D LINE

[kalibengal]

So far we have Larry O, Reader, Hubbard, Hendrickson and Kareem as our current D line not counting Topou and Wren.
Normally they keep about 8 and not knowing how Wren has healed up and if Topou is in the mix still makes this position group shaky at best. Need more depth and at least another edge pass rusher. I havent heard a peep on Kerrigan and options are thinning out. I saw Browns are bringing in Clowney and another report keeps suggesting we bring in Aldon Smith...thats a classic ML move I dont think ZT would try.

[Sled21]

Bring back the Eastern Block.....

[GreenCornBengal]

Is it the best group? No.

Are they average? Maybe a little below average.

Are they better than last years group? I say definitely.

[fredtoast]

Our four starters are good. Well above average.

But D-line needs depth. Those guys can't be playing 80+% of the snaps every games. We need to sign another DE for sure.

[Joelist]

The starting group is not bad at all. Hendrickson is basically Lawson but he finishes the play more (actually gets the sack instead of the semi-meaningless pressure). Hubbard is solid all around. Reader is an A List DT and Ogunboji gives us back the interior pass rush we have lacked since the prime days of Geno.

Depth? That’s more the issue right now. Even if Tupou is back he took a year off so we have no idea if he is in football shape. Wren is a question mark too. Even if we land Kerrigan we probably still need another DE and DT. If we resign Daniels that would help too.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(03-25-2021, 12:32 PM)kalibengal Wrote: So far we have Larry O, Reader, Hubbard, Hendrickson and Kareem as our current D line not counting Topou and Wren.
Normally they keep about 8 and not knowing how Wren has healed up and if Topou is in the mix still makes this position group shaky at best. Need more depth and at least another edge pass rusher.   I havent heard a peep on Kerrigan and options are thinning out. I saw Browns are bringing in Clowney  and another report keeps suggesting we bring in Aldon Smith...thats a classic ML move I dont think ZT would try.

We keep more than 8. 

Last year it was 9: Dunlap, Reader, Atkins, Hubbard; Lawson, Daniels, Covington, Kareem, Brown.

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2020/9/5/21424008/nfl-cuts-2020-cincinnati-bengals-53-man-roster

In 2019, it was 11. Dunlap, Atkins, Tupou, Hubbard; Lawson, Glasgow, Wren, Billings, Brown, Wynn, Willis.

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/8/31/20842473/cincinnati-bengals-53-man-roster-2019

9 minimum. Maybe 10. 11 was a touch too high.

Starters: Hendrickson, Reader, Ogunjobi, Hubbard


IDK what Tupou's status is after sitting out last year. Will that be an option again? I tend to doubt it. Wren is an injury issue. But, I'd assume he is fit, but would not count on him.

Reserves: Tupou.

Need another DE (Kerrigan) and another 3 technique to back up Ogunjobi. FA or draft.

Fringe/PS: Kareem, Wren, Akinmoladun. 

We were high on Wren a couple years back before the injuries. And we just drafted Kareem last year. But one or both could get bumped depending on how FA/draft unfolds. Freedom is a PS guy methinks.

We may circle back to Damiels, Covington, or Hunt after the draft.

[GreenCornBengal]

Idk what people see in Wren other than the cool name. He’s never done much to impress IMO

[*ochocincos*]

(03-25-2021, 01:35 PM)Joelist Wrote: The starting group is not bad at all. Hendrickson is basically Lawson but he finishes the play more (actually gets the sack instead of the semi-meaningless pressure). Hubbard is solid all around. Reader is an A List DT and Ogunboji gives us back the interior pass rush we have lacked since the prime days of Geno.

Depth? That’s more the issue right now. Even if Tupou is back he took a year off so we have no idea if he is in football shape. Wren is a question mark too. Even if we land Kerrigan we probably still need another DE and DT. If we resign Daniels that would help too.

Yep depth is the issue.
No other quality edge rusher aside from Hubbard and Hendrickson.
Tupou was a quality backup NT, but he hasn't played since 2019.
Wren hasn't impressed me to this point and is coming off season-long injury.
Bengals definitely need 1 edge and 1 IDL guy.

[Sled21]

I'd like to see Daniels, Covington and Hunt all re-signed. Daniels is solid, Covington played above his pedigree last year and should be better all around because of it, and Hunt did a lot better at DT than he ever did at DE. Plus, he's hard to pass on when he's in the middle.

