HoosierCat Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know: it's way early, there's still free agency to go through, who knows if we'll get picks for CD, etc., but what the heck.Just considering the state of the team *right now,* the name that keeps coming up for me is Miami's Jonathan Vilma. By the time the 17th pick rolls around, all the top DL and corner prospects will be gone. Any way we go there will be a reach. Maybe Marvin decides to take a flyer on some defensive lineman, but with one project at corner already (Weathersby) I don't think he'll be anxious for another guy with "big upside" to develop. Tho Frazier's an ex-corner, so you never know...But I think Vilma will still be on the board. Heck of a player, and some places (pro football weekly, for example) like to mention him in the same breath as Ray Lewis. The guy's light, tho; I've seen his weight listed as low as 211, and a lot of other places like him on the weak side better than in the middle. And we're farging light enough on defense already. I think someone like Southern Miss's Rod Davis would still be there in the second and he would be a surer MLB choice, IMHO.But...Marvin Lewis is a best-player-available kind of guy, and if it's a top LB prospect versus the No. 4 or 5 corner or DT, I can see Vilma getting the call. Maybe grab him, dump Hardy and put Simmons back in the middle? I dunno...but that's my call for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishcovga Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Cincinnati's need at middle linebacker could really be addressed in rounds 2 or 3.A player like Dontarrous Thomas has been Falling on most draft boards,although he's been a consensus top backer for the last 2 years.He's got 1st round talent,and could be there for the picking in round 3.Not a fast linebacker,but has great instincts, and he has good size and is very aggressive.I really think that our first round pick will be dependant on what the Washington Redskins are willing to part with come January. That's right i said it, Spurrier will most likely keep his job to fill out his contract, but they're gonna need someone to run for that offense,because it's obvious that a strong running back is what is lacking in their offense. What could we get from Snyder.. not sure.. but he's been real generous with everyone else he's grabbed since he took over that team.Then there's Detroit. Detroit could save money ( lots of money ) if they take Dillon off of our hands,because drafting a top running back that high,has 10 million dollar signing bonus written all over it. If all goes well , Millen parts with that number one pick for Dillon, after all he's getting a pretty good running back,with at least 4 or 5 good years left, and with something to prove! Detroit has decent cap room,but overspent on several free agents 2 years ago, so if Millen can be convinced Dillon is his answer ,then we are home free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 It BETTER be Defense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted December 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Cincinnati's need at middle linebacker could really be addressed in rounds 2 or 3.I agree. I think it's quite possible that the first round goes without a single ILB prospect being taken, tho I'd bet someone low in the round grabs Vilma (or whoever the next three months of draft hype push up) late in the first just because he wn't last until their pick in the second. And I think odds are good that Davis will be there in the second and I'd grab him in a heartbeat. But I'm just not sold that a better defensive option than Vilma will be there at 17. I have seen some projections that Derrick Strait could fall...that would be sweet. But everyone (myself included) likes corner in round one and I think the best we could hope for is Nathan Vasher. Not chopped liver, but he needs some work.I really think that our first round pick will be dependant on what the Washington Redskins are willing to part with come January. That's right i said it, Spurrier will most likely keep his job to fill out his contract, but they're gonna need someone to run for that offense,because it's obvious that a strong running back is what is lacking in their offense. What could we get from Snyder.. not sure.. but he's been real generous with everyone else he's grabbed since he took over that team.They were trying to deal Fred Smoot last year. He's not the greatest but he'd be better than about everything else we've got.Then there's Detroit. Detroit could save money ( lots of money ) if they take Dillon off of our hands,because drafting a top running back that high,has 10 million dollar signing bonus written all over it. If all goes well , Millen parts with that number one pick for Dillon, after all he's getting a pretty good running back,with at least 4 or 5 good years left, and with something to prove! Detroit has decent cap room,but overspent on several free agents 2 years ago, so if Millen can be convinced Dillon is his answer ,then we are home free.Good point on the money issue, but I don't think even Millen is dumb enough to part with the No. 1. No. 2, maybe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishcovga Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Matt Millen hired Mary Morning-egg.... i think the intelligence factor is on our side... ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted December 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Matt Millen hired Mary Morning-egg.... i think the intelligence factor is on our side... ha haLOL. He *is* a moron, isn't he? (Still, look what he got the Fords to give him...he may be a moron but he's a rich friggin' moron!) But I can't see him giving up that high a pick for CD.Another note, thanks to that nifty drafthistory.com site you referenced elsewhere (neat place): over the past 13 years, whenever the Bengals have drafted in the teens, they have *always* draft a LB.1990: James Francis (12)1992: Alfred Williams (18)1997: Reinard Wilson (14) (ok, he was a tweener DE they tried to make a LB. Didn't work)1998: Takeo Spikes (13), Brian Simmons (17)(picture Marvin Lewis standing outside PBS pounding on the door) Vilma!....Vilma!....(cue "Flintstones" theme) Bengals...meet the Bengals... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishcovga Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 hey i love the guy Vilma... but D.J. Williams is the better player.. better instincts.. speed.. size.. and is relentless..Vilma benefitted from Wilfork in front of him.. Don't want another Randall Godfrey.. yeah' he's decent.. but i want the guy that want's to be better than Ray Lewis...quoted from the sporting news...Wilfork is pretty good if he's there at 17.. , but his weight issues are alarming.... he ballooned up to 380 lbs this year, and couldn't stay on the field .Marcus tubbs might not be a slender guy either, but he can push the pocket,and slide. Should be there come round 2.Here's my 2 cents... we drop 20 lbs off of Justin smiths' 270.. and move him to strong side linebacker.. put Hardy on the weakside.. and Simmons back at middle.Cent # 2... Dennis Weathersby doesn't work out at corner.. move him to strong safety.. could work out like another Cory Chavous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted December 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 hey i love the guy Vilma... but D.J. Williams is the better player.. better instincts.. speed.. size.. and is relentless..Don't get me wrong, I'm not sold on Vilma by a long shot. At MLB the guy I like best is actually Rob Davis, and if the first two rounds went something line Strait #1, Davis #2, I wouldn't care about rounds 3-7. Williams is a good player, too. It just seems like the Bengals are in a spot where linebackers come naturally, so I think it's a position to watch closely as the draft hype machine powers up.Wilfork is pretty good if he's there at 17.. , but his weight issues are alarming.... he ballooned up to 380 lbs this year, and couldn't stay on the field .380??? Couldn't stay on the field, sheesh, how'd he get off?? Gotta call a time out just so he could reach the sideline! (Sorry, too easy a shot.)Here's my 2 cents... we drop 20 lbs off of Justin smiths' 270.. and move him to strong side linebacker.. put Hardy on the weakside.. and Simmons back at middle.Cent # 2... Dennis Weathersby doesn't work out at corner.. move him to strong safety.. could work out like another Cory Chavous.Couple pennies back at ya: I am *so* sick of the Bengals trying to play cutesy with moving players around. Didn't work with Reinard, didn't work with Roman, doesn't seemed to have worked for Hardy and Simmons. Your ideas make lots of sense, I love 'em, but I don't want to see 'em. You want a corner, let's get a corner; want a 'backer, get a 'backer, etc. As for Weathersby, I'd like to actually see him for a while before I start moving him around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGrizzlyBaer Posted December 30, 2003 Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 i love d.j. williams he is just great to watch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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