Bengals searching for veteran TE?

[kingwilly]

Just had a startling thought.

With Coffman already on the roster, if the Bengals bring back Reggie Kelly and then draft Gresham (or Gronkowski for that matter), they won't have a TE on the roster that played football last year.

Maybe they have a DE who played last year in mind to convert?

[ArmyBengal]

I'm all about seeing how and if Jones can be used in this offense. However, I won't be surprised, if come the end of camp the answer is, he can't.

Once the draft is over, it should be interesting to see how camp goes, because of the fact we really don't need someone to come in day one and start.

It should provide some interesting camp battles...

[Kazkal]

Just had a startling thought.

With Coffman already on the roster, if the Bengals bring back Reggie Kelly and then draft Gresham (or Gronkowski for that matter), they won't have a TE on the roster that played football last year.

Ya,But Damn at that youth & Upside mixed with Veteran leadership we would have ,I'd actually be excited about position for once vs Droning how avg it's gonna be.

Rosenhaus denies that Rob Gronkowski has spinal stenosis

Posted by Mike Florio on April 18, 2010 11:55 AM ET

Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski missed the entire 2009 season after undergoing back surgery. In response to a recent report from NFLDraftScout.com that Gronkowski has spinal stenosis -- the condition that ended Michael Irvin's career prematurely -- agent Drew Rosenhaus says that Gronkowski is fine.

"Every team I have talked to says there are no concerns about his back," Rosenhaus told Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun. "He passed his physical at the combine. There are no red flags on him. He is ready to go. The back is not a factor. There's no issue."

In 2009, there was an issue; doctors shaved off a disk that was sticking out and onto his spinal cord. His rehab kept him from working out at the Scouting Combine.

But if he has a condition as serious as spinal stenosis, doctors would know it. And they'd be explaining to him the potential risks of playing football. The diagnosis means that the patient's spine is narrow, and that a routine hit can cause paralysis.

With all the money spent on the pre-draft procedures and examinations, it's fair to say that anyone who picks Gronkowski knows or should know the truth. If they don't, and if his career is truncated due to the injury, then the G.M. who picks him had better hope that he can tap dance effectively when the owner wants to know what in the hell happened.

And if there are doctors out there who know or should know that Gronkowski has spinal stenosis and they are telling him to go ahead and play without advising him of the possible risks, we hope their malpractice premiums have been paid.

With teams requesting medical reports I just couldn't see them hiding factor he has spinal stenosis,Though Rosenhaus saying doesn't have it doesn't help but guess find out draft day.

[derekshank]

Yeah, I read that too Kaz. I kind of have the same thought too. If he has Stenosis, some doctor out there knows about it - and if he's letting the dude go to the NFL, it's either not a big problem, or else that doctor is risking a lot.

[Kazkal]

Yeah, I read that too Kaz. I kind of have the same thought too. If he has Stenosis, some doctor out there knows about it - and if he's letting the dude go to the NFL, it's either not a big problem, or else that doctor is risking a lot.

Ya which I can't see a doctor putting himself in that kind of trouble because if gronk gets paralyzed doctor is going to get sued out the ass...So if doctors aren't hiding it should be on his medical reports which any team that wants to draft him is probably asking for.

[HoosierCat]

On the subject of vet TEs, Foschi was reported to be visiting the Patriots...

[BengalszoneBilly]

On the subject of vet TEs, Foschi was reported to be visiting the Patriots...

All that tells me is that he's worth keeping. New England doesn't f**k around in this regard.

[Walrus]

Yeah, I read that too Kaz. I kind of have the same thought too. If he has Stenosis, some doctor out there knows about it - and if he's letting the dude go to the NFL, it's either not a big problem, or else that doctor is risking a lot.

Ya which I can't see a doctor putting himself in that kind of trouble because if gronk gets paralyzed doctor is going to get sued out the ass...So if doctors aren't hiding it should be on his medical reports which any team that wants to draft him is probably asking for.

Good news: he doesn't have spinal stenosis / Bad news: he has Drew Rosenhaus

Anyone else read that article and have this thought?

[ArmyBengal]

Here's something more from PFT on Grownkowski...

Different teams have different opinions on Gronkowski's back

In response to our blurb from earlier in the day regarding the disputed status of tight end Rob Gronkowski's back, we've heard from multiple league sources regarding the opinions that currently are floating around.

