Everybody knows LBer and Oline have been the Bengals achilles heels for the last couple seasons. I guess it's debatable which has been worse but they're 1 and 2 by nearly any measure.

Here's the guys on the roster now:

Brandon Bell
Preston Brown
Deshaun Davis R
Jordan Evans
Malik Jefferson
Hardy Nickerson
Germaine Pratt R
Nick Vigil
Chris Worley

It seems Vincent Rey isn't coming back ?

It's most likely Preston Brown and Nick Vigil are on the team/starters. I'd guess they're not going to cut Jefferson, a 3rd round pick with such a small sample size. Pratt is on the team and probably our starting will.

Who are the other two on the 53 barring any late additions ? I'd guess there's a fair chance Deshaun Davis makes the team he's a thumping run stopper and we've stunk against the run a lot of late.

That leaves Bell, Evans, Nickerson, and Worley fighting for the final spot. Of course one or two may make PS. I can't imagine Nickerson making the team and of the other 3 Evans has shown promise at times.

So I'd say:
Brown
Vigil
Pratt
Jefferson
Davis
Evans

What do you think ? Is this enough ? Can this crew improve a historically bad LBer corps ?

(04-30-2019, 10:52 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Everybody knows LBer and Oline have been the Bengals achilles heels for the last couple seasons. I guess it's debatable which has been worse but they're 1 and 2 by nearly any measure.

Here's the guys on the roster now:

Brandon Bell
Preston Brown
Deshaun Davis R
Jordan Evans
Malik Jefferson
Hardy Nickerson
Germaine Pratt R
Nick Vigil
Chris Worley

It seems Vincent Rey isn't coming back ?

It's most likely Preston Brown and Nick Vigil are on the team/starters. I'd guess they're not going to cut Jefferson, a 3rd round pick with such a small sample size. Pratt is on the team and probably our starting will.

Who are the other two on the 53 barring any late additions ? I'd guess there's a fair chance Deshaun Davis makes the team he's a thumping run stopper and we've stunk against the run a lot of late.

That leaves Bell, Evans, Nickerson, and Worley fighting for the final spot. Of course one or two may make PS. I can't imagine Nickerson making the team and of the other 3 Evans has shown promise at times.

So I'd say:
Brown
Vigil
Pratt
Jefferson
Davis
Evans

What do you think ? Is this enough ? Can this crew improve a historically bad LBer corps ?

My early thought is Davis and Evans. I think a roster cut from another team that we pick up leading into camp could change that though.

with those names on the roster, we need a miracle!!!

Should we delete any post that was positive about Devin Bush now that the Steelers have him?

(04-30-2019, 12:15 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Should we delete any post that was positive about Devin Bush now that the Steelers have him?

No, but I don't see why he would come up in discussion of the Bengals LB corps.

We use 3 LBs so little (about 1/3rd of snaps) I wonder if we might go to just carrying 5 LBs on the roster.

(04-30-2019, 12:20 PM)fredtoast Wrote: No, but I don't see why he would come up in discussion of the Bengals LB corps.

We use 3 LBs so little (about 1/3rd of snaps) I wonder if we might go to just carrying 5 LBs on the roster.

I'll agree with you eventually.  It's still draft season and we spent so much time talking about how essential getting a top LB was to our success in 2019 onward that it would be unfair to just forget about the guy a few days later.  This was one of those cases where I actually let myself buy into the positive vibes about a guy we would almost certainly get, so seeing him go to Pittsburgh is rough.

Call me a sad sack, but the one two punch of the whole thing has me stung, for now.  

getting rid of Lewis and Haslett automatically upgrades
the LBers.
I know LBers can make or break a defense..but quick can anyone name the Rams starting LBers from last year?

Vigil and Pratt will be our 3 down LB this season while Brown will be a base package LB only. It's not a great situation but if Pratt is as good as he was in college and Vigil can remain healthy it will a solid unit.

(04-30-2019, 10:52 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Everybody knows LBer and Oline have been the Bengals achilles heels for the last couple seasons. I guess it's debatable which has been worse but they're 1 and 2 by nearly any measure.

Here's the guys on the roster now:

Brandon Bell
Preston Brown
Deshaun Davis R
Jordan Evans
Malik Jefferson
Hardy Nickerson
Germaine Pratt R
Nick Vigil
Chris Worley

It seems Vincent Rey isn't coming back ?

It's most likely Preston Brown and Nick Vigil are on the team/starters. I'd guess they're not going to cut Jefferson, a 3rd round pick with such a small sample size. Pratt is on the team and probably our starting will.

Who are the other two on the 53 barring any late additions ? I'd guess there's a fair chance Deshaun Davis makes the team he's a thumping run stopper and we've stunk against the run a lot of late.

