The Reggie Freaking Nelson Watch

[Brodude3]

(03-29-2016, 09:32 PM)Bengalfan11164 Wrote: Shawn Williams is a free agent in 2017.  

Re-signing Reggie Nelson to a 1 year deal would probably shelf Shawn Williams another year and create a huge problem in 2017.

No one knows how Shawn Williams will play as a starter.  
No one knows how long Reggie Nelson will beat out Father Time.

In addition, signing Reggie Nelson really restricts the Bengals in drafting a safety should a guy they like fall (Killebrew in the 2nd).  

I think Reggie Nelson has become a much better version of Chris Crocker who will get a call if the Bengals have an injury at safety.  

But, oddly, very, very oddly, I don't see Reggie fitting into the defense in 2016.  

I tried to explain the Williams situation in a earlier post and a lot of people took it as Reggie bashing, some get attached to players and don't always want to see what's best for the organization. Anyway, I said I would like for Reggie to return but on our terms. He would be nice to have as insurance.... We have to find Williams a more valued role and make him want to stay a Bengal. He was a 3rd round pick and I'm sure he would be starting somewhere.
Also, I don't think we spend a 2nd round pick on a safety, they will pick one up in the later rounds like they did with Derron Smith last year. He was projected to be gone by the 3rd round but slid to the sixth because of a sports hernia. Hes another player that isn't mentioned, A lot of fans do not know about him because he came from a west Coast Mid major but because of the Nelson situation I started looking at our roster and possibilities and did a little research on Smith. This kid can play! I had remembered last fall camp when there was a lot of talk about Smith and his acrobatic INT'S. This guy has major ball skills, he was the Mountain west pick for Defensive player of the year twice... 3 time 1st team All Mountain west. He tied Troy Polamalu Las Vegas bowl record for tackles with 18 against USC. He may be another reason the Bengals are playing hard ball with Reggie.
With Iloka, Williams and Smith we are set with a young trio of good safeties. If we can draft another gem late and then bring Reggie back on our terms (Max 2 years) it would be a perfect world. Nobody is bashing Nelson it is just a business....