From Coley Harvey...

The Cincinnati Bengals aren't as good a team as they were 12 months ago.

That's the opinion of a team of Pro Football Focus analysts who updated their rankings of all 32 NFL rosters on Wednesday. The rankings come in part from PFF's complex grading system and an evaluation of deeper-level statistics and analytics of the players on the current rosters.

If you recall, last offseason PFF ranked each team based on the number of elite or high-quality players they had in their starting ranks. After ranking seventh in 2014, the Bengals' roster was ninth in this year's rankings. Cincinnati's roster has, on paper, gotten worse, according to PFF's metrics.

"The Bengals are a team with a lot of talent that is being weighed down by their quarterback," PFF's blurb on this year's Bengals roster said.

Specifically, Andy Dalton's inconsistent nature was a point of contention, as was the inclusion of Domata Peko, A.J. Hawk, Rey Maualuga, Russell Bodine and Mohamed Sanu in Cincinnati's starting lineup. PFF believes each of those players can be upgraded.

Many fans, citing PFF's grades, would agree.

Read more @ ESPN

I have seen numerous references in other threads, so I thought I would start one for the purposes of debate/discussion of D Peko's contributions and strengths/weaknesses and role moving forward.
He has been one of my favorite players since being drafted in '06. I feel that he has, while never actually being a superstar, made some significant contributions to some very good defenses. Also a model citizen and family man.
I noticed tho, second half of the '14 season, he seemed to be getting just mauled by O linemen.

Quote:"That kind of confidence and attitude is something that would be good for our offense," Whitworth said, via Bengals.com. "We need some of what these young kids call swagger. We need some of that ability to have a confidence in us no matter who you are or where you’re from or how good a team we’re playing…we’re really good. And we’re going to bring it. We need a little bit of that attitude."

http://www.cincyjungle.com/2015/6/10/8754961/espn-jeremy-hill-ranked-5th-best-rb-in-the-nfl

Finally, Hill is getting some praise.

I know people felt like he didn't get enough credit in the rookie impact rankings a few weeks ago.

But calling him the 5th best RB in the NFL, ahead of the likes of Marshawn Lynch, DeMarco Murray, LeSean McCoy and Matt Forte is very, very high praise.

And he deserves every ounce o fit.

Message Board All-Time team (Offense)
 
As voted by the members:

1ST TEAM

QB- KEN ANDERSON

RB- COREY DILLON

FB- PETE JOHNSON

TE- BOB TRUMPY

WR- CHAD JOHNSON

WR- ISAAC CURTIS

LT- ANTHONY MUNOZ

LG- BRUCE REIMERS

C- BRUCE KOWSERKI

RG- MAX MONTOYA

RT- WILLIE ANDERSON

2nd Team
QB- BOOMER ESIASON
RB- JAMES BROOKS
HB- ICKEY WOODS
TE- RODNEY HOLMAN
WR- AJ GREEN
WR- CARL PICKENS
LT- ANDREW WHITWORTH
LG- DAVE LAPHAM
C- RICH BRAHAM
RG- BOBBIE WILLIAMS
RT- JOE WALTER

One of the Bengals best defensive players ever!

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Geno-looking-like-Geno/01d7e0e1-118c-4771-89df-551c637c165a

Yes it's offseason Hobson, which means it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, that being said it makes for promising reading. Geno never really had a full offseason last year to squat and strengthen following his injury. He has that now. If he truly is back to his ProBowl self (or better) we won't have any D-line issues. He makes the job of Dunlap, Johnson etc so much easier when he is creating internal pressure and getting doubled.

I just want the pre-season to come already!

From Hobson's article about Houshmandzadeh:

“It’s a different culture,” Houshmandzadeh said. “These guys have come into a winner. When I came in, we were trying to become winners. The guys that were older than me, they were worse than me outside football. I get the impression the guys that are coming in now, they’re coming into guys that are more serious. It’s just a different culture. You can see it. You can talk to certain guys and see what they’re like outside football. Winning breeds a different environment. Winning solves a lot.”

Can anyone help me understand the bolded sentence?

New article on Bengals.com has possibly the best offseason news yet.

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Geno-looking-like-Geno/01d7e0e1-118c-4771-89df-551c637c165a

Geno Atkins is looking like Geno Atkins again. Maybe even better. After practice Tuesday, Bengals defensive line coach Jay Hayes offered a whistle longer than LeBron’s minutes when asked just exactly how good Atkins has looked this spring.

“Scary,” Hayes said. “It’s scary how fast and explosive he is right now. I think he has the confidence that he has his legs under him. He feels like he did.”

Combine that with

“He’s really going after it. He wants it. He looks good,” said Guenther of the hope that Burfict’s micro fracture knee surgery heals well enough for him to start the opener.

Getting one of the best DTs in the league back to form and one of the best LBs in the league back on the field is going to be huge for our D.