Bengals Have and Still Need A Top Linebacker Pick

[kevin]

I have been saying linebacker for years and it never happens. We take CBs, TE's, O linemen....anything but a linebacker.....I just don't think the Bengals can go on not addressing this area. If we could get a top LB in round 1, it would make our defense so much better. We have a good defense, but not a Super Bowl defense. Our weak area is our linebackers. With of Front Four as good as it is, our linebackers should be swooping in and stopping everything. We should be impossible to run against. .....Add in that Harrison was a fill in, not really a 4-3 LB, and Hawk is a fill in, his best days behind him also. Plus Burfict has 3 game suspension and has had concusion and injury problems.

Bengals have avoided drafting linebacker far to long....If there is still a top linebacker on the boards in round 1, it's time to make up for all the drafts lately we needed linebacker and drafted other positions.

I will add that Marvin Lewis won in Baltimore because he had the great linebackers. All 3 were great. Yes he had the D Line, but he also had the great linebackers....Coach Lewis has the great D Line, but he has nothing close to the linebackers he had at Baltimore and he will not win in the play-offs until he has that type of Front Seven again.....Bengals year after year continue to but a short term band aid on the LB problem, and they continue to go one and done. This band aid could fall off and Bengals have a 4 win season if they don't address the needs at linebacker. It has been years since linebacker was drafted top. You would think Pollack, Thurman, Rivers not having long careers would have created a need. Harrison and Hawk were and are band aids. We need a top draft LB and hopefully one that is a Bengal many years to come.

[CJD]

I really like the idea drafting Jaylon Smith if he's available.

But I think our top need all depends on what happens in free agency.

If we don't retain Illoka, I think we need a second safety to pair with Williams.

If we don't retain Sanu and Jones, I think we need a second WR to pair with Green.

If we retain all 3, I'd go linebacker or possibly DT, depending on the value at our pick.

[Goalpost]

Plenty of linebackers available this year. I agree, we need to add one.

Joshua Perry, Jordan Jenkins, Leonard Floyd are more 3/4 guys.

Myles Jack, Jaylon Smith, Darron Lee, Deion Jones are more 4/3 guys

Reggie Ragland and Scooby Wright probably fit best inside.

We don't have to necessarily spend a 1st here.

[brian5562]

I agree I would love a linebacker. One will fall to us in the first round I hope it's Jaylon Smith.

[Hammerstripes]

I have always thought drafting a LB would be great idea. I'm guessing that the reason the team hasn't picked up another one high in the draft is because this team only has 2 LBs on the field a majority of the time. They have Rey and Tez, so I don't know where they would fit in.

Personally, I think getting a guy with a skill set like Darrin Lee would be a great move. I thought Jaylon Smith would be an option, but after Gurley got drafted #10 overall last year, I don't see 23 teams passing on a guy who was in the discussion as the best player in the draft.

[Stormborn]

(01-18-2016, 02:40 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: I have always thought drafting a LB would be great idea.  I'm guessing that the reason the team hasn't picked up another one high in the draft is because this team only has 2 LBs on the field a majority of the time.  They have Rey and Tez, so I don't know where they would fit in.

Personally, I think getting a guy with a skill set like Darrin Lee would be a great move.  I thought Jaylon Smith would be an option, but after Gurley got drafted #10 overall last year, I don't see 23 teams passing on a guy who was in the discussion as the best player in the draft.

1. The sting of Keith Rivers probably has something to do with it. 

2. Lamur is out for the forseeable future and Rey is a FA, that's two guys they've depended on in nickel packages. Hawk is a FA as well, I think if the opportunity presents itself, we may see a surprise. 

[milksheikh]

I say go for Jaylon Smith if he drops to us or Reggie Ragland.

[Hammerstripes]

(01-18-2016, 02:50 PM)Stormborn Wrote: 1. The sting of Keith Rivers probably has something to do with it. 

2. Lamur is out for the forseeable future and Rey is a FA, that's two guys they've depended on in nickel packages. Hawk is a FA as well, I think if the opportunity presents itself, we may see a surprise. 

Rey is not a free agent.

[RoyleRedlegs]

(01-18-2016, 11:45 AM)Goalpost Wrote: Plenty of linebackers available this year.  I agree, we need to add one.

Joshua Perry, Jordan Jenkins, Leonard Floyd are more 3/4 guys.

