This Defense Is gonna be #1

[walzav29]

Jamaal Anderson

Derrick Harvey

Dre Kirkpatrick

Vontaze Burfict

Terence Newman

Jason Allen

Devon Still

Devon Thompson

Shawn Prater

George Iloka

All these additions to the #7 ranked defense. This is great. It increases competition and adds depth. Yeah we lost Fanene and Rucker. But they weren't the best D-lineman. That's Peko, Dunlap, and Atkins. When they deal with all of these high flying offenses it's a matter of how fast they an get to the qb and how long they can cover. I am geeked! Not to mention Sims will be healthy. Harvey and Anderson I look at as super athleti guys who can rush the passer on 3rd and 8. It's a big deal that this team WINS a PLAYOFF game this season and that will put an end to the up and down cycle.

[HoosierCat]

I think they certainly have a chance to be very good, maybe even elite, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Jamaal Anderson - bust

Derrick Harvey - bust

Dre Kirkpatrick - rookie

Vontaze Burfict - lunatic

Terence Newman - geriatric

Jason Allen - bust

Devon Still - rookie

Devon Thompson - rookie

Shawn Prater - rookie

George Iloka - rookie

The defensive coaches have a lot of work to do.

[skyline]

Can we please be realistic about all of these "busts"?

Where they were drafted is now irrelevant. We need to look at them as they players they have been and forget where they went in the draft x years ago.

If they had been 3rd or 4th round picks, then everyone would see them as quality depth players. Which, by the way, is what we brought them here to be.

[derekshank]

Can we please be realistic about all of these "busts"?

Where they were drafted is now irrelevant. We need to look at them as they players they have been and forget where they went in the draft x years ago.

This.

Jason Allen and Jamaal Anderson may not have lived up to their 1st round status... but they have played well as role players recently. They will contribute.

Derrick Harvey on the other hand... he's just bad. I'll be surprised if he makes the team.

[HoosierCat]

Can we please be realistic about all of these "busts"?

I am. They're busts. That doesn't mean they can't find a role here or with some other team, but these are all guys who were expected to consistently play at a high level, and have not. If the Bengals hadn't lost Rucker and Fanene in FA and Hall to injury, none of these guys are even on the roster.

[derekshank]

If the Bengals hadn't lost Rucker and Fanene in FA and Hall to injury, none of these guys are even on the roster.

I don't think that's true for Allen. The Bengals didn't bring Jennings back. Allen replaces him... not Hall.

[skyline]

Can we please be realistic about all of these "busts"?

I am. They're busts. That doesn't mean they can't find a role here or with some other team, but these are all guys who were expected to consistently play at a high level, and have not. If the Bengals hadn't lost Rucker and Fanene in FA and Hall to injury, none of these guys are even on the roster.

They were busts for the teams that drafted them with such high expectations. They're only busts for the Bengals if they don't fill the roles they were brought in to fill...role players and nothing more.

[HoosierCat]

They were busts for the teams that drafted them with such high expectations. They're only busts for the Bengals if they don't fill the roles they were brought in to fill...role players and nothing more.

That's fine, but I'm not the one saying that these "role players" are going to make the D a No. 1 defense, right? I'm the one counseling caution -- and am immediately hammered for being "unrealistic"!

Sheesh.

[ArmyBengal]

I think they certainly have a chance to be very good, maybe even elite, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Jamaal Anderson - bust

Derrick Harvey - bust

Dre Kirkpatrick - rookie

Vontaze Burfict - lunatic

Terence Newman - geriatric

Jason Allen - bust

Devon Still - rookie

Devon Thompson - rookie

Shawn Prater - rookie

George Iloka - rookie

The defensive coaches have a lot of work to do.

I was actually going to post d*mn near the exact same thing and figured it would just catch sh*t, so I didn't bother.

Fact of the matter is however, there are a bunch of question marks and not much more.

That doesn't mean they "Can't" or "Won't" be successful, but to say they will be #1 based on those players I think is a bit premature.

It's just an opinion like any other though, so I remain very hopeful !!!

[derekshank]

I'm not the one saying that these "role players" are going to make the D a No. 1 defense, right?

That's a fair point. And I would agree that it's a bit premature to assume the defense has been upgraded that dramatically before any of these players play a single snap.

On the other hand... painting these guys as "busts" isn't exactly fair either. The Bengals aren't counting on them to come in here and live up to their 1st round draft status. They are counting on them to replace a couple of role players.

In Jamaal Anderson's case, he graded out similarly to Jonathan Fanene according to ProFootballFocus, and Jason Allen graded significantly better than Kelly Jennings.

So there are reasons to be optimistic that the Bengals defense has improved - and they ranked #7 last year. They probably won't be #1... but it's not like they are headed in the wrong direction either.

[skyline]

They were busts for the teams that drafted them with such high expectations. They're only busts for the Bengals if they don't fill the roles they were brought in to fill...role players and nothing more.

That's fine, but I'm not the one saying that these "role players" are going to make the D a No. 1 defense, right? I'm the one counseling caution -- and am immediately hammered for being "unrealistic"!

Sheesh.

I'm with you on the caution. I'm not ready to crown this defense either, but I DO feel that you're being overly pessimistic. A lot of teams out there would kill for this type of of depth and when I look at that group of players you listed, I see a lot of promise.

The camp battles are going to be a lot of fun to watch this offseason.

