Tanier: Bengals Secondary No. 2

[HoosierCat]

Mike Tanier has been breaking down teams by unit over the past few weeks. He didn't put the Bengals in the top five when doing offensive lines or the defensive front seven (the latter surprised me, the former not so much), but today gave high marks to the secondary.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

When we think about the Bengals defense, we generally think about the front seven. And yes, the line and linebackers made a contribution to this ranking; the same can be said of all defenses. But the Bengals finished third in the NFL at stopping No. 1 receivers, third against No. 2 receivers and sixth against Nos. 3-5 receivers. They did it with Geno Atkins hurt for much of the year, sapping some of their pass-rush capability. So the secondary was doing something right.

The Bengals have an odd mix of veterans and youngsters at cornerback and safety. Terence Newman is still finding a way to hold down a starting job at 35, Reggie Nelson and Adam Jones are both 30 (Pacman at 30: the lion in winter) and 31-year old Danieal Manning has arrived as a veteran option at safety. Across the generation gap are first-round pick Darqueze Dennard, third-year pros Dre Kirkpatrick and Geogre Iloka and second-year project Shawn Williams. Leon Hall probably decides which radio station gets played in the locker room.

Mike Zimmer was capable of getting the best out of both the veterans and kids last year. Hall played at a high level before getting hurt, with Kirkpatrick coming into his own as a replacement, contributing to that high "slot receiver" ranking. Jones still has 90 percent of the off-the-charts talent of his younger years but has cut down on the silliness by about 75 percent. The Bengals played lots of man coverage last year, with Nelson sometimes blitzing or covering a tight end/slot guy and Iloka roving, so Bengals corners often faced difficult assignments. They kept plays in front of them well, tackled flat and screen receivers for minimal gains, shut down first reads and of course helped the defense intercept 20 passes.

When you watch Bengals game tape (I watched an extra allotment this week, because this ranking looked fishy to me), it's enlightening how often quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Philip Rivers pump-fake, check down and leave the pocket to buy time, a sign that the Bengals secondary has clamped down on the original route combination.

Dennard's arrival provides an additional boost. He is a natural cover corner who should step in as Newman finally runs out of Just for Men. Williams barely played last year but appeared to be coming around late in 2013 training camp. There is tons of depth here, and new coordinator Paul Guenther won't be making any major changes. The Bengals secondary does not pop out at you, but it doesn't let you complete many passes, either.

I think 2 may be a bit high and he's undervaluing the front seven (a possibility he admits in passing later on) but the secondary has clearly been a strength. Given the age and injury issues we've got there, though, I think that both Kirkpatrick and Dennard will need to come on sooner rather than later. I have a feeling we'll need them to be contributing fairly significantly before the end of the season.

[HoosierCat]

A related nugget dropped in Clayton's latest mailbag column:

Just because a defender is on the field for first downs at the beginning of games no longer means he is a first-stringer. The pass-defense packages could be on the field for 60 to 70 percent of the defensive snaps. The Cincinnati Bengals were in pass-defense mode 71.9 percent of the time this past season.

Wow, 72%. I knew it was high but not that high.

[ArmyBengal]

Both Kirkpatrick and Williams were "coming around" last season ??

I can't say as I got that feeling from either of them, but I could be wrong.

Maybe it's that I don't think it should be taking Kirkpatrick this long to "come around" as a 1st round pick.

Williams was getting time on teams, but if the team truly believes that he is Crocker Jr. as they have stated, then he should be pressing for time.

With them bringing in Manning, that task hasn't been made any easier.

#2 for the secondary ?? I like them, but yeah, that seems a little on the high side.

The front 7 have to play into that more than the writer is apparently willing to agree with.

[HoosierCat]

I think it's fair to say that both were "coming around" toward the end of last season, but clearly neither was anywhere near full-time-starter caliber. And yeah, that's certainly disappointing with regards to Dre.

I'm not sure what their plans for are Manning and I don't know what the Texans had him doing, but he was a free safety during his time up here with the Bears. Williams is much more of a SS and even SS/LB hybrid type. Manning also played some nickel corner, so he could provide another option there if (or more likely when) Pacman pulls another hammy. I see veteran depth, not competition for Williams, there.

