The Emperor isn't wearing any clothes

[derekshank]

And with this comment I now begin my campaign for them to go get Matt Forte.

I'm nervous about Forte. And not just because of the injury. He has had a ton of touches over the past 4 years (averaging over 300/year). That's a lot of wear and tear on a guy that weighs less than 220 lbs.

All that said... Forte likely won't even be an option, as I expect the Bears to put the franchise tag on him.

I'm not opposed to a RB by committee. I'd like to keep Leonard as a 3rd down back, and Scott is ok as a change of pace... so bring in a power back like Bush, Tolbert, or even Green Ellis... and focus on improving the O-Line at both OG spots.

If that doesn't work out... trade up for Richardson.

[cincyhokie]

He doesn't get rattled the way that Flacco does, and the areas he needs to improve are the main areas that most QBs improve with experience. There is very little evidence to suggest we're seeing him at his best.

I agree with that. He did get rattled yesterday, it showed, but you can't blame him. But other than that, he's been great composure wise. My concern is that the Bengals have been slower at making the bigger moves to improve both sides of the ball in the offseason. While the offense has more playmakers curently than the defense, that fact alone worries me about where this team goes from here. It's the Bengals overvaluing talent. The offense needs some KEY aquisitions at RB, OL, and WR. Whether that's through the draft or FA but they NEED some STUDS so Dalton can keep developing. If they come out next year with Micheal Bush at RB and Simpson at WR, I'll be pissed. But these type of moves, and lack of moves, are exactly what I fear.

[derekshank]

He doesn't get rattled the way that Flacco does, and the areas he needs to improve are the main areas that most QBs improve with experience. There is very little evidence to suggest we're seeing him at his best.

I agree with that. He did get rattled yesterday, it showed, but you can't blame him.

I'll agree that the game was too big for him at this stage in his career. He's a rookie on the road in a playoff game, and he was asked to put the team on his shoulders. It was just too much. I'm still not sure the word "rattled" was how I would describe it, because he looked quite good at times... and despite the fact that his O-Line was getting abused, he stood in there and didn't panic.

The problem was that he didn't have time to throw all day... and they asked him to drop back to pass 46 times, compared to running the ball only 19 times. That's not the way to win games with a rookie QB in his first playoff appearance.

[Scottishbengal]

Thats horrible he should have never had to throw it that much.

I look at it as a positive. The Bengals were a severely flawed football team, and found a decent amount of success despite those flaws.

If the Bengals can add a running game, and by extension get an effective playaction, Dalton may be even better than we thought. Improve the O-Line and add a franchise RB... and Dalton just might flourish into a franchise QB.

And with this comment I now begin my campaign for them to go get Matt Forte.

Probably a mute point, but hey-ho for the sake of interest/idle debate:

Career Stats comparrison:-

Forte : 26 years old. 4 years experience having 1,014 carries for 4,233 yds (4.2yd ave) 21 rush TD, 223 receptions for 1,985 yds (8.9 ave) 8 TDs. 12 fumbles (8 losses)

Benson: 29 years old. 7 years experience having 1,529 carries for 5,769 yds (3.8 yd ave) 31 rsuh TD, 106 receptions for 736 yds (6.9 ave) 1 TD. 19 fumbles (11 lost)

On the face of it Forte seems a positive move - younger, better yardage average, and more of a receiving option also. Looks slightly more prone to fumbling than Benson though.

I really can't see Chicago letting him go though, nor Cincinnati stumping up the $$ to make a move to the Bengals an attractive proposition for him.

[cincyhokie]

Thats horrible he should have never had to throw it that much.

I look at it as a positive. The Bengals were a severely flawed football team, and found a decent amount of success despite those flaws.

If the Bengals can add a running game, and by extension get an effective playaction, Dalton may be even better than we thought. Improve the O-Line and add a franchise RB... and Dalton just might flourish into a franchise QB.

And with this comment I now begin my campaign for them to go get Matt Forte.

