Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Annual Owners Meeting


The annual owners meetings normally aren't as gloomy as they are this year. Most of the talk usually centers around a few rule changes that the bigwigs were thinking of tinkering with, but with a very real work-stoppage looming on the horizon, these moneybags are here for business this time.

At the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Orlando, several wealthy men have gathered in a meeting room where they will spend the next week complaining about how the game they created is finally beginning to cost them too much money to maintain.

What was once a competition of skill and strategy is now an entertainment empire wrapped in the cold, unforgiving steel of the American business model. Spending, especially in the race for the sleek and modern venue, is consuming the game whole. Large cities, coerced by owners into approving tax money towards football stadiums, are struggling to pay their share. The owners are forced to “forgive” the cities on payments that simply don't belong in the city's budget anyway. Loans on new stadiums across the nation worry the owners collectively. Since they can't ignore their debts to even richer people, they grumble about paying the players excessively and try to fill the potential cash gap that way.

That's the main event this year; how to spend less on team personnel to help finance outlandish loans on entertainment venues that outrageously claimed to boost local economies but, in fact, only made everything worse. Put another way, how to buy cheaper greyhounds for the racetrack. Take the fact that the Bengals are one of seven teams under the $100 million mark on player salaries, compared to last season’s salary floor of $107 million.

When listening to the main players of this labor-negotiation theater, it's hard to discern the rhetoric from honest opinion. To be safe, I usually look at the situation from this perspective: there are no honest opinions on television. The actual negotiating is likely to be an 11th hour affair where both sides are praying the other cracks before everyone is eventually fired, or worse. America is then left to wait impatiently through an autumn with no football. No one wants to that; you can't jack up a nation to the brink of hopeless addiction to football and then yank it out from us when there's really nothing wrong with it in the first place. That is how revolutions begin, and, coincidentally, why Covington won't ban cigarettes in restaurants, and also maybe why so many people get arrested for marijuana possession; who knows?

The point is, the owners are in a tight spot and if the public can see it that way, maybe they can get out of this thing less financially ruined than otherwise. Either way, the owners are going to take a hit in the short-term, which means, invariably, so will the players. Not the top players though; the bottom is going to fall out from the last man on the roster—that's the man who will feel it the most. That's why the campaign to gain the people's empathy will be vital to this process for the owners and that, I expect, is what's being discussed to some degree this week in Orlando.

There is also the owner’s schism to deal with.

From what I've read, there is a distinct variation of the way the new-guard owners approach their team compared to the fossils. The old-guard owners, from how I see it, don't have other businesses that are as important as their football team. They're more resistant to change and are seemingly slower to follow trends. One of the challenges within the league's ownership may be to unite these two factions to prevent any internal rifts in that 11th hour. It seems logical then, that this week is the perfect time for the owners to play a bit more golf, do a little more yachting, and really get to know their unfamiliar comrades. If two or more men are going to collectively exploit the spastic, impulsive attention span of the American public together, they should at least know what kind of cognac the other drinks, for God’s sake.

We do know that Bengals team owner and famed Skeletor-friend Mike Brown will vote against the new proposed overtime format. This comes as no surprise since Brown also voted against the challenge system and apparently scouting. I don't necessarily feel all that strongly toward the overtime rule—though I do think de-emphasizing field goals in overtime is cool—I'd just like to see Brown try something new once; it hasn't happened since 1998 when he ordered a Western Whopper instead of the traditional Whopper.

He still operates the team like it's the early nineties: same scout (yes, singular), same general manager (himself) and same daybreak henchmen to do his cutting at training camp (I don't need to push that any further), and for that, I say “thank goodness for Marvin Lewis.” Imagine if this were still Dick Lebeau's team? Or worse, Lane Kiffen or Bruce Coslett again—the horror! No wonder Marvin wants more control running this team; he's the only person in the building who can keep the Bengals ashore.

If Mike Brown relinquishes some of his iron grip on personnel decisions concerning the Bengals, expanding Marvin's role while extending his contract, it will point toward an organizational commitment to a single football brain who can build and shape a winning team. Lewis has done it arguably three times if you wanna count '03, '05 & '09, and I still think he has a resourceful eye for talent regardless of his misses. For Brown to hand Lewis something like a general manager position would bring me hope that this team is interested in winning and being competitive. Let him prove that it is not just a heartless business that would rather threaten the community than embrace it.

