What I want for next year's team

[duus]

[i know ... I know ... we've had topic after topic about the draft and positions, etc ... but ...]

A big-time safety. To me, that is the difference maker every team needs. Look at the difference with the Colts with and without Bob Sanders. Although there are arguments out there, the Steelers are still a different team due to their safety injuries. Remember the impact a few years ago with people like Lynch and Rodney Harrison? You can talk about various positions and the importance, but *IF* we get guys back from injury, I am most concerned about safety. You can argue O-Line, and I think that is second most important. But I want a big-time safety as the piece to the puzzle that will make the biggest difference. I don't know of free agents available, and I don't even know what is in the draft coming up, but that is what I want to see. Dexter and Madieu simply are not the answer.

I'd love to hear thoughts around this, who might be available in free agent, and who might be the best safety in the draft.

[duus]

Oh great ... some various searches indicate that THE weakness of the 2008 draft is Safety. Nice. Add to that that only a handful of so-so safeties are even eligible for free agency this year. Nothing to see here. Ugh.

[AMC]

I agree with your assessment. David Fulcher was the enforcer the last time the defense actually had an identity.....

[cincy9275]

what i would like to see, first i want brat and bresh to be fired! i want a top tier defensive free-agent to be brought in. i want to see the running game be more of a staple on offense. i want to see a attacking aggressive defense that strikes fear in the heart of the opposition. i want all the dead money on the roster to be cut thorton, robinson, jackson, etc. i would like to see landon and dahani brought back. i would like all the banged up rb's healthy. i want to see the return of odell. i want golston or jake long drafted by the bengals. i want to see a solid draft across the board no project could be's or may be's. i want a winning record and a deep playoff run preferably a superbowl victory. that's all i want lol. oo yea also carson return to form and a te that can stretch the field in the passing game.

[TJJackson]

Gimme a dominant D-Lineman at any of the 4 spots.

Thank you Santa

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Gimme a dominant D-Lineman at any of the 4 spots.

Thank you Santa

On the plus side, after having one of the weakest contract years of all time, Justin Smith should come a lot cheaper.

[Bengals1]

Gimme a dominant D-Lineman at any of the 4 spots.

Thank you Santa

On the plus side, after having one of the weakest contract years of all time, Justin Smith should come a lot cheaper.

No, we don't need to re-sign Smith under any circumstances. We need improvement at DE....period. Smith is as good as he's ever going to be right now. As long as he's playing mediocre football and taking up the starting spot we'll never see improvement along the D-line.

Shake his hand, thank him for his service and go out and either draft a young stud DE or sign a better than average FA assuming one's available.

[nkfd13]

how about a top tight end?

[Bengals1]

how about a top tight end?

Yes, that's something I've been arguing with other Bengal fans about for several years now. The answer they give is that our current offensive scheme does not employ the TE much as a receiver and therefore we shouldn't spend the money or time drafting and developing one.

I say if that's true, we need to spend more time and money developing a new offensive scheme then!

[BengalszoneBilly]

Yes, that's something I've been arguing with other Bengal fans about for several years now. The answer they give is that our current offensive scheme does not employ the TE much as a receiver and therefore we shouldn't spend the money or time drafting and developing one.

DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! We have some winning answers here Johnny!

It's true boys, so you better just accept it. Brat looks to throw to the TE position just about as often as he calls screen play to the running backs. Bottom line? The current lineup of tight ends have no hope of becoming players like Todd Heap, Heath Miller, Tony Gonzales, etc without Bratkowski first putting them into the scheme! Figure it out McFlys!!

[Bengals1]

It's true boys, so you better just accept it. Brat looks to throw to the TE position just about as often as he calls screen play to the running backs. Bottom line? The current lineup of tight ends have no hope of becoming players like Todd Heap, Heath Miller, Tony Gonzales, etc without Bratkowski first putting them into the scheme! Figure it out McFlys!!

Understood, and that's why we need to get rid of Brat and draft or sign some decent pass-catching TE's and begin using them.

If we want to employ a modern NFL offense we need to first fire and then hire a modern NFL OC.

First however, we need to find a modern NFL owner.

[BengalszoneBilly]

First however, we need to find a modern NFL owner.

Dude. We're totally screwed here. I'm sure you know that. Seriously, what are Cincinnati's options given these circumstances?

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Why wouldn't the early favorite for a #9 pick be a LB?

