First two picks

[wolfkaosaun]

We need a DT. We've been trying to draft one since Devon Still and none of them have really panned out sadly.

Peko has some decent games in him, but he's moreso a rotational player anymore. Get a guy like Reed or Billings to be a successor. if they don't want to spend a 1st rounder on a DT, then look in the 2nd round and grab Austin Johnson. He excels with one on one.

CB is fine. We have Kirkpatrick, Shaw, Dennard, and Hall. Possibly thrown in Adam Jones.

WR could be a need. Doesn't seem like Sanu will stay, and who knows if Jones stays or goes. If both go, the next best WR is Tate. And both Rex Burkhead and Ryan Hewitt outperformed him last year. But this draft has some quality guys too. Be tempted at Docston depending on his 40 time.

LB is a need. Lamur should be gone, and Rey isn't good. Throw in that Burfict is out for a bit and Hawk isn't good. We need a linebacker. I'm all for Dawson. Think he's our star WLB. But we need a SAM.

[*ochocincos*]

This draft is SOOO dependent on what the Bengals do in FA prior.

FA cannot come soon enough....two more weeks!

[09ItsOurTime]

This draft is LOADED with DT's. There will be DT's in the 3rd that would have gone in the first in previous years. While there are great DT's in the first for us, the better value to me is in the second or third, assuming there is a LB, CB, WR, or S that the Bengals love left for us.

[RoyleRedlegs]

(02-24-2016, 11:44 PM)09ItsOurTime Wrote: This draft is LOADED with DT's. There will be DT's in the 3rd that would have gone in the first in previous years. While there are great DT's in the first for us, the better value to me is in the second or third, assuming there is a LB, CB, WR, or S that the Bengals love left for us.

This is a false narrative. 

That doesn't make them magically better, it just means that the other years had worse players. 

Take the better player. 

[09ItsOurTime]

(02-24-2016, 11:49 PM)RoyleRedlegs Wrote: This is a false narrative. 

That doesn't make them magically better, it just means that the other years had worse players. 

Take the better player. 

You must not know about this DT class. This is THE BEST & DEEPEST DT class in probably 20+ years. It is not a lack of players in previous years, it's a surplus of good DT's this year.

[RoyleRedlegs]

(02-25-2016, 12:03 AM)09ItsOurTime Wrote: You must not know about this DT class. This is THE BEST & DEEPEST DT class in probably 20+ years. It is not a lack of players in previous years, it's a surplus of good DT's this year.

I know plenty about it. But the premise of the "You can get X talent in round X this year!" is a false narrative. That just means you are still getting an inferior player. 

On top of that, DT is probably our biggest need. 
That's not the need you put off until the 3rd or 4th round. 

[09ItsOurTime]

(02-25-2016, 12:17 AM)RoyleRedlegs Wrote: I know plenty about it. But the premise of the "You can get X talent in round X this year!" is a false narrative. That just means you are still getting an inferior player. 

On top of that, DT is probably our biggest need. 
That's not the need you put off until the 3rd or 4th round. 

I don't get why people think DT is our biggest need. It may be a somewhat weak group, but we have 1 starting WR signed,2 CB's that are FA's, one of which was our best CB this year. no depth at safety if nelson or iloka leave. Our LB group is a mess, maualuga isn't good, lumur is a FA and wasnt great either. Burfict is suspended. Rey is a good backup that is a FA. Hawk sucks.

DT is a need, but not anymore than those listed above, and possibly even less of a need depending on FA.

[RoyleRedlegs]

(02-25-2016, 12:24 AM)09ItsOurTime Wrote: I don't get why people think DT is our biggest need. It may be a somewhat weak group, but we have 1 starting WR signed,2 CB's that are FA's, one of which was our best CB this year. no depth at safety if nelson or iloka leave. Our LB group is a mess, maualuga isn't good, lumur is a FA and wasnt great either. Burfict is suspended. Rey is a good backup that is a FA. Hawk sucks.

DT is a need, but not anymore than those listed above, and possibly even less of a need depending on FA.

We have 2 first round CBs on roster. 
We have Josh Shaw who showed really well too.