For starters, the notion that Gronkowski "passed his physical" at the Scouting Combine misses the mark. There's no pass/fail. Teams rate injury concerns on a scale.

We're told that the original back injury occurred while Gronkowski was lifting weights. It was bad enough to require surgery and knock him out for the entire season.

One team has him rated as potentially having a shortened career. Another team says there's no issue. "He had surgery to repair a problem," the latter source said. "It was repaired and he is ready to play. Only a team that wants him to drop would put out anything negative about the kid."

The point here is that every team will have its own opinion, and there's no right or wrong answer. Eventually, the matter will be resolved via hindsight, based on whether and to what extent Gronkowski is able to play pro football.

/>http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/04/18/different-teams-have-different-opinions-on-gronkowskis-back/

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

On the subject of vet TEs, Foschi was reported to be visiting the Patriots...

I can't for the life of me figure out why they refuse to show this guy some love. He's not stellar, but he's reliable. As I think COB mentioned, going Chase/Reggie/Rookie would be very dangerous. What if Reggie is toast and Chase still can't block? Then you've got to rely on the rookie and whatever camp fodder they can get after cuts.

I'd want to know that Reggie is all the way back before letting go of Foschi and I don't think that will be settled until summer. So I'd want both Reggie/Foschi. That leaves Chase OR a rookie. If I drafted a rookie above the 5th, it'd mean I gave up on Chase and plan to can him.

[kingwilly]

Looks like Tony Scheffler is off the market, going to the Lions in a 3 team trade...

Didn't the Lions just take the top TE in the draft last year?

Also, they sent Ernie Sims to Philly. Sims is a great LB, so why did they move him?

Nothing is making sense today.

[PalmerforPresident]

Looks like Tony Scheffler is off the market, going to the Lions in a 3 team trade...

Didn't the Lions just take the top TE in the draft last year?

Also, they sent Ernie Sims to Philly. Sims is a great LB, so why did they move him?

Nothing is making sense today.

what a wierd trade from the lions prespective..

[Ickey44]

On the subject of vet TEs, Foschi was reported to be visiting the Patriots...

All that tells me is that he's worth keeping.

I've been screaming that since the end of the season. He may not be stellar, but he's very reliable. They need to get him back. Hell, that was his first season. With one under his belt, he could be even better this year.

[Kazkal]

They got him for a 5th rounder...we could have had him for a 5th round pick because it was the eagles pick that the denver broncos received :|

[Trevor]

They got him for a 5th rounder...we could have had him for a 5th round pick because it was the eagles pick that the denver broncos received :|

Son of bit**!!! All i wanted, was ted ginn, and tony sheffler, we'd still have 7 picks... And we wouldnt have to worry about drafting a WR or TE... I wish i owned this team i really do. now were probably getting friggin gresham...

[BengalPimp]

now were probably getting friggin gresham...

TRUST ME......That's not a bad thing. Gresham will be damn good. I'd be happy with him.

You act like Scheffler is a Pro Bowler or something.

[ArmyBengal]

Now were probably getting friggin gresham...

Here's where I am with Gresham today...

Heading into last year's draft, Pettigrew was rated as the top TE in the draft and if we had traded down, many would have been happy with him as our pick. Well, had Gresham left Oklahoma and entered the draft, he probably would have went before Pettigrew. I know that's a knee injury ago, but I would find it hard to actually complain if Gresham was our selection at #21. We just have to see who else is there when we go on the clock...

Schefler was nothing more than a pass catching TE and we drafted the best pass catching TE in the draft last year, who the coaches are obviously more than ok with seeing as how Schefler went for a 5th when the Broncos were actually wanting a 3rd.

I have no issues...

[James_Brooks21]

They got him for a 5th rounder...we could have had him for a 5th round pick because it was the eagles pick that the denver broncos received :|

Son of bit**!!! All i wanted, was ted ginn, and tony sheffler, we'd still have 7 picks... And we wouldnt have to worry about drafting a WR or TE... I wish i owned this team i really do. now were probably getting friggin gresham...

