Curnutte's Bengals Q & A

[jjakq27]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...SPT02/507170345

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Bengals Q&A

Analysis

By Mark Curnutte

Enquirer staff writer

The long NFL offseason will come to an end in less than two weeks when the Bengals, like other teams, begin training camp.

Bengals players report to Georgetown College on July 28. The first practices will be the next day. The preseason opener is Aug. 12 at home against Super Bowl champion New England.

Expectations are great that the Bengals franchise will snap its parity-defying 14-year streak without a playoff appearance.

Here are some key questions and answers regarding the 2005 Bengals:

Question: What is the team's major goal heading into camp?

Answer: Coach Marvin Lewis' first two seasons were dampened by slow starts. His 2003 and 2004 teams lost four of their first five games, all but dooming already-fragile playoff hopes.

The goal is to do everything possible to avoid the slow start.

Q: How will this goal show itself in training camp?

A: Lewis adjusted how the team will practice at training camp. He increased to seven the number of night practices, keeping players out of the afternoon sun and humidity in an attempt to help them avoid tired legs at the end of camp.

Lewis also shortened training camp from the standard four weeks to three. The Bengals will break camp and dreaded two-a-day practices before the second preseason game. In the past two years under Lewis and for several seasons before that under other coaches' watches, the team broke camp before the third preseason game.

Q: From a personnel perspective, what was done by the organization to get off to a better start?

A: The Bengals spent to retain their most productive offensive skill players, running back Rudi Johnson and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who were unrestricted free agents.

Bringing back 11-year center Rich Braham also should help quarterback Carson Palmer continue to grow in his second season as the starter.

In re-signing three offensive starters, the Bengals made sure to keep continuity around Palmer. He, Johnson, Houshmandzadeh and two-time Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson are all signed through at least 2008. Their familiarity with each other is being counted on to help avoid a slow start offensively.

Q: What has Lewis done to help the defense, which has been a disappointment given Lewis' pedigree as a defensive coach?

A: The Bengals were ranked 26th in rush defense and 21st in points allowed in 2004, and much of the problem was with the front seven.

The secondary, led by cornerback Tory James, a Pro Bowl player, showed vast improvement.

After the season, Lewis chose not to renew the expired contract of two-year coordinator Leslie Frazier and promoted Chuck Bresnahan, a former Oakland Raiders coordinator, from staff assistant.

Concentrating on re-signing players, especially on offense, the Bengals did make one key defensive free-agent signing. They brought in Bryan Robinson from Miami, and he is expected to anchor the defensive line as the left tackle, a key position in stopping the run.

Bresnahan also has juggled the rest of the front four. Justin Smith moves to left end from right end; the hope is that Smith will help improve the run defense on the left side and increase his sack total going against right offensive tackles instead of top left tackles.

John Thornton moves to right tackle, where Bresnahan thinks Thornton can use his quickness and speed against more one-on-one blocking. And explosive Robert Geathers moves into the lineup at right end; he had 3.5 sacks and five pass knockdowns as a rookie.

The Bengals also spent their first two draft picks on defensive players, linebackers David Pollack and Odell Thurman, for the first time since 1998 (linebackers Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons). Pollack will take over the strong-side spot, where the released Kevin Hardy struggled in 2004. Thurman is running No. 1 at middle linebacker, but he will get pressed by returning starter Landon Johnson. Johnson is close to being cleared after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.

Q: What are other key elements to watch during Bengals camp?

A: The club needs to make solid player personnel decisions.

Wide receiver and the secondary are two especially deep positions. (The team already made a couple of cuts at linebacker in releasing Hardy and third-year player Khalid Abdullah.)

Special teams and backup roles, particularly on defense, hang in the balance.

Third-year receiver Kelley Washington might be released in favor of Kevin Walter because Walter, though not Washington's equal as a receiver, is an outstanding and willing special-teams player.

Another receiver expected to make a strong bid for a roster spot - based, again, on special-teams ability - is rookie sixth-round pick Tab Perry. He could challenge to be the No. 1 kickoff returner.

Another player on a bubble could be safety Kevin Kaesviharn. An intelligent defensive player and productive special-teams player, Kaesviharn struggled against the run last season. The job at strong safety could be a battle between Kim Herring and Anthony Mitchell, and Kaesviharn could be the odd man out.

Q: The Bengals have signed just one of their seven draft picks, seventh-round defensive lineman Jonathan Fanene. What is the status of the other six, especially Pollack?

A: None of the league's first-round picks is signed, and the trend in recent years is to push negotiations to the last minute.

[schweinhart]

Nice summary, but I hope the Bengals keep Jerry Fontenot's cell # handy just in case

Until the Bengals definitely feel that Myles or Roberts can work at FS and be ready to interchange to SS in the box in situations, I don't see how K2 gets bounced. K2 is not great anywhere, but he can play quarters at CB in a pinch and is proly his best at S in the red zone.