AJ Green's counterpart

[Sea Ray]

For the most part I'd like to see Simpson re-signed because we need the depth for now. If someone beats him out for a job, so be it. As Paul Brown used to say we don't get rid of a player until we have his replacement and right now we don't.

If we draft his replacement it'll probably be a Desmond Briscoe type as in one that will not be ready to contribute much in 2012. AJ Green was rare in that he produced as a rookie. Most WRs do not

[membengal]

I don't buy Simpson's smarts and that makes me not want to get back in the Simpson business. The drug thing was ***damn stupid, and I think it cost them the SF game in the aftermath. I don't like having the uncertainty of that hanging over their heads into next year. The Bengals have plenty of money to spend, so I don't worry about using it up on a FA. Find a good #2 and spend some bucks.

[cincyhokie]

I also don't like the fact that Simpson was not able to step up when AJ was getting double teamed at times. Remember how AJ's numbers went WAY down the last half of the year? It wasn't because of his shoulder.

I'm not convinced of that. I didn't think Green looked the same after the injury.

Teams were rolling coverage to his side all day. Of course better teams are more successful in doing this. It's not hard really. A good team with a decent secondary can shut down AJ Green because there was nobody there to pick up the slack.

And not to say NFL network is the end all be all, but the show Playbook does an excellent job of diagnosing schemes the week before the games. Teams were clearly daring Dalton to throw to Simpson and Gresham by blanketing Green with an extra safety. They were making it easy.

Some of it's Dalton, but alot of it is Simpson. He is simply not that good against better cover secondaries.

[cHaD711Johnson]

I also don't like the fact that Simpson was not able to step up when AJ was getting double teamed at times. Remember how AJ's numbers went WAY down the last half of the year? It wasn't because of his shoulder.

I'm not convinced of that. I didn't think Green looked the same after the injury.

Teams were rolling coverage to his side all day. Of course better teams are more successful in doing this. It's not hard really. A good team with a decent secondary can shut down AJ Green because there was nobody there to pick up the slack.

And not to say NFL network is the end all be all, but the show Playbook does an excellent job of diagnosing schemes the week before the games. Teams were clearly daring Dalton to throw to Simpson and Gresham by blanketing Green with an extra safety. They were making it easy.

Some of it's Dalton, but alot of it is Simpson. He is simply not that good against better cover secondaries.

And this is why I would like to see another receiver brought in. This draft will have a lot of talented receivers that we can find in the 3rd-4th rounds.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

So just to make sure I've got this straight: after spending 3 years on the roster and barely getting to play (because he was initially drafted in the 2nd round as insurance against Chad actually holding out in '08, but he didn't so we just got more of Chad's poor play while Rome rotted) Simpson comes into this season like everyone else: no offseason, totally new offense to learn, and suddenly is expected to be a major contributor.

So after playing in more games, catching more balls and scoring more TDs in one year than all the previous 3 combined, he should walk and the Bengals should spend another high draft pick on a wideout. Or a crap load of $$$ in FA. Or both.

Just checking.

I'd rather have a better wideout, or a more consistent (if less athletic) counterpart of about the same level to complement him. Debate can focus on whether Shipley is that guy. But I don't want to see Jerome Simpson penciled in as the clear #2 with a sharp drop-off to #3, he just disappears too much.

I do tend to resist drafting WR in the first round unless it's a can't-miss stud like Calvin Johnson; bust rate is too high. And they certainly can't often be counted on to contribute significantly in year 1, AJ Green's performance notwithstanding.