Which Bengals Could Start on a Top Tier Team?

[BengalChris]

(12-17-2018, 12:54 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Okay, Bengaldom, let’s be brutally and painfully honest.  Which Bengals would be immediate starters on the current teams who would make the playoffs?  Put yourself in Bill Belichick’s shoes or Sean Payton’s shoes — or the shoes of any coaches of the current playoff teams — and lets perform a thought experiment.  Which Bengal players are better than these teams’ current starters?

This thought experiment will identify the true weaknesses on the Cincinnati roster.

My personal list is very short.

I'm assuming by Top Tier team you don't mean teams that are hoping to somehow back into the playoffs as a 6th play off seed, but those who are actually "top tier". I'm also assuming you mean all Bengals players including those on IR.

QBs - None of them would start on a top tier team unless the starter were injured.

RBs - Mixon would start on a number of teams, but he might have to share time. Bernard would be a pure situational player, not a starter on any of them unless there were injuries and it would have to be a team like NE or NO who know how to use a little RB.

TEs - Eifert would start on a number of top tier teams, only we all know he'll break. None of the rest would sniff a starting job and might not even have a back up role.

WRs - AJ Green would start anywhere. Boyd would get playing time on a number of top tier teams. Ross would not be a starter on any of the top tier teams unless he miraculously improved on being a consistently good player.

OT - Glenn might have a role as a backup, but not at his salary. The rest of our OTs are free agents after this year and I believe we are all hoping they are all replaced, so none of them would start on a top tier team and likely most of them (Ogbuehi, Fisher, Hart and Smith) won't even have a backup job anywhere next season.

OG - Boling would start in a few places. Westerman might actually start at LG somewhere, we just don't let him do it here for some reason. He's played solid when given the opportunity.

OC - Would not start at this point in time. 

DT - Atkin would start almost anywhere. The rest no.

DE - Dunlap might get a starting gig. Hubbard would have a role, but I don't see him as a starter yet, next year yes. None of the rest would get a starting job.

LBs - None would start on a top tier team. Burfict is all used up from what I can tell.

CB - Jackson would start in several places. Kirkpatrick and Dennard would certainly have playing time on the right contract and team.

S - Bates could start on a number of top tier teams. He'd be an upgrade. Williams no.

P - Yes

K - Yes

Returner - Erickson could be a returner on several top tier teams.

Marvin Lewis - Would not be considered for the HC job of any of the top tier teams.

Lazor - would not be considered for the OC job on any of the top tier teams.

That's my 2 cents worth.