Of course, none of that business is likely to transpire at the annual meetings, but it was a worthwhile rant and I don't feel guilty for the digression.

Anyway, seeing Al Davis and his team of cryogenics dawdle around the room and yell at furniture would be something fun to see. So would laughing at Ralph Wilson and Mike Brown for hanging out in a theater balcony and making fart jokes during Goodell's opening address. Jerry Jones will be there too with his sun-dried Craisin of a face, walking around with his tightlipped smile that surgically remains in place all the time. Daniel Snyder will surely buy the catering staff and all the chairs in the room while Pat Bolen parachutes into the meeting room by crashing through the ceiling window thereby taking out the lavish chandelier. I've heard it is just like that; I wish I could cover it.

Mojokong—I even tried to stay away from Mike Brown this time and I still couldn't do it.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Linebacker Reinforcements


Four out of five football fans agree that Cincinnati's defense will once again be the team's strong suit next season. It's a young group of grinders who will theoretically improve as they gain experience together. They are coached well by Mike Zimmer and staff, and each player seems to have acknowledged and accepted his role in the system. Yet with all the praise and accolades this defense has earned, like the beast in the quiet jungle, a harrowing concern remains: are they deep enough?

Everyone from the AFC North loves to go on about the physical toughness and brute strength of their division. The Steelers made it that way, the Ravens followed suit, and the Bengals finally found their own success last season playing a similar brand of the game. Even though the Ravens and Steelers have both become more of the passing variety, Cincinnati drifts toward the other end of the spectrum and shows no reason to change any of that now.

So if the Bengals are going to be the roughneck sluggers from the rust-belt division, they need to have the manpower to sustain the collateral damage that style of play demands—especially defensively.

Along the line, the defense has some depth. With four serviceable ends, and three quality tackles, the defensive front is solid and getting better. The linebackers, however, still aren't that good after their top four, and with Dhani Jones getting older and appearing progressively more comfortable on television, the time for his replacement may be in the works soon.

Last season I suggested that Dhani seemed like the ideal candidate to be a surprise cut-day casualty. He of course went on to have yet another 100-tackle season and remained healthy all season. My criticisms, though, remain in place.

The scouting report for Dhani is pretty simple; he's a heady hipster who plays very well inside the hash marks, but becomes an immediate liability in coverage on the outside. He provides leadership to a fairly young linebacker corps and keeps in shape—even if that means flying around the damn world and kicking other people. I no longer think the Bengals can afford to let him go, but they can begin to develop a draft pick to take his place in the near future.

Before we get into inside linebacker prospects, let's first try out this idea: move Rey Maualuga to the inside and draft an outside backer instead. Rey-Rey does have the speed to cover and took some terrific angles to force runners out of bounds countless times last season. We know he can do it; he won defensive player of the year in the middle spot his senior season at USC. Moving Maualuga to the inside allows the Bengals to draft a pass-rushing outside linebacker like Brandon Graham if he's still on the board at 21. A converted defensive end may also be a liability in coverage, but the idea would be to rush him as much as possible and let him do what he does best—wreak havoc.

Instead of drafting Taylor Mays, a safety who has similarities to Roy Williams and who Mike Zimmer could turn into a pro-bowler very soon, scoring a Graham here makes more sense.

The defense still needs to put more pressure on quarterbacks. The rotation of Maualuga, Keith Rivers, Brandon Johnson, Dhani Jones, and Brandon Graham sounds as solid as a tree trunk, and would soften the blow of a big injury to any one of those guys. With Roy Williams back—bionic arm and all—the safety spot isn't the glaring eyesore it would be without him. Instead of filling the gaps and getting a player who is physically similar to two existing Bengal safeties, the brain-trust might really want to go abstract and give Mike Zimmer a new prototype of linebacker to work with.

Yes, Graham is a better fit in a 3-4 scheme, but that isn't to say that he couldn't be effective in a 4-3. The modern trend of hybrid players is here to stay as athletes become progressively larger and faster; it's up to the coaches to learn how to use these types now before someone else does it first. Plus, if you wanted to go even deeper, a move like that could allow the Bengals to think about making the switch to a 3-4 someday, or even cooler to think about, is they play a mix of the two schemes like the Ravens used to before fully committing to their current 3-4 set. The point is,the Bengals should think about swaying outside of conventional thinking when it comes to the draft and the team's future.

