I thought signing Blackstock last season was worth a try, but throughout the season, the only notable achievement he managed to produce was a four-game suspension for banned substances. He’s big (255-260) and he looks kind of scary with his black visor, but we don’t need to add dead weight on guys trying to salvage a career. I would have rather brought back Corey Mays than have Blackstock return. We know Mays can play special teams well; what does Blackstock do well?

Tendering Brandon Johnson makes much more sense and is a solid move. Here’s a player who played in 16 games and had over 80 tackles last year. He’s tall (6'5'’), and he’s one of the few Bengal linebackers in the Marvin Era who plays well in coverage. This is the kind of player you resign to add depth at a position. He’s proven his value, and $1.55 million is a steal to bring him back.

The same case could be made for tendering Jeanty: a player with a lot of experience, racked up 99 tackles and comes at the same bargain price. The difference, however, is that Jeanty doesn’t cover well and doesn’t produce a consistent pass-rush – zero career sacks. He can tackle well, but he has trouble getting to the corner fast enough on outside running plays and screens. I don’t have issue with him returning at the restricted free-agent price for this season, but I wouldn’t want him long-term.

The deal I’m most pleased about so far, has been the resigning of the jitter-bug, DeDe Dorsey. It’s refreshing to see how Marvin Lewis acknowledges DeDe’s explosive play-making ability, despite his issues with fumbling and staying healthy. Dorsey can break away for a score any time he touches the ball and is squirmy enough to break tackles. Screen-plays to the little fireball can be useful in the all too familiar, third-and-long scenario. Providing Carson with a variety of weapons will be the only way this offense can excel; DeDe is one more piece to that arsenal.

Perhaps Mike Brown is losing his touch. If resigning Blackstock is the only real complaint (outside of the franchise-tagging of Shane Graham) so far in this free-agency, then we’re already doing better than most years. More sensible moves like this and Mike Brown may be expelled from the super-villain lair – temporarily, of course.

Mojokong – sometimes it’s better to enjoy the things you already have.