Steelers wanted Jerome Simpson?

[Oldcat]

Whether the Steelers were interested or not I do not care. As long as the run defense is somehow shored up, I will admit my error on the Simpson pick. If it is not shored up I will say that the Simpson pick was not the correct pick. Not bc of his abilities but bc of the NEED that we have had on defense for the past 3 seasons. I for one am tired of having a good offense and a horrible defense. I am tired of teh best player available when we continue to struggle with the same problems.

Regardless, it is not the Simpson pick that threw a lot of people for the loop. It was the position that was picked with the second pick.

Maybe it shouldn't have been such a shock. The second seems to be where the team recently looks to shore up a position. Thurman in 2005, Whitworth in 06, Irons in 07... Allot these are to fill a hole in this year or the next. With Henry gone, and TJ unsigned, there is at least as much need at WR as last year at the RB slot.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Were these two teams correct in that Simpson is better than Sweed? If so, Bengals win.

Not quite - it only holds if that difference is bigger than the difference between Rivers and Ellis, which is a tall order.

Would I trade Simpson and Rivers for Ellis and Sweed? In a second.

Just to make it clear, I'm *not* against taking Simpson in general, though I think it was probably somewhat high. It's just that if we could have gotten Ellis instead, I'd do it.

And that assumes the report is correct, because I'd still put decent odds that we could have gotten Ellis and Simpson, and wouldn't that be nice?

[Wraith]

Who would you have wanted at defense instead of Simpson. I had Pat Sims rated as my #4 DT (after Ellis, Dorsey, Balmer) for the Bengals. Laws does not have the frame to carry much more than 300 lbs and is going to make a living in the NFL as a one gap penetrator, is that what you wanted, another John Thornton? Would you be complaining if they draft Sims in the second? That was where he was rated. So they got a second round WR and they still got the DT they needed at the middle of the third. That sounds like good drafting to me, that sounds like having a clear understanding of the draft and the needs of the teams behind them which is something we have knocked the Bengals for for years.

I will admit I was steamed when they took Simpson in the second, I was grumpy all Saturday night because I had the EXACT same concerns but they redeemed EVERYTHING with the Sims pick, their draft strategy paid off and they got the players they needed. Let me get this straight they picked up the Linebacker in the draft, a starting grade DT, a one of the best Safeties in this draft (Corey Lynch is a beast!), an OT that carried a second round grade going into the draft, a good passrushing DE prospect (though I would have liked Brian Johnston instead), and 3 WRs (2 that can get deep and 1 that is the legitimate red zone threat that we lost when Henry was kicked off the team) and you are complaining about this draft? The only need they didn't fill was RB and that isn't a need if you know that Rudi and Perry or Irons will be healthy. As far as Defense, I think they picked up 3 solid starters (Sims, Rivers, and Lynch) and a guy who will provide good depth and could develop to be every bit the player that Trent Cole turned out to be.

That doesn't even touch Shirley who is 6'5" 330 lbs, bench presses 225 lbs 40 times, and has the ability of a Haynesworth or Henderson provided he doesn't implode, and if he does you have only lost a fifth round selection.

[Wraith]

From Pro Football Weekly predraft reports, again I think the Bengals did a great job.

Rk. No. Player School Grade Height Weight Speed Notes

1. 77 Jake Long Michigan 7.00 6070 313 5.24

2. 70 Ryan Clady Boise State 6.30 6061 311 5.24 Jr.

3. 77 Gosder Cherilus Boston College 6.25 6063 317 5.13

4. 76 Jeffrey Otah Pittsburgh 6.25 6060 322 5.31

5. 74 Chris Williams Vanderbilt 6.20 6060 315 5.17

6. 79 Sam Baker USC 6.15 6045 308 5.49 X, OG

7. 75 Oniel Cousins UTEP 5.59 6036 308 5.18 OG

8. 78 Anthony Collins Kansas 5.50 6050 310 5.41 Jr.

9. 76 Duane Brown Virginia Tech 5.45 6041 315 5.09 OG

10. 77 Carl Nicks Nebraska 5.40 6047 341 5.26 Ch.