That being said, if guard Mike Iupati is still there at 21, I still would take him before any one else.

If Maualuga does stay on the outside, then the Bengals should take a look at some middle linebackers. Alabama's Ronaldo McClain is the clear cut favorite in this year's crop but he is sure to be gone by the time Cincinnati makes their pick. Since Dhani is still capable of patrolling the inside, reaching for an interior linebacker certainly isn't necessary.

There will be some quality players left on the second day of the draft. One of those guys may be a linebacker from Iowa named Pat Angerer. Outside of his imposing name—more than anger—this guy put up some impressive numbers with the Hawkeyes. In two seasons, Angerer posted over 250 tackles, 11 of which were for a loss, six interceptions and two forced fumbles. After running a 4.7 in the 40-yard dash, and weighing in under 240 pounds, many scouts don't project Angerer turning into much of a pro. He could become a guy like Caleb Miller who never found much footing in the NFL, or he could be a London Fletcher-like guy who simply understands what it takes to find the ball carrier and take him down. Using a fourth or fifth round selection on a tough guy with something to prove—and who gave a major college program two stellar years of linebacker play—seems well worth the risk; primarily since it would provide depth to a frighteningly shallow position that takes a gruesome beating through the course of a season.

It doesn't have to be today, but sooner rather than later, Dhani Jones will need replaced. If that time comes, and the Bengals are forced to find someone new to take over right away, it could spell trouble to the entire defense if that person finds difficulty adjusting to his new system. If they find someone this offseason to learn the ropes and take the helm comfortably when it becomes time, a smoother transition would likely remain in place, and the defense can continue to grow undeterred.

Mojokong—one eye on the screen; the other eye on the future.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Following Instructions

The Bengals are going about this offseason in a very pragmatic fashion. The team's brain-trust seems to have a good understanding of the talent it has and of the parts it still needs to win the Super Bowl in 2010 (for all of those who scoffed or rolled their eyes to the last statement, remember that Cincinnati won their division last season and lost only minor personnel since then. To pretend they have no shot at a Super Bowl next season is the naïve perspective; not mine).

The headliner so far is the recently-acquired receiver, Antonio Bryant. While lacking the star-power name of Terrell Owens, Bryant makes sense from the Bengals' perspective. For starters he is seven years younger than TO, and can be more of a fixture in the team's future. I still think TO is a more reliable receiver than Bryant right now, but the thinking is that Bryant can provide a better deep threat option for Carson Palmer the way Chris Henry did. We all witnessed the passing game tailspin last year without Henry because defenses were no longer concerned about Cincinnati taking shots down-field. If Bryant can force defenses to return to deeper coverage it will help Carson, Chad and the others exponentially.

Bryant is also an immediate upgrade to Laveranues Coles. The experiment of getting a smallish possession receiver with limited speed failed miserably last year. Coles came nowhere near replacing Houshmandzadeh, then blamed everyone else for his ineffectiveness after he was run out of town this winter. Frankly Quan Cosby became a more exciting option to throw to last season than Coles, and Cosby costs the NFL equivalent of free.

This time, the Bengals went after a different prototypical receiver. While not the horse that TO is, Bryant is still a larger receiver at 6'2''/205 pounds. If Coles' claim that Palmer prefers bigger receivers is true, Bryant should find success within this offense right away. The ability to come into a new system and immediately have a big-play impact appears to be Bryant's modus operandi. This man has found success catching passes from such mediocrity as: Chad Hutchinson/Quincy Carter/ Vinnie Testeverde, Trent Dilfer/Charlie Frye, Alex Smith, and Brian Greise/Jeff Garcia/Josh Freeman. Next to this dross, Carson Palmer must seem like a godsend to Bryant.

Then there is Bryant's personality. He once banged heads with Bill Parcells—the strongest, most stubborn will in football history—and found himself traded to Cleveland soon after. He was arrested for a DUI while with the 49ers and served a four-game suspension for substance abuse as a result. He isn't listed under any “good guy” lists and is now employed by a team that is unfortunately famous for its players' legal issues. But as former-Bengal John Thornton points out, Bryant plays with a mean streak which is both conducive to the tough-guy AFC North environment and is a quality that Marvin Lewis holds in the highest esteem of his players. We could always use a little more grit around here.