WR is a need but we can still re-sign Jones. 

We lack any potential at DT right now. LB is pointless without a good DL.
It is more than those others because they are more likely to impact the game directly. 

[Benton]

(02-25-2016, 12:24 AM)09ItsOurTime Wrote: I don't get why people think DT is our biggest need. It may be a somewhat weak group, but we have 1 starting WR signed,2 CB's that are FA's, one of which was our best CB this year. no depth at safety if nelson or iloka leave. Our LB group is a mess, maualuga isn't good, lumur is a FA and wasnt great either. Burfict is suspended. Rey is a good backup that is a FA. Hawk sucks.

DT is a need, but not anymore than those listed above, and possibly even less of a need depending on FA.

 DT has been our biggest area of need for a couple years. Not because our two starters are horrible, but because one is average and behind those two, there's nothing. Nothing developmental, nothing much to rotate, and nothing to start in case of injury.

Right now we've got a top 10 receiver, and our #2 target is a TE. And, as RRL said, it's not like we aren't trying to re-sign current receivers. We're looking good at CB and Safety, depending on how FA goes. And that's the big difference in the S, CB and WR positions and DT. The first three all have players that we most likely will retain. DT is still going to be a hole after FA.

And LBs don't make as big of an impact on this team as the DL. We don't use them to pressure QBs like other teams do, that's what the line is for. . 

[3wt]

(02-25-2016, 12:24 AM)09ItsOurTime Wrote: I don't get why people think DT is our biggest need. It may be a somewhat weak group, but we have 1 starting WR signed,2 CB's that are FA's, one of which was our best CB this year. no depth at safety if nelson or iloka leave. Our LB group is a mess, maualuga isn't good, lumur is a FA and wasnt great either. Burfict is suspended. Rey is a good backup that is a FA. Hawk sucks.

DT is a need, but not anymore than those listed above, and possibly even less of a need depending on FA.

The DL is the core of our defensive front 7.  We have one pro bowl level DT and an aging DT who played well in the beginning of the season and faded towards the end.   Our rotation is weak causing out DL to tire in big games.  And we had significant problems stopping the run at the line of scrimmage - against low level running backs and putting inside pressure on the QB when the game was on the line.  All they had to do was double/triple Geno and they were good.

We could use a DT who is a good run stopper and is athletic enough to penetrate/ push the pocket and move laterally along the line of scrimmage.  Neither Sims nor Thompson did a good job of it.   Between injuries and their limited abilities they both averaged 10 snaps again leaving Geno and Peko to play the balance of the snaps.

If we resign most of our free agents (M. Jones, Iloka or Nelson, A. Jones) we're in pretty good shape for the skill positions and the defensive backfield.

Getting a good 3 down DT would have the biggest impact on a defense that could not stop teams from marching down the field at critical points in the game.

[*bfine32*]

(02-24-2016, 11:49 PM)RoyleRedlegs Wrote: This is a false narrative. 

That doesn't make them magically better, it just means that the other years had worse players. 

Take the better player. 

This is not necessarily how we do it in business. We weigh supply and demand. IF DT is in high demand, but there in a high supply of good ones, you can wait. If DE is in medium demand, but supply is low of good ones, you buy early.

[RoyleRedlegs]

(02-25-2016, 02:53 PM)bfine32 Wrote: This is not necessarily how we do it in business. We weigh supply and demand. IF DT is in high demand, but there in a high supply of good ones, you can wait. If DE is in medium demand, but supply is low of good ones, you buy early.

This isn't exactly a business as the goods are not a constant nor equals. 

Besides the point, we NEED a DT. If you don't have a direct need for a DT you can wait and still get a good one. 
But if you have a direct need, you don't wait. 

If a DT who is rated a 75 is a first rounder one year but a 3rd the other, he's still a 75. He's not magically better. You are just getting more appropriate value. 
If the choice is a guy rated as an 85 or 75 and you need a DT, which one seems smarter to take?  

[fredtoast]

(02-25-2016, 01:38 PM)3wt Wrote:    Between injuries and their limited abilities they both averaged 10 snaps again leaving Geno and Peko to play the balance of the snaps. impact on a defense that could not stop teams from marching down the field at critical points in the game.