Probably a mute point, but hey-ho for the sake of interest/idle debate:

Career Stats comparrison:-

Forte : 26 years old. 4 years experience having 1,014 carries for 4,233 yds (4.2yd ave) 21 rush TD, 223 receptions for 1,985 yds (8.9 ave) 8 TDs. 12 fumbles (8 losses)

Benson: 29 years old. 7 years experience having 1,529 carries for 5,769 yds (3.8 yd ave) 31 rsuh TD, 106 receptions for 736 yds (6.9 ave) 1 TD. 19 fumbles (11 lost)

On the face of it Forte seems a positive move - younger, better yardage average, and more of a receiving option also. Looks slightly more prone to fumbling than Benson though.

I really can't see Chicago letting him go though, nor Cincinnati stumping up the $$ to make a move to the Bengals an attractive proposition for him.

There's a very important stat you are not looking at with Benson. Yards per carry. Without looking at it, I believe it's gone down the last 2 years. Benson is not getting this team to the next level. I'm not advocating for Forte but I'm sure as hell not wanting Benson back.

[walzav29]

I agree with the majority of your assessments. We need linebacker help in a big way. A guy with passion and athletic ability. Dalton is great and is going to get better. Decastro I pray is there at 17 and we take him. The running game is nonexistent. In Sanchez's 1st playoff game he threw 15 times. Dalton had to throw 42 times. He was under duress as well. Hell take 2 guards in the 1st round. But a more explosive running back is needed. Historically the Bengals have waaaaaay better luck in 2nd round running backs. All in all. This team has a ton of young talent. QB, WR, DT, and DE are very hard to fill, and we are in good shape there. We went 9-7 with a rookie qb, and made the playoffs. No mini-camps. The arrow is pointing up. Next season is huge. We have to stop the up-down that has always followed this team. 12-4 should be the goal. Get better.

[Stripes]

I honestly think all of Benson's stats are close to useless towards examining his real value because they're all so dependent upon the performance of the offensive line. I think Benson needs to be replaced because of what I saw, which admittedly isn't terribly scientific either. His good performances all seemed to coincide with the offensive line controlling the line of scrimmage. I don't recall many instances of Benson making more of a play than the line and defense handed to him. Bernard Scott was the better back for most of the season, albeit with a smaller sample for examination.

I want a new starter, and I would prefer a power back to provide a balance of skillsets alongside Scott. I honestly don't really think Michael Bush is the answer, though he'd likely amount to a minor upgrade over Benson for at least a season. I would approve if the Bengals decided to utilize some of their extra draft picks to move up for Richardson, but I won't spend much time thinking about that since it seems so terribly unlikely. I think I'd be content with them trying one out in the second or third round, to complement a free agent acquisition.

It's nice to have depth at the position though despite the weakness at starter. Scott, Leonard, and even Peerman are all capable players who make this team better.

Corner is a weakness obviously, but I still like Leon Hall more than many Bengals fans seem to. He is proned to getting beaten from time to time, but overall I still think he is above average and an important asset. Both starting safeties are mostly crappy in my opinion. Crocker has always been a liability, and it only becomes more emphasized with time. Reggie Nelson has his moments, but I see him as the Jerome Simpson of the defense -- for every good play there is a terrible play.

I love Andy Dalton and do not think he is close to hitting his ceiling. There were times this season when I worried about that, but it honestly stemmed from lingering doubts about his skillset and talent, and he has proven time and time again that those perceptions really aren't accurate at all. I've seen him make some seriously awesome NFL throws, and I think a better supporting cast really could turn him into a total stud. It's obviously not a guarantee though, and Hokie is correct that we shouldn't just assume he will improve next year because it doesn't always happen that way.

Get a number two receiver. Simpson is the epitome of inconsistency, and Dalton needs someone more reliable than that. Allow Jerome to stick as the #4, backing up one of the two outside starters. We saw nothing from him this year so there's no telling how he'll really fit, but I will be very happy to have Shipley back. Andrew Hawkins was impressive in a limited role, but I could see him turning up as a surprise cut next camp.

