Round 3 (95): Jordan Battle, S Alabama

[COB]

Lou has taken over our draft.  Dude’s getting it all.  We signed Nick Scott, drafted Turner and Battle.  

[AMPHAR]

They were down to 1 safety and I think 1 CB entering the draft.    
 

Just filling spots this year and next.  

[COB]

Sorry to see Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell leave, this front office does not wait around.  They act.

[Stripes]

This also feels like a draft from a team that views its current rival to be the Kansas City Chiefs (and not the usual AFC North milquetoasts).

[GapControl]

1 minute ago, HoosierCat said:

Well, bottom line is Lou has no excuses. They’re pouring talent into his D and he’d better make it fly.

Yeah this a Marvin Lewis wet dream 

[GapControl]

2 minutes ago, COB said:

Sorry to see Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell leave, this front office does not wait around.  They act.

I miss the days of signing scrub defenders in late July 

[HoosierCat]

1 minute ago, GapControl said:

I miss the days of signing scrub defenders in late July 

Those were the days!

[GapControl]

Really blue chip like guys they are getting for the defense.  I saw Battle listed as high as 2nd Safety in this draft and said to be a 10 year starter . If his 40 is 4.54 , don’t see why he would struggle deep 

[TJJackson]

we all knew it'd happen sooner or later

well, here it is

the pick that TJ absolutely detests

E L  S T I N K O  G R A N D E

We have plenty of inexperienced safeties on the roster.  We picked up 2 of them last year

Piss poor decision to drop 5 spots with Wanya Morris (potential starting ORT) and Darnell Washington (potential starting TE) sitting there ripe for the taking

Just a gawdawful choice, both the trade down and the pick they made

Let us pray they find another Volsen in r4 for either the TE or ORT spots

Dear God!!!!!!

[COB]

12 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

we all knew it'd happen sooner or later

well, here it is

the pick that TJ absolutely detests

E L  S T I N K O  G R A N D E

We have plenty of inexperienced safeties on the roster.  We picked up 2 of them last year

Piss poor decision to drop 5 spots with Wanya Morris (potential starting ORT) and Darnell Washington (potential starting TE) sitting there ripe for the taking

Just a gawdawful choice, both the trade down and the pick they made

Let us pray they find another Volsen in r4 for either the TE or ORT spots

Dear God!!!!!!

Dude you’re a wet blanket.  
 

We lost Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell, we had to reload that defensive backfield.  Awuzie tore his ACL and is coming off surgery.  

O-line was addressed in FA with Orlando Brown.  Right tackle we have our failed left tackle.  He’s a complete stiff, true, but he already knows the offense, knows the other players, and if he knows what’s good for him he’ll play this whole season with his balls hanging out.  This is it for him, it’s an audition for a second deal so he better put it all out there.  

[HoosierCat]

Inexperienced? JFC you are utterly clueless.

[HoosierCat]

Inexperienced lol

 

[ArmyBengal]

Hate the pick? No, not at all. I think Battle is a solid safety prospect and think some added insurance was a needed aspect.

That being said, I am not a fan of the trade with Kansas City. I don’t want to give them 1 spot, let alone 5. Really irked me. Next, while I was never a huge fan of Dewand Jones, I was a big fan of Darnell Washington at TE and am pissed he went to the Steelers. He’s like adding both a TE and another O-lineman in a single pick. I can’t say Morris was any better then what we currently have trying out for RT, but that was his natural position in college.

Happy about Battle, while simultaneously not pleased overall. Also heard rumors Washington may have had some knee concerns at the combine so maybe that played into it. Maybe they take TE later.

I give this one a solid B+.

[membengal]

7 hours ago, COB said:

Sorry to see Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell leave, this front office does not wait around.  They act.

Yup. 

Not sure you can replace what Bell brought in the locker-room, but Battle sure seems like the kind of player to try to do that with. In hindsight, if they re-sign Bell and lose Pratt we probably see a LB here instead. The loss of Bell was more of a blow to Lou than I gave it credit.