That leaves Bell, Evans, Nickerson, and Worley fighting for the final spot. Of course one or two may make PS. I can't imagine Nickerson making the team and of the other 3 Evans has shown promise at times.

So I'd say:
Brown
Vigil
Pratt
Jefferson
Davis
Evans

What do you think ? Is this enough ? Can this crew improve a historically bad LBer corps ?

On The Team
Preston Brown
Nick Vigil
Germaine Pratt R
Malik Jefferson
Brandon Bell or Chris Worley OR Not Yet on the Roster
Jordan Evans

Cut
Hardy Nickerson

Practice Squad
Deshaun Davis R

imho

(04-30-2019, 12:27 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I'll agree with you eventually.  It's still draft season and we spent so much time talking about how essential getting a top LB was to our success in 2019 onward that it would be unfair to just forget about the guy a few days later.  This was one of those cases where I actually let myself buy into the positive vibes about a guy we would almost certainly get, so seeing him go to Pittsburgh is rough.

Call me a sad sack, but the one two punch of the whole thing has me stung, for now.  

I wouldn't worry about it too much.  I don't think Bush was going to be the pick even if he was there at #11.  With Jonah on the board, he would have been the pick regardless.

(04-30-2019, 12:44 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: I wouldn't worry about it too much.  I don't think Bush was going to be the pick even if he was there at #11.  With Jonah on the board, he would have been the pick regardless.

Possibly.  I live in Steeler country and I was watching the draft with my pals who are mostly Steelers fans (and one bored Browns fan, there) and I talked up Bush, then heard the Steelers were thinking about trading up to 10 and changed my tune to "O-line...that's where it's at!  Deep LB class this year...yeahhhh!"

(04-30-2019, 12:27 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I'll agree with you eventually.  It's still draft season and we spent so much time talking about how essential getting a top LB was to our success in 2019 onward that it would be unfair to just forget about the guy a few days later.  This was one of those cases where I actually let myself buy into the positive vibes about a guy we would almost certainly get, so seeing him go to Pittsburgh is rough.

Call me a sad sack, but the one two punch of the whole thing has me stung, for now.  

The whole Bush/Steelers thing never really bothered me. I think it was a desperate move by a team that's in fairly dire straits.

(04-30-2019, 12:31 PM)impactplaya Wrote: getting rid of Lewis and Haslett automatically upgrades
the LBers.
I know LBers can make or break a defense..but quick can anyone name the Rams starting LBers from last year?

I believe that as well

(04-30-2019, 12:33 PM)Jakeypoo Wrote: Vigil and Pratt will be our 3 down LB this season while Brown will be a base package LB only. It's not a great situation but if Pratt is as good as he was in college and Vigil can remain healthy it will a solid unit.

That depends on who will be wearing the helmet with the mic. If Brown has it on he will be in the nickle with Vigil. If its Vigil Pratt has a chance to play in the nickle.

(04-30-2019, 10:52 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Everybody knows LBer and Oline have been the Bengals achilles heels for the last couple seasons. I guess it's debatable which has been worse but they're 1 and 2 by nearly any measure.

Here's the guys on the roster now:

Brandon Bell
Preston Brown
Deshaun Davis R
Jordan Evans
Malik Jefferson
Hardy Nickerson
Germaine Pratt R
Nick Vigil
Chris Worley

It seems Vincent Rey isn't coming back ?

It's most likely Preston Brown and Nick Vigil are on the team/starters. I'd guess they're not going to cut Jefferson, a 3rd round pick with such a small sample size. Pratt is on the team and probably our starting will.

Who are the other two on the 53 barring any late additions ? I'd guess there's a fair chance Deshaun Davis makes the team he's a thumping run stopper and we've stunk against the run a lot of late.

That leaves Bell, Evans, Nickerson, and Worley fighting for the final spot. Of course one or two may make PS. I can't imagine Nickerson making the team and of the other 3 Evans has shown promise at times.

So I'd say:
Brown
Vigil
Pratt
Jefferson
Davis
Evans

What do you think ? Is this enough ? Can this crew improve a historically bad LBer corps ?

I agree with your preference as usual, Evans as the last Backer to make it if we don't make any other moves. Still think we ought to look at Linebackers that get cut from other teams, Davis isn't very athletic or good in coverage so i think i would keep Evans over him if Evans can improve his tackling. I think under a new LB coach and a new DC we have a chance to have a decent Linebacking corps.

Would love for a player like Malik Jefferson to come around cause he has tons of talent. Pratt was such a great selection and i had him as my 2nd best Linebacker in this Draft behind Devin White, great tackler that can cover. Bush wasn't as good of a tackler in college, we need good tackling Linebackers.

