Friday, January 27, 2012

The Bengals Bright Future

With all of the young talent on the Cincinnati Bengals and the fact that they robbed the Oakland Raiders of two high draft picks for Carson Palmer, the Bengals are set up to make a Super Bowl run in the near future. I don't think fans of the Bengals ever thought this day would be a possibility under the ownership of Mike Brown. 63

Cincinnati hit it out of the park in last year's draft landing AJ Green and Andy Dalton in the first two rounds. Steve Mariucci called them the best rookie Quarterback/Wide Receiver combination in the history of the NFL. I don't know if I would go that far, but they definitely look like they have bright futures at two of the most important positions on the field. With those two and Jermaine Gresham just finishing his second year, the passing game looks like it will be solid for years to come. 91

The defense also had a top ten finish for the second time in the last three years under Mike Zimmer. Zimmer will be back and so will most of the key pieces from this defense. Injuries hit and they kind of fell apart towards the end of the year and in the playoffs. There are some holes to fill, but the core is there for this unit as well. 69

Looking ahead to the off-season this team is in a position to do some big things. They have two first round picks and the team is so far under the cap that Mike Brown may have to spend some money in free agency this year to get the team's salary up to the required floor by 2013. With all of the young talent, Cincinnati may actually be a place that free agents want to come and play. 78

As of right now the biggest needs for the Bengals are Guard, Cornerback, Runningback, and a second Wide Receiver. Hopefully some of these needs can be met in free agency, especially at Guard where it looks like the team may need two new starters for next season. At Cornerback we won't know how big the need is until they see how Leon Hall is progressing and if Jones and Clements are brought back.

With five picks in the first three rounds of the draft a lot of holes can be filled and depth added to this roster. In today's NFL teams with explosive offenses are the teams that are consistently in the playoffs. Adding a player like Kendall Wright of Baylor would give this team that third elite skill player and he has the speed to take the top off of defenses. This would be a perfect compliment to Green and keep him from seeing so many double teams. Defenses can't focus both of their Safeties on Wright and Green and leave Gresham matched up against a Linebacker.

With a top half of the league defense and an explosive offense the ingredients would be there to make a Super Bowl run. Obviously no one knows how the draft will fall and free agency comes first so the needs for the draft will not be known. One thing that is known is it hasn't been this exciting to be a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals in over twenty years.

Elite Quarterbacks

In this country there are probably millions of boys that dream of being a Super Bowl winning Quarterback in the NFL. Thousands of these boys end up being high school Quarterbacks every year and hundreds go on to play QB in college. Of these players in college a select few are drafted or signed by NFL teams every year. Only 32 a year start for a team in the NFL, and only a handful are elite that can carry or lead a team to a Super Bowl Championship.

In today's pass happy NFL you almost certainly need a top notch, if not elite, QB to win the Super Bowl. Out of all of these players who aspire to be elite Quarterbacks in the NFL the odds of finding one for your team are slim to none. If you are running an NFL franchise what would you be willing to give up to have a chance to get one of these elite players?

The reason I ask this question is Andrew Luck is entering the NFL draft and he may be the most highly touted prospect at the position since Peyton Manning. He's a once in a generation type of talent. Luck will almost certainly be drafted with the number one pick that the Indianapolis Colts currently own and if I'm an NFL owner or General Manager I would offer a lot to have a chance to select him.

These Quarterbacks only come along about once in a generation and while there are no guarantees, he's about as close as you can get to being a sure fire top end player. I would make an offer of an entire draft like the Saints did to get Ricky Williams. I would offer my top 3 picks in this draft and next year's draft. The NFL is a Quarterback driven league and that is the first piece you have to have when trying to build a Super Bowl winning team. Within reason I would offer about anything I could to get the first pick. It's a given that the Colts are going to draft him, but if I'm any other team that doesn't have what they consider the guy to lead them to the Super Bowl, then I'm going to try to make the Colts an offer they can't refuse to get Luck. They may just accept what they consider a king's ransom because they may think they could build a team quickly with a ton of draft picks and keep Manning in Indy.

Take a look at the last 8 Super Bowl winners and their starters at Quarterback. It goes Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady with Brady and Big Ben each winning it twice. All of these players are considered elite or close to being elite. The NFL is becoming even more of a passing league and this trend is going to continue. While giving all of those picks up may set your team back some, if you don't have a great QB you almost have no chance of winning the Super Bowl.

With free agency you can make up some ground on those missing draft choices. Also as long as Luck stays healthy he should play for at least a decade which will give you plenty of time to build the team around him. NFL teams should be on the phone right now doing everything they can to pry that pick away from the Indianapolis Colts. You can hang on to those picks and try to build the rest of your team, but what if you never find the guy at QB? Look at the Jets, they had maybe the most talented team in the NFL, but they could never get over the hump. If they had a QB comparable to any of these past Super Bowl Champs they likely would have won two in a row. This should be all the proof you need to know if you don't have the guy at Quarterback you have very little chance to win it all.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

2012 NFL Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis Colts- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Everyone knows Luck is going to be the first pick in the draft. There's a chance that the Colts bring Manning back and trade this pick for a king's ransom, but it's unlikely. There's also a slim chance that Luck sits a year behind Manning. Most likely though Manning is done in Indy and will be released. If you are the Colts you have to do what's best for the franchise long term and that is to take Andrew Luck. As much as it's going to sting for Colts fans to see Peyton Manning playing somewhere else, they have to think about how lucky they are. There are QB's that are this touted that come along once in a generation. The last one was Manning, and now it's Luck and the Colts got both of them.