I have zero problems with a S coming out of Alabama who played as many snaps at as high a quality as Battle did. Daniel Jeremiah said immediately on the pick being announced that he can start week 1. Made me raise an eyebrow. 

[membengal]

7 hours ago, Stripes said:

If someone asked me which defensive starter makes me most uncomfortable, it would have been one of the safeties (probably Scott), so adding this depth and insurance is very easy to justify.

I wish I could like this post twice. Yes, this. 

[membengal]

5 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

Inexperienced? JFC you are utterly clueless.

I mean...yeah. Battle is as experienced as you can get coming into the NFL. Played at a high level for Nick Saban for years. That's...as NFL ready as you can get.

 

Again, Daniel Jeremiah called him a day 1 starter. We shall see, but he brings a jolt of needed competitiveness and depth to a S room that was our weakest on paper after Bell and Bates left. Don't know yet what we have in Hill or Scott. We can hope, but we don't know. And if one of them got hurt...then what?  I overlooked S as a need but a lot of analysts kept mocking us safeties in rounds 1 or 2 and I hated that but sure don't hate the logic (or the player) here in round 3. 

 

Sounds like Battle will join that room and immediately be a candidate for leader.  Fine by me. We are a long way from the days of this org ignoring the defensive side of the ball...

[membengal]

LOL  - just saw Brugler's summary of Battle from his draft guide - here it is:

Quote

SUMMARY: A four-year starter at Alabama, Battle was the strong safety in head coach Nick Saban’s multiple scheme and switched between high and low alignments. He put together a veteran resume in Tuscaloosa as a two-time All-American and one of three captains in 2022 (along with Will Anderson and Bryce Young). Battle plays aware in zone coverage and assignment sound in the run game with accurate fits and the physical nature of a linebacker. However, he is a linear athlete with limited playmaking range and tackling inconsistencies. Overall, Battle’s tape and skill set scream “average,” but he is a smart, experienced safety with reliable football character and competitive toughness. He projects as a low-ceiling post/box starter in the NFL with core special teams skills.

Safeties are hard to project in the NFL - but one that played that long and that well for Nick Saban? Yeah, I think he will do just fine. 

[membengal]

 

[membengal]

Lol - check out Lou as Zac called Battle

 

 

[AMPHAR]

Is Dax Hill a full time Safety?   Could his versatility create packages with 3 safeties?   Don’t know but you have to love the overall speed and athleticism the DB room has morphed into. 
 

Now it’s seeing how the pieces fit together and seeing if Lou can get them playing as high a level as the past 2 seasons. 
 

Like last year with LG, clearly the Bengals are not obsessed with checking off a player to fix the last spot on the line.   This year RT.  If there’s a player they like they’ll  take ‘em.  If not, move on. 

[membengal]

 

[COB]

8 hours ago, GapControl said:

Yeah this a Marvin Lewis wet dream 

Zac’s tenure is revealing in regards to Marvin’s tenure.  Marvin turned the team around, and I seem to recall pundits saying he did it by changing the culture.  I guess he did change the culture.  
 

But the complete lack of discipline cost guys their careers (Odell Thurman), cost us a lot of wins, and ultimately, in a very tangible way, cost Marvin his white whale, that elusive playoff win.  The culture Zac installed has exposed Marvin’s rep as a culture builder to be false.

[GapControl]

1 minute ago, COB said:

Zac’s tenure is revealing in regards to Marvin’s tenure.  Marvin turned the team around, and I seem to recall pundits saying he did it by changing the culture.  I guess he did change the culture.  
 

But the complete lack of discipline cost guys their careers (Odell Thurman), cost us a lot of wins, and ultimately, in a very tangible way, cost Marvin his white whale, that elusive playoff win.  The culture Zac installed has exposed Marvin’s rep as a culture builder to be false.

He and Mike Brown kept some guys around who were struggling with life outside (and sometimes inside football).  Just never saw Marvin’s defensive team get this many quality free agents and draft picks thrown at it.  I think the Bengals have learned from their personnel and spending mistakes finally and Taylor - Lou are getting the rewards from that

[membengal]

 

[GapControl]

He takes on Tank Bigsby there and wins big