With the additions of Bryant and Matt Jones, the Bengals are collecting overgrown receivers who can corral those passes that regularly sail on Palmer. The equation makes sense: a big, strong-armed quarterback who often overthrows his targets + 2 tall, athletic receivers who can go up and pull down jump balls = more touchdowns in the red-zone. There are some who feel that TO could still end up in stripes if there truly is no other market interested in his services, adding one more big body to the formula—not to mention Jerome Simpson who is 6'2'' with enormous hands and who Marvin has all but promised to play more this season.

The draft is also still to come where the team might pluck a few more targets, making for one interesting receiver battle this training camp. The Bengals' passing attack appears to have fangs again; their divisional rivals may want to invest in more defensive backs as a response to Cincinnati's new stockpile of offensive weaponry. This Bryant signing may be more important than many first realize. My optimism grows.

Yet there was another signing this week that mostly fell under the radar. Anyone thinking retaining Tank Johnson isn't a big deal isn't paying attention. Defensive tackles are enjoying more league-wide attention than ever and the result has been big money given to big men. Procuring a solid pro like Johnson in a lopsided market for his position was a must.

Tank is a Zimmer guy and vice versa. Both men are comfortable working with one another and that is most important in today's NFL. Johnson may not have collected the sacks for which Zimm had hoped, but he plays a major role in stopping the run and he adds depth to a seriously talented yet underrated rotation of defensive tackles with Pat Sims and Domata Peko. Had Tank strayed and signed elsewhere, DT would have become an immediate priority and stopping the run would have been more difficult without him. If the Bengals find they can't stop the run the way they did last year, their whole defensive philosophy goes out the window as does their top-five ranking as a unit.

Tank played through foot pain last year and battled when the team needed him most. One could safely assume that a healthy Tank is a better Tank, and he should arrive at training camp as just that. If he is able to increase the pressure on quarterbacks in passing downs the way Zimmer wants, then his value becomes priceless as pass-rushing defensive tackles are both rare and game-changing.

As a person, Tank seems comfortable in the city and in the locker room. After a tumultuous start to his pro career, Johnson was one of the most open and honest voices coming from the Bengals last season. He highlighted the camaraderie of the defense and of their loyalty and respect for their coach. He was supportive of the team and seems relieved to stay in Cincinnati. I like the guy and think he's one hell of a football player. If he gets that motor of his revved on two good feet this year, you will see what I mean.

I still hope the Bengals bring Roy and Bobbie Williams back, and maybe pick up a few minor pieces to add depth on the way to the draft, but the moves made so far check out with me. For the second year in a row, the team really seems to have a handle on the kind of blue-print from which they want to build and are closing in on completing that objective. Everyone in the NFL has talent; to reach the top, a team must find the right players, not necessarily the best ones.

Mojokong—slow but steady wins the race.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Free Agent Wish List: No Fireworks This Year


As the NFL casts off into uncapped waters, the way teams will operate in this strange new environment remains a guessing game. If your team’s name isn’t the Saints and your team also made it to the divisional round or further in last year's Playoffs, then you have little to be excited about this offseason—aside from the obvious fact that you root for a good team.

The Final Eight Rule makes sense to some degree. The idea is to limit the free agent activity of the best eight teams from a season ago to keep scores of veterans from signing on with only the winners, devastating the parity the league has enjoyed for the past decade or so. The rules get pretty complicated and you can read them for yourself, but in general the Final Eight teams cannot sign a free agent unless they lose one of their own. That means that losing in the Wild-Card Round to the Jets actually does have a bright side for the Bengals.

Even with the free agent restrictions, I don't see any huge signings this year because on paper this is a very flimsy free agent class—it's a good thing the draft is so good to make up the difference. Outside of Julius Peppers and maybe Carlos Dansby, there are no sure things out there to simply sign and announce as a new starter.

Still, there are a few intriguing vets out there who could help Marvin Lewis and the Bengals “move forward” even deeper in next year's Playoffs.

