(05-11-2015, 06:06 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: I like the Hawk addition, but if he is a starter we are in trouble. He has aged and lost a step, can't cover like he used to. I do think if used properly he could help this team win games though, but only as a backup/role player for our LB group.

Agree 100% I know Hawk is a popular player among Cincinnati fans but let's not forget the reality of what kind of linebacker he's been through his career and he's not getting any younger

Our LB core has gotten way better after Paul Dawson has joined...

I hope he starts because this guy is a beast waiting to happen.

Dawson : will start from game one guaranteed. His instincts are off the charts.
Burfict : May miss time but we all know what we get from him
Maulaluga: I have a love hate relationship with him but the man can play the run (when he wants to)
Hawk : I expect more than him than others do. We have a knack for revitalizing defense players .
Eman: will finally be used like he should be ...in a rotation and on passing downs.
Vinny: can and will play any of the 3 spots


I see our linebackers finally being a strength and not a weakness. I see us having more of a rotation similar to that of the d line , keeping everyone fresh and playing to their strengths. I will say it again though, hawk is the one to wAtch this season...I see him having a good year (compared to the last couple )

(05-12-2015, 08:58 AM)milksheikh Wrote: Our LB core has gotten way better after Paul Dawson has joined...

I hope he starts because this guy is a beast waiting to happen.

I agree and although Hawk is aging I think he will help too. If Burfict is healthy the LB core should be MUCH better. Add a better pash rush and it will be MUCH MUCH better!

Please lord have Burfict ready for the season! I think we will be back with a top 10 defense if he stays healthy and Geno shows up this year.

(05-12-2015, 05:46 AM)Storer50 Wrote: Dump Porter, bring in khaseem sreene

I was really hoping we'd find a way to get Greene back in 2013. I'm wondering if he's not that good or if it was Chicago's system.

(05-12-2015, 05:10 PM)Bengal Dude Wrote: I was really hoping we'd find a way to get Greene back in 2013. I'm wondering if he's not that good or if it was Chicago's system.

Not sure exactly how Chicago used Greene, but he was listed as the SAM in their 4-3 alignment. There's a decent chance they didn't put him at a position that fit his strengths. Most people in the draft pegged Greene as a prototypical 4-3 WILL.

IMO we have enough WILLs on this roster.

(05-12-2015, 05:30 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Not sure exactly how Chicago used Greene, but he was listed as the SAM in their 4-3 alignment. There's a decent chance they didn't put him at a position that fit his strengths. Most people in the draft pegged Greene as a prototypical 4-3 WILL.

IMO we have enough WILLs on this roster.

Kind of like Lamur at SLB in this defense, always thought he fit better at WLB but we just have to much talent at that spot.

(05-12-2015, 05:30 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Not sure exactly how Chicago used Greene, but he was listed as the SAM in their 4-3 alignment. There's a decent chance they didn't put him at a position that fit his strengths. Most people in the draft pegged Greene as a prototypical 4-3 WILL.

IMO we have enough WILLs on this roster.

If they were using him as a SAM, then it makes sense.

I agree that we have enough WILL backers on this team.

(05-12-2015, 05:36 PM)Bengal Dude Wrote: If they were using him as a SAM, then it makes sense.

I agree that we have enough WILL backers on this team.

They were all playing like WILLs last season

Not too awfully concerned at LB. I'm more concerned with our D-Line and DE in particular. We can't get pressure without blitzing.

(05-11-2015, 05:59 PM)Ravage Wrote: I'm amazed everyone keeps forgetting about A.J. Hawk. I think Dawson in the coaches best case scenario is one of the first off the bench, not starting unless there's numerous injuries in front of him.

Starters:
Burfict (if healthy)
Maualuga
Hawk
Reserves:
Lamur
Rey
Dawson
Flowers
Porter
DiMacnhe

I had the same thought. Dawson will have some great mentors if he chooses to be mentored.

(05-11-2015, 07:46 PM)BobJones4980 Wrote: Stats don't mean everything, look at what our defense has looked like when Rey M. has missed time, he has a pretty large impact on this defense.

Unfortunately i disagree with this, We as bengals fans prop Rey M. as a good run stopper. He has done good as a linebacker in spots and so has every other LBer in the NFL. Rey isnt even the best run stopper on the team at linebacker.

