(04-08-2017, 06:05 PM)kevin Wrote: Plus Minter is ONE and losing Maualuga and Dansby is TWO....Even I can count that high.....Plus we have not drafted a LB in round one in a long time.  I really want the LSU RB, but most mock drafts have him gone before 9.  Lets get a LB.  Harrison, and Hawk and Dansby were like putting retreads on a car. It's time for new tires.  Minter is still young as is Burfict and a top pick LB and now we aren't trying to ride on bald tires. 

(04-09-2017, 12:42 AM)The Caped Crusader Wrote: Burfict. Minter. Rey. I think the LB core is set. I'd be more worried about addressing the DE problem or lack of pass rush.

(04-09-2017, 02:58 AM)Jpoore Wrote: Burfict mitner vigil but yeah. We are set.

(04-09-2017, 03:22 AM)The Caped Crusader Wrote: I don't think Vigil has earned his spot over Rey...Yet. Rey has consistently played well. Will that change this year? Yeah...but I don't see how you put Vigil over Rey...at this point in time.

(04-09-2017, 06:28 AM)kevin Wrote: You guys are over rating Vigil and Rey.  I can see these guys for depth, but to say they make us set and solid at LB, no way, not if you want play-off wins and Super Bowl.  You win with Defense and Bengals just have not been good enough at linebacker in years.  Have you ever noticed the good teams every year eat our linebackers alive running and passing, especially in play-off games.  ......Not only do we need somebody better than Vigil and Rey,  but if the LSU RB is gone we need to draft a LB and hope he becomes better than Burfict and Minter.  You people are talking about just getting by at LB.  Just getting by is why we can't beat the good teams and why we can't win in play-offs.  Good teams run the ball up out LBs rear ends and beat them like a drum on passes.  I once had high hopes for Rey but I now see his game is very limited.  Vigil is young and could be OK, but many laughed at this draft pick.  Anybody we would draft at pick 9 will be better than Rey and Vigil.  I'm talking about bringing in a Pro Bowl LB type in hard hitting Foster or the quick and fast Reddick.  The 70's Steelers had all those great linebackers. The 1980's Browns had all those great linebackers. Bengals Fans just don't understand the importance of great linebackers and great Defense as opposed to just getting by at LB.  There is no way Vigil and Rey make us set at LB. They are good depth and that is all they are. They are not solid starters, not if you want play-off wins.

I have no problem with Atkins, Dunlap, MJ, Sims on D Line. There is room for improvement but that's a good D Line.  I have no problem with our secondary.  I have not liked our linebackers and it has been our weakness in defense.  If we can have 3 top notch linebackers we will be awesome on defense and only then a Super Bowl Type Defense.  This thing of just getting by at linebacker doesn't cut it. The great teams have great linebackers. We are also going to  miss Maualuga more than many of you understand, and neither Rey or Vigil have proved they can fill the bill. Plus we lost Dansby.  Set at linebacker, not hardly.  If the LSU RB is gone at pick 9, taking Foster or Reddick are top draft pick players that can come in here and be a Pro Bowl Type LB and with Burfict and Minter be the LB Corp it takes to win in the NFL. If we have 3 LBs like that with Atkins, Dunlap and our secondary, we will have great defense. You do not just try to get by on defense, you try to dominate as all Super Bowl teams do.

Again, we have been putting retreads on this car in Harrison, Hawk, Dunlap as we draft TE's and CB's every year.  We have not drafted a first round LB in a long time. It is time to stop putting bald tires and retreads on the car at linebacker.  With a pick 9 LB and still young Burfict and Minter we will have some good tires on at LB for change.  Rey and Vigil could be solid bench depth. The good teams can no longer pound the ball up our rear ends all game and I have seen the Patriots, Cowboys, Steelers, Chargers in that 2013 season play-off loss, I have seen the good teams just destroy our linebackers with big run after big run and nothing our D could do to stop it.  If you never saw this, then you never saw how the good teams over the years have manhandled our linebackers. I have seen the Patriots and Steelers do nothing but run the ball on us the entire 4th quarter and our linebackers could do nothing to stop it.  I'm tired of that, and I'm tired of bringing in old players like Harrison, Hawk and Dansby.  It's time to fix this thing.  If the LSU LB is gone at pick 9, then pick 9 becomes our chance to get the top notch LB pick we have needed for many years.  I'll guarantee you if we add Foster or Reddick to Burfict and Minter, not only do teams not run the ball up our rear ends, but teams do not want to play us with this tough of a Defense.