[yang]

I keep expecting them to sign a DT in free agency and there are some good run stuffers out there we could use and it would not surprise me to see us draft one like Osa Odighizuwa in the 3rd or Marlin Tuipalotu in the 5th. But signing one or two frees up the draft.

[GreenCornBengal]

(03-25-2021, 01:59 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I'd like to see Daniels, Covington and Hunt all re-signed. Daniels is solid, Covington played above his pedigree last year and should be better all around because of it, and Hunt did a lot better at DT than he ever did at DE. Plus, he's hard to pass on when he's in the middle.

I liked Covington. He made a few plays and brought some much needed energy. Would like to see him back as a rotational depth piece.

[BengalsFanRealist2855]

(03-25-2021, 01:59 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I'd like to see Daniels, Covington and Hunt all re-signed. Daniels is solid, Covington played above his pedigree last year and should be better all around because of it, and Hunt did a lot better at DT than he ever did at DE. Plus, he's hard to pass on when he's in the middle.

I'd like to see Hunt back ,I think he did pretty good ,and like you said he can get into passing lanes 

[yang]

How about signing

Dalvin Tomlinson has a distinct profile as an above-average run defender and a below-average pass-rusher. He ranks in the 82nd percentile in PFF run-defense grade since 2017, and he knows how to finish plays - generating one of the best run-stop percentages in the league. As a pass-rusher, Tomlinson has only graded above 62.3 once - 74.7 this past season. He can play all over the defensive interior and represents one of the best run-stopping nose tackles in this class.

Shelby Harris, One of the most underrated players in the league, Harris has been an above-average player since starting to see significant playing time in 2017. The former seventh-rounder wins with good pad level and quickness in the running game and ranks in the top third of the league in run-stop percentage since 2018. Harris has also been one of the league's best pass-rushers since 201,8 with the only reservations being that he has only two seasons with more than 500 snaps (636 in 2019, 516 in 2017).

Jurrell Casey, Limited to just 156 snaps in 2020, Casey kept his streak alive of never grading below 70.0 overall on the PFF grading scale, highlighting how he’s been consistently good since entering the league in 2011. Casey had five straight years with 50-plus pressures from 2013 to 2019, but his pass-rushing has slowed a bit in recent years. He’s still a plus run defender and he should get a look in a weak free agent class of interior defensive linemen.

Nadamukong Suh certainly isn't the force he once was, but he is still able to maintain an absurd workload for as many snaps as he's logged over his NFL career. The 788 snaps he played this season was the lowest total of his career, yet it was still the 11th-most among all interior defenders. Suh racked up 50 total pressures and 25 defensive stops and can still be a very solid member of a defensive line. At this point, he is a mercenary for hire on a short-term contract. If a team has a problem spot up front, Suh can fix it.

[Fulcher_33]

(03-25-2021, 03:16 PM)yang Wrote: How about signing

Dalvin Tomlinson has a distinct profile as an above-average run defender and a below-average pass-rusher. He ranks in the 82nd percentile in PFF run-defense grade since 2017, and he knows how to finish plays - generating one of the best run-stop percentages in the league. As a pass-rusher, Tomlinson has only graded above 62.3 once - 74.7 this past season. He can play all over the defensive interior and represents one of the best run-stopping nose tackles in this class.

Shelby Harris, One of the most underrated players in the league, Harris has been an above-average player since starting to see significant playing time in 2017. The former seventh-rounder wins with good pad level and quickness in the running game and ranks in the top third of the league in run-stop percentage since 2018. Harris has also been one of the league's best pass-rushers since 201,8 with the only reservations being that he has only two seasons with more than 500 snaps (636 in 2019, 516 in 2017).

Jurrell Casey,  Limited to just 156 snaps in 2020, Casey kept his streak alive of never grading below 70.0 overall on the PFF grading scale, highlighting how he’s been consistently good since entering the league in 2011. Casey had five straight years with 50-plus pressures from 2013 to 2019, but his pass-rushing has slowed a bit in recent years. He’s still a plus run defender and he should get a look in a weak free agent class of interior defensive linemen.