If we would have gotten Ted Ginn you would have been ready to kill him by game eight, you would have sworn that him and Daniel Coates were some how related with the number of dropped passed on easy balls I have seen him make. I would have been scared as hell in big games if we threw to Ginn. The Bengals probably watched the tape from the Denver game last year on Scheffler and did not see anything special, if the Bengals would have seen something special I believe they would have pulled the trigger on that trade, apparently they didn't since they didn't even call Denver to ask about him. If Gresham can stay healthy he will be a match up nightmare. Glad that they maybe going after someone that could be elite at the position rather then plug in a decent player, apparently the rest of the league was not impressed with him also.

[HoosierCat]

I can't for the life of me figure out why they refuse to show this guy some love. He's not stellar, but he's reliable. As I think COB mentioned, going Chase/Reggie/Rookie would be very dangerous. What if Reggie is toast and Chase still can't block? Then you've got to rely on the rookie and whatever camp fodder they can get after cuts.

Well, remember, the Bengals operate on a budget, and TE is never a big line item. Heck, if they take Gresham he may be the only TE they can afford to keep on the roster. Well, except for Coats who they can file under FB for accounting purposes.

If I drafted a rookie above the 5th, it'd mean I gave up on Chase and plan to can him.

Not at all. Brat has been saying for years he wants to run more two-TE sets and that the TE was supposed to be a big part of the revamped playbook, but injuries to Utecht and Kelly kept deep-sixing the plans. There's plenty of room for Chase and a rookie.

[BengalPimp]

If I drafted a rookie above the 5th, it'd mean I gave up on Chase and plan to can him.

Why? There are a ton of teams that run 2 TE sets, and also alternate between the 2 on different downs. Here are some examples from last season:

Green Bay

JerMichael Finley & Donald Lee

Chicago

Greg Olsen & Desmond Clark

Denver

Daniel Graham & Tony Scheffler (now traded)

Redskins

Chris Cooley & Fred Davis

Saints

Jeremy Shockey & David Thomas

Titans

Bo Scaife & Alge Crumpler

Chargers

Antonio Gates & Brandon Manumaleuna (now gone)

Jaguars

Marcedes Lewis & Zach Miller

That's just some examples.....You need more than 1 TE in today's NFL. So a Rookie + Coffman may be the future, with maybe Reggie Kelly for insurance this year.

[kingwilly]

file under FB for accounting purposes.

AKA, credit default swap.

[Kazkal]

Resign kELLY & FOSCHI Plus draft 2 tight ends anything to make coats jobless.

[Kazkal]

now were probably getting friggin gresham...

TRUST ME......That's not a bad thing. Gresham will be damn good. I'd be happy with him.

You act like Scheffler is a Pro Bowler or something.

Scheffler could have been had for a 5th rounder Gresham is a 1st rounder...I will be happy to have gresham but scheffler went for a 5th.... Very doubtful be able get some one just as valueable as him in the 5th

If we would have gotten Ted Ginn you would have been ready to kill him by game eight, you would have sworn that him and Daniel Coates were some how related with

As most know I really dislike Coats as a player receiving skills are dreadful and I think his value as a block is overrated...but when it came to being a receiving option only (not return skills) I'd rather have Coats then Genn...Genn had one of if not worst percentages in the nfl when came to drops...Not only wide receivers but more then block handed Tight ends like coats...thats horrible!

Not only that but he has Freddy Mitchell syndrome and avoids contact.

PS,Though purely as a returner I woulden't have minded him but I'm happy with Cosby and Scott...Scott has the big play ability and Cosby just os huge special teamer even if hes not returning...

[derekshank]

Whatever the deal is with Coats, there must be something he's bringing to the table that Foschi isn't. Otherwise, why would the coaching staff be so stubborn about it?

I think I read somewhere that Coats always displayed sure hands in practice... and that makes me think it's in his head. And if it's in his head, the coaches may feel that he can snap out of it, and that he's a far better option than Foschi if he figures it out.

That said, I hope the TEs on the roster this year are Kelly, Coffman, and McCoy... and don't want Coats on the field at all. I'm just saying... I feel like Foschi might be getting the Cook treatment. Just because he performed better than his predecessor doesn't mean he's good.

[Kazkal]

Whatever the deal is with Coats, there must be something he's bringing to the table that Foschi isn't. Otherwise, why would the coaching staff be so stubborn about it?

Better blocker then Foschi is the only thing,But obvious they felt Foschi was the better all around Tight End otherwise they wouldn't have benched Coats...But With Coffman being in the Grand scheme of things and "maybe" adding another pass catching threat via draft they wanted to go with the better blocker vs the better tight end...