Terrell Owens: You've heard this before but here it goes again: TO is a big target with a few crumbs of big-play ability left. The fact that he still wants to play indicates that he's after a championship, because he is unlikely to score a hefty contract. He stays in excellent shape, which is sign of a hard worker. He appears to have a healthy relationship with Chad, and he could surely help with the development of the team's younger receivers. Yes, he is mouthy. He kept his frustrations mostly to himself last year in Buffalo, however. If he does complain, I think it to be an example of his desire to win. Lastly, he is a good blocker—which always scores points in Marvin's camp—and has the size to take hits running across the middle. I think that physically speaking, he fits in well with the Bengals offense.

Kevin Mawae: This is an old lineman with tons of mileage, but he did make yet another Pro Bowl last year. He wouldn't need much time to learn the offense and doesn't bring about any concerns with his technique or toughness. Mawae seems like the model-citizen of any locker room, is a major NFLPA rep, and can pass on knowledge and wisdom to the youngsters of the team. He would also challenge Kyle Cook to step up his game, and every coach will tell you that competition for starting spots is a good thing for the team.

Ben Watson: Here is another grizzly bear that's been around for a while, but Watson can still do many things well across the board. I see him as a slightly more dynamic Reggie Kelly with less blocking prowess—Kelly was, and likely still is, a hard-nosed blocker—and more receiving yardage on passing downs. Just imagine Carson Palmer throwing to Watson last year instead of Coats, Foschi or Jeremi Johnson; there's at least two more touchdowns and likely 200 to 400 more yards in an offense which definitely could have used those stats. Plus, if Chase Coffman continues to be an unused commodity and the Bengals are unable to draft a tight end that brings much to the table, Watson would become a crucial addition rather than someone who may be able to help the team a little.

Stephen Neal: Neal would be a cheap veteran to add depth at guard if Bobbie Williams walks and there happenes to be no lock as his replacement. No one would go out and buy a Stephen Neal jersey if he signed here, but like Mawae at center he would force more competition at guard and could turn out to be valuable if injuries surface at that spot.

Kassim Osgood: Darren Simmons had a rugged year in 2009 as the Bengals’ special teams coach. He had to live with a spotty kicker, a rookie punter, a long-snapper gone mad, countless holding calls on returns, and a ruinous fumble in Oakland. Bringing in another special-team maven like Osgood makes that phase of the game immediately stronger and would likely lower Simmons' stress level. Osgood can join Kyries Hebert and give the unit two excellent gunners on the return team. Additionally, Osgood is likely to come at a low price.

Adewale Ogunleye: Last year Ogunleye managed to collect 6.5 sacks on a modest defensive line (that's more than Robert Geathers has posted in the last two seasons combined). Ogunleye is a lighter defensive end than the Bengals typically employ and there may be questions on how he can stop the run, but as a third-down pass-rush specialist he could be particularly useful.


Sure I want Brandon Marshall and/or Vincent Jackson, but I don't see their (or many other) teams allowing their restricted free-agents to leave the yard. I also wouldn't mind the aforementioned Peppers or Dansby, but names such as those will command large contracts that I can't imagine Mike Brown will offer. Everyone now knows that teams are built through the draft and that free agency is a place to fill in the gaps and add veteran depth—especially for small-market teams like Cincinnati. Like every year, I wouldn't expect the Bengals to end up with any free agent headliners this March if I were you. Instead, they will probably look at second-tier players finishing out their careers for a bargain price in exchange to play for a contender. A smart, solid draft mixed with a sprinkling of free agent veterans could ensure that the Bengals become just that—a contender.


Mojokong—I have tendered my dog's contract for another year in this uncapped scenario, but have elected to allow my goldfish to test the open market. Also, the cat has been cut outright for a string of off-the-field incidents.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

The Draft Equation


Now that I'm back and equipped with loads of information and firsthand experience it's time to do what many of you are eagerly anticipating; that is for me to speculate on who the Bengals will draft.

If this truly is a draft oozing talent and potential at every turn, then whomever is taken with the twenty-first pick should be a player who will compete to start right away.

My favorite prospect is Idaho offensive lineman, Mike Iupati. It seems impossible to find a knock on this guy. He's enormous (330 lbs.). He has a massive frame (6'6'') with super-solid legs. He said himself that he likes to pull more than anything else, he is likely a guard but is versatile enough to play tackle. Not to mention he is American Samoan—the Bengals seem to like American Samoans and for good reason. They are thick, athletic people who hold up well to the physical grind of the NFL.

