Adolphus Washington - good fit for Bengals?

[*ochocincos*]

Adolphus Washington spent his first two seasons at Ohio St at DE in a 4-3. In this two seasons, he produced 5.0 sacks.

As a junior, Washington was moved next to Michael Bennett. Bennett moved to UT and Washington to NT. Washington had has best statistical season, getting 4.5 sacks, 10.5 TFLs, 1 FF, and 48 total tackles. Washington also took on a lot of double teams to help free up Bennett, who had a great second-half of the season in 2014.

However, with Bennett now gone via the NFL draft, the plan is to move Washington arguably to his best-fitting position, which is UT. The expectation is that he will follow Bennett in terms of production and be a pass rushing force from the interior while one of Tommy Schutt, Michael Hill, or Joel Hale will take over at the NT position.

He has experience playing all over the DL, but with his current size of 6'4" and 290 lbs, he would need to bulk up to be a starting NT in the NFL. He would be a great candidate for a UT in a 4-3, but the Bengals already have Atkins and Thompson plus they just drafted Hardison to likely play UT too.

The Bengals would be wise to draft a NT next year given that both Sims and Peko are entering their final seasons of their contracts.

If Washington were to pack on 20-30 lbs, I think he'd be an ideal starting 4-3 NT, but I feel that he's striving to be a UT. This makes sense, as a 4-3 pass-rushing UT is often drafted higher than a 4-3 NT. He is currently ranked as the #2 DT according to nfldraftscout.com, putting him very likely in the first round.

With all of this information, what are your thoughts on Washington's fit on the Bengals?

[c12schleyer]

(06-10-2015, 12:05 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Adolphus Washington spent his first two seasons at Ohio St at DE in a 4-3. In this two seasons, he produced 5.0 sacks.

As a junior, Washington was moved next to Michael Bennett. Bennett moved to UT and Washington to NT. Washington had has best statistical season, getting 4.5 sacks, 10.5 TFLs, 1 FF, and 48 total tackles. Washington also took on a lot of double teams to help free up Bennett, who had a great second-half of the season in 2014.

However, with Bennett now gone via the NFL draft, the plan is to move Washington arguably to his best-fitting position, which is UT. The expectation is that he will follow Bennett in terms of production and be a pass rushing force from the interior while one of Tommy Schutt, Michael Hill, or Joel Hale will take over at the NT position.

He has experience playing all over the DL, but with his current size of 6'4" and 290 lbs, he would need to bulk up to be a starting NT in the NFL. He would be a great candidate for a UT in a 4-3, but the Bengals already have Atkins and Thompson plus they just drafted Hardison to likely play UT too.

The Bengals would be wise to draft a NT next year given that both Sims and Peko are entering their final seasons of their contracts.

If Washington were to pack on 20-30 lbs, I think he'd be an ideal starting 4-3 NT, but I feel that he's striving to be a UT. This makes sense, as a 4-3 pass-rushing UT is often drafted higher than a 4-3 NT. He is currently ranked as the #2 DT according to nfldraftscout.com, putting him very likely in the first round.

With all of this information, what are your thoughts on Washington's fit on the Bengals?

Personally I think he is a great fit and had him mocked to the Bengals in the 3rd.  I know he is a 1st or 2nd round talent but I think his production takes a bit of a plummet this year without Bennett.  Put on a few lbs, and then you have a starting 4 up front of Dunlap-Atkins-Washington-Johnson.... I could live with that

[*ochocincos*]

(06-11-2015, 09:08 AM)c12schleyer Wrote: Personally I think he is a great fit and had him mocked to the Bengals in the 3rd.  I know he is a 1st or 2nd round talent but I think his production takes a bit of a plummet this year without Bennett.  Put on a few lbs, and then you have a starting 4 up front of Dunlap-Atkins-Washington-Johnson.... I could live with that

So you are in the boat of having him bulk up and become a starting NT for the Bengals.

Given the fact he's being put at UT this season for Ohio St, I don't see him trying to add much more weight beyond possibly hitting 300. And because of that, I think that if a team drafts him to become a NT will need to give him a year to bulk up and be a situational interior pass rusher as a rookie.

Can (or should) the Bengals afford to draft Washington with a likely high-round draft pick and groom him for a year with both Sims and Peko hitting FA next offseason? Would people be satisfied with possibly one of those two being re-signed and being the starter for 2016 while Washington is prepped?

[c12schleyer]

(06-11-2015, 10:44 AM)ochocincos Wrote: So you are in the boat of having him bulk up and become a starting NT for the Bengals.

Given the fact he's being put at UT this season for Ohio St, I don't see him trying to add much more weight beyond possibly hitting 300. And because of that, I think that if a team drafts him to become a NT will need to give him a year to bulk up and be a situational interior pass rusher as a rookie.

Can (or should) the Bengals afford to draft Washington with a likely high-round draft pick and groom him for a year with both Sims and Peko hitting FA next offseason? Would people be satisfied with possibly one of those two being re-signed and being the starter for 2016 while Washington is prepped?

IMO Washington will not go any higher than the 2nd. I personally think he will go in the 3rd. His stats are going to drop this year because he will be the only interior threat. I could see him playing the NT role in this defense around the 310 lb mark.

If he did have to take a year to bulk up more than that, I would be perfectly fine extending Sims another year or two. He is a solid run stuffer that would be cheap. I just can't justify another year of Peko... personally I would cut him now and use the money to extend AJ now, instead of waiting.

[RoyleRedlegs]

Watching Washington vs Michigan right now, he's lining up a lot in the 1/0 tech a lot. He's a nose tackle.
He absolutely needs to add bulk and refine his NT technique this year.

His pass rush is mostly just a "show me" swim move to keep IOL honest.
He absolutely requires a double team vs the run though. That's where his technique has to improve.

[*ochocincos*]

(06-12-2015, 01:24 AM)RoyleRedlegs Wrote: Watching Washington vs Michigan right now, he's lining up a lot in the 1/0 tech a lot. He's a nose tackle.
He absolutely needs to add bulk and refine his NT technique this year.

His pass rush is mostly just a "show me" swim move to keep IOL honest.
He absolutely requires a double team vs the run though. That's where his technique has to improve.

Yes, he lined up at the 1T in 2014, but in 2015 the plan is to move him to 3T, making him the UT.
http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2015/04/ohio_state_football_adolphus_w.html

Al though they could just be trying him at UT for now and end up playing him mostly at NT when the season starts, but it doesn't seem that way.

[c12schleyer]

(06-12-2015, 09:40 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Yes, he lined up at the 1T in 2014, but in 2015 the plan is to move him to 3T, making him the UT.
http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2015/04/ohio_state_football_adolphus_w.html

Al though they could just be trying him at UT for now and end up playing him mostly at NT when the season starts, but it doesn't seem that way.

My personal opinion.... Washington could have a decade long career as a NT... or a 5 year career as a 3 tech

[RoyleRedlegs]

(06-12-2015, 09:40 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Yes, he lined up at the 1T in 2014, but in 2015 the plan is to move him to 3T, making him the UT.
http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2015/04/ohio_state_football_adolphus_w.html

Al though they could just be trying him at UT for now and end up playing him mostly at NT when the season starts, but it doesn't seem that way.

Horrible decision by OSU.
Leave him at NT. Have him bulk up. Teach him to properly handle a double team.