Gresham is improving, slowly. I don't think he'll ever be Gronkowski or Gonzalez, but his athleticism and size have made him the Bengals best red zone target. His blocking improved dramatically as the season wore on, as I perceived it. Donald Lee was pretty spiffy behind him too, he never stopped making plays.

Upgrade the offensive line. Guard should be the top priority position on draft weekend, though I don't want the Bengals to just default to the best interior lineman if there are playmakers available. Just address the issue, and don't try another fourth rounder. I think Whithworth, Cook, and Andre are all strengths and will not call for their heads.

Stay the course at linebacker. I like Rey Maualuga despite his late-season struggles (I think Geno Atkins deserves as much blame as him though). There are better players, but I don't think it's a pressing need which demands big expenditures either in free agency or in draft position. Howard and Lawson are both awesome. Extend and resign soon.

Draft a return specialist. Tate was horrendous early in the year, and though he seemed to improve some later I still think he should be replaced.

Here's a problem I perceive which hasn't really drawn much attention yet: backup quarterback. I think Gradkowski is absolutely awful, and the Bengals would be well-advised to pursue better insurance behind Dalton. This really feels like a gigantic dropoff to me, to the point that losing Dalton for an extended period would spell doom to any Bengals season while Bruce is the stand-in.

Don't get complacent with the defensive line. It's our best weapon, but its depth is reliant upon a consistent influx of talent. Continue to bring in and groom young talent to bolster what really should become the Bengals defensive identity: pressure the quarterback without needing to blitz.

Don't bother making coaching changes. Regardless of our complaints about anything in particular, the best things for this young team's growth are continuity and consistency. See if the men in place can build on 2011 and enable tangible progress in 2012. If the Bengals stick to the trend of regressing after a breakthrough season under Marvin Lewis, then changes will clearly need to be made.

[gregstephens]

Really guys?? Really? This team was deemed the worst in the shortened preseason. As preseason went on, the team was a shambles. So what happened? A rookie OC, rookie QB and rookie WR led this team to a winning record and the playoffs. Everybody knew the team wasn't a threat to advance past the wildcard round. This team is who we thought it was.

But having said that, good lord, how can you complain about this season? Are there areas to improve on? Oh yeah...DBs, Oline, running game, receiver corps, no doubt. but before game one on paper, this team sucked. You can't add everything in one preseason.

I'm proud of this team and I think it can and will only get better from here.

[cincyhokie]

Really guys?? Really? This team was deemed the worst in the shortened preseason. As preseason went on, the team was a shambles. So what happened? A rookie OC, rookie QB and rookie WR led this team to a winning record and the playoffs. Everybody knew the team wasn't a threat to advance past the wildcard round. This team is who we thought it was.

But having said that, good lord, how can you complain about this season? Are there areas to improve on? Oh yeah...DBs, Oline, running game, receiver corps, no doubt. but before game one on paper, this team sucked. You can't add everything in one preseason.

I'm proud of this team and I think it can and will only get better from here.

I don't think anyone's not proud of this team. However, we were all really proud of the 2009 team too. Then in the offseason, they didn't proactively address some of the obvious needs of the team, like the offensive line.

I don't think anybody's bashing the team but some of the players need to be looked at on an honest level before 2012 starts...or we're going to be right back to where we started.

This team CAN get better. But it's not getting better automatically, there needs to be some specific changes. This is what this thread is about.

[cincy9275]

this team needs a to get a quality safety and corner. jones and crocker are pure s**t! second livings, williams need to be replaced. so rebuild the o-line from coach down, rebuild the secondary. new rb and a new mlb.

[Scottishbengal]

Thats horrible he should have never had to throw it that much.

I look at it as a positive. The Bengals were a severely flawed football team, and found a decent amount of success despite those flaws.

If the Bengals can add a running game, and by extension get an effective playaction, Dalton may be even better than we thought. Improve the O-Line and add a franchise RB... and Dalton just might flourish into a franchise QB.

And with this comment I now begin my campaign for them to go get Matt Forte.