Not saying we don't need a DT, but Peko played significantly fewer snaps this year (50%) than last year (61%)

[RoyleRedlegs]

(02-25-2016, 07:29 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Not saying we don't need a DT, but Peko played significantly fewer snaps this year (50%) than last year (61%)

And ideally that number should continue to go down this year if we add talent on the DL

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(02-25-2016, 12:24 AM)09ItsOurTime Wrote: I don't get why people think DT is our biggest need. It may be a somewhat weak group, but we have 1 starting WR signed,2 CB's that are FA's, one of which was our best CB this year. no depth at safety if nelson or iloka leave. Our LB group is a mess, maualuga isn't good, lumur is a FA and wasnt great either. Burfict is suspended. Rey is a good backup that is a FA. Hawk sucks.

DT is a need, but not anymore than those listed above, and possibly even less of a need depending on FA.

Don't mean to pile on but you win games in the trenches and the trenches help out the
other positions you mention more than any other positions. FA will most definately make
a huge impact but as of right now we should be looking at the best DT #1 or the best
Linebacker depending.

DT is more of a need and more than all those listed above even if it is a deep Draft for
DT's IMHO. Get the BPA regardless though...

[*SHRacerX*]

(02-25-2016, 12:24 AM)09ItsOurTime Wrote: I don't get why people think DT is our biggest need. It may be a somewhat weak group, but we have 1 starting WR signed,2 CB's that are FA's, one of which was our best CB this year. no depth at safety if nelson or iloka leave. Our LB group is a mess, maualuga isn't good, lumur is a FA and wasnt great either. Burfict is suspended. Rey is a good backup that is a FA. Hawk sucks.

DT is a need, but not anymore than those listed above, and possibly even less of a need depending on FA.

DT is a need, but I don't think you need to get one in the first round.  The Bengals have Geno...and Peko.  Sims and Brandon Thompson are FAs, I believe, and neither one has shown much as an every down player .  Hardison is a question mark.  Peko is on the tail end, and showed last year he is still a solid contributor when used in rotation.  Gilberry and Clarke can rotate inside but aren't true DTs.  

A big body to fill in for early downs for Peko would be nice, which would give them Geno, Hardison, Peko, said "big body", and the rotational big DEs.  

Don't forget about PJ Dawson and Flowers should be back at LB next season.  

They will absolutely go CB again, and it may be an early selection.

Of course, it will depend on what is there but I see the Bengals #1 need is a pass-rushing RDE that can be that true third penetrator on passing downs to go along with Geno and Dunlap.  Looking at teams like the Super Bowl Champion Giants and this past year's Broncos is the depth they had at pass-rushers.  The Bengals really have two, and one is a DT.  A speedy RDE would create a real synergy and help the defense tremendously by getting good pressure with the four down linemen.  

WR is their second greatest need if Marvin Jones isn't retained.  A speedy, reliable #2 to take advantage of single coverage afforded by the WR1 and TE1 is a must-have.  Personally, I would like to see Burkhead as the #1 slot receiver.  

I doubt the Bengals are able to fill any of those positions in FA, except perhaps a RDE that is a veteran and is available for a reasonable contract.  I still see that as less than 10%.

[Benton]

(02-25-2016, 02:53 PM)bfine32 Wrote: This is not necessarily how we do it in business. We weigh supply and demand. IF DT is in high demand, but there in a high supply of good ones, you can wait. If DE is in medium demand, but supply is low of good ones, you buy early.

Demand means sometimes EJ Manuel goes in the first; supply doesn't mean you get Peyton Manning in the third.

[3wt]

(02-25-2016, 07:29 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Not saying we don't need a DT, but Peko played significantly fewer snaps this year (50%) than last year (61%)

And I think it showed in his performance.   I've always felt he was underrated.  But age and too many snaps (even 50% at this point in his career) sap his ability to impact.  I'd guess that his best snaps were either in the beginning of the season or in games where he did not play too many snaps.

I'm all for keeping the guy.  I just don't think Sims and Thompson provided the relief he needed nor the quality we needed on the field when they were there.