The Bodine Witch Hunt

[SunsetBengal]

(05-03-2016, 02:43 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Logic is obviously useless in a world were everyone believes Paul Alexander told the team "I don't want any draft picks to work with.  All I need are undrafted guy and cheap-ass, past-their-prime free agents."


Over Pauls first 20 years as O-line coach for the Bengals they only used a total of 6 picks in the first two rounds on offensive linemen (Willie Anderson, Levi Jones, Eric Steinbach, Whitworth, Smith, Zeitler).  Every single one of them were starters for many years.  They had also only used 3 third round picks, and only one of them failed to be at least a 2 year starter in the NFL(Rod Payne '97 C).

Here is a list of the O-linemen taken by other teams in the first three rounds that never became starers from just '04-'13  (I am not counting the last two drafts because there are guys who may still become starers)

'13...Brennan Williams-3
'12...Mike Adams-2, Donald Stephenson-3, Tony Bergstrom-3
'11...Danny Watkins-1 (Watkins actually started 12 games one season, but with only 18 starts in 3 seasons for 2 teams he qualifies as a flop), Gabe Carimi-1 (also had one seadon with 14 starts, but with only 26 starts in four seasons for 3 teams he is also a bust), Derrick Sherrod-1, Ben Ijalana-2,
'10...Mike Johnson-3
'09...Jason Smith-1 (#2 overall pick had one season with 15 starts, only 26 in four seasons with 2 teams), Eben Britton-2 (15 starts rookie season, only 19 more starts in next five years with 2 teams), Robert Brewester-3, Antoine Caldwell-3,
'08...Jeff Otah-1 (29 starts in only 3 seasons), Oniel Cousins-3
'07...James Martin-3, Andy Alleman-3
'06...Charles spencer-3, Rashad Butler-3
'05...Marcus Johnson-2 (one season with 10 starts, only 8 more in 4 more years with 2 teams), Rashad Butler-3
'04...Jacob Rogers-2,
'03...Bruce Nrelson-2, Wayne Hunter-3 (One season 15 starts, only 9 more over 7 seasons with 4 teams), Seth Wand-3 (one season 16 starts, only 2 more in 4 more years with 3 teams), Courtney Van Buren-3

I'd have to back another 7 years to get to the one and only pick from the first three rounds that flopped for the Bengals.  Compared to the rest of the league that looks pretty good.

I guess someone will argue that Paul has such a low total because the Bengals only made 9 picks over those 20 seasons, but that goes back to my point about how little he was given to work with.

I notice how you refrained from including 4th round picks in your post, as that is where the last two "drafted" Centers for the Bengals have came from.  Not only Russell Bodine, but also Jonathan Luigs was taken in the 4th round of the '09 draft.  We all remember how his Bengals career panned out..


When, oh when, will the Bengals and Paul Alexander put enough stock in the Center position to value it enough to invest a high pick on one, from the top of the heap?  They seem to have no problems taking Tackles in the 1st or 2nd, or with taking good Guards in the 1st or 3rd.  But Center seems to be the position that they value the least.

I find that a bit puzzling, especially from a maestro like Paul Alexander.  Certainly, the maestro would know that the way to build a football team is from the inside, and work outward, right?