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PFT Already Running Story on Troubled Picks


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BENGALS “UP TO THEIR OLD TRICKS”

Posted by Mike Florio on April 27, 2008, 3:52 p.m.

We have defended, and will continue to defend, the Cincinnati Bengals for their stance regarding receiver Chad Johnson’s desire to be traded.

We do so because the best way to keep other players from trying to pull the same routine in the future is to not cave in to Chad now.

Another prudent strategy to achieve the same end, however, would be to refrain from bringing in more players who might be inclined to misbehave in the future. In this regard, we can’t support the Bengals’ tactics.

As a league source opined with respect to several of the team’s 2008 draft picks, the Bengals “are up to their old tricks.”

The most glaring selection was Jason Shirley, a defensive tackle from Fresno State.

Shirley was ultimately kicked off the team in 2007 after a series of incidents, including a suspension for conduct detrimental to the team and a suspension for a DUI arrest. The last straw was an arrest for driving with a suspended license.

The source said that Shirley was off most teams’ draft boards.

Per the source, teams also had concerns about Auburn defensive tackle Pat Sims and Kansas offensive tackle Anthony Collins. A Google search revealed that neither player has had any trouble with the law, however.

It has been explained to us in the past that the Bengals will take a player like Shirley not because the team doesn’t know about his off-field troubles but because the team’s lack of a full-blown scouting department makes the Bengals more likely to pick a player who had the talent to otherwise be drafted much earlier.

Put simply, the Bengals will be more inclined to take the player who generally is regarded as highly talented later in the draft because they lack confidence in their ability to pick a guy who isn’t generally recognized as having the physical talent to play in the NFL.

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I like how they take one guy...ONE guy with any legitimate baggage, and say the Bengals are up to their old tricks.

Any other team, and it would be a smart and calculated risk on a late-round pick :rolleyes:

Hey, when you have a reputation you might want to go a year when you don't draft a guy who's been suspended or kicked off his team. You know, just a suggestion. Until they go a full year without drafting such a moron, they'll continue to get called for it.

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I like how they take one guy...ONE guy with any legitimate baggage, and say the Bengals are up to their old tricks.

Any other team, and it would be a smart and calculated risk on a late-round pick :rolleyes:

Hey, when you have a reputation you might want to go a year when you don't draft a guy who's been suspended or kicked off his team. You know, just a suggestion. Until they go a full year without drafting such a moron, they'll continue to get called for it.

Who was their moron from last year's draft? I'd call that a year off...

I understand that when you earn a reputation, you'll be more closely scrutinized, but come on.

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http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/

BENGALS “UP TO THEIR OLD TRICKS”

Posted by Mike Florio on April 27, 2008, 3:52 p.m.

We have defended, and will continue to defend, the Cincinnati Bengals for their stance regarding receiver Chad Johnson’s desire to be traded.

We do so because the best way to keep other players from trying to pull the same routine in the future is to not cave in to Chad now.

Another prudent strategy to achieve the same end, however, would be to refrain from bringing in more players who might be inclined to misbehave in the future. In this regard, we can’t support the Bengals’ tactics.

As a league source opined with respect to several of the team’s 2008 draft picks, the Bengals “are up to their old tricks.”

The most glaring selection was Jason Shirley, a defensive tackle from Fresno State.

Shirley was ultimately kicked off the team in 2007 after a series of incidents, including a suspension for conduct detrimental to the team and a suspension for a DUI arrest. The last straw was an arrest for driving with a suspended license.

The source said that Shirley was off most teams’ draft boards.

Per the source, teams also had concerns about Auburn defensive tackle Pat Sims and Kansas offensive tackle Anthony Collins. A Google search revealed that neither player has had any trouble with the law, however.

It has been explained to us in the past that the Bengals will take a player like Shirley not because the team doesn’t know about his off-field troubles but because the team’s lack of a full-blown scouting department makes the Bengals more likely to pick a player who had the talent to otherwise be drafted much earlier.

Put simply, the Bengals will be more inclined to take the player who generally is regarded as highly talented later in the draft because they lack confidence in their ability to pick a guy who isn’t generally recognized as having the physical talent to play in the NFL.

LEWIS ACKNOWLEDGES SHIRLEY “A RISK”

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 27, 2008, 6:19 p.m.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis acknowledged today that there’s “a risk” associated with selecting fifth-round draft pick Jason Shirley of Fresno State, who was off most teams’ draft boards because of a series of his long history of off-field trouble.

“It’s a little bit of a risk, yes,” Lewis said. “There’s a lot of guys who have gone over the last two days with more substantial things hanging over their heads.”

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Shirley acknowledged today that he has a trial pending on two counts of driving under the influence and one count of hit-and-run.

“I have a court date May 21. And right now, everything’s going kind of smooth. I can’t really get into the details about it, as advised to me by my lawyer, but it’s going smooth,” Shirley said. “It’s looking real good, and hopefully I can get that expunged off my record.”

The Bengals are unique among NFL teams because of their 10 player arrests over 14 months in 2006 and 2007 — they know they’re not going to get the benefit of the doubt when they collect players of questionable character. So given that, why draft Shirley? Was he really so much better than the next-best player on the Bengals’ board that drafting him was worth the headaches associated with his off-field problems? When will the Bengals learn not to draft guys who show up to team headquarters and answer questions with “hopefully I can get that expunged off my record”?

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I'm glad no other teams took a risk on a player with legal problems. At least PFT does some sort of objective ranking of which teams have the most losers and thugs. They might mention in these stories how we've been middle of the pack at worst for the last couple years.

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