Rk. No. Player School Grade Height Weight Speed Notes

1. 55 Keith Rivers USC 6.25 6022 232 4.61

2. 32 Cliff Avril Purdue 5.75 6027 253 4.62 DE

3. 54 Quentin Groves Auburn 5.70 6030 259 4.56 DE, Ch., X

4. 44 Jordon Dizon Colorado 5.59 5117 229 4.73 ILB

5. 11 Xavier Adibi Virginia Tech 5.55 6016 232 4.71

6. 41 Bryan Kehl Brigham Young 5.50 6023 237 4.64

7. 7 Ali Highsmith LSU 5.50 6000 221 4.76

8. 52 Tavares Gooden Miami (Fla.) 5.45 6012 232 4.62 X, ILB

9. 41 Philip Wheeler Georgia Tech 5.40 6017 240 4.74

10. 10 Geno Hayes Florida State 5.39 6007 226 4.67 Jr., Ch.

Rk. No. Player School Grade Height Weight Speed Notes

1. 4 Limas Sweed Texas 6.15 6041 210 4.49 X

2. 5 Devin Thomas Michigan State 6.12 6017 216 4.43 Jr.

3. 86 Mario Manningham Michigan 5.85 5116 181 4.44 Jr., Ch.

4. 82 James Hardy Indiana 5.85 6053 217 4.54 Jr., Ch.

5. 27 Jordy Nelson Kansas State 5.80 6025 217 4.54 PR

6. 1 Desean Jackson California 5.75 5096 169 4.41 Jr., RS, X, Ch.

7. 5 Andre "Bubba" Caldwell Florida 5.70 6002 204 4.39 KR, X

8. 9 Early Doucet III LSU 5.70 6000 203 4.62 PR

9. 4 Malcolm Kelly Oklahoma 5.70 6036 223 4.72 Jr., X

10. 4 Eddie Royal Virginia Tech 5.65 5095 184 4.46 RS

11. 2 Dexter Jackson Appalachian State 5.50 5094 182 4.36 RS

12. 2 Donnie Avery Houston 5.50 5110 192 4.46

13. 10 Earl Bennett Vanderbilt 5.45 5114 206 4.53 Jr.

14. 19 Jerome Simpson Coastal Carolina 5.40 6016 199 4.46

Rk. No. Player School Grade Height Weight Speed Notes

1. 7 DaJuan Morgan North Carolina State 5.85 6001 205 4.54 Jr., CB

2. 4 Thomas DeCoud California 5.55 6013 207 4.54 X

3. 9 Quintin Demps UTEP 5.30 5117 206 4.41 PR

4. 5 Kennard Cox Pittsburgh 5.23 5116 190 4.52 CB

5. 23 Dominique Barber Minnesota 5.21 6002 207 4.59

6. 27 David Roach Texas Christian 5.20 6003 210 4.57 X

7. 25 D.J. Parker Virginia Tech 5.13 5112 192 4.64

8. 30 Tierre Green Nebraska 5.10 6000 208 4.49

9. 11 Dennis Keyes II UCLA 5.10 6002 199 4.59

10. 7 Kareem Moore Nicholls State 5.10 5104 213 4.67

11. 47 Corey Lynch Appalachian State 5.09 6003 202 4.59

Rk. No. Player School Grade Height Weight Speed Notes

1. 72 Glenn Dorsey LSU 7.00 6016 297 5.14 X

2. 49 Sedrick Ellis USC 6.50 6004 298 5.07 NT

3. 90 Kentwan Balmer North Carolina 6.15 6044 308 5.32 NT

4. 98 Trevor Laws Notre Dame 5.65 6006 304 5.12 DE

5. 55 Marcus Harrison Arkansas 5.55 6026 317 5.09 Ch., X

6. 95 Patrick Sims Auburn 5.50 6021 310 5.13 Jr., Ch.

7. 92 Dre Moore Maryland 5.45 6040 305 4.93

8. 93 Letroy Guion Florida State 5.40 6033 307 5.26 Jr.

9. 96 Andre Fluellen Florida State 5.39 6017 294 5.09 X

10. 97 Frank Okam Texas 5.37 6044 335 5.22 OT

[Pidge]

I will admit I was steamed when they took Simpson in the second, I was grumpy all Saturday night because I had the EXACT same concerns but they redeemed EVERYTHING with the Sims pick

Exactly what I was like. All the toys were out of the pram after the second pick. When Sims was still there in the 3rd and we actually picked him I stopped pacing up and down in an impotent rage.

[Clackwoods]

I will admit I was steamed when they took Simpson in the second, I was grumpy all Saturday night because I had the EXACT same concerns but they redeemed EVERYTHING with the Sims pick

Exactly what I was like. All the toys were out of the pram after the second pick. When Sims was still there in the 3rd and we actually picked him I stopped pacing up and down in an impotent rage.

