Something I hadn't really realized is just how many of our guys on our roster were drafted by us. In fact the only two guys on our main starting roster not drafted by us is Pacman and Nelson. This isn't taking into account rotational guys or special teams, but its kind of crazy that one of the deepest rosters in the nfl was obtained almost entirely in the draft and non drafted free agents. Is this more common in the NFL than I realize or are we an anomaly ?

I know this is something that has been talked about at length, but do you think Marvin Lewis has a future as a GM rather than coach with results like this and do you believe he would be a better GM than coach ?

Oh and AJ Hawk

Brandon Tate could be considered a starter, but I dont consider him a receiver so I didn't list him.

It shows that the Bengals have done a pretty good job finding talent (and keeping it).

However, the one issue with having so many starters being drafted by the team also shows some stubbornness by the FO and coaches.

Most teams that advance in the playoffs have a really solid roster but go out and get a couple great FA starters to take them over the top. The Bengals have had the cap room to do this but continue to put (too much?) faith in their own players that they drafted and know the system.

There is definitely something to be said though of being able to maintain such a solid roster year after year though.

(09-01-2015, 10:44 AM)Okeana Wrote: Oh and AJ Hawk

Brandon Tate could be considered a starter, but I dont consider him a receiver so I didn't list him.

Special teams starter but not Offense

I believe all 11 on offense are home grown (drafted)

Whit, Zeitler, Boiling, Bodine, Smith
Dalton, Gio, Hill
AJ, MJ, Sanu,
Eifert and all the TEs

Other than Tate,Winston, Little, im having trouble thinking of anyone on that side of the ball thats not our draft pick or undrafted.


**Well Nugent if you consider that an offensive position because he scores points.

(09-01-2015, 10:42 AM)Okeana Wrote: Something I hadn't really realized is just how many of our guys on our roster were drafted by us.  In fact the only two guys on our main starting roster not drafted by us is Pacman and Nelson.  This isn't taking into account rotational guys or special teams, but its kind of crazy that one of the deepest rosters in the nfl was obtained almost entirely in the draft and non drafted free agents.  Is this more common in the NFL than I realize or are we an anomaly ?

I know this is something that has been talked about at length, but do you think Marvin Lewis has a future as a GM rather than coach with results like this and do you believe he would be a better GM than coach ?

Agreed.  The Bengals have drafted very well, overall.  This trend has really been going for over the last 5-6 years.  Nugent is another player not drafted by the Bengals.  And Lamur, Burfict, and Hewitt were UDFA, but the overall point is that they have built a strong and deep roster mostly through drafting and developing players.

I will be honest:  I wanted to break the bank for Suh.  The thought of him next to Atkins made me think they would be borderline unstoppable.  I was willing to part with Hall, Peko, and not sign MJ to make it happen.  However, the best way to avoid the huge potential dropoff season is to have quality depth spread at all position groups and that is exactly what they have done. 

I think Marvin would make a fantastic GM, and it would be a terrific legacy role for him if he was able to win the Lombardi and then pass the torch to Hue. 

I count a total of 11 players who were not drafted by us. On the entire team.
Cedric Peerman
Greg Little
Brandon Tate
Eric Winston
Wallace Gilberry
A.J. Hawk
Chris Carter
Adam Jones
Reggie Nelson
Mike Nugent
Clark Harris


Meanwhile, the following players have been drafted or signed prior to that player gaining any game experience:
Andy Dalton
A.J. McCarron
Jeremy Hill
Giovani Bernard
Rex Burkhead
Ryan Hewitt
A.J. Green
Marvin Jones
Mohammed Sanu
Mario Alford
Tyler Eifert
Tyler Kroft
C.J. Uzomah
Andrew Whitworth
Andre Smith 
Jake Fisher
Clint Boling
Kevin Zeitler
Dan France
Trey Hopkins
Russell Bodine
Michael Johnson
Carlos Dunlap
Margus Hunt
Will Clarke
Geno Atkins
Domata Peko
Marcus Hardison
Brandon Thompson
Pat Sims
Paul Dawson
Rey Maualuga
Emmanuel Lamur
Vinny Rey
Leon Hall
Dre Kirkpatrick
Darqueze Dennard
Josh Shaw
Troy Hill
George Iloka
Derron Smith
Shawn Williams
Kevin Huber
Terrell Watson
DeShawn Williams
Keith Wenning
Marquis Flowers
Tom Obarski
Jake Kumerow
John Peters
James Wilder Jr
Matt Lengel
Cedric Ogbuehi
Vontaze Burfict
James Wright

I chose these players based on who I predicted makes the 53 man squad and the practice squad here. Plus Trey Hopkins:
http://bengalsboard.net/Thread-2015-Early-53-Man-Predictions?pid=52892#pid52892


I wonder if any other team in the NFL has that ratio.

Yeah its pretty amazing considering the mentality of most teams. If Marvin were to lead this team to a Lombardi this year it would be one of the biggest franchise turnaround's in league history. Considering the team Marvin Lewis started with and where he is now it's nothing short of amazing. I think a lot of people are bitter because lack of playoff success and rightfully so, but it only takes 1 year and those same people will be calling him one of the best coaches of this generation. Having a sustainable team of home grown talent and considered one of the deepest rosters in the league is nothing to scoff at.

Either way I'm getting the feeling that he wants to retire from coaching after this year and I think he's left this team in a much better place than where he started.

