I'm not sure he's the starter but this is a team that has a belief in his capabilities. This guy is so polarizing because he has just as many haters as fans. Its interesting to me because if your not going to trade up for a guy or grab a FA then your banking on a player on the current roster to be the starter imo. The class although talented has a starter ready cliff but its certainly deep with potential. Maybe another veteran is the safest path to at least securing the position for a camp battle. Time will tell but I can see it being a topic of discussion moving forward especially after the draft. Thoughts?

: To be fair he left five or six interceptions on the field and if he'd have made those play then this is a totally different conversation. We'll see if he makes those plays next season.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdjhW3eFNXp/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Per Zac's most recent interview he is.

Apple played solid after a bit of a rocky start. He earned the shot to be the starter.. Whether he makes it or not is still up in the air, but he played solid for at least the second half of the season if not more..  His off field antics? Nothing horrible, but silly.. I can live with it..

(03-29-2022, 11:40 AM)jj22 Wrote: Per Zac's most recent interview he is.

I didn't see it but one things for sure and two is for certain. There are just as many that think that the tackle against KC earns that slot as the Kupp SB play doesn't. Actually to me he left five interceptions on the field and if he completes those plays then its another discussion.

I mean they believe in him enough to get him for 1 yr and 4M. It goes both ways as he played well enough to not garner the disrespect for ability (still needs to stay off social media) but it's not like there was much of a market for him. It is tremendous value, so we should be happy.

But, they aren't done at CB. He is able to start if at least as a bridge starter that knows the system and played well enough. They'll be drafting one in the first 3 rounds for not only depth but we are behind schedule there. There are also a handful of useful old corners, one will be signed for a one year deal as a ring chaser I'm sure. Between the three players we will be happy with our depth by the end of the offseason. Then again, a solid car or rookie that excels has the capability of lapping Eli. He is the starter today.

Believe so unless an elite talent falls to Bengals in the draft which is unlikely.

(03-29-2022, 11:30 AM)Emeritus Wrote:

I'm not sure he's the starter but this is a team that has a belief in his capabilities. This guy is so polarizing because he has just as many haters as fans. Its interesting to me because if your not going to trade up for a guy or grab a FA then your banking on a player on the current roster to be the starter imo. The class although talented has a starter ready cliff but its certainly deep with potential. Maybe another veteran is the safest path to at least securing the position for a camp battle. Time will tell but I can see it being a topic of discussion moving forward especially after the draft. Thoughts?

He's probably the starter at least going into the draft.

If the Bengals didn't feel great about Apple going against a draft pick for starting reps, maybe a CB like Fabian Moreau could be worth adding still in FA. He started 16 games for the Falcons last year.
While he's not some great starter, he allowed less receptions, yards, yards-per-target, and yards of separation than Apple, per playerprofiler.com.

Currently, yea

This confirms CB will be addressed within the first 2 rounds

(03-29-2022, 11:51 AM)Emeritus Wrote:
I didn't see it but one things for sure and two is for certain. There are just as many that think that the tackle against KC earns that slot as the Kupp SB play doesn't. Actually to me he left five interceptions on the field and if he completes those plays then its another discussion.

Actually, you could say the same thing about a whole bunch of Bengal's corners. The important part is he was in position to break up those plays. Hopefully with the increased playing time he got last year, he will improve. He's our starter pending the draft IMO. In Lou I trust.

(03-29-2022, 11:57 AM)Go Cards Wrote: Believe so unless an elite talent falls to Bengals in the draft which is unlikely.

The outsider that I like at 31 may be a reach to some but its Kyler Gordon. I absolutely like his tools to be a day one starter. I see the others being off the board at pick 31 but QB desperate teams move draft boards. I'm not sure that they go after Gilmore but they definitely have the resources to do so.

https://www.bengals.com/news/quick-hits-bracing-for-another-afc-north-rumble-zac-scary-ja-marr-only-started-t

Quote:APPLE OF BENGALS EYE: Cornerback Eli Apple has repeatedly insisted one of the big reasons the former first-rounder turned around his career in Cincinnati last year is the faith the coaches showed him. "A no-brainer," he said of his decision earlier this month to return on a one-year deal.


On Monday, Taylor continued to show that faith by saying there's no question Apple is one of his three starters to go with Mike Hilton in the slot and Chidobe Awuzie on the other side. He remembers the 15 solid games off the bench in place of the injured Trae Waynes and the two huge plays in the playoffs. His tipped pass for middle linebacker Logan Wilson's pick set up the last-second win in Tennessee and his tackle of Tyreek Hill on the Bengals 1 the next week in Kansas City turned the AFC championship.
"If you don't have a quality corner, people are going to find him and pick on him. Eli Apple is a quality starting corner in this league," Taylor said. "I've got a lot of praise for Eli. I have a lot of respect for the things he did for us this year. He was a priority to try and bring back because I think our team appreciates him.
"I mean, Eli was there for a lot of big moments. I'm really proud of the way he played this year and really happy we were able to get him back in the mix. He's a big part of what we accomplished."