Cincinnati somehow found success last year platooning two undrafted guards in Evan Mathis and Nate Livings. Longtime starter Bobbie Williams is an unrestricted free agent who has played over a decade of pro football already; ESPN blogger James Walker reports that unnamed scouts are still high on Williams and predict he will find a decent market for his services this offseason. I like Bobbie, but his play dipped a bit in 2009 and seems unlikely that he will significantly improve at this stage of his career. Drafting Iupati would not only put the pressure on the existing Bengal guards, but it would add another athletic and versatile lineman likely to start in Week 1 to the team. Iupati for President! Iupati for President!

If Iupati is no longer on the board once the Bengals are on the clock another option could be Taylor Mays, the overgrown safety from USC. Before last season, many scouts had Mays as a top-five pick, but he has since slipped based on his inability to cover slot receivers one-on-one. Yet he made up some of that ground running an astonishing 4.26 unofficial 40-yard dash time at the Combine. That kind of speed, combined with his 6'3''/230lbs. size, would give Mike Zimmer a legitimate freak to work with. Zim developed another big safety, Roy Williams, into a pro-bowler; who's to say he couldn't do the same with Mays?

Mays is a safety/linebacker hybrid type who could help the run defense become even more stout while also being the imposing head hunter striking fear into receivers' hearts as they cross the middle of the field. After drafting Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga in recent years, the Bengals seem comfortable taking former USC defenders. Selecting this Trojan would allow Zimmer to become even more creative with his scheme and also give him a defensive back that can match up with the bigger receivers in the league. If Iupati is gone and Mays is still there, I think this pick is a no-brainer.

Some of you may feel that the passing game is the area to address in this draft. There have been numerous mock drafts on the web that have the Bengals selecting the tight end from Oklahoma, Jermaine Gresham. Even after sitting out all of last year with torn cartilage in his knee, Gresham still comes into this draft as the most complete tight end available. Since the Bengals will not bring back Dan Coates or J.P. Foschi a tight end makes sense, but this is a deep tight end class and many feel some good ones will still be there in the middle rounds. The first thing Marvin Lewis mentioned when asked about the TE spot was the injuries to the highest rated players of the group and said because of that, other, lesser-known guys, have worked themselves up the draft charts. I wouldn't be dissatisfied with Gresham, but I feel the team should take the very best player available with their first pick rather than rushing to fill a need. In my mind, Gresham is not the best player available at No. 21.

One receiver that is not considered the best but that I am very high on is Notre Dame's Golden Tate. To me, this guy is the quintessential AFC North wide receiver. He isn't big but his hands are reliable. He is tough and productive, and he says the best thing about himself is that he is hard to tackle. The comparisons of Steve Smith and Hines Ward seem pretty fitting and while there are other receivers who are physically more dynamic with perhaps more potential, Tate could come in right away and become the player that Laveranues Coles was supposed to be last season. I would like to find another Randy Moss or Chris Henry too, but if that means waiting for two seasons for that player to reach his potential I'd rather take Tate and throw him 60 passes next season. Taking Tate in the first round might be “reaching”, but I feel the immediacy of his impact would justify that pick.

The most echoed statement about this draft is that it's deep defensively, especially on the line. While the Bengals improved their pass rush a season ago, it still lacked that one imposing player for whom opposing defenses must account. Antwan Odom showed he could have been that guy, but he ruptured his achilles tendon in Week 6 and his double-digit sack campaign came to a quick and painful end. Jonathan Fanene turned in a good season coming off of the bench for Odom, but benefited from good coverage on most of his six sacks.

Should the Bengals choose to improve their pass rush, they should take a look at Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham. While potentially more suited as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 system Graham still has the size (260lbs.) to play end in a 4-3, especially on passing downs. Graham helped himself greatly by demonstrating to scouts a ferocity and “high motor” while rushing the passer at the Senior Bowl and its practices. His ability to stop the run may be in question, but with the Bengals already stacked in that department along its front four his main priority would be to wreak havoc on quarterbacks. Still, I don't know if I would invest a first-round pick on such a specialist if he isn't projected to be an every-down player; this comes into play particularly if teams can find serviceable pass rushers in the later rounds.