2. St. Louis Rams- Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Rams could go offensive line here and take Matt Kalil. They have taken OT's early in the past few years including Jason Smith with the 2nd pick overall and whiffed. That was a different regime so those picks likely won't have any bearing on this pick. WR is a more pressing need though. The Rams can not expect Bradford to have any success if they trot out the same group of WR's that they did last season, minus Brandon Lloyd. They have to get their young QB a legit playmaker at WR and that is what Blackmon will give them.

3. Minnesota Vikings- Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Vikings could go with Morris Claiborne here and I think CB is the more pressing need in Minnesota. That said, Kalil is the better talent and comes at the 2nd most valuable position, Left Tackle. This will give their young QB, Christian Ponder, insurance on his blind side and keep him protected. It also will benefit the best player on their team, Adrian Peterson with help up front in the run game.

4. Cleveland Browns- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Everyone has the Browns pegged to take Robert Griffin, but I don't think they will. The Browns desprately need some playmakers on offense, at both RB and WR. Richardson is a special talent and though I'm not a big fan of RB's going this early he is worth the pick. McCoy has not had a fair chance because they don't have any playmakers on that offense. They can keep changing QB's if they want, but no one will succeed until they get some playmakers around the QB.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

The Bucs are almost certainly going to take a CB early in this draft. Ronde Barber has to be close to retiring and Aqib Talib may be in jail by the time the season starts. Claiborne is the best in this draft and is a top 5 talent that wasn't even the best in the secondary on his own team.

6. Washington Redskins- Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

If Griffin falls past Cleveland there will probably be a trade up to get him, maybe the Redskins even trade up to number 3 and grab him themselves. Mike Shanahan isn't going to go into another season with Rex Grossman and John Beck as his only options at QB. They may go after Manning. Shanahan knows as well as anyone that you need a quality QB to win in the NFL as he hasn't won anything without John Elway.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars- Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

The Jags signed Aaron Kampman a few years ago to give them a dominant pass rusher and he blew out his knee in the very first training camp in Jacksonville. They still haven't found that guy to be their pass rusher. Coples is the best 4-3 DE in this draft and will provide them with an elite pass rusher. When you are in a division with good QB's such as Manning/Luck and Matt Schaub you have to be able to rush the passer.

8. Carolina Panthers- Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

With Dre Kirkpatrick getting busted for pot, the Panthers owner is all about character and will not draft him. I doubt they reach for Alfonzo Dennard here. Jeff Otah has been injured most of the season as of late and the Panthers have a shiny new toy at QB that they want to protect. They are going to do everything they can to protect Cam Newton as he's the face of their franchise.

9. Miami Dolphins- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

People may consider this a reach, but everyone rememebers what happened in last year's draft. If you have a need for a QB and can't trade back then you take the QB. Matt Moore finished the season playing decent for Miami, but they've been down that road before having a backup come in do a decent job and give him the starting job only to discover he plays like a backup. There will be a new head coach in Miami and he will want his own guy at the position.

10. Buffalo Bills- Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

Just about every mock I see has Upshaw going to the Bills. They have been trying to transition to the 3-4 defense for the past couple seasons and don't have the right personnel to play that defense. They took a step by getting Marcell Dareus in last year's draft. Upshaw is the top 3-4 edge pass rusher in this draft class and already has experience in this system coming from Alabama.

11. Kansas City Chiefs- Jonathon Martin, OT, Stanford

With the Chiefs just missing out on Upshaw they can turn to the offensive line and take Martin to play Left Tackle. This will allow them to move Brandon Albert inside to Guard where he is better suited and fix two positions with one pick. They really need that pass rusher, but there isn't another 3-4 guy worth this pick.

12. Seattle Seahawks- Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

Ingram is one of the most underrated players in this draft and will add one of the only missing pieces to a good Seattle defense. The Seahawks were good against the run and have the pieces in place in the secondary and at LB.

13. Arizona Cardinals- Micheal Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The Cardinals are in a tough spot here if all three of the OT's are gone by the time they pick. They could use a weapon across from Larry Fitzgerald to help take some of the coverage away from him. Teams rolled coverage to Fitzgerald every play this year because they knew the other WR's weren't likely to beat them. Plus with what they gave to get Kevin Kolb they are going to do everything they can to give him a chance to succeed.

14. Dallas Cowboys- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Jerry Jones won't care about Kirkpatrick getting busted with some pot. He passed on Randy Moss several years ago and regreted it every since. If a talent like Kirkpatrick falls this far he will jump on taking him. Especially in a secondary that struggled all season. They are thin at CB. Terrance Newman is getting old and losing a step and Mike Jenkins is afraid to tackle anyone. That's something they won't have a problem with in Kirkpatrick, he's a big, physical CB that can cover and play the run.

