If you had your choice of a player in round one

[bengalsfan17]

rey isnt even the best lb coming out of usc....i have 3 guys...curry,very good and special lb.....Raji,dominate on the d-line, or lauranaitis, very good mlb....rey is way overrated if you watch them actually play...teams ran on them if u watched them play, and rey was no where to be found...just a classic usc guy way overhyped...I.E....Leinhart, Bush, Williams, Jarrett, list goes on and on...

[ShulaSteakhouse]

rey isnt even the best lb coming out of usc....i have 3 guys...curry,very good and special lb.....Raji,dominate on the d-line, or lauranaitis, very good mlb....rey is way overrated if you watch them actually play...teams ran on them if u watched them play, and rey was no where to be found...just a classic usc guy way overhyped...I.E....Leinhart, Bush, Williams, Jarrett, list goes on and on...

Or he could be another Tatupu or Polamalu? (Rivers is not a bust...yet, he was the best LB on the team last year as a rookie when healthy).

[Kazkal]

rey isnt even the best lb coming out of usc....i have 3 guys...curry,very good and special lb.....Raji,dominate on the d-line, or lauranaitis, very good mlb....rey is way overrated if you watch them actually play...teams ran on them if u watched them play, and rey was no where to be found...just a classic usc guy way overhyped...I.E....Leinhart, Bush, Williams, Jarrett, list goes on and on...

This is type of posts you see on nfl draft.... ohiostate is 1#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mgilgris]

Not Complaining but anyway someone could update the MOCK DRAFT DATABASE???? I really liked having it last year and would love to be able to look at it again this year. Maybe we could get one of the guys at 1530homer to link to it weekly.

Anyway appreciate all the hard work that goes into the site.

[HAPPYJAQ]

Do Bengals fans realize that the LB corps is the strength of the team right now? Dhani, Jeanty and Johnson are all coming off career years. Brandon Johnson, in particular, played as well as any LB in the NFL in the 2nd half of the season. He deserves to start. Rivers will be coming back at WLB and could possibly be shifted to the middle. That said, the Bengals do need more sacks and big plays from the position but I think protecting Palmer and being more phyical up front are more pressing needs. Depending on what happens with T.J. and Chad, WR could become a position of need, too.

[Kazkal]

Do Bengals fans realize that the LB corps is the strength of the team right now? Dhani, Jeanty and Johnson are all coming off career years. Brandon Johnson, in particular, played as well as any LB in the NFL in the 2nd half of the season. He deserves to start. Rivers will be coming back at WLB and could possibly be shifted to the middle. That said, the Bengals do need more sacks and big plays from the position but I think protecting Palmer and being more phyical up front are more pressing needs. Depending on what happens with T.J. and Chad, WR could become a position of need, too.

We have serviceables backer but it is not a strength also which LB's do we currently have signed? 2 nobodys rivers and dhani the rest are URFA or RFA,Ravens linebackers our a strength,Steeler linebackers our a strength Bengals? not so much.

[ArmyBengal]

Not Complaining but anyway someone could update the MOCK DRAFT DATABASE???? I really liked having it last year and would love to be able to look at it again this year. Maybe we could get one of the guys at 1530homer to link to it weekly.

Anyway appreciate all the hard work that goes into the site.

We are looking into getting it back up and running and ask to bear with us while we figure out what's up. Hoosier ran this since forever and has some new things going on, so he's passing it off. We are working the issue. PM me if anyone has further questions or thoughts on it. Thanks...

[Kazkal]

Pauline also advises that Maualuga has been training at USC with Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers, who is represented by Athletes First. Pauline does not believe that Maualuga will participate in the linebacker workouts at the Scouting Combine.

Hmmm Maybe their getting use to working togather again?

[ArmyBengal]

Yeah, I saw that on PFT as well. I think it's cool that they all kind of stick together and help mentor each other as they come into the league.

Outside of that, I'm not reading much into it in regards to what the Bengals will do in the draft...

[Kazkal]

Hey Rivers ain't mentioning Cushing or Mathews he wants Maualuga haha.