I have to agree with the guy above. The only pick I didn't like was that reciever in the last round. I mean we could have gotten another lineman or a RB then. I was about to throw my jersey out a window when I saw what little the Saints gave up to get up to seven and after me missed on trading for Dorsey but Rivers was my number 3 choice. In hindsight I am very happy with the draft because we did get a lot better value with our DT/LB combo. The gap between Sims and Dorsey/Ellis is signifigantly more than the gap between Rivers/any third or fourth round LB we could have gotten. We picked up a physical freak of WR in the second and capped that with another high grade WR in the third. I don't like the pick of Shirley only because of the media and the countries perception of the Bengals but if we can stay out of trouble (Which I doubt) he could be a nice addition. The safety we got from App State will be our new Kasveharn. If we can get anything from two of the three recievers, plus Rivers doing what he is going to do and Sims stepping up our run stopping we are going to be fine. Everyone in the NFL forgets that we were legitimate super bowl contenders two years ago because we had some reminence of a defense. With Odell and our youngsters everyone who is hating or losing faith in the bengals will be biting their words when they win the AFC north and challenge in the playoffs.

[Oldcat]

I have to agree with the guy above. The only pick I didn't like was that reciever in the last round. I mean we could have gotten another lineman or a RB then. I was about to throw my jersey out a window when I saw what little the Saints gave up to get up to seven and after me missed on trading for Dorsey but Rivers was my number 3 choice. In hindsight I am very happy with the draft because we did get a lot better value with our DT/LB combo. The gap between Sims and Dorsey/Ellis is signifigantly more than the gap between Rivers/any third or fourth round LB we could have gotten.

Its also possible that New England would not have given us the same deal they gave New Orleans, as we are AFC rivals, or could be.

I think i heard Marvin say that they had Rivers and Ellis ranked closely enough that when they were assured of one, they would rather have the extra man in round 3.

[Clackwoods]

I have to agree with the guy above. The only pick I didn't like was that reciever in the last round. I mean we could have gotten another lineman or a RB then. I was about to throw my jersey out a window when I saw what little the Saints gave up to get up to seven and after me missed on trading for Dorsey but Rivers was my number 3 choice. In hindsight I am very happy with the draft because we did get a lot better value with our DT/LB combo. The gap between Sims and Dorsey/Ellis is signifigantly more than the gap between Rivers/any third or fourth round LB we could have gotten.

Its also possible that New England would not have given us the same deal they gave New Orleans, as we are AFC rivals, or could be.

I think i heard Marvin say that they had Rivers and Ellis ranked closely enough that when they were assured of one, they would rather have the extra man in round 3.

I understand that our team had some needs we needed to shore up but I would have like to have traded up to number five and grab Ellis. ANyone have an idea what that would have cost? I would think we could have given them a fifth and a third or something next year

[Pidge]

I understand that our team had some needs we needed to shore up but I would have like to have traded up to number five and grab Ellis. ANyone have an idea what that would have cost? I would think we could have given them a fifth and a third or something next year

I think it would have been far too expensive considering the holes we needed to fill. Myabe both 3rd rounders this year and another pick in next years draft. However, had we done it we wouldn't have picked Ellis. Dorsey would have been the pick, IMO. The Chiefs' GM said they were waiting for trade offers though.

[Wraith]

Please understand this. The reason we did not get Ellis lies with Kansas City trading Jared Allen. If they had not consumated that deal then KC would have been forced to draft Albert at #5 or trade down with the Saints who would have then drafted Dorsey. KC needed to come out of this first round with a solid left tackle prospect because they have NOONE at that position. New England would have drafted Rivers and Jacksonville would have still drafted Harvey or else Baltimore would have drafted Ellis. By having two first round selections, the Chiefs were not going to budge from their spot at 5 knowing that they were going to get one of the top 3 players on their draftboard (Dorsey, C. Long, or Gholston) by dropping down to 9 it takes them out of the running for all 3 and they knew that they could get either Otah or Albert or Chris Williams at #17 the second pick opened up the possibilities for the first.

AS to Petersen "waiting for teams to trade with, they was true if someone were to throw a Ditka deal on the table but nothing short of that would have gotten the Chiefs out of that position. If you look at the draftboard, the way it played out, the Chiefs would have missed out on Dorsey, Ellis, Rivers, and Gholston if they trade out of 5.

Dorsey still goes 5

Gholston still goes 6

Rivers goes 7

Ellis goes 8

KC would be sitting there with Jerod Mayo, Leodis McKelvin and Derrick Harvey which is a gigantic step down from Glen Dorsey.