15. Philadelphia Eagles- Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

The Eagles were soft up the middle on defense all season. Teams gashed them running the ball. Some blame the wide nine defense, but I blame it on them being soft. Kuechly will bring a toughness to the middle of that defense along with good leadership.

16. New York Jets- Devon Still, DE/DT, Penn State

Yes the Jets took Wilkerson, a DE, in last year's draft in the first round. Still would be one of the top prospects on the board and Rex Ryan is going to beef up the front of that defense and try to make it dominant once again. Still and Wilkerson at the two DE spots will help with both the run and can get in the backfield and provide penetration against the pass as well.

17. Cincinnati Bengals- David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Winning football starts up front whether it's pop warner football or the NFL. If DeCastro is available with the 17th pick I hope the Bengals don't screw this up and take him. He's one of the best Guard prospects to come along in years and the Bengals have a huge need at Guard. Bobbie Williams is getting old and his contract is up, so is Nate Livings'. Livings play was below average and they made a mistake letting Mathis go and keeping Livings. He was penalized too many times both pre snap and holding. The holding penalties were because he was getting beat.

Unless the team fills both Guard spots via free agency then this would be my first choice for this pick. If they can land a quality Guard in free agency and get DeCastro the line would be set for years to come. With all the young talented skill players on offense, if they can make this happen the offense has a chance to become one of the elite offenses in the NFL. With the quality defense the team has a window could be open for a Super Bowl run.

18. San Diego Chargers- Nick Perry, OLB, USC

The Chargers have needed to upgrade their pass rusher coming off the edge every since they made Shawn Merriman stop taking steroids. They drafted Larry English a couple years ago and he hasn't lived up to his billing as a 1st round pick. Perry is a lot less likely to be a bust than English was, when they reached for him.

19. Chicago Bears- Peter Konz, OC, Wisconsin

The Bears have a lot of needs on offense. First and foremost they have to find a way to keep Jay Cutler protected. They were on a roll when Cutler got hurt and likely missed the playoffs because of this. Olin Kruetz left last year in free agency, then retired. I believe Center is the most important position on the line right after Left Tackle. All great offensive lines have a good Center.

20. Tennessee Titans- Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

The Titans group of LB's the last couple of seasons has been terrible. Really they haven't had a quality LB since Keith Bullock was in his prime. Burfict could be the best LB in this draft if he can fix his problem with taking bad angles. He has the talent, he just has to learn to play within the defense which is the case with a lot of college players. In college they are superior athletes, in the NFL everyone is a superior athlete.

21. Cincinnati Bengals- Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

The Bengals need a number two WR that can keep teams from focusing all of their coverage on AJ Green. Wright is a smaller WR at 5' 10", but he is a burner with sub 4.4 speed. I believe he would be a perfect compliment to Green as Safeties couldn't focus on doubling him or Wright will burn them over the top. He has Mike Wallace type speed. Could you imagine Wallace on the same team as Green. Wright also does a great job when in space and can beat people with yards after the catch when working underneath. If the Safeties want to focus on taking away Green and Wright over the top, then that leaves Gresham one on one with a LB.

I know the defense has holes, but the offense has a lot of young talented peices and if this draft falls right the Bengals could make this offense set up to be one of the best for years and years to come. With the defense as is, if they can get Clements and Jones resigned and Hall comes back next year then add a 2nd round CB it will be quality enough. Especially if the Bengals land these two in the draft. Also doing this would allow Dalton, Green, Gresham, Wright, Hawkins, and Shipley all young players, to grow and develop togethter.

22. Cleveland Browns- Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina

Jeffrey may not be a burner, but is an absolute beast. I would mock him to the Bengals if I didn't think he was a similiar type of player to Green. The Browns have absolutely got to get one of these 1st round WR's in this year's draft and Jeffrey is a good fit to be their number one WR. Getting Richardson and Jeffrey would finally give McCoy some legit weapons then maybe you can give him a fair evaluation.

23. Detroit Lions- Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

The Lions have gotten a lot better on defense, especially up front. They still need to add some pieces in the secondary. Eric Wright is a free agent. Dennard was a teammate with Suh at Nebraska which is a plus and is the top CB available and good value at this spot.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers- Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

Glenn had played both Guard and Tackle at Georgia. The Steelers have been mediocre on the line for the last few years and frankly I'm suprised they've won as much as they have. I guess that just shows how good Ben and the defense really are. Anyway fans in Pittsburgh are screaming for a Guard and the versatility Glenn brings only adds to his value as they've been injured often at Tackle as well.

25. Denver Broncos- Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

The Broncos have the two elite players at DE, but they are lacking at DT and teams were able to run on them pretty easily. Cox is one of the top players on the board at this point. John Fox loves to have a beefed up defensive line, he had one in Carolina for years and they won consistently.

26. Houston Texans- Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

I hope Houston doesn't let Andre Johnson go his entire prime of his career without ever getting a legit threat at WR across from him to take some pressure off of him. Could you imagine what Johnson could do with a threat of 1st round caliber like Sanu lining up across from him. Plus this is an ideal situation for any WR because you will hardly ever be doubled.