Myles Jack, Jaylon Smith, Darron Lee, Deion Jones are more 4/3 guys

Reggie Ragland and Scooby Wright probably fit best inside.

We don't have to necessarily spend a 1st here.

Disagree about Leonard Floyd. I think putting him at 3-4 OLB would be a waste of his skills. 

(01-18-2016, 04:48 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Rey is not a free agent.

Vincent Rey is.

[J24]

We need multiple Lbers that can cover and play in space. I was watching the panthers play on Sunday and those guys can cover a ton of space.

[SunsetBengal]

Several good ones out there, seems like a good year to take one, or a couple.  The team has been lucky, by getting serviceable LBs with late round, UDFA players.  Hope they actually spend a quality pick, and pick up a future Star.

[TheCincinnatiKid]

Agreed. I think we ultimately got that 1st Round LB in Burfict dropping onto our lap as an undrafted player, but prior to him we were pretty weak at LB. Rey and Rey M have both been doing a good job there, obviously Burfict is our talent at LB. If we could grab another above average LB, id be really happy with our LB corps.

[Mike M (the other one)]

(01-18-2016, 02:31 PM)brian5562 Wrote: I agree I would love a linebacker. One will fall to us in the first round I hope it's Jaylon Smith.

That's very possible, depends on how his rehab is going. Most teams will want someone that is ready to go asap, whilst we, the Bengals, can draft him, start him on the PUP and let him come along slowly, just like we did with Ogbuehi.
That's the benefit of being fairly deep at most positions.

One guy I wouldn't mind taking a flier on is Frank Shannon ILB Oklahoma.
He should be available in the 5th+ rounds, and if his career hadn't gotten derailed (by the sexual assault accusations), he probably would be drafted much higher than his current projection.

Some others:
Luke Rhodes William & Mary (only FCS LB on Butkus award watch list).
Noah Spence EKU (Former 5 start Ohio State recruit, showed good promise, but got kicked off team for drugs)
David Perkins maybe? Another OSU former player. You know the guy that tackled the OSU Mascot lol
Myke Tavarres University of Incarnate Word (Arkansas Transfer wasn't really clear as to why he left, he left with a small group of other players that left as well). Tackling machine for UIW.

[SunsetBengal]

Anyone have an opinion on Deion Jones?  Looks like Bengal material, to me.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1984265/deion-jones

[RoyleRedlegs]

(01-18-2016, 10:06 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Anyone have an opinion on Deion Jones?  Looks like Bengal material, to me.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1984265/deion-jones

He's certainly the type of player we need. Athletic and moves in space 

[*bfine32*]

I liked the Kindricks kid out of UCLA last year. He had a pretty good rookie season for Zims last year.

Early in the process this year, but I'm leaning toward Scooby Wright. Injury plagued season hurt his stock.

[TGISunday]

(01-18-2016, 11:15 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I liked the Kindricks kid out of UCLA last year. He had a pretty good rookie season for Zims last year.

Early in the process this year, but I'm leaning toward Scooby Wright. Injury plagued season hurt his stock.

He seems like a perfect SAM for us; good enough to see the field early in his career, and on third downs.

Big q's with the medical and overall athletic situation, but he seems to have a knack for big plays.

[t3r3e3]

(01-18-2016, 11:15 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I liked the Kindricks kid out of UCLA last year. He had a pretty good rookie season for Zims last year.

Early in the process this year, but I'm leaning toward Scooby Wright. Injury plagued season hurt his stock.

I also like Scooby.  If the Bengals don't land Jaylon Smith or Ragland, Scooby would be a nice get in the 2nd or 3rd.  I also like Kentrell Brothers from Mizzou, and Tyler Matakevich from Temple.

[BengalHawk62]

(01-19-2016, 02:37 AM)t3r3e3 Wrote: I also like Scooby.  If the Bengals don't land Jaylon Smith or Ragland, Scooby would be a nice get in the 2nd or 3rd.  I also like Kentrell Brothers from Mizzou, and Tyler Matakevich from Temple.

I don't know why, but he reminds me of Luke Kuetchly (SP) from the Panthers. 

[RoyleRedlegs]

(01-19-2016, 11:04 AM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: I don't know why, but he reminds me of Luke Kuetchly (SP) from the Panthers. 

Because he's white?
They play very different positions otherwise.