Probably a mute point, but hey-ho for the sake of interest/idle debate:

Career Stats comparrison:-

Forte : 26 years old. 4 years experience having 1,014 carries for 4,233 yds (4.2yd ave) 21 rush TD, 223 receptions for 1,985 yds (8.9 ave) 8 TDs. 12 fumbles (8 losses)

Benson: 29 years old. 7 years experience having 1,529 carries for 5,769 yds (3.8 yd ave) 31 rsuh TD, 106 receptions for 736 yds (6.9 ave) 1 TD. 19 fumbles (11 lost)

On the face of it Forte seems a positive move - younger, better yardage average, and more of a receiving option also. Looks slightly more prone to fumbling than Benson though.

I really can't see Chicago letting him go though, nor Cincinnati stumping up the $$ to make a move to the Bengals an attractive proposition for him.

There's a very important stat you are not looking at with Benson. Yards per carry. Without looking at it, I believe it's gone down the last 2 years. Benson is not getting this team to the next level. I'm not advocating for Forte but I'm sure as hell not wanting Benson back.

No didn't miss it, it was in there. Benson averages 3.8 yards per carry. Forte averages 4.2

I think the stats are pretty close between the two playes, Forte offering longevity due to his age and appears to be a more versatile player due to his receiving capabilities.

However, with an improved O-line Benson could continue to flourish. We haven't had the best line this season and he's still cracked 1,000 yards.

Perhaps it's" better the devil you know" to stick with Benson and it'd cause less aggro fror Gruden with having to go from scratch with the playbook and a new player (be it Forte or not).

An RB with the first few picks of the draft wouldn't be any better than Benson in my book. I'd much rather see the higher picks go to improving the line, adding another quality receiver, and seeing what Benson could do then.

Of course FA may well alter/add to any options the Bengals front office/coaches will be considering.

[cincyhokie]

No didn't miss it, it was in there. Benson averages 3.8 yards per carry. Forte averages 4.2

I think the stats are pretty close between the two playes, Forte offering longevity due to his age and appears to be a more versatile player due to his receiving capabilities.

However, with an improved O-line Benson could continue to flourish. We haven't had the best line this season and he's still cracked 1,000 yards.

Perhaps it's" better the devil you know" to stick with Benson and it'd cause less aggro fror Gruden with having to go from scratch with the playbook and a new player (be it Forte or not).

An RB with the first few picks of the draft wouldn't be any better than Benson in my book. I'd much rather see the higher picks go to improving the line, adding another quality receiver, and seeing what Benson could do then.

Of course FA may well alter/add to any options the Bengals front office/coaches will be considering.

That's not going to help Dalton improve. 3.8 yards per carry is not even close to averaging 4.2 ypc. RB is a position that's fairly interchangable so getting a new one wouldn't throw the offense off. Remember in 2008 that Benson stepped into Brat's offense midseason and had no issues and ran well.

Benson's not getting this team to the next level. When your O-line is as average as the Bengals line, you need a dynamic back that can make something out of nothing and defensive coaches need to gameplan for. Nobody gameplans for Benson. Add an explosive back and Dalton's play should improve.

Benson is like a Corey Dillon going to NE. He did well because Brady was there. Put Corey Dillon anywhere else and he sucked. Same with Benson. He's a body, not a playmaker.

[COB]

Dalton reminds me more of Drew Brees than Joe Flacco. Dalton sees everything, makes good decisions, and takes care of the ball. His brain.

[cincyhokie]

Dalton reminds me more of Drew Brees than Joe Flacco. Dalton sees everything, makes good decisions, and takes care of the ball. His brain.

Drew Brees has a stronger arm, but I think Dalton can become one of the smartest QB's in the NFL. If the Bengals can develop a dynamic offense, he might end up being elite. I see him more topping out as a Kenny Anderson. The Bengals HAVE to get him the pieces to excel. If they don't, he can't do it all by himself. Think Drew Brees, his All Pro O-line, his elite WR corps, and Pro Bowl TE.

[membengal]

Ced benson smells like feet. Want someone else at RB.