What I am saying is stats do mean alot at a position where all your stat contributions mean you are in on or making key plays more often than not and Rey has made very few key plays. Now putting him on on short yardage situations like goal line defense im all for it. Its time to get players and start players that are better than Bengal Good.

Rey has been a free agent twice and had no takers, there is a reason for that. Regardless of how much better he got last year he has more years where he was way worse. I think Hawk can do all the things Rey can do except short yardage.

(05-11-2015, 05:03 PM)Alleyviper13 Wrote: If Burfict can remain healthy this season, we might just have the best LB core in the league this season.

Dawson, Burfict, Maualuga. Should be an incredible season for our defense regardless.

I'm still thinking we might not have Burfict all year. You have to come back very slowly from micro fracture surgery. If he doesn't, it could end his career.

I may be in the minority hear but I think our LB's are actually one of the weaker points of the team.

Burfict is the only guy I am completely sold on, but will he come back to the Burfict of 2013? In 2013 he was easily the best LB in the game (maybe im a homer, but close anyways).

After that, I see a ton of question marks.

Maualuga is a quality 2 down backer, but guys like that aren't of high value anymore. A guy like Brandon Spikes could do an equal if not better job, and he is still on the streets.

Hawk is a good player, but is up there in years. He isn't anything more than a stopgap, because the coaches know after Burfict and Maualuga, things get bad.

Emmanual Lamur had potential, but too many times have I seen him mess the edge up, and gives up a big run. Usually fans gush at his speed and cover ability, but he often is using that speed CATCHING guys he should have had earlier, and he often messes up in coverage mentally. He is more of a liability out there than anything.

Vinny Rey is a great backup, but highly overrated. He had that one game where the interceptions kept falling into his lap, its hard to believe that other players wouldn't have looked as good if in the same position.

I like Dawson a lot, and I'm hopeful that he will be lil Burfict, but I think Dennard is a superstar and he barely got to play last year.

In the end, I'm not so sure who will be out there, or how effective they will be. I think TE's will still have an easy time picking up medium yardage against us (Heath Miller), until we get some speedier 1st round 2nd round backers. Marvin has the ability to find LBs like Burfict late in the draft or from free agency, but I think he overestimates his ability to get these guys into playing shape.

Crossing fingers Burfict is 100% healthy by midseason.

(05-11-2015, 05:03 PM)Alleyviper13 Wrote: If Burfict can remain healthy this season, we might just have the best LB core in the league this season.

Dawson, Burfict, Maualuga. Should be an incredible season for our defense regardless.

I appreciate the optimism, but the Bengals backers, as a unit, are still in the bottom half of the NFL. Their coverage skills are among the worst. The best backer is coming off a potentially career threatening surgery, and the other two starters are limited talents. Dawson shows promise, but he's a rook and isn't yet above Maualuga and Hawk on the depth chart. However, If Dawson pans out, and Burfict comes back from microfracture surgery, there is hope.

PSA - Core means center. Corps means body of people.

Apples have cores. The core of the Earth is made of nickel & iron. Do sit-ups to strengthen your core muscle group.

Lewis and Clark made up the Corps of Discovery. The US Marine Corps operates under the Department of the Navy. This thread is about the Bengals' linebacker corps.

(05-12-2015, 05:46 AM)Storer50 Wrote: Dump Porter, bring in khaseem greene

Greene was claimed by the Bucs with their #1 waiver claim along with Swearinger. I'd be curious to see who all put in claims for those two. I'd guess that there were a few more teams before us that would have grabbed them as well.

Our LB core is going to be interesting to see what it becomes. There's a ton of flexibility and players that are worthy of starting. Is Lamur going to step up in the SAM position? Would they move Maualuga there, Burfict to MLB, and Dawson at WILL? Will Hawk be the starter? There's so many questions

(05-11-2015, 05:03 PM)Alleyviper13 Wrote: If Burfict can remain healthy this season, we might just have the best LB core in the league this season.

Dawson, Burfict, Maualuga. Should be an incredible season for our defense regardless.

This defense was a top unit during the second half of last season.

I attribute that to players having to get adjusted to Guenther's new scheme, as it truly did look vastly different than Zimmer's last year.

If the return of MJ can help the d-line at least remotely resemble what they were before 2014, then the LB corps will look 10x better, and if Burfict can actually come back and play like ab all-pro then there isn't any reason our linebackers shouldn't comprise a top unit.