(09-01-2015, 11:55 AM)ochocincos Wrote: It shows that the Bengals have done a pretty good job finding talent (and keeping it).

However, the one issue with having so many starters being drafted by the team also shows some stubbornness by the FO and coaches.

Most teams that advance in the playoffs have a really solid roster but go out and get a couple great FA starters to take them over the top. The Bengals have had the cap room to do this but continue to put (too much?) faith in their own players that they drafted and know the system.

There is definitely something to be said though of being able to maintain such a solid roster year after year though.

This is probably not the place for this but I read where the Bengals OL is rated (5th) below Ravens and Browns. Is the notion that the Bengals OL is so great, all hype?

(09-01-2015, 06:43 PM)Derrick Wrote: This is probably not the place for this but I read where the Bengals OL is rated (5th) below Ravens and Browns. Is the notion that the Bengals OL is so great, all hype?

Respect the Browns Oline for starters, its the one thing they have on a consistent basis. (Secondary has great potential).

Raiders have about 3 quality guys to our 4, they've improved but wouldn't put them over ours.

(09-01-2015, 10:42 AM)Okeana Wrote: Something I hadn't really realized is just how many of our guys on our roster were drafted by us.  In fact the only two guys on our main starting roster not drafted by us is Pacman and Nelson.  This isn't taking into account rotational guys or special teams, but its kind of crazy that one of the deepest rosters in the nfl was obtained almost entirely in the draft and non drafted free agents.  Is this more common in the NFL than I realize or are we an anomaly ?

I know this is something that has been talked about at length, but do you think Marvin Lewis has a future as a GM rather than coach with results like this and do you believe he would be a better GM than coach ?

Or the outside backers.  Neither Burfict or Lamur were draft picks, and Hawk was a FA.

Packers are pretty similar to us in that way as well. Even the starters that have been drafted by other teams feel like ours because they been here since 2010.

Yeah we've emulated the Packers' way of doing things quite well.


If we could only emulate their coaching as well....

(09-01-2015, 10:42 AM)Okeana Wrote: Something I hadn't really realized is just how many of our guys on our roster were drafted by us.  In fact the only two guys on our main starting roster not drafted by us is Pacman and Nelson.  This isn't taking into account rotational guys or special teams, but its kind of crazy that one of the deepest rosters in the nfl was obtained almost entirely in the draft and non drafted free agents.  Is this more common in the NFL than I realize or are we an anomaly ?

I know this is something that has been talked about at length, but do you think Marvin Lewis has a future as a GM rather than coach with results like this and do you believe he would be a better GM than coach ?

I think this does speak to the FO's great job of drafting and developing players, I wonder how this number compares to other teams in the league?

We have sprinkled in some nice veterans and the reason I don't think we see more as we have invested in resigning our guys who are due big pay days!

(09-01-2015, 09:08 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: Or the outside backers.  Neither Burfict or Lamur were draft picks, and Hawk was a FA.

I mean come on man ? Burfict ? 

(09-01-2015, 09:19 PM)J24 Wrote: Packers are pretty similar to us in that way as well. Even the starters that have been drafted by other teams feel like ours because they been here since 2010

Yeah i think the packs are probably the closest.  I dunno how the seahawks fit in, but a lot of their top guys were drafted by them.  I know they made a big splash in free agency this year, but most of their guys are homegrown ?

(09-01-2015, 09:08 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: Or the outside backers.  Neither Burfict or Lamur were draft picks, and Hawk was a FA.

Ok so i will seriously reply to this just in case you're not trying to be funny.  Lamur and Burfict were undrafted free agents that we acquired after the draft and both have only played for us.  This is the same concept as being drafted in the context of this post.

(09-02-2015, 12:12 PM)Okeana Wrote: Ok so i will seriously reply to this just in case you're not trying to be funny.  Lamur and Burfict were undrafted free agents that we acquired after the draft and both have only played for us.  This is the same concept as being drafted in the context of this post.

you can say that but they dont fall into the DRAFTed category... they are undrafted.

(09-02-2015, 12:29 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: you can say that but they dont fall into the DRAFTed category... they are undrafted.

Lol this is so stupid i don't even know how to reply

(09-01-2015, 12:17 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Agreed.  The Bengals have drafted very well, overall.  This trend has really been going for over the last 5-6 years.  Nugent is another player not drafted by the Bengals.  And Lamur, Burfict, and Hewitt were UDFA, but the overall point is that they have built a strong and deep roster mostly through drafting and developing players.

I will be honest:  I wanted to break the bank for Suh.  The thought of him next to Atkins made me think they would be borderline unstoppable.  I was willing to part with Hall, Peko, and not sign MJ to make it happen.  However, the best way to avoid the huge potential dropoff season is to have quality depth spread at all position groups and that is exactly what they have done. 

I think Marvin would make a fantastic GM, and it would be a terrific legacy role for him if he was able to win the Lombardi and then pass the torch to Hue. 

HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING..BUT THAT DOES NOT TRANSLATE INTO A SINGLE PLAYOFF WIN

SO YOU HAVE MARVIN LEWIS AS A HEAD COACH WHOM HAS NOT HAD A SINGLE PLAYOFF WIN IN WHAT 11 YEARS AND FOR SURE HE WOULD BE A TERRIFIC GM.. ?