For him, I think the big question is WTF is up with Taylor Mays. I understand he was cleared to practice at minicamp but other than that I haven't heard a peep. Before he got hurt last year it looked like the light bulb had finally gone on. In 8 games he had 19 tackles, 3 passes defensed and a fumble recovery, as compared to 32 tackles, 0 passes defensed and 1 recovery in 26 prior games in Cincy. Was that just a fluke or the start of something? On top of that, Iloka played well at SS in relief. I can see Williams falling by the wayside in a numbers game.

[ArmyBengal]

If someone saw more of those two than I did and can speak to how they progressed than I am fine with that.

I don't know what they did with Manning in Houston either, but the new secondary coach came from Houston and must feel confident in what he will bring.

It's with that line of thought I figured Manning would be sticking around minus some implosion.

Mays did seem to be pulling it together before the injury, but I have no idea how he fits back in with all the players coming back from injury.

Some think he will compete with Lamur, but there are far more than just Lamur to compete with.

I don't see Iloka going anywhere either.

I will repeat that I am intrigued to see what UDFA Isiah Lewis brings to the safety spot.

[Kazkal]

A related nugget dropped in Clayton's latest mailbag column:

Just because a defender is on the field for first downs at the beginning of games no longer means he is a first-stringer. The pass-defense packages could be on the field for 60 to 70 percent of the defensive snaps. The Cincinnati Bengals were in pass-defense mode 71.9 percent of the time this past season.

Wow, 72%. I knew it was high but not that high.

I could tell when Harrison got as much play at End as he did Linebacker lol.

[HoosierCat]

Tanier also ranks the Bengals receiving corps (including TEs and RBs) No. 2 in the league.

The Broncos have a receiving corps customized for Peyton Manning. The Bengals have the ideal receiving corps for an offense led by a mortal. Manning needs bunches of guys who can run option routes and catch 15-yard comebacks along the sidelines. Human quarterbacks typically need a deep threat, a possession target, a checkdown backfield receiver, a tight end who works the middle and so on. Instead of multiple multi-tools, the Bengals have excellent single-purpose weapons.

A.J. Green is both the star and the designated deep threat. He makes the most of what long passes reach his general vicinity. Andy Dalton was 21-of-50 for 694 yards throwing deep to Green last year -- not terrible numbers until you count Dalton's four interceptions, the fact that "deep" means 15 or more yards downfield and the sheer number of overthrows caused by Dalton winding up and launching as hard as he could.

Marvin Jones is the boundary guy who specializes in tough sideline catches. Mohamed Sanu is a screens-and-hitches guy who could still grow into more. Both Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert can line up anywhere and do anything expected of a tight end. Gio Bernard caught 56 passes out of the backfield last season, adding big-play ability on dump offs and short passes the team lacked in previous years.

The Bengals lost electrifying jitterbug Andrew Hawkins to free agency this offseason, but his role shrunk as Bernard, Sanu and Eifert developed. There are only so many footballs to go around, and unfortunately, only one potato gun-armed quarterback to distribute them. Any receiving corps that helps Andy Dalton throw for 4,293 yards and 33 touchdowns is clearly very special.

/>http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/81075336/nfl-receiving-corps-rankings-denver-broncos-cincinnati-bengals-detroit-lions#!2ApBg

I was going to rag on him for the gratuitous shots at Dalton until he made me laugh with his write-up of the third-worst receiving corps...

But wait … the Browns have assembled the most amazing superhero team this side of the Great Lakes Avengers. It's the Legion of Oddball Slot Receivers! There's Miles Austin, an elder statesman with the power to cloud Jerry Jones' mind so he overpays him! There's Anthony Armstrong, former Redskins deep threat who can name all of the teams in the Intense Football League! There's Andrew Hawkins, whose experience in reality television and as an employee in a wind turbine factory gave him the power to cling to the bottoms of depth charts throughout Ohio! There's Pizza Delivery Lord Nate Burleson! There's Earl Bennett … oh heck, he already got cut. Best of all, there are no drafted rookies, because who needs anyone from the best rookie class in 20 years when you have guys from the CFL, Arena football, the Intense Football League and stars of the 2007 Seahawks and 2009 Cowboys?

[ArmyBengal]

Yep, like I mentioned before.

Can't simply write an article about the state of the WR corps without talking about how sh*tty Dalton is.

What did I say ?? Oh yeah, it's f*cking endless.