[kingwilly]

I think they certainly have a chance to be very good, maybe even elite, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Jamaal Anderson - bust - not quite a "bust"

Derrick Harvey - bust - been a bust so far

Dre Kirkpatrick - rookie - yes, but played at a very high level in basically a "pro" division of college football

Vontaze Burfict - lunatic - absent the maturity issue, he could be one of the best MLB's in the nfl.

Terence Newman - geriatric - that a bit of a stretch, he can be effective for Zimmer's scheme.

Jason Allen - bust - also a bit of a stretch, guy played well for the Texans

Devon Still - rookie - yes but has ability to contribute the way atkins did.

Devon Thompson - rookie - not expecting as much as I do from Still but will be important for depth

Shawn Prater - rookie - replaces Ghee

George Iloka - rookie - depth for the safeties.

The defensive coaches have a lot of work to do. - as they always do. They chose who they chose for their own reasons. Seems to me they are jazzed about their squad. Not one reason to dislike what the D could shape up to be....

[TJJackson]

figured it would just catch sh*t, so I didn't bother.

Nah, thats my job around here :-)

[ArmyBengal]

figured it would just catch sh*t, so I didn't bother.

Nah, thats my job around here :-)

Didn't mean to impede TJ !!!

[TJJackson]

Yeah, just let me take all the sh*t around here - thats my job, dude!

[membengal]

I would argue the overall point in being lost. There's a ton of guys that are going to grind for not just making the team but also for playing time on defense. That's not a bad thing, I think they will be improved.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

The 3 clowns they have at LB will prevent them from being "great," just like last year, I think. Maualuga is still trying to get Ray Rice's jock out of his teeth.

I think Burfict should just come-in and declare himself a starter, and bust anyone who disagrees.

[volcom69]

The 3 clowns they have at LB will prevent them from being "great," just like last year, I think. Maualuga is still trying to get Ray Rice's jock out of his teeth.

I think Burfict should just come-in and declare himself a starter, and bust anyone who disagrees.

Really you didn't like Howard I thought he was the best one. I agree Rey needs to pick up his game, and I think Marvin knows this.

[Stripes]

I think the starting linebackers are average at worst. Rey isn't even that bad, he's inconsistent. Early last year he was fantastic, before he began struggling simultaneous to the Sims injury. The LB depth definitely needs work, but we don't even know what we have yet between Muckelroy and Moch. It's not a dire situation.

[ArmyBengal]

The LB corps is certainly the weakness of the defense, but it's starters are at least decent enough to get wins for the team.

If anything happens to those guys I think we are going to be in trouble.

Where i'm uncomfortable is how much is apparently being expected out of Moch and Muckelroy coming back from injuries/illnesses.

If those two are healthy and come along nicely, it may not be as bad as I am thinking right now.

I will be more than happy to take the wait and see approach here.

[derekshank]

I think the starting linebackers are average at worst. Rey isn't even that bad, he's inconsistent. Early last year he was fantastic, before he began struggling simultaneous to the Sims injury. The LB depth definitely needs work, but we don't even know what we have yet between Muckelroy and Moch. It's not a dire situation.

Rey was actually playing really well in those first 5 games. Once he got hurt, his playing time decreased, and Marvin even said that it had a significant impact on his progress.

Maualuga has been a disappointment thus far... but if he can return to his early season form and stay healthy, I'm not too worried.

[HoosierCat]

I'm with you on the caution. I'm not ready to crown this defense either, but I DO feel that you're being overly pessimistic. A lot of teams out there would kill for this type of of depth and when I look at that group of players you listed, I see a lot of promise.

Like I said, they certainly have a chance to be good. But at the same time, we've seen this movie before. Guys like Anderson and Harvey are the same kind of bargain-bin guys the Bengals have always loved to sign. Newman is the latest in a long line of aging vets collecting one last payday in Cincy. Burfict is another high-potential headcase. Finally, there's some promising rookies.

Hopefully, the film is better this year.

[cincyhokie]

The LB corps is certainly the weakness of the defense, but it's starters are at least decent enough to get wins for the team.

If anything happens to those guys I think we are going to be in trouble.

Where i'm uncomfortable is how much is apparently being expected out of Moch and Muckelroy coming back from injuries/illnesses.

If those two are healthy and come along nicely, it may not be as bad as I am thinking right now.

I will be more than happy to take the wait and see approach here.

I'm wondering with the lack of activity with the LB's if Moch and Muckleroy are on track to play day one.

[ArmyBengal]

The LB corps is certainly the weakness of the defense, but it's starters are at least decent enough to get wins for the team.

If anything happens to those guys I think we are going to be in trouble.

Where i'm uncomfortable is how much is apparently being expected out of Moch and Muckelroy coming back from injuries/illnesses.

If those two are healthy and come along nicely, it may not be as bad as I am thinking right now.

I will be more than happy to take the wait and see approach here.

I'm wondering with the lack of activity with the LB's if Moch and Muckleroy are on track to play day one.

That's the only thing that makes sense. I mean that they are healthy.

How much of an impact they are capable of making remains a question mark.

FWIW, I was hoping to see that speed of Moch's on display rushing the passer.

He could be one of the players on this defense capable of making a really huge impact this season.

I'm really rooting for him.

[Wraith]

Remember, prior to Zimmer as a DC we were saying "Frostee Rucker - bust, Jonathan Fanene - a never was 7th Rd. pick". Mike Zimmer has earned our faith in this process. Look at all the successes he has had with people's careers, look at Reggie Nelson, look at Carlos Dunlap, look at Geno Atkins, the aforementioned non-dairy dessert. What we have done is given him more tools to work with, all of these guys have great talent and just need to be molded and Zimmer is a heck of a molder.