I can see the arguments for this being TEs or LBs but for me our weakest position group at the moment is CB.

This is a position where you need at least four good starters and strong depth down to fifth or even sixth corner.

We currently have two.

Adam Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick look to be decent starters. Leon Hall has not played well in preseason after struggling last season and tbh looks like a liability. We simply don't know what were have with the currently injured Darqueze Dennard and beyond that we have two rookies in Josh Shaw and Troy Hill - neither of whom have looked comfortable in preseason - and the ever mediocre Chris Lewis-Harris.

I'm terrified of an injury to Adam Jones right now, and you should be, too. This is the one position I could see us improving prior to week one through trade or picking up someone else's cuts.

Tim Jennings have anything left in the tank?

eh

I'm more worried about a Burfict-less linebacker core

Good points, but center is far away our weakest position.

(08-30-2015, 07:50 PM)Frank Pembleton Wrote: eh

I'm more worried about a Burfict-less linebacker core

We've kept the same backers as last year after Burfict went down, and added AJ Hawk and PJ Dawson.  If anything our backers have improved this season and, while nothing to write home about, should be good enough to get things done.

At CB, on the other hand, we've lost one starter in Newman and another starter - Hall - looks like he's no longer good enough to start.  Cornerback is definitely weaker than LB.

(08-30-2015, 08:02 PM)Shady Wrote: Good points, but center is far away our weakest position.

Meh, Bodine may not be the best Center in the NFL, but one guy on a pretty good offensive line is not going to make the difference.  Remember when we went to the playoffs with Nate Livings at LG?

Most teams have problems with having 1 pretty good CB.

We have lots of promise there.

As long as there is a pass rush it is a moot point.


LB is the only uneasy group In my mind at this moment.

(08-30-2015, 08:12 PM)bengal kitten uk Wrote: We've kept the same backers as last year after Burfict went down, and added AJ Hawk and PJ Dawson.  If anything our backers have improved this season and, while nothing to write home about, should be good enough to get things done.

Hawk is not an upgrade lol

Dawson on the other hand, is an upgrade, but he wont be starting. So there's that.

Corner is, and forever will be, our strongest position. Teams would sacrifice animals for our defensive backfield

Oh, well if you say it, it must be true.

Why do you think we have such a strong corner group and what do you think is wrong with my evaluation of them?

Because I don't see how you can call this a strong group:

Solid #3 (Jones)
Inexperienced #1 (Dre)
Aging Vet who can't run or cut anymore (Hall)
Injured Rookie (Dennard)
Rookie (Shaw)
Rookie (Hill)
Mediocre Corner (Lewis-Harris)
Always injured vet (Ghee)

(08-30-2015, 08:13 PM)Junglejuice Wrote: Most teams have problems with having 1 pretty good CB.

We have lots of promise there.

As long as there is a pass rush it is a moot point.


LB is the only uneasy group In my mind at this moment.

Good point.  I also don't see their strategy of just avoiding getting beat over the top changing.  I always hear how they are going to play more press coverage, but in the end they play to not give up a big play.

The pass rush, if it can return to the 2013 form, could help this group generate more turnovers.  Something they have been woefully ineffective at for some time.

If Saturday night is any indication of the season to come E Fischer will be considered a blocking TE. We all know Tyler Eifert will be a stud just need Kroft to block extremely well and catch that occasional pass.

Perhaps we see more of T Hewitt as a traditional TE as well?

(08-31-2015, 08:11 AM)bengal kitten uk Wrote: Oh, well if you say it, it must be true.

Why do you think we have such a strong corner group and what do you think is wrong with my evaluation of them?

Because I don't see how you can call this a strong group:

Solid #3 (Jones)
Inexperienced #1 (Dre)
Aging Vet who can't run or cut anymore (Hall)
Injured Rookie (Dennard)
Rookie (Shaw)
Rookie (Hill)
Mediocre Corner (Lewis-Harris)
Always injured vet (Ghee)

Well with those kind of statistics who can argue?  

(08-31-2015, 09:32 AM)EatonFan Wrote: Well with those kind of statistics who can argue?  

I was going to spend the time going down the list and refuting his post, but then I stopped when I noticed that he called Jones a "solid #3".

lolwat, #3? Solid? Uhhhhh...sure?

TE is the team's biggest question-mark. Eifert may be an injury case and there are only other rookies behind him.

I hope this does not turn into another season where the Bengals go seeking aid from season vets like Dan Coats...

(08-30-2015, 08:02 PM)Shady Wrote: Good points, but center is far away our weakest position.

Its amazing how our center looked just fine after we brought back Smith this week.  You can't blame a center for suffering when the whole right side of the line collapses on every play

(08-31-2015, 06:15 PM)Okeana Wrote: Its amazing how our center looked just fine after we brought back Smith this week.  You can't blame a center for suffering when the whole right side of the line collapses on every play

He didn't look too good to me as he was unceremoniously shoved into the backfield by a single defender.  Everyone says he did better, but I saw no evidence of that beyond no botched snaps.

Pretty low bar

Of course I'm terrified of a Pacman injury. He's a walking metaphor from Zimmer's "scrap heap" days.

But if it's fear of injury, the position group I choose is DEs. Dunlap is far and away the best, then the drop-off is significant. MJ's knee leaves him an unknown at the moment, and he was hurt a lot of last year. He's a tweener anyway, a specialist, and some critics credited his success to Geno. Gilberry-Hunt-Clarke is the poster trio for "servicability" (if even that good, combined).

Linebacker, by far and away, the position group that I have had the most concern with.  For years, now...

We have a lot of young talent at the CB position. I'm not all too worried about it. There will always be growing pains at some point but I think Kirkpatrick, Dennard and Shaw will be the lineup of the future. Yes Dennard is hurt but I don't doubt him at all. Shaw has stood out as a possible 3rd CB.

weakest position is LB because our LBs are not multifaceted at all. Maualuga can play the run but cant play pass. Lamur can play the pass but not the run. Burfict to pup. Hawk is old. There are some issues there. Thankfully we got Dawson.

Center... ya its weak, but Bodine will be our center through the season, and hopefully we get a nice first round center someday lol.

(08-30-2015, 08:13 PM)Junglejuice Wrote: Most teams have problems with having 1 pretty good CB.

We have lots of promise there.

As long as there is a pass rush it is a moot point.


LB is the only uneasy group In my mind at this moment.

once again the DL and DBs will have to make up for the LBers but i think they can.