(04-09-2017, 03:28 AM)Jpoore Wrote: Guenther has already stated that come week 1, vigil will be the starting sam lb. Correction he may have said that come day 1 of practice, but he at least instigated that he would start week 1. Rey is great dont get me wrong hes a jack rabbit, but with guenther already stating that and how burfict talked about him last year, hell be the starting sam. 

(04-09-2017, 07:29 AM)The Caped Crusader Wrote: Well, that is completely my fault then. I didn't know that. I would still put Rey ahead of him, at least for the time being. UNLESS he came out and completely out played in camp.

Nick Vigil

(04-09-2017, 07:19 AM)Jpoore Wrote: Did u not hear how all of our lbs were comparing vigil to luke kuechly? And if it was laughed at then those people are idiots and know nothing about football. Hell his lb teamate was picked with the next pick. He looked elite in limited action and will be a pro bowler/ elite starter for many years. Our dline on the other hand needs to get younger across the board. Our wrs need to get younger. We did with boyd, but lafell is already 30 and green will be 30 next year. Our cbs literally are completwly unknowns outside of dre k. Pacman is old as dirt. To me vigil is going to be the next luke kuechley and te will not be a problem on defense anymore.

(04-09-2017, 09:28 AM)kevin Wrote: You are more impressed with Vigil and Rey than I am.  I think we are weak at linebacker and have been weak at linebacker for years. One thing about Foster is that teams won't run the ball on us.  He will quickly be our best run stuffing LB on the team. There is also Reddick.  I would rather have Foster. I'm tired of watching good teams run the ball at will on us.  We will never be a good team until we can stuff the run of teams like Patriots, Cowboys, Steelers.   Marvin Lewis has never had linebackers here as good as the ones he had with Ravens. Our LBs stink compared to Super Bowl teams.  Lets stop over rating Bengals LBs and fix the problem.  Just because Pollack got injured and Thurman ruined his career and Rivers didn't work out does not mean you never ever again draft a top LB.  ...........Now I could see taking a top D Lineman or the LSU RB at pick 9 also.   There are no O Linemen worth a pick 9 and WR  or TE or DB at 9 would just be a lousy pick for us.   Here is the deal at CB.  Kirkpatrick, Dennard and Jackson Bengals took in Round One.  Now that's enough.  I'm against this Sherman idea or drafting CB again.  CB is NOT the only position on the field. 

(04-08-2017, 05:08 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Why do you like Foster so much Kevin? He isn't a pass rusher, he isn't the best in coverage, he lowers his head when tackling...

He was on the most talented Defense in college so he wasn't tested near as much with all of that talent around him...

I like both Hassan Reddick and Zach Cunningham better than Foster. Reddick is a great pass rusher with great athleticism that
can cover TE's and tackle. Cunningham can cover TE's. Foster sometimes watches the QB too much and gets lost in coverage
and only weighed 229 pounds at the combine, that is a small Linebacker man.

(04-09-2017, 10:10 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: With you 100%.  There was a stat that was floated by someone on the NFL Network about the % of plays that Foster made within 4 yards of the LOS and the % was low where his line didn't maul the opposing offensive line.  I remember thinking Maualuga would instantly give our defense a badass identity and he would punish opposing QBs and RBs, but that was pretty far off base.  Rey cleaned up a lot of the work of his line in USC.  I don't see Foster as a special player at all.  I also think he has an assbag quality with his stupid issue at the combine.  At #9 overall, that LB would have to be the second coming of Rey Lewis (without the double murder).

(04-09-2017, 12:42 AM)The Caped Crusader Wrote: Burfict. Minter. Rey. I think the LB core is set. I'd be more worried about addressing the DE problem or lack of pass rush.