I think we'll go CB early and maybe double up in the draft. What this tells me is signing a vet in FA like Gilmore looking to start likely isn't on the table.

(03-29-2022, 11:47 AM)grampahol Wrote: Apple played solid after a bit of a rocky start. He earned the shot to be the starter.. Whether he makes it or not is still up in the air, but he played solid for at least the second half of the season if not more..  His off field antics? Nothing horrible, but silly.. I can live with it..

I'm along the same line as gramps here.

I don't do social media, at all. So I'm not hip to or care that much about his antics there. 

He actually played decent to good to last half of the season and playoffs. Made some really big plays ! Will that continue ? Who knows ? I'd say he'll get a shot at staying a starter for sure.

Apple is a big (6'1", 200) fast (sub 4.4 forty) former top 10 draft pick.

He could blossom into a great player here like another former first round "bust" did a few years ago (Reggie Nelson). Or he could burn out and flop.

But he has played well enough to be one of our top 3 CBs. I don't think many NFL teams have 3 starting lock down CBs.

We will probably draft a CB because they are so expensive in free agency, but I doubt anyone we draft at #31 will play ahead of Eli as a rookie.

(03-29-2022, 11:30 AM)Emeritus Wrote:

I'm not sure he's the starter but this is a team that has a belief in his capabilities. This guy is so polarizing because he has just as many haters as fans. Its interesting to me because if your not going to trade up for a guy or grab a FA then your banking on a player on the current roster to be the starter imo. The class although talented has a starter ready cliff but its certainly deep with potential. Maybe another veteran is the safest path to at least securing the position for a camp battle. Time will tell but I can see it being a topic of discussion moving forward especially after the draft. Thoughts?

Apple is the starter, there isn’t an open starting spot on the defense.
What the Bengals will be doing shortly is drafting starters for 2023 and 2024.

If he is, he's the weakest starter of the 22 and LG isn't filled yet. He was a backup plan last year, I don't see it being any different this year. CB in round 1 or 2.

As of right now I gotta believe he is, but I think the Bengals like most of you will be drafting at least 2 this year, we need a guy to groom behind Apple, and lets face it he really wasn't terrible the 2nd half of the year. I could live with this type of production from our CB depth chart:


1) Awozie
2) Hilton-slot
3) Apple
4) Roger McCreary-Auburn 1st rd pick
5) Jalen Davis
6) Tre Flowers- re-signed after draft.

(03-29-2022, 12:28 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Apple is a big (6'1", 200) fast (sub 4.4 forty) former top 10 draft pick.

He could blossom into a great player here like another former first round "bust" did a few years ago (Reggie Nelson).  Or he could burn out and flop.

But he has played well enough to be one of our top 3 CBs.  I don't think many NFL teams have 3 starting lock down CBs.

We will probably draft a CB because they are so expensive in free agency, but I doubt anyone we draft at #31 will play ahead of Eli as a rookie.

Eli Apple has mostly been an ok corner during his career but nowhere close to great.... His personality coupled with him being a top 10 draft pick makes his play look worse that it really is... Apple's biggest weakness is he misses a very high percentage of tackles in the open field which leads to big plays. 

(03-29-2022, 01:28 PM)Synric Wrote: Eli Apple has mostly been an ok corner during his career

That’s putting it nicely. Guy was trash his whole career

Now he seems to be competent and ok

Yes he is.

But aside from LG/C (Karras at C atm, Carman/Smith at G), his CB slot is really the only starting spot I could see changing hands based on what remains in FA or the draft. Perhaps LB if Lloyd or Dead falls to us, or Harris.

I think IOL (Linderbaum, Johnson, Green), CB (McDiffie, Booth, Elam, McCreary, Gordon, Woolen), DT (Wyatt, Winfrey), and maybe S (Hill, Brisker, Cine) or LB (Lloyd, Dean, Harris) are all on the table at #31 or if we trade down a bit.

There are some decent Rd 3 corners as well, but Apple is gonna start over those guys (or Woolen). A Rd1-2 corner & it will be open competition.

(03-29-2022, 01:34 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Yes he is.

But aside from LG/C (Karras at C atm, Carman/Smith at G), his CB slot is really the only starting spot I could see changing hands based on what remains in FA or the draft. Perhaps LB if Lloyd or Dead falls to us, or Harris.

I think IOL (Linderbaum, Johnson, Green), CB (McDiffie, Booth, Elam, McCreary, Gordon, Woolen), DT (Wyatt, Winfrey), and maybe S (Hill, Brisker, Cine) or LB (Lloyd, Dean, Harris) are all on the table at #31 or if we trade down a bit.

There are some decent Rd 3 corners as well, but Apple is gonna start over those guys (or Woolen). A Rd1-2 corner & it will be open competition.

Is there really a LB named Dead? I want this guy on my team! Lol