[ArmyBengal]

I think he would be crazy NOT to want a guy that he played next to at USC and had a lot of success playing with. It would be instant chemistry for the linebacking corps, but I don't really like him at #6. A trade down to get him a handful of picks later would make me pretty happy though...

[GregCook]

I think he would be crazy NOT to want a guy that he played next to at USC and had a lot of success playing with. It would be instant chemistry for the linebacking corps, but I don't really like him at #6. A trade down to get him a handful of picks later would make me pretty happy though...

47% of us, not me, wanted Maualuga at nbr 6, now lets discuss trading down to get him. Where to number 12? 15? Yet lots wanted him at number 6.

Me, I'd rather stay at #6, we earned it, then go get a stud LT, DT, a guy that can anchor a line for 5-6 years. Then use a compensatory pick to get a Dhani replacement.

[Clackwoods]

I think he would be crazy NOT to want a guy that he played next to at USC and had a lot of success playing with. It would be instant chemistry for the linebacking corps, but I don't really like him at #6. A trade down to get him a handful of picks later would make me pretty happy though...

47% of us, not me, wanted Maualuga at nbr 6, now lets discuss trading down to get him. Where to number 12? 15? Yet lots wanted him at number 6.

Me, I'd rather stay at #6, we earned it, then go get a stud LT, DT, a guy that can anchor a line for 5-6 years. Then use a compensatory pick to get a Dhani replacement.

Yea, lets draft another Amhad Brooks.....sike.

I do agree that I think we shouldn't take him that high, but I also don't want to take an OT that high either. We can get a OT in round 2 that would have been a first round pick any other year. The pick should be either (In order) Curry, Raji, or Crabtree (You can't pass on someone this good at six).

If we take Crabtree then we can trade Chad for a first rounder and select an OT their or a RB. Then we can get our defensive help in round 2 and 3.

[Baraka]

i like those 3 you mentioned, our year, and even in that order. i bet the only one we will have the opportunity to draft a six will be raji, but you can never have enough beef in the middle of the defense. a lot depends on what the coaching staff thinks of shirley. if he can perform that would be enormously helpful, no pun intended. i would be all for maualuga at 12 or 13, but certainly not at six.

if we can get more out of our LB's i think the pass rush gets instantly better. i wouldn't be surprised if we choose 2 or 3 LB's in this draft if the right people are there.

[GregCook]

i like those 3 you mentioned, our year, and even in that order. i bet the only one we will have the opportunity to draft a six will be raji, but you can never have enough beef in the middle of the defense. a lot depends on what the coaching staff thinks of shirley. if he can perform that would be enormously helpful, no pun intended. i would be all for maualuga at 12 or 13, but certainly not at six.

if we can get more out of our LB's i think the pass rush gets instantly better. i wouldn't be surprised if we choose 2 or 3 LB's in this draft if the right people are there.

Things is, 2008 was one of the worst Oline performances in Bengal history. That is a very low bar to clear and this current Oline lowered it with ease. Now the Bengals must find 2 starters on the Oline from the draft or FA. That is a fact.

Imagine this for 2009: Monroe, Whit, Unger/Mack, Williams, Collins. That line can win games with the defense we have now. It also has backup coverage which we went deep into last season.

If the Bengals think Whit can play tackle, along with Collins and beat the speed rushers, then sure go for defense in round 1 as in Raji for instance. But you better take a center in round 2 and hope a starting LG in round 3 is available or the Bengals are hosed in 2009. You also better hope you can find a LT backup somewhere in the draft too unless you think Levi will last the season.

[Baraka]

i get what you're saying and there's no debate the o-line MUST get better, but like our year said above this season we'll be able to get a very talented tackle in the second, if that's what's necessary. or as you said move whit to right tackle, have collins man the left side and take a guard in the third, which at that position would be one of the most highly rated. it would be so much easier if mikey will just break form and pony up big money for a franchise center, actually not "a" franchise center but "the" franchise center, and his name is jason brown.

that way it could be skill positions and defense with all but maybe two of our picks. i don't really like the idea of turning over the o-line to a rookie unless it's alex mack, and i don't think he'll be there in the second.

