Underrated/Overrated

[CantStop85]

Cincinnati Bengals

Underrated: Duane Clemons, defensive end

This 10-year veteran started 14 games last season and had 6½ sacks. Clemons also played the run well. He has been a valuable addition to the Cincinnati roster the past two seasons.

Overrated: Tory James, cornerback

He went to the Pro Bowl after getting eight interceptions last season, but he isn't nearly as good as his numbers would make one believe. He is decent, but not a Pro Bowl-quality corner.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/8622837/rss

[bengalsLB]

not a bad articule but prisco is an idiot who know jack s**t about football

[GROIIIDayton]

Look at all the Buckeyes players on this list...lol... the bucks suck and this just reiterates it

[Spain]

Tory is overrated, duane clemmons sucks he has those numbers coming from the left with J smith taking the double teams. I saw vick was on the overrated which he is way overrated!IMHo

[ArmyBengal]

He went to the Pro Bowl after getting eight interceptions last season, but he isn't nearly as good as his numbers would make one believe. He is decent, but not a Pro Bowl-quality corner.

I understand saying CB's are not nearly as good as their numbers indicate, however, it kind of irritates me when I hear "They only went because they had 8 interceptions". Like it's a bad thing... WTF is that about ?? How many interceptions do you have at the NFL level ?? They still have to go up and catch the doggone thing... Sure some are ducks, but there has to be more to it than standing there. Just my opinion again...

WHODEY !!!

[HoosierCat]

As per usual, Prisco got it exactly backwards.

Underrated (still) is Tory James. Perhaps he isn't a "pro bowl quality" CB...but then again, how much of a stud was Champ Bailey last year? Bottom line is that he had a very solid year, made the game in Hawaii, and still gets no respect beyond being labeled "decent." Sheesh. All he's done is make more than 60 tackles in each of the last two years (his best two years) and pull down more picks in 2 years with Cincy than he did with either the Broncos or Raiders. Yes, he is getting older and slowing down -- which makes him an easy target for articles like this -- but the guy deserves a break.

Meanwhile, Clemons is overrated. His best years were back in 99-01, when he set career highs for tackles and sacks. He is still a dangerous pass rusher but often a liability against the run, at least on the outside. And he appears to have an attitude issue, as shown by his blowing off of voluntary offseason activities. At the very least, he appears to be placing a lot of thought into life beyond football, which is fine, but makes me wonder about how much passion he has left for the game.

[DontPushMe]

Tennessee Titans

Underrated: Lamont Thompson, safety

In his second season with the Titans, Thompson was one of their better defensive players. He started 13 games and had four interceptions. It's no wonder the Titans want to lock him up to a long-term deal.

^^^ Good thing we cut him after his rookie season, nice move lewis/brown. This is exactly why you dont give up on high picks after one freaking season. I was so pissed off when they cut him, and i was right, as usual.

[bengal4life]

Very good points Joisy

I don't think Tory is not overrated at all. Some of those INT's he had last year were simply amazing. Like that one handed grab on a full sprint, I've never seen any thing like that.

As far as Duane Clemmons he isn't overated either. If he was overrated then he would probably be starting this year, but he's not. If I recall he's second string this year.

[CBin2k7]

Tennessee Titans

Underrated: Lamont Thompson, safety

In his second season with the Titans, Thompson was one of their better defensive players. He started 13 games and had four interceptions. It's no wonder the Titans want to lock him up to a long-term deal.

^^^ Good thing we cut him after his rookie season, nice move lewis/brown. This is exactly why you dont give up on high picks after one freaking season. I was so pissed off when they cut him, and i was right, as usual.

Is Lamont Thompson any better than Madieu Williams. Have you seen Lamont Thompson play the run. Marvin Lewis knows what he is doing and knows what players he wants.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Tennessee Titans

Underrated: Lamont Thompson, safety

In his second season with the Titans, Thompson was one of their better defensive players. He started 13 games and had four interceptions. It's no wonder the Titans want to lock him up to a long-term deal.

^^^ Good thing we cut him after his rookie season, nice move lewis/brown. This is exactly why you dont give up on high picks after one freaking season. I was so pissed off when they cut him, and i was right, as usual.

Asshat Alert! Asshat Alert!

Lamont Thompson didn't fit the mold Lewis wanted at the safety positions. Next you'll be saying we should still have Steve Foley on our roster.

[DontPushMe]

Tennessee Titans

Underrated: Lamont Thompson, safety

In his second season with the Titans, Thompson was one of their better defensive players. He started 13 games and had four interceptions. It's no wonder the Titans want to lock him up to a long-term deal.

^^^ Good thing we cut him after his rookie season, nice move lewis/brown. This is exactly why you dont give up on high picks after one freaking season. I was so pissed off when they cut him, and i was right, as usual.

Is Lamont Thompson any better than Madieu Williams. Have you seen Lamont Thompson play the run. Marvin Lewis knows what he is doing and knows what players he wants.

Of coarse hes not, but he IS lightyears better than Kim Herring. He doesnt fit lewis' mold for a safety? Hes a cover safety that could play FS or SS just as well, i think that fits what ML is doing perfectly. And even if he didnt, a good coach forms his 'style' around his players, not the other way around.

And Steve Foley was better than any of our linebackers last season, but we dont really need him.

[CBin2k7]

Lamont Thompson is a straight up FS he is not very good against the run. I watched a lot of Titans action last season and Thompson doesn't cut it for the SS position. He is good in space, it just took him 4 years for the light to go off. He still only has 81 career tackles

[Irish Bengal]

Dont Push Me needs to form his own team of Bengal castoffs to be happy!

[GROIIIDayton]

look at all the buckeyes on that list... that is the best part of the whole damn list

[The Big Orange]

I don't think we have anybody overated on our entire team...we don't get enough national press...