Defensive tackle is another place that may intrigue the Bengals' think-tank. If Cincinnati resigns Tank Johnson the trio of Johnson, Domata Peko and Pat Sims is solid. However, adding another fat guy to the rotation could become an insurance policy to stopping the run late in the season when injuries begin to take their toll. The defensive tackle position has becomes the most important behind quarterback this off-season and at least four should be selected before the Bengals are on the clock. If they go that route, why not take Terrence “Mount” Cody?

Like Andre “Goo” Smith last year, Cody is the heaviest man in the draft and his weight scares teams. He managed to shed 20 pounds for the Combine (bringing his weight to around 350 lbs.) and he moves pretty well for a man of his size, but almost everyone feels he can only be effective as a two-down run-stopper. Cody doesn't seem to warrant going this high in the draft, but I bet both Marvin and Zimmer agree that having a healthy rotation of run-stuffers makes everyone's job easier on defense. With DT's getting so much cash across the league, some teams will put an extra premium on the prospects at this position.

So there you have it. If April 22nd rolls around and Roger Goodell announces that the Bengals select Mike Iupati, I will audibly cheer for the second season in a row (Maualuga did it for me last year). If it's any of the other guys I've mentioned, I will still be pleased. If it's Mike Williams of Syracuse or, God forbid, Tim Tebow, I will turn the television off and go sulk for awhile.


Mojokong—by the scalp of Mel Kiper, bring me more Samoans!

Monday, March 1, 2010

The Combine: Day 3.9

[The credits are rolling, everyone is filing out of the theater, when I suddenly come back on and interrupt the credits.]

One nugget I held back from you loyal readers was the press conference of NFL Network's Charlie Casserly. The media need Casserly and flock him as heavily as any team representative to get some specific opinion of the former general manager and scout. Next to Marvin Lewis and Mike Holmgren, Charlie had the most interesting 15 minutes of the Combine.

Here are the highlights:

-This is the best draft since 1983.

-The top three quarterbacks each have injury concerns.

-At this point in the process, teams are 90 percent finished with their draft perpetration. The Combine is a place where prospects separate themselves marginally with their measurables, but that small separation makes the difference in the eye of the scouts. Still, Casserly says that the combine doesn't fluctuate a player's draft stock all that much.

-The 40-yard dash is important, though. Prospects are coached on the forty and he explained that it's wise to distinguish between game speed and time speed.
-Teams will grade certain players on a curve. He used pass-rushing defensive end, Brandon Graham from Michigan, as an example. At 260ish, Graham is on the lighter side to play defensive end in the NFL, yet he would be the prototype outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense; fellow Wolverine, Lamar Woodley, comes to mind as a comparison. So when 3-4 teams grade Graham playing with his hand on the ground each snap, the give him some leeway when grading him as a linebacker.

-A three-day draft could mean more trades on draft day(s).

-In an uncapped year, teams will not dramatically improve. Most teams will retain there restricted free-agents and and everyone is hesitant to get rid of any draft picks.

-With such a deep draft, it's a great year to have extra picks. Many teams made trades last off-season that gave them more picks in this draft.

-It's largely assumed Sam Bradford is ranked ahead of Jimmy Clausen.

-McCoy could drop to the second round. There are questions of his height (6'2''), and the tape is unclear of his quickness, athleticism and arm strength.
The first overall pick to the St. Louis Rams will largely be determined by how easily the Rams can sign a particular player.

-Offensive Tackles:
--Trent Williams (Oklahoma) is more of a right tackle, though Williams says he's more comfortable on the left side.
--Bryan Bulaga (Iowa) is the most polished of the tackle group, but has short arms (33''), small hands (9''), and smells like cabbage. (Disclaimer: Casserly did not say the last comment about cabbage)
--Anthony Davis (Rutgers) is the most intriguing of all of the tackles.
--Russell Okung (Oklahoma State) plays to the level of his competition.
--He expects offensive tackles to be gobbled up early in the draft because it's not a position where pro-bowlers sometimes emerge from middle rounds.

-Safety Eric Berry (Tennessee) is the best overall player in the draft. He has corner speed and is high on many charts.

-Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma) is rated slightly higher than Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska).

-There won't be a huge free agent market for Julius Peppers. There are games where he doesn't show up and he's 30 years old.

[Roll credits again. Lights go up. Everyone shrugs and exits]


Mojokong—that's it, I promise.