27. New England Patriots- Whitney Mercilus, OLB, Illinois

Mercilus is one of the tweener guys that plays DE in college and OLB in the NFL. Belicheck has never taken one of these guys in the 1st round. That's because he was the one who started taking these 2nd ard 3rd round DE's and putting them at OLB. Now that other teams are copying this these players are going higher and Belicheck hasn't adjusted. He's going to have to address the pass rush in this year's draft, isn't he?

28. Green Bay Packers- Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

It's hard to believe the Packers finished with the last ranked defense in the NFL after how good they were the year before. The secondary really struggled, especially at Safety. Barron is the only 1st round Safety in this draft and if he's available this is a no brainer pick. NE taking Mercilus really hurts GB because they could really use a pass rusher across from Matthews.

29. New York Giants- Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

This pick would be a home run for the Giants and I'm sure in their fans minds as well. The Giants really need to upgrade the LB core, despite how good the defense has played in the playoffs. The line is basically carrying this defense. Brown has great speed and can fly around and make plays while that line takes up all the blockers. He's also very good in coverage which helps with a secondary that's been thin.

30. Baltimore Ravens- Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson

This would be an excellent pick for the Ravens. They like to mix it up on defense playing both the 4-3 and the 3-4. Branch can play both DE in the 4-3 and OLB in the 3-4 and gives them that additional pass rusher across from Suggs.

31. San Francisco 49ers- Don'ta Hightower, LB, Alabama

This would be a great pick for SF having Hightower playing next to Patrick Willis on a defense that's already really good. Hightower would fit right in with this defense as a player that likes to hit people hard. The biggest need in SF is WR, but there isn't a player left at WR worth a 1st round pick, so why not go with the best player on the board and make a strength that much stronger.

32. New England Patriots- Michael Brockers, DE/DT, LSU

Really Brockers is the more talented of the two between Mercilus and himself, but with the way this draft falls getting the edge rusher 1st would be smart on the Patriots part. Because of who's picking after them Brockers would still likely be there. I'm suprised he came out, I think if he stayed he probably would've been a top ten pick next year.

2nd Round

33. St. Louis Rams- Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State

If the draft falls this way taking Blackmon instead of Kalil could be the smart pick because they still get their 1st round graded OT with the first pick of the 2nd round. These two picks would have Bradford on his way with an offensive line full of early round picks, plus Jason Smith can move in to Guard where he's better suited with his short arms.

34. Indianapolis Colts- Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

The Colts have to completely rebuild their team. It was a team built all around Manning's talents. On defense they were built to defend the pass because they usually played with a lead and the offense was built around the passing game. They need to get better against the run and build their offense to run the ball. Worthy will help with that interior D line against the run.

35. Minnesota Vikings- Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

Randle could be one of the steals of this draft. His numbers weren't huge at LSU due to mediocre QB play, but he's very talented. The Vikings need another playmaker at WR besides Percy Harvin.

36. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Lavonte David, OLB, Nebraska

The Bucs have done a great job building that defensive line with all of the young talent they've drafted. The weak link of that defense is LB. They haven't had a quality LB in Tampa since Derrick Brooks.

37. Cleveland Browns- Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson

This would be a hell of a draft as far as adding playmakers on offense. They would get a big three so to speak with Richardson, Jeffrey, and Allen. All three could end up being the top players at their position coming out in this draft. Richardson and Allen are already rated top at their position and Jeffrey was heading into this past season. If McCoy doesn't show signs of improvement after adding these players then it's time to look somewhere else and when they did the pieces would be in place around that QB. A draft like this would finally give Browns fans hope that the team is on the right track, even if McCoy isn't the answer when a new QB came in he would have some weapons to work with.

38. Jacksonville Jaguars- Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin

Toon is another WR that I really like in this draft. The Jags have zero legit weapons at the WR position. Though Toon may not be a true number one WR, he's better than any options they currently have and if they do ever end up getting a number one, Toon would be a great WR2 in my opinion.

39. Washington Redskins- Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

The Redskins wanted Haynesworth to play NT when Shanahan was hired and that started the drama with him in Washington. The Skins need a legitimate NT and Poe is the top in this draft class.

40. Miami Dolphins- Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

Adams could end up being a very good RT for Miami as Bollman could never fully develop offensive lineman at Ohio State. That means there's a lot of room for growth with some real coaching. Adams and Long would form one of the best Tackle tandems in the NFL and help with the Miami run game while they break in a rookie QB.

41. Buffalo Bills- Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina

The Bills need someone to step up across from Steve Johnson. Once teams took him away Ryan Fitzpatrick had nowhere to turn to, not that he had the time to turn anywhere else anyway. Teams caught on and after the Bills hot start they faded because there were no other weapons.

42. Carolina Panthers- Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia

The Panthers couldn't stop anyone either on the ground or through the air last season. In a division with some explosive offenses they need to add some pieces on defense. With how well Cam Newton played, if the defense was just average they may have had a winning season.

43. Seattle Seahawks- Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

With Seattle missing out on the 1st round QB's they can opt to wait til the 2nd round and grab Nick Foles. Foles has the big arm and all of the tools to be an NFL QB. I doubt Pete Carroll wants to go into another season with Tavaris Jackson as his starter. Look for Seattle to be a possible landing spot for Peyton Manning, in which Foles could sit and learn behind him.