Hobson-

Same thing at linebacker. I can see Pratt starting and Davis making it. History says they keep six, so let’s see what college free agency brings. Yeah, I think Jefferson gets a second chance with a new staff. But, remember, they usually keep six and it seems like they’ve already got four, so guys are grinding. Tobin and Lewis had a nice track of CFA linebackers (Dan Skuta, Vinny Rey, Vontaze Burfict), so let’s see.

and On draft pick Davis and also Jefferson-

Thank you for writing from such a picturesque spot. I think they got a hell of a pick in Davis and he’s got top half of the draft production. If he was two inches taller he probably goes real early. Like I say, I think he makes it and while Jefferson gets a second chance, the music is playing because it looks like they’ve got four, right? Pratt, Davis, Preston Brown and Nick Vigil and guys like Jordan Evans and Hardy Nickerson have played a lot. They also could bloom in a different system.

----

Reading between the lines it wasn't a vote of confidence for Malik Jefferson. The odd thing is I have seen evaluators rate him as the top linebacker pick in the draft last year based on RAL and production. It would be insane if he got cut. He must be dumber than a bucket of bolts.


And as much as I hated taking Junior Sample in the 2nd, if Hardy Nickerson is re-signed I will switch to another team without a second thought. Well, the only contingency on that is that they are obviously going to try and tank the season. I hope they start him.

(04-30-2019, 12:55 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: The whole Bush/Steelers thing never really bothered me. I think it was a desperate move by a team that's in fairly dire straits.

I sure hope you're right. 

(04-30-2019, 12:31 PM)impactplaya Wrote: getting rid of Lewis and Haslett automatically upgrades
the LBers.
I know LBers can make or break a defense..but quick can anyone name the Rams starting LBers from last year?

When you have Aaron Donald on your defensive line it instantly upgrades your LB core. Yes, I know we have Geno, but Donald is in a league by himself. 

(04-30-2019, 01:12 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I agree with your preference as usual, Evans as the last Backer to make it if we don't make any other moves. Still think we ought to look at Linebackers that get cut from other teams, Davis isn't very athletic or good in coverage so i think i would keep Evans over him if Evans can improve his tackling. I think under a new LB coach and a new DC we have a chance to have a decent Linebacking corps.

Would love for a player like Malik Jefferson to come around cause he has tons of talent. Pratt was such a great selection and i had him as my 2nd best Linebacker in this Draft behind Devin White, great tackler that can cover. Bush wasn't as good of a tackler in college, we need good tackling Linebackers.

I'm almost as curious about Jefferson as I am Ross as to what they can do under different coaching ?

(04-30-2019, 01:13 PM)yang Wrote: Hobson-

Same thing at linebacker. I can see Pratt starting and Davis making it. History says they keep six, so let’s see what college free agency brings. Yeah, I think Jefferson gets a second chance with a new staff. But, remember, they usually keep six and it seems like they’ve already got four, so guys are grinding. Tobin and Lewis had a nice track of CFA linebackers (Dan Skuta, Vinny Rey, Vontaze Burfict), so let’s see.

and On Malik-

Thank you for writing from such a picturesque spot. I think they got a hell of a pick in Davis and he’s got top half of the draft production. If he was two inches taller he probably goes real early. Like I say, I think he makes it and while Jefferson gets a second chance, the music is playing because it looks like they’ve got four, right? Pratt, Davis, Preston Brown and Nick Vigil and guys like Jordan Evans and Hardy Nickerson have played a lot. They also could bloom in a different system.

----

Reading between the lines it wasn't a vote of confidence for Malik Jefferson.  The odd thing is I have seen evaluators rate him as the top linebacker pick in the draft last year based on RAL and production.   It would be insane if he got cut.  He must be dumber than a bucket of bolts.


And as much as I hated taking Junior Sample in the 2nd, if Hardy Nickerson is re-signed I will switch to another team without a second thought.   Well, the only contingency on that is that they are obviously going to try and tank the season.  I hope they start him.

I'm not sure if I've ever seen a worse LBer than Nickerson ?

(04-30-2019, 04:33 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I'm almost as curious about Jefferson as I am Ross as to what they can do under different coaching ?


I'm not sure if I've ever seen a worse LBer than Nickerson ?

Need to have good coaching to get the most out of raw, talented players. Marv and his crew shown they couldn't do it. Lets see if Taylor and his crew can. Yes, i never seen anything worse than Nickerson, you put in a talent like Malik if the guy starting is this bad regardless of what happens. Atleast your talented young LB gets some snaps and gets to know the game a bit in the NFL.

Trotting Nickerson out there did nothing for anybody but the other team's Offense lol