[COB]

I've been Benson's biggest supporter. Having said that, it's either upgrade the line drastically or get a more explosive back. I'll vote for upgrading the line. Even if we do that, I'd support bringing in a new running back.

Ced could have a very good second part of his career as a complimentary back. He's got a great ability in heavy traffic to get low and plunge through a small opening. He turns losses and no gain type plays into 2 or 3 yard gains. But that's about all he's been able to do lately. If he could accept platooning, he could last a few more years here or somewhere else.

Unfortunately, I don't think Ced's mind is capable of accepting a platoon job. The Bengals have worked him like a rented mule the past 3 years and he still acts like it's not enough.

[cincyhokie]

I don't think he's happy either. If there's a young dynamic back the Bengals can draft, I say do it. Imagine Dalton, Green, and a stud rookie RB? That would bode very well for the future.

Any chance there's a Ray Rice or MJD type RB out there to be drafted? Would love that.

[HoosierCat]

Yea to many times i have seen this year where he cant get off blocks. Rey right now is all about his name, and i truly hope he somehow turns it around, because i really like the guy. I dont know whats holding him back, or if he is just not very good.

2012 should be Rey's last contract year. He'll get another shot at the starting role and the team should go from there. Also, Muckleroy will be back healthy to push him for that starting spot.

One thing to remember about Maualuga: reports prior to the season were than moving Rey to the middle and installing him as the starting MLB was done at the insistence of Marvin. Mike Zimmer objected to the move, saying Rey was not ready, but was over-ruled.

I think you can argue that both sides were proven right: Rey flashed tremendous ability at times, but was horribly inconsistent. My guess is that he gets one more shot next year.

[Scottishbengal]

Here is the list of Free Agent running backs for 2012, as per http://nfltraderumors.co/2011022012-nfl-free-agents/

Running Backs:

LaRod Stephens-Howling – ARI ®

Gartrell Johnson – ATL ®

Jason McKie – BAL

Ray Rice – BAL

Tyrell Sutton – CAR ®

Matt Forte – CHI

Chris Pressley – CIN ®

Fui Vakapuna – CIN ®

Tashard Choice – WAS

Spencer Larsen – DEN

LenDale White – DEN

Maurice Morris – DET

Aaron Brown – DET ®

Ryan Grant – GB

Steve Slaton – MIA

Brock Bolen – JAC ®

Thomas Jones - KC

Deon Anderson – MIA

Lorenzo Booker – MIN

Thomas Clayton – NE ®

LaDainian Tomlinson – NYJ

Jacob Hester – SD

Mike Tolbert – SD

Justin Forsett – SEA

Marshawn Lynch – SEA

Brit Miller – STL ®

would be nice to tease Rice away from Baltimore but it ain't gonna happen

[Wraith]

Obviously Trent Richardson would be a no brainer for us, he's the second coming of Adrian Peterson. He is alwso likely to be long gone by the time we select at 17 and I would rather stay-put in this draft and let things fall to us, there is a LOT of talent in teh first round.

Lamar Miller from Miami would be a good choice, he has alot of burst.

Lamichael James from Oregon is a threat to bust one everytime he touches the ball

Chris Polk from Washington had a huge bowl game and is averaging more than 5 YPC as a collegian.

Closer to home I really like Isiah Pead from UC he has been clocked @ 4.45 in the 40 @ 200 lbs

[cincyhokie]

Obviously Trent Richardson would be a no brainer for us, he's the second coming of Adrian Peterson. He is alwso likely to be long gone by the time we select at 17 and I would rather stay-put in this draft and let things fall to us, there is a LOT of talent in teh first round.

Lamar Miller from Miami would be a good choice, he has alot of burst.

Lamichael James from Oregon is a threat to bust one everytime he touches the ball

Chris Polk from Washington had a huge bowl game and is averaging more than 5 YPC as a collegian.

Closer to home I really like Isiah Pead from UC he has been clocked @ 4.45 in the 40 @ 200 lbs

Would be happy to see Pead there in the 3rd round. Love that guy.