LB's

[jonf45uk]

Morning,

Am i right in thinking that our starting trio of LB's( barring injury, suspension, jail etc) would be;

Keith Rivers Dhani Jones Ahmad Brooks

???

Any gen/ insight would be helpful!!

jon

[gregstephens]

Morning,

Am i right in thinking that our starting trio of LB's( barring injury, suspension, jail etc) would be;

Keith Rivers Dhani Jones Ahmad Brooks

???

Any gen/ insight would be helpful!!

jon

That's how I see it right now. Anyone see any reason that might change?

By the way, do I detect a hint of you not being excited at that prospect?

[fattyjay]

The only battle in camp should be for SAM. I think Jeanty has an outside chance of beating out Brooks, just because of his experience. The other side of that is Brooks has a knack of getting injured so this may happen by default.

[jonf45uk]

Morning,

Am i right in thinking that our starting trio of LB's( barring injury, suspension, jail etc) would be;

Keith Rivers Dhani Jones Ahmad Brooks

???

Any gen/ insight would be helpful!!

jon

That's how I see it right now. Anyone see any reason that might change?

By the way, do I detect a hint of you not being excited at that prospect?

Just a little!! i think its just hit home how much i was hoping Odell would return this year.

Nothing against Rivers, but he's still an unknown. Yes he could be as good or better than Thurman, but equally he could be useless!! I don't see that happening, but he could get a season long injury, and then you have to look at the LB corps and wonder who's gonna make a play( or a tackle in some cases!)

I like Brooks (if he can stay healthy) and the same could be said of Jeanty, though i feel Dhani Jones is only there because there's no-one else to challenge him!!

[mgilgris]

Mark my word Rivers will be no Patrick Willis but more like a Brian Simmons. This is not a shot on Rivers but more of an analysis of his play. He is consistent but not amazing.

At this point I would take consistent

[kentjett]

Brian Simmons and Keith Rivers are almost complete opposites in terms of style of play. Rivers is a hitter that sometimes misses tackles by going for the big blow where Simmons was always a finesse LB kind of like Landon Johnson. If you look at the athletic ability alone, Rivers and and Willis are very similar. Time will tell but Rivers is far from a finesse player, he likes to go for the knockout.

[Kazkal]

Simmons was also quiet lead by example where Rivers is very vocal,Just because river was the safe pick does not mean he's a brian simmons clone he still has a high ceiling in what he can do with his football smarts and athleticism I'm very happy to have him.Landon was the the Brian Simmons clone though smaller they were alot closer then what rivers is to either of them.

[gregstephens]

Simmons was also quiet lead by example where Rivers is very vocal,Just because river was the safe pick does not mean he's a brian simmons clone he still has a high ceiling in what he can do with his football smarts and athleticism I'm very happy to have him.Landon was the the Brian Simmons clone though smaller they were alot closer then what rivers is to either of them.

Yep, and many will think I'm nuts, but I really liked the tandem of healthy Simmons and Landon. They weren't pro-bowlers, but they were consistent on and off the field and provided a stable element to the D unit.

[Kazkal]

Ya,part of me wishes we would have resigned landon ....the biggest problem was guys in front of them and thats finally starting to look better.

[Sandwedge]

Why is everyone so down on Dhani?? For the life of me I can't "figger dat out".... The way I personally seen it lastyear was, here was a guy that came in and played his ass off with very little knowledge of our D... He got better as the season went on and was one of the bright spots on our D... Don't kid ourselves into thinking he is Ray Lewis, but he isn't a slouch either.. Just curious people..

[TJJackson]

Only one person in this thread was down on Dhani, as far as I can tell

I like him a lot

Does that help?

[gregstephens]

I think the issue is that we haven't worked to get the playbuster LB like a Ray Lewis, Urlacher. Dhani's ok. Landon was ok. Brian Simmons was ok. We were hoping Thurman was a playbuster. We're hoping Rivers is the playbuster, but until one emerges...here we are.

[BengalPimp]

Why is everyone so down on Dhani?? For the life of me I can't "figger dat out".... The way I personally seen it lastyear was, here was a guy that came in and played his ass off with very little knowledge of our D... He got better as the season went on and was one of the bright spots on our D... Don't kid ourselves into thinking he is Ray Lewis, but he isn't a slouch either.. Just curious people..

I like Dhani, he's not flashy, but he gets the job done. If he can hold down the middle, that will TREMENDOUSLY help the young Rivers and Brooks, knowing that they have a stable presence in the middle, and confidence in the guy next to you.

[BengalPimp]

Brian Simmons and Keith Rivers are almost complete opposites in terms of style of play. Rivers is a hitter that sometimes misses tackles by going for the big blow where Simmons was always a finesse LB kind of like Landon Johnson. If you look at the athletic ability alone, Rivers and and Willis are very similar. Time will tell but Rivers is far from a finesse player, he likes to go for the knockout.

Absolutely opposites.......Simmons was smart and hustled, but he can only wish that he had the Speed, and Athleticism of Rivers. Rivers is a physical specimen and where Simmons was solid, Rivers can be Special.

[JoePong]

Umm...Brian Simmons was like the fastest LB in the draft the year he came out. The one thing he WAS known for his first few years in the NFL was his great speed. The problem with Simmons was not his measureables (he was big AND fast 240+ lbs and close to a 4.4 40). His problem was his great athleticism never translated into him being a big playmaker. But Brian Simmons had just as much, if not more, athltic ability as Rivers.