[COB]

Why wouldn't the early favorite for a #9 pick be a LB?

It's probably right up there. My only misgiving is spending a first on a position that seems to be cursed/jinxed, whatever you want to call it, in the Bengals organization.

Here's my fantasy draft: Spend the first pick on a D lineman. Gholston comes to mind, though the game I saw in person, he looked like he was going to burst out of his uniform incredible hulk style. If it's natural, great. But he sure looks like he's juiced out of his gourd. Investigate it and if he's clean, take him.

Trade Chad for a first. Sorry, Chad Army. Spend that first on an offensive tackle. Then make Cheech your 1, draft a servicable 2 in the 5th, use TJ in the slot. My rationale: Cheech's height will allow him to succeed against double teams more than Chad does. He's also a better teammate, ask anyone on the Bengals. Our 2 just has to be ok because realistically Brat will call stupid plays on first and second down anyway, then to get the first TJ's going to have to go over the middle, make a catch and then take a helmet to the spine from an LB or a safety just like he has the last few years. Chad doesn't figure into that all that much.

Second round take another defensive lineman, preferably a defensive end with speed and quickness. We went the big strong galoot route with Justin, lets try the other side of the coin. (Caveat, in my fantasy the second coming of Dwight Freeney is sitting around in the middle of the second waiting for us to take him.)

Third and fourth take a center and a linebacker. Why not a linebacker in the second? Because I feel it's first or nothing for a LB. We already have some second round talent type guys at LB. If we aren't going to upgrade, we shouldn't just draft what we already have. I say we gamble on Brooks getting and staying healthy. Landon is good. We just need the linemen too much!

Keep Deltha. He pretty clearly wants out, but for what he's costing we can't do better.

I like our running back situation. Keep Jones if you can for leadership, special teams and spot duty at LB.

I like our DB situation.

Finally, I'd like a new defensive coordinator. I know the defense is coming on here late, but I'm afraid Bresh just plain does not have the brain power for the job. He's a position coach, that's his calling. He's tried to go higher and can't get there.

Finally, take five grand out of petty cash and send Mike down to the Men's Wearhouse.

[ArmyBengal]

"What I want for next year's team"

Sure, I'll take a stab at this... Aheeeeeeeeeeem...

A team that gives the appearance that they give a F*CK !!! I want players that WANT TO PLAY, WANT TO HIT, WANT TO TACKLE !!!

I'm sick of seeing the "I don't give a sh*t" attitude that we've seen this year !!!

Hell, fake it for God's sake, false motivation is better than none at all !!!

There you go...

WHODEY !!!

[Bengals1]

First however, we need to find a modern NFL owner.

Dude. We're totally screwed here. I'm sure you know that. Seriously, what are Cincinnati's options given these circumstances?

Not many dude, I'll grant you.

For starters, unless and until things markedly improve stop buying tickets. Stop buying merchandise and at least try to hit SoP where it hurts most, in his pocket.

Second, failing that, bring banners to the game that say something like "Mike Brown - Please sell this team!" or "Mike Brown, would you hurry up and die please so we can get a real owner!"

Okay, that last one was a bit wordy but you get the idea. Wear the bags, hang the banners, keep the flags of discontent waving. Is it all futile? Perhaps, but at worst you'll at least feel like you're doing something.

That might help ease the pain a little bit.

[kingwilly]

First however, we need to find a modern NFL owner.

Dude. We're totally screwed here. I'm sure you know that. Seriously, what are Cincinnati's options given these circumstances?

Not many dude, I'll grant you.

For starters, unless and until things markedly improve stop buying tickets. Stop buying merchandise and at least try to hit SoP where it hurts most, in his pocket.

Second, failing that, bring banners to the game that say something like "Mike Brown - Please sell this team!" or "Mike Brown, would you hurry up and die please so we can get a real owner!"

Okay, that last one was a bit wordy but you get the idea. Wear the bags, hang the banners, keep the flags of discontent waving. Is it all futile? Perhaps, but at worst you'll at least feel like you're doing something.

That might help ease the pain a little bit.

All of those will be annoying, perhaps but ineffective. I wish they could work but a few things prevent it:

1. NFL Revenue Sharing - everything from tickets, to TV, to merchandise...as long as the NFL makes money (the league and the teams), Mikey will make just enough money.