Nadamukong Suh certainly isn't the force he once was, but he is still able to maintain an absurd workload for as many snaps as he's logged over his NFL career. The 788 snaps he played this season was the lowest total of his career, yet it was still the 11th-most among all interior defenders. Suh racked up 50 total pressures and 25 defensive stops and can still be a very solid member of a defensive line. At this point, he is a mercenary for hire on a short-term contract. If a team has a problem spot up front, Suh can fix it.

Need to stay up to date on FAs. ALL of those Guys except Casey have signed.

Tomlinson signed with the Vikings,  Suh resigned with Bucs, and Shelby resigned with Broncos.

[yang]

(03-25-2021, 03:20 PM)Fulcher_33 Wrote: Need to stay up to date on FAs. ALL of those Guys except Casey have signed.

Tomlinson signed with the Vikings,  Suh resigned with Bucs, and Shelby resigned with Broncos.

Yeah, should have checked and haven't looked at them recently, I just looked at PFF and it's obviously not current.  looks like a bunch of DL signed the last couple days.  CRap, remainder looks pretty rough.   Guess it's the draft.  

[Fulcher_33]

(03-25-2021, 03:32 PM)yang Wrote: Yeah, should have checked and haven't looked at them recently, I just looked at PFF and it's obviously not current.  looks like a bunch of DL signed the last couple days.  CRap, remainder looks pretty rough.   Guess it's the draft.  

Ahh Good Ole PFF 

If you're looking to stay current. This is updated all the time. Easy way to stay on top of guys who have signed.

https://www.nfl.com/news/2021-nfl-free-agency-tracker-signings-trades-contract-details-for-all-32-teams

[fredtoast]

Last year I assumed that our D-line would be the strength of the team.  But Reader and Atkins only played a combined 378 snaps and Dunlap pulled his disappearing act.  So it ended up being one of the weakest units on the team (and in the league).

Both reader and Ogunjobi are young.  If they can both just produce like they did in 2019 we will have one of the best DT duos in the league.  Look at where they ranked among all DT/NTs that year


................Reader.......Ogunjobi
Tackles.......10th (52).... 11th (50)
OB Hits........ 5th (13)....  5th (13)
TFL.............16th (6).....  3rd (10)
Sacks..........26th (2.5)..   8th (5.5)

[Fulcher_33]

(03-25-2021, 05:29 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Last year I assumed that our D-line would be the strength of the team.  But Reader and Atkins only played a combined 378 snaps and Dunlap pulled his disappearing act.  So it ended up being one of the weakest units on the team (and in the league).

Both reader and Ogunjobi are young.  If they can both just produce like they did in 2019 we will have one of the best DT duos in the league.  Look at where they ranked among all DT/NTs that year


................Reader..Ogunjobi
Tackles..........10th (52)...11th (50)
OB Hits........... 5th (13)... 5th (13)
TFL................16th (6)... 3rd (10)
Sacks.............26th (2.5). 8th (5.5)

And LO played the NT his whole career in Cleveland. His skillset is much better suited for the 3T

[J24]

(03-25-2021, 02:00 PM)yang Wrote: I keep expecting them to sign a DT in free agency and there are some good run stuffers out there we could use and it would not surprise me to see us draft one like Osa Odighizuwa in the 3rd or Marlin Tuipalotu in the 5th.   But signing one or two frees up the draft.

Osa Odighiuzwa would be perfect!

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(03-25-2021, 01:59 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I'd like to see Daniels, Covington and Hunt all re-signed. Daniels is solid, Covington played above his pedigree last year and should be better all around because of it, and Hunt did a lot better at DT than he ever did at DE. Plus, he's hard to pass on when he's in the middle.

I am Forever Spinning Vinyl and I approve this message.

I'd like to add that last year I re-watched both of our late season wins and focused on the DTs on every defensive snap. Daniels is awesome. If an LB made a play in the backfield, it's usually because Daniels created a hole that the offense didn't plan to be there. Covington is a high energy guy that forced a lot of early throws from the opposing QB and didn't get pushed around in the running game. Xavier Williams is another big effort guy moving people around. Hunt is WAAAAAAY more effective inside than on the edge. He's just a f'ing beast. Bledsoe is a bottom of the barrel DL that was blocked on almost every single snap at DT or DE. If he doesn't improve A LOT, there's no way he makes the cut this year.