44. Kansas City Chiefs- Vinny Curry, DE/OLB, Marshall

With the Chiefs missing out on Upshaw in the 1st round the can opt for the speedy Curry from Marshall. Curry has excellent speed for his size and if he's available here would be a great value pick. Curry has the type of speed that if he runs well at the combine could put him in the 1st round.

45. Dallas Cowboys- Kelechi Osemele, OG/OT, Iowa State

Osemele's versatility makes him a valuable commodity. With rosters limited to 53 people, any lineman that can play about any of the spots on the line is a plus. He projects best at Guard which is where Dallas has it's issues on the line and needs an upgrade.

46. Philadelphia Eagles- Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

The Eagles add another piece to the middle of that defense, this time on the interior defensive line. Between Thompson and Kuechly that should help take care of their issues with being soft and getting gashed up the middle.

47. New York Jets- Ronnell Lewis, DE/OLB, Oklahoma

Rex Ryan is going to draft to make this defense dominant once again. He knows his QB isn't the type to carry a team so he's going to build a defense to carry the team and then work on fixing the running game on offense. Adding a pass rusher along with the stud DE they got in the first will just about fix that defense. Teams won't be able to run on them once again and if they get a pass rush with their excellent secondary they'll be tough to score on.

48. New England Patriots- Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech

The Patriots should go heavy on defense with all of these early picks they have. With Tom Brady at QB the offense is going to put up points. The Pats are probably going to win the Super Bowl this year and with all of these early round picks on defense will likely make them favorites to win it again.

49. San Diego Chargers- Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

Antonio Gates is almost a lock to miss at least a quarter of the season every year, if not more than that. The Chargers need to get a competant back up, plus they can run those two TE sets like the Patriots when Gates is healthy. The Chargers need to hit on this draft, they haven't drafted well as of late.

50. Chicago Bears- Brandon Washington, OT/OG, Miami

The Bears need help just about everywhere on that line. Cutler has been getting killed in the pocket the past couple of years. Washington's ability to play both Guard and Tackle will make him valuable to Chicago.

51. Philadelphia Eagles- Jared Crick, DT/DE, Nebraska

Crick would be one of the top players on the board and would help toughen up that line against the run. With their explosive offense if they can sure up that front seven on defense they will not miss the playoffs again.

52. Tennessee Titans- Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

After giving all of that money to Chris Johnson he underperformed. He may be one of those players that once he gets paid he's never the same which is an effort thing. Either way the Titans need an insurance policy and Miller is good value at this point.

53. Cincinnati Bengals- Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

Jenkins keeps falling in mocks by NFL insiders which means some people are getting the scoop that teams are not wanting to spend any kind of early pick on Jenkins due to character concerns. My thinking is the only thing I know he did wrong was got busted twice with pot. Not a huge deal, but the fact it happened twice makes you question what his priorities are. At this point in the 2nd round it's worth the risk with his talent. Jenkins may be the best cover CB in this draft. Since he got kicked out of Florida he hasn't gotten in trouble again. Lets hope he learned his lesson and can be a valuable commodity and a steal for the Bengals in the 2nd round. If he is going to be there in the 2nd this could really open up the Bengals 1st round picks and that's why I had them go Guard and the speedy WR.

If Jenkins comes in and stays out of trouble the team once again has an elite duo at CB with Hall and Jenkins. Add to that if they bring back Jones and Clements they would have one of the best 1-4 group of CB's in the NFL. If the line can play like they did again this past season the defense will be top ten. Add a top ten defense to an offense that upgrades at Guard and adds a speedster threat at WR2 and you have a team that is a contender to go deep into the playoffs if not win it all.

54. Detroit Lions- Mike Brewster, OC, Ohio State

Fans in Detroit want the Lions to take a Center early and with good reason. The play at the position has been awful. When you have a bad Center it hurts the entire line. Remember when Eric Guicec was the Center for the Bengals, terrible. Brewster may end up being the best Center out of this class as he hasn't been fully developed with Bollman as his coach at Ohio State.

55. Atlanta Falcons- Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

It looks like Brent Grimes won't be with Atlanta next year as he and the coaching staff have had some differences. If that's the case Atlanta will need to take a CB with their first pick in this draft. They went all in to get Julio Jones thinking that'd get them to the Super Bowl. Well it didn't and now they don't have a 1st round pick and need a 1st round CB with the Saints in their division. Luckily for them this CB class is loaded.

56. Pittsburgh Steelers- Alameda Ta'amu, NT, Washington

Casey Hampton is getting old and can't stay healthy for an entire season. He also can't stay on the field for an entire game as he runs out of gas. The Steelers will likely take one of the three 2nd round NT's that are in this draft if one is available by the time they pick. Sometimes NT's go early as good ones are hard to come by.

57. Denver Broncos- David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

John Fox loves to draft RB's early and often. He took two RB's in the 1st round while he was in Carolina. I don't think Fox is sold on Moreno and will likely lobby Elway to get him a RB early in this draft.