2. Stadium deal - Mikey has the county locked up on the parking, vending, etc. so much so that it does not take much attendance for him to make cake. He even profits from non-Bengals events.

3. Thick Skin - after two-plus decades of miserable teams, Mikey maintains the public face of his intention to win, while doing about 60% of what is necessary, years behind the curve, to field a winning team (GM, Scouts, facilities, FA's, bubble, etc). Only in the past 3 years has the team ACTUALLY improved on the field and in the front office. All of this in the face of everlasting fan and media acknowledgement of these deficiencies, hence the thick skin.

4. The "Office" effect - from the movie - effectively If Mikey works extra hard so Initech can ship a few more units he doesn't see a dime (or enough dimes to make it worth doing). He is only going ot do just enough to not lose his job (which as owner is pretty tough to have transpire)

All of this really is a competitive/pride thing. He overrides the legacy of pride and tradition that Paul Brown left and boils it all down to a risk spreadsheet. If it costs X to field an average/below average team and his subsequent revenues are a sure Y (low risk). Next, it costs Z to field an above average/very good team but the revenues are only Y+1, then it is a bad business decision, as Z can be more at risk to underperform due to injury/bad luck and could mean that the result could be Y-2 or Y-3...taking a risk is clearly not Mikey's thing and it points to his overall competitiveness. The guy is not a competitior. There is very little chance to win if you do not compete and take risks, and by that I do not mean drafting Odell.

[Kazkal]

19-0

[HairOnFire]

Understood, and that's why we need to get rid of Brat and draft or sign some decent pass-catching TE's and begin using them.

For whatever it might be worth, immediately after being hired Brat claimed the most important position in his spread offense was a TE with enough speed to stretch the defense vertically. The fact that this team has never really had that type of player is IMHO due soley to Brat's hand picked choices of Sean Brewer and Matt Schobel, two marginal players who were such liabilities as blockers they couldn't stay on the field.

In Brat's defense the Bengals did develope Tab Perry, a WR/TE hybrid who was a far more willing and capable blocker than Schobel ever dreamed of being. But it seems obvious to me the Bengals have refused to draft a TE early in the draft because other needs were considered more pressing and because the type of TE available didn't fit the preferred profile.

[HoosierCat]

I want a pony.

[HoTbOy]

I guess for me it would be LB, seeing as to how we were hurt by injuries this year...2nd a DL that can get sacks or put consistent pressure on the QB...3rd a S who can hit/cover ala STaylor RIP...4th a DC who calls a game requiring more different looks on D to confuse the O...Bring stick'em back so CJohnson can stop dropping balls on crucial 3rd downs...

[DuffMan]

I don't understand people who want us to draft Jake Long or any other OTackle in the first round...Where the hell do you go with Willie and Levi's massive amounts of salary? At least if you resign Stacey he can play OG or OT NOW if there are injuries and he probably won't cost quite as much as a top 10 OT will.

I wish for:

A healthy LB corps

A healthy RB corps

A healthy tackle tandem

(there seems to be a trend here...)

A FA pass rusher

No locker with the name Justin Smith above it

[DesperateDerelict]

QUESTION: "What I want for next year's team"

ANSWER: DISCIPLINE !

Actually, it should read like this:

ANSWER: DISCIPLINE !

Off the field - no more bonehead, questionable decision making and situations.

Defense: Keep containment! Stay in your gaps! Don't let your reciever run free !

Offense: Block your man! Run your route! Don't try to win the game on one play!

Carson: Go through your progressions! Re-evaluate the coverage as the play unfolds!

Coaches: Wake up - predictability kills! Lose dead weight! (i.e. Hayes brothers)

[Pidge]

Knowing our luck, Mike Brown will finally allow a high price FA/trade.

Archuleta.

[Bengals44]

QUESTION: "What I want for next year's team"

ANSWER: DISCIPLINE !

Actually, it should read like this:

ANSWER: DISCIPLINE !

Off the field - no more bonehead, questionable decision making and situations.

Defense: Keep containment! Stay in your gaps! Don't let your reciever run free !

Offense: Block your man! Run your route! Don't try to win the game on one play!

Carson: Go through your progressions! Re-evaluate the coverage as the play unfolds!

Coaches: Wake up - predictability kills! Lose dead weight! (i.e. Hayes brothers)

Dude, I could not possibly agree with you anymore - absolutely correct!!!!!!!!!!