12-12-2017, 12:45 PM
Some interesting statistics during the Marvin Lewis era. Out of 133 players drafted since Lewis became coach only 16 became starters in their rookie season. They include:Eric Stienbach-G, Jerimi Johnson-FB, Landon Johnson-LB, Madieu Williams-S, Odell Thurman-LB, Andrew Whitworth-T-G, Rashad Jeanty-LB, Johnathan Joeseph-CB, Leon Hall-CB, Rey Mauluga-LB, Andy Dalton-QB, A.J. Green-WR, Kevin Zietler-G, Tyler Eifert-TE, Jeremy Hill-RB, Russell Bodine-C. There were 2 undrafted rookies that became starters in their rookie season. Vontaze Burfict-LB, Ryan Hewitt-HB. Some arguments could be said for certain players like Germaine Greshem who came in on 2 TE sets with starter Reggie Kelley or David Pollack who broke his neck, Chris Perry who was injured or Carson Palmer who sat and learned his first year. Bottom line is this: Only 4 first round picks out of 15 became starters in their rookie season. Looking back at the drafts of the Bengals it seems they always seem to pick BPA in the first round. Draft for need after. Has that been a bad draft strategy over the years? Should the Bengals have drafted more starters as rookies than they have? Did Marvin Lewis just not trust rookies to play in their first season? Argument could be made for all.