58. Houston Texans- Josh Chapman, NT, Alabama

The Texans need an upgrade at NT and Wade Phillips prefers smaller more agile NT's like Chapman as opposed to the jumbo run stuffers. Chapman's experience in a 3-4 defense is also a plus coming from Alabama.

59. New Orleans Saints- Sean Spence, LB, Miami

The Saints have been awful at LB since their Super Bowl run. They have a decent line, if they had just average LB's they would be pretty good on defense. Spence is a hard hitting LB that will bring some intensity to the LB core in New Orleans.

60. Green Bay Packers- Bruce Irvin, DE/OLB, West Virginia

The Packers really need a pass rusher that isn't named Clay Matthews. Teams are doubling Matthews and no one is getting to the QB which is a big reason their defense finished 32nd in the NFL. I still can't believe they were one and done in the playoffs, but when you have no defense and all offense you aren't going to win in January.

61. New York Giants- Lucas Nix, OG, Pittsburgh

The Giants line has kind of been in transition the past two years. They had that veteran line that was together forever and then they got too old. They started to finally gel at the end of this season and now they are really playing well. That said they still need to upgrade at LG and Nix will be just that.

62. Baltimore Ravens- Josh Robinson, CB, Central Florida

The Ravens took a CB in the 1st round in 2011, but they could still use an upgrade at the nickel CB spot. Plus Robinson is an excellent return man which adds to his value. In today's NFL you can never have too many good CB's.

63. San Francisco 49ers- LaMicheal James, RB, Oregon

James would be an excellent change of pace back to Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. He's the Sproles type that Harbaugh would love to have I'm guessing as a new toy in the passing game on 3rd down. Harbaugh is familiar with James and his speed.

64. New England Patriots- Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M

Fuller would give the Pats the big WR that can stretch the field that they are missing. Sure they have an explosive offense, but you can sit on the short routes with their WR's as all of them are small and not really deep threats.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Cincinnati Bengals GM Report: Offseason Priorities List

Cincy Sports has given you the GM Report on the offense and defense and the state of both sides of the ball heading into the 2012 off season. This report is what the order of priorities for this team would be on filling the holes on the team. Filling these holes will hopefully make this coming season a better year than the 2011 season. Teams should always look to get better across the board. The better the 53rd guy is on your roster, the better your team will be.

The 2011 season was a pleasant suprise to most Bengals fans. Most pundits and even fans in this city thought this would be one of the worst teams in the NFL and might be the favorites to land Andrew Luck with the number one overall pick in the draft. Despite the good season, and abundance of talented young players on this team at key positions, there is still a long way to go if the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl is to be reached.

Since Free Agency happens before the draft here's a list of what players and positions need to be filled and the order in which I would go about filling them.

Free Agency:

1. LaRon Landry, Safety, Washington Redskins: Obviously you never know what free agents will be resigned by their former teams, but Landry would be a candidate to hit the open market. Safety is one of the tougher positions to fill via the draft in most years. The SS position needs to be upgraded. Chris Crocker was servicable for a few years, but he's getting old and we all saw how he struggled in the playoff game against the Texans. All the great defenses that are consistently great year in and year out have a top Safety. Like the Ravens and the Steelers have for years.

Landry is on his way to being one of the elite Safeties in this league. I'm usually not in favor of throwing big dollars at a free agent, but with this team's room under the cap and the talent of Landry I would make a strong push to get him here in Cincinnati. Wine and dine him, or whatever else you have to do. Getting Landry would go a long way in upgrading a secondary that really struggled the second half of the season. Since there is only one Safety with a 1st round grade, this would be my top priority in free agency.

2. The Guard Position: This may be a bigger hole than Safety, and a bigger need, but there isn't a player that is elite like Landry at this position. Plus the big name free agents seem to go quick so making a play at Landry would come before this.

The top two names at Guard in free agency are Carl Nicks from the Saints and Ben Grubbs from the Ravens. Guard is a position that is cheap compared to other positions on the offensive line. I think Nicks will be open for bidding because the Saints just paid Evans a lot of money last year and may not want to tie up that much money at one position. If Grubbs could be had that would be a double win taking him away from division rival the Ravens and filling a hole at the same time. The price would have to be right, but if either can be had I would make a play at them.

If you do sign Landry then you may have to look to cheaper options at this position because of the salary Landry will likely command. Derrick Dockery from Dallas, Ryan Diem from Indianapolis, and Will Montgomery from Washington would be three names to check into. Because of both positions being a need at Guard an early draft pick could be an option in addition to a free agent.

3. Runningback:

The first name I would look at here is Micheal Bush. He could probably be had relatively cheap and would be a perfect fit in this division with his power style in the physical AFC North. He's also a good compliment to Bernard Scott as he's about the exact opposite as far as style goes and would bring something completely different to the table. There's only one RB I would take with a 1st round pick and that's Trent Richardson. Since he's going to be long gone I think for this year free agency is the way to go to fill the RB position.