The best arguement, in my opinion, would be Peter Warrick...but who exactly rated him very high?

We have got tons of underated guys...which is waht I love...they aren't demanding billions and we may still sneak up on some folks since we don't have too many household names...

The only downside to that is we don't get too many nationally televised games.

[HoosierCat]

I don't think we have anybody overated on our entire team...we don't get enough national press...

Yup. In order to be overrated, you kind of have to be rated first, and the only guys who get broad recognition are Carson, Chad and Rudi. And while I've seen some instances of what I think is...ummm...excessive enthusiasm applied to all three, I think their reps in general are about where they should be.

Now...a potentially more interesting question is...what players do Bengals fans over- and underrate? If posts here at the 'zone are any guide, I think that there are some frighteningly high expectations out there for Pollack and Thurman. I do hope they prove to be everything they're predicted to be, but I'd like to see them take a few NFL snaps before I declare it a done deal.

On the flip side, I think Matt Schobel, Justin Smith, Levi Jones, and to an extent Shayne Graham all take more than their fair share of dog dirt from Bengals fans. People are quick to bring up how Schobel's not the best blocker but he has made a number of big plays as a receiver and IMHO that tends to get waved aside as somehow less important. I don't think it is.

There's no shortage of people who label Smith a bust, mostly because of his high draft status. Again IMHO, they seem to forget that 1) where he was drafted isn't his fault, it was the bengals' for sucking so badly the year before; and 2) it was a weak draft, which we ended up coming out of with a solid DE. He may not be Superman but we could have done a lot worse (look at the other first round DE choices that year).

Jones is in a similar boat. He was, famously, "taken too high," an idea that's since been proven foolish but Mel Kiper still defends it anyhow, 'cause heaven forbid Mel admit he was wrong. Again, look at the tackles taken ahead of him that day and suddenly the Bengals' brain trust looks like geniuses. And while he is not a dominant LT, he is solid, willing to play hurt, and provided long-term stability for what was a perenially problematic position.

Graham, though widely liked among Bengal fans, always seems to have a "but" attached to him: "but he needs to do better on kickoffs." I admit to tacking it on myself once, until BengalsSis provide an exhaustive look at how he is right there with everyone else. In the end, Graham may be the second coming of Jim Breech, which would be no small accomplisment.

[Ickey44]

I agree. I think Graham is great.

Justin Smith is a good player, too. It's not his fault he's the only good lineman we've had on our team the whole time he's been here. I'm fairly optimistic this year, though. With Geathers and Robinson inserted into the lineup, I think the D-line will be a strength this year.

[GROIIIDayton]

look at all the overrated ohio state players i wish every OSU fan in the world would visit that site...lololol

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Steve Foley was better than any of our linebackers last season, but we dont really need him.

Steve Foley had a great season last year, but it's not that we "really don't need him" but that he doesn't fit Marvin Lewis's scheme at all.

Get a clue.

[CantStop85]

Right now I think Carson Palmer is a little overrated. I'm not saying that's he's not good or that's he's not going to be great eventually, but some people seem to think he's going to be the second-coming of troy aikman in his second season starting. He had a great end to the season last year, but he still has some growing pains to take care of.

There are no really over-rated players on the Bengals right now, but Palmer might be a little over-hyped at the moment.

[CBin2k7]

Right now I think Carson Palmer is a little overrated. I'm not saying that's he's not good or that's he's not going to be great eventually, but some people seem to think he's going to be the second-coming of troy aikman in his second season starting. He had a great end to the season last year, but he still has some growing pains to take care of.

There are no really over-rated players on the Bengals right now, but Palmer might be a little over-hyped at the moment.

I think Brett Favre is still overcoming so growing pains as well. He makes a lot of rookie mistakes.

People see what Carson did against Baltimore and New England and conclude that he is ready to breakout.

Most people don't even have him in the top 10 qb list in the league. He may not even be top 15 yet. I think Big Ben is more overrated than Carson is.

[GROIIIDayton]

Cantstop85 must be a crack head. I bet CP puts up 4,000 yards and 30-35 TD's he might throw 15 ints but I will take that with 35 TD's. He just needs to eliminate the ones that go for TD's the other way. We all already know he will make a few mistake hell he is human. We need to get rid of some of these dumb asses on here. He is not overhyped he had a great last few games and improved steadily throughout the season and there is some hype around him, but the hype is very deserving after the performances he had late in the season. Hype??? YES Overhyped??? Not a chance.

PS... Look at all the buckeyes on the overrated list they might as well call it the overrated Buckeyes in the NFL list... Krenzel could be added to that list he is the only overrated player on our team and he sucks...lol

[HoosierCat]

I agree with CantStop85 that there's some over-hyping of Palmer, but I don't think it's widespread enough to make him overrated.

I'm not sure that Cheeselisburger is overrated. Again, there are some corners (most notably Steelers fans) who paint him as the second coming, but the conventional wisdom is that he'll "return to earth" this season.

[CantStop85]

Cantstop85 must be a crack head.  I bet CP puts up 4,000 yards and 30-35 TD's he might throw 15 ints but I will take that with 35 TD's.

I'm the crackhead?

We need to get rid of some of these dumb asses on here.

So when are you leaving?

He is not overhyped he had a great last few games and improved steadily throughout the season

Yes, he's improving steadily...improving steadily is not throwing for 4,000 yard and 35 td's in his second year. You're the type of person who is overhyping him. Let the kid develop some before you put him in the hall of fame.

[GROIIIDayton]

I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is bitch... $500 bucks on 3,800 yards and 32 TD's. If you think i'm wrong then bring it on bitch. As long as he starts every game.