[Kazkal]

I'd be up if we could trade down few spots though could see him going 11-12 range...

[Kazkal]

I'd be up if we could trade down few spots though could see him going 11-12 range...

With that being said pretty obvious I'd have no problem taking him at 6with themind set he's going be the next Ray Lewis to justify taking him that early...

Dhani I'd say mans MLB till rey is rdy then moves to SLB.

[ArmyBengal]

Sure we earned the #6 position, but a trade down gives you additional picks without having to worry about trading Chad in order to accomplish that task. Crabtree WON'T be there at #6, so give that one up now unless we are willing to trade UP to get him. Not going to happen either and if it did, I would vomit. If there was a trade up (assuming they don't make a run at Brown) it would probably be to get back into the bottom of the first to grab Mack. This is where the trade down in the first to get additional picks comes into play.

I also still don't understand the debate of going OT in the first IF the intent is to move him to RT when a pure RT can be had in the 2nd or even 3rd. Don't get it. I also am thinking there will be to many CB's available in free agency to see Curry making it by the Browns unless they keep getting tagged. Bodden is still unsigned at this point as well.

[HAPPYJAQ]

With the emergence of Nate Livings, the Bengals will want to see if Whit can play RT. I believe they'll also try to re-sign Stacy, who should come much less expensive than his asking price last year. Maybe it's only a 1 year deal for him, as both sides will want to see how he bounces back from the knee injury. The Bengals also think they might have a player in Dennis Roland and want to see him through camp.

That said, I think the pick is either going to be a WR or a D-lineman. Aaron Curry is a lot like Keith Rivers and is not a pash rusher, so I think that takes him out of the mix. The combine this week will have an impact at #6, too. I could see guys like Everett Brown and especially Michael Johnson (or Aaron Mayin) moving up the boards quickly after strong combines. I know that the Bengals like Raji, but the question would be is his upside greater than Sims and Shirley? If they think he could be a game changer at DT, he could very well be the pick. After Maclin runs fast this week, I think he'll then be projected right around where the Bengals pick, too.

I strongly believe that one of the RB's between Moreno, McCoy, Wells and Donald Brown will be sitting there at pick #38. How about Maclin in round 1 and one of the backs (of which my favorite is Brown) in round 2?

[ArmyBengal]

How about Maclin in round 1 and one of the backs (of which my favorite is Brown) in round 2?

Only if both Chad and TJ are gone AND we get Jason Brown during free agency. If either Chad or TJ stay, I say pass on WR in the first (PLEASE) and if there is no Jason Brown, I would like to see a move up to get Mack. That's just me though...

[GregCook]

Sure we earned the #6 position, but a trade down gives you additional picks without having to worry about trading Chad in order to accomplish that task. Crabtree WON'T be there at #6, so give that one up now unless we are willing to trade UP to get him. Not going to happen either and if it did, I would vomit. If there was a trade up (assuming they don't make a run at Brown) it would probably be to get back into the bottom of the first to grab Mack. This is where the trade down in the first to get additional picks comes into play.

I also still don't understand the debate of going OT in the first IF the intent is to move him to RT when a pure RT can be had in the 2nd or even 3rd. Don't get it. I also am thinking there will be to many CB's available in free agency to see Curry making it by the Browns unless they keep getting tagged. Bodden is still unsigned at this point as well.

I don't understand that debate either. I also don't understand how the Oline can be improved by shuffling existing players around and bottom fishing later in the draft, but I don't coach and I don't own a franchise. Maybe there are enough quality NFL tackles to go into round 2 or 3, I doubt it, but I don't know.

What I do know is that line needs major infusion of talent now. Its quite likely Monroe, Smith or Smith will be available at 6 and all will likely be gone by 10. So here you have an awful Oline playing with practice squad guys at the end of 2008, having at least one really good LT available at #6 and they whiff?

That I don't understand.