[Sandwedge]

Umm...Brian Simmons was like the fastest LB in the draft the year he came out. The one thing he WAS known for his first few years in the NFL was his great speed. The problem with Simmons was not his measureables (he was big AND fast 240+ lbs and close to a 4.4 40). His problem was his great athleticism never translated into him being a big playmaker. But Brian Simmons had just as much, if not more, athltic ability as Rivers.

Simmons, (aka Puddins) hit like a puss...

[BengalszoneBilly]

Umm...Brian Simmons was like the fastest LB in the draft the year he came out. The one thing he WAS known for his first few years in the NFL was his great speed. The problem with Simmons was not his measureables (he was big AND fast 240+ lbs and close to a 4.4 40). His problem was his great athleticism never translated into him being a big playmaker. But Brian Simmons had just as much, if not more, athltic ability as Rivers.

I feel some people fail to understand that physical ability is only part of the player. Sure, it's great to have it, but if you don't have the brains to guide it, it's simply wasted talent. That is why I hate the pre-draft combines. Folks become enamored with a players physical numbers without ever considering what his head can hold. Paul Brown made his reputation upon identifying smart players with ability in the draft. That's where the key lies.

I hate to say this, but Mike doesn't have his dad's touch in this department.

[jonf45uk]

I think the issue is that we haven't worked to get the playbuster LB like a Ray Lewis, Urlacher. Dhani's ok. Landon was ok. Brian Simmons was ok. We were hoping Thurman was a playbuster. We're hoping Rivers is the playbuster, but until one emerges...here we are.

Absolutely.

[Pidge]

Umm...Brian Simmons was like the fastest LB in the draft the year he came out. The one thing he WAS known for his first few years in the NFL was his great speed. The problem with Simmons was not his measureables (he was big AND fast 240+ lbs and close to a 4.4 40). His problem was his great athleticism never translated into him being a big playmaker. But Brian Simmons had just as much, if not more, athltic ability as Rivers.

I feel some people fail to understand that physical ability is only part of the player. Sure, it's great to have it, but if you don't have the brains to guide it, it's simply wasted talent. That is why I hate the pre-draft combines. Folks become enamored with a players physical numbers without ever considering what his head can hold. Paul Brown made his reputation upon identifying smart players with ability in the draft. That's where the key lies.

I agree. Just watching some of Corey Lynch, it seems like we have picked a great player in that regard. Nice measurables but dayum. He has instincts to boot. Not only that, I love the fact he rarely commits himself. He reads and reacts so quickly and seldom bites too early. Really smart looking player. Looking forward to seeing him on ST and hoping he turns into a starter for us in the years to come.

I'm also looking forward to seeing Rivers alongside Dhani. Dhani is a smart enough player in my mind, I think having an improved duo of LBs alongside him this year will benefit both him and will help the others, especially Rivers, settle down. Assuming they don't all end up injured by week 2 of course.

Watching this young secondary and LB corps is what I'm most looking forward to this season. Hopefully they show tangible improvement throughout the year, even if that might not translate into results straight away.

[MARVIN=W'S]

Jeanty will start over A Brooks, no doubt in my mind. Jeanty stops the run like a mother. Brooks will be used as a 3rd down pass rusher, he does not have what it takes between the ears to be an every down player.

[agreen_112]

I hear J. Joseph, Stan White and Phillip Rivers are standouts so far. I hear they are playing very aggresively... Supposedly they are going as full speed as possible and getting a little pushy with Chad Johnson to let him know this is not his show, it's theirs... Any links about the defense available yet?

I don't know about you guys, but I'm really looking forward to seeing this young defense with a new coach/scheme... I hear they will be playing a lot a press coverage on the WR's with cover 2 help from the safeties.. Me likes press coverage as opposed to Bresnehan's 7-12 yard cushion.

[TJJackson]

Stan White and Phillip Rivers

Marvin White?

Keith Rivers?

[redsbengalsbucks]

I hear J. Joseph, Stan White and Phillip Rivers are standouts so far. I hear they are playing very aggresively... Supposedly they are going as full speed as possible and getting a little pushy with Chad Johnson to let him know this is not his show, it's theirs... Any links about the defense available yet?

I don't know about you guys, but I'm really looking forward to seeing this young defense with a new coach/scheme... I hear they will be playing a lot a press coverage on the WR's with cover 2 help from the safeties.. Me likes press coverage as opposed to Bresnehan's 7-12 yard cushion.

When did we pick up Phillip Rivers and turn him into a LB'er?

[Wraith]

I disagree that they haven't "worked" to get a Ray Lewis like guy. Ahmad Brooks was supposed to be that guy (and may still be), David Pollack was supposed to be that guy (and was well on his way to getting there before his neck injury), Odell Thurman was supposed to be that guy (but he decided that the life of a petty criminal alcoholic was better suited for him), and Now Rivers is supposed to be that guy.

Thats 4 guys they have brought in the last 4 years, what more do you want? the Bengals should have had one of the most explosive LBer corps in the league by now but bad luck and a bad character decision have torpedoed that potential.

Here are the LBers Marvin Lewis has drafted since 2003

Khalid Abdullah - 2003 Rd. 5

Caleb Miller - 2004 Rd 3

Landon Johnson - 2004 Rd. 3

David Pollack - 2005 Rd. 1

Odell Thurman - 2005 Rd. 2

A. J. Nicholson - 2006 Rd. 5

Ahmad Brooks - 2006 Sup. Rd. 3 2007

Keith Rivers - 2008 Rd. 1

Thats 2 Rd. 1's 1 Rd. 2 and 3 Rd. 3's in the last 6 years. They haven't failed for lack of trying.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Stan White and Phillip Rivers

Marvin White?

Keith Rivers?

Wow. Looks like agreen found himself into some better-than-usual weed.