There are some big name RB's out there this year like Ray Rice and Matt Forte but odds are they end up back with their same teams. Rice for sure, Forte could be available based on his contract dispute with the Bears but he would carry a heavy price tag. You can't sign more than one or two big dollar free agents realistically. If the team is unable to get Landry or one of the top Guards would be the only way I could see going after someone like Forte.

There is also some names like Peyton Hillis, but I question his toughness with the whole strep throat thing. Either that or he got bad advice from his agent. Mike Tolbert would probably fall in the same dollar category as Hillis. He's an interesting name and if the dollars are available is another power back to take a look at. He can also catch the ball and pass protect very well and would be the next back I would look at after Micheal Bush.

If none of those players can be had you have Tim Hightower and Jason Snelling. Those would be players that could come in and compete, but would largely be backup plans. If it comes down to them taking a RB in the draft early would almost have to be on the table.

4. Cornerback:

The secondary really started their struggles when Leon Hall went down. This is a position depth must be upgraded. The draft is loaded at CB and going after that position in the first two rounds is a serious option, which is why this position isn't listed higher. However if a quality CB can be added along with Clements and Jones resigned then you don't have to take a CB very early in the draft.

Cortland Finnegan is the top name, but the CB position is pricey, and he would likely cost too much. Unless this team is unable to attract any top free agents, I wouldn't want to spend that kind of money. Especially since the draft is so loaded at the position and Hall will be back next year.

After Finnegan, names like Brandon Carr and Marcus Trufant should be intriuging to this team. They are both quality CB's who would add an instant upgrade to the depth in the secondary. If Jones and Clements are both brought back a CB group of Hall, Carr/Trufant, Jones, and Clements would be one of the better 1-4 CB groups in the NFL.

After that there are names like Eric Wright and Rashean Mathis that would add good depth to the position, but an early round CB would need to be added as well.

5. A 2nd Wide Receiver:

Jerome Simpson showed flashes over the last 4 games of 2010 and throughout 2011, but his play was not consistent enough. I don't know if he has the mental game. The team has it's WR1 and two good slot guys along with one of the most talented TE's in the NFL, WR2 is the missing piece. I wouldn't sign a free agent unless I thought they could bring more to the table than Simpson. Maybe drafting someone in the 1st round could be the way to go and have a WR group of Dalton and Green, along with the new WR that are all about the same age and could all develop together.

There are lots of big name WR's that are going to be free agents in 2012. How many resign with their old teams is yet to be determined, but there should be some big names out there.

Desean Jackson could be one of those names. He's not happy with what Philly has done signing all these big dollar contracts and not offering him one. Having Jackson to go across from AJ Green would give defensive coordinators headaches. Do you roll coverage to AJ and leave Desean one on one to beat you deep or do you cover deep and have a CB try to defend AJ Green one on one? Neither one of those would work. If you try to take both away then you have a LB trying to cover Jermaine Gresham. This would be a huge signing, but would likely cost a lot of money.

There are other names that could be available like Vincent Jackson or Brandon Lloyd. The most intruiging other name to me though is Robert Meachem. He has the ability to beat CB's deep and has shown he can get the job done when defenses try to take away teams better options like in New Orleans with Colston and Graham. Meachem also does a great job in the red zone which this team needs. He could be had at a reasonable price.

After that I would look to getting Simpson a 1 year deal and drafting his replacement.

6. Linebacker:

This is the most puzzling position on the team. There are plenty of good players at LB, but I don't know what to do about getting them in the right spots. Thomas Howard definitely needs to be brought back and be the starting Will LB in 2012, he played outstanding this season. Keith Rivers can either take a pay cut or play somewhere else, because he has lost his starting job. Can Rey play the middle? Some games he played like he owned the field and some he was out of place. I think giving him one more year in the middle is in order. This was new for him in the NFL and I think sometimes he was thinking too much instead of just playing because he had new responsibilities. I like Manny Lawson as well, but if it looks like Rey isn't working out early in next season he would go back to the strong side and Manny would be the backup. That would leave a hole in the middle then. Maybe Skuta could man the position or do you find a free agent that would start the season as a backup and then if Rey struggles he would be the starter.

Would London Fletcher assume that role at 36 years old? I seriously doubt it because despite his age he's still playing at a high level. The team could make the decision now to move Rey back to SAM LB and if Fletcher is willing to come here make him the starter. With his age injuries could be a concern, but if that happened Rey is better than any backup in the middle in the NFL and Skuta is more than servicable.

Looking at some lesser talented LB's is an option also because they can always contribute on Special Teams with their combination of size and speed.

The Draft:

Every team has a big board heading into the draft. This would be my big board of players this team would look to draft. When you see this big board you won't see Andrew Luck on there because he's not someone the team could realistically look at drafting. You will see Trent Richardson, now realistically the team probably won't get him because he'll be gone, but he fills a need and would be an option to trade up to get. So this big board is a big board of players that the team could go after.

1. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
2. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
3. Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
4. Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
5. Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina
6. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
7. David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
8. Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
9. Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
10. Mark Barron, SS, Alabama
11. Micheal Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
12. Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska
13. Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia
14. Devon Still, DT, Penn State
15. Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
16. David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech
17. Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
18. Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
19. Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
20. Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia
21. Kelechi Osemele, OG/OT, Iowa State
22. Chris Polk, RB, Washington
23. Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama
24. Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech
25. Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
26. Kevin Zeitler, OG, Wisconsin
27. Casey Heyward, CB, Vanderbilt
28. Markelle Martin, SS, Oklahoma State
29. Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati
30. Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
31. Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State
32. Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina
33. Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson
34. Ray Ray Armstrong, SS, Miami
35. Billy Winn, DT, Boise State
36. Ryan Miller, OG, Colorado
37. Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon
38. Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati
39. Mike Brewster, C, Ohio State
40. Ben Jones, C, Georgia

That list of names should get them through three rounds. Again this is not a list of all the top players, just the players the team should have interest in.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Cincinnati Bengals GM Report: Offense

The Bengals just finished a suprising season with a disappointing playoff loss. For some, and I'm included in this group, the future looks bright. For others it was a season with a soft schedule and the Bengals got lucky in a mediocre AFC and squeaked into the playoffs. I think a 9-7 record and a playoff appearance was more than acceptable considering the team had a rookie starting at QB and the number one WR positions, with no offseason due to the lockout. Hell a lot of the sportswriters across this country had the Bengals finishing with the worst record in the NFL heading into this season.

Mike Brown took over this franchise in 1991 and every since people in this city have been calling for him to hire a General Manager. There was a complete decade of football that was laughable. The Bengals couldn't do a thing right for over ten years due to an owner who doesn't know what he's doing, but is so stubborn that he thinks he does and won't relinquish power. Well for this article I'll act like I've been hired as GM. I'm in no way qualified for the position, but I think I could do as well as Mike Brown did for that decade plus.

This is a lengthy article for a blog, but if I was GM this would be my report on what the franchise's plan would be moving into the offseason.

Like I said previously I think the future looks bright for this team. There are a lot of good young players in key positions. That being said, there are definitely some holes that need to be filled, positions that need to be upgraded if the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl is going to be reached. The team has two first round draft picks this coming April and five picks in the first three rounds. There is also an additional second round pick in the following draft so the window is going to be open to be one of the elite teams in the NFL for the next few seasons if the team handles the roster, draft picks and free agents, the right way over the next few seasons.

On the offensive side of the ball the biggest needs are finding a competant number two WR to play across from AJ Green and getting some interior line upgrades. The team has some extra draft picks and there are a lot of options as to what can be done in the draft. Also in free agency I think the biggest priority is to get a very good veteran Guard, maybe even two of them. Guards a relatively inexpensive compared to other positions plus I would rather have a veteran up front protecting Andy Dalton versus a rookie. As far as Wide Receiver goes, a top notch WR is costly in free agency. I never like the idea of going out and spending huge dollars on a single free agent because more often than not it doesn't work out.

Here's a look at the options for the positions on the offensive side of the ball.

Quarterback: Obviously it looks as if the team has found the future of the franchise in the most important position in all of sports. Andy Dalton had one of the best rookie seasons by a QB in NFL history. If not for Cam Newton breaking lots of rookie QB records Dalton would be a sure thing to win rookie of the year. He's the only QB to throw for 20 TD's and have at least 8 wins since the merger.
As far as the backup position goes you should always be looking to upgrade your backup QB's. Gradkowski only had to play one half the entire season and he was okay, he led the team to a win, but nothing spectacular. Obviously a high draft pick isn't going to be spent getting a backup QB. Late round selections are an option, if you find someone you really like that could be developed. If the team goes that route, bringing Gradkowski or another veteran in would be a good idea. Even though Dalton and other rookie QB's had success this season you don't want to find yourself starting a late round rookie QB if Dalton should go down. This position is always good to have some decent depth.
Draft: As mentioned earlier an early round QB is not going to be an option for this team. However in the later rounds there are some names that intrigue me. One of them is Kellen Moore from Boise State. His biggest concern is his size. Also he didn't exactly play against elite competition week in and week out. He was a winner though. He won more games than any QB in the history of college football. He is extremely accurate with the ball and is probably one of the smartest players in college football. Moore would be worth looking at if he is there in the late sixth or seventh round. If the Bengals keep the west coast offense he could be someone that with some develpment could be a viable backup to come in and manage things if Dalton were out for a few games or something.
Another guy is Nick Foles from Arizona. I think he ends up going in the 2nd round, but I have seen some projections that say 3rd to 4th round. The team has a comp pick coming for Jonathon Joseph at the end of the 3rd round. If Foles happens to stil be there I'd have to take a serious look at making that pick. He has all the tools to be a good NFL QB. He has the size and the arm strength. He is accurate. I don't see him making it that far, but I've seen weirder things happen.
There are several other QB's that are projected to go in the later rounds that should be looked at this offseason. Honestly I don't see this team taking a QB in the draft before the 6th round unless someone the team likes a lot falls too far and the value is too much to pass on.
Free Agents: Bringing back Gradkowski or another veteran being brought in is a good idea, almost a must. Dalton is still a very young NFL QB and needs that veteran to be able to lean on and be mentored by. I've always been in favor of bringing in someone that can run the ball fairly well, but that wouldn't be what's best for a mentor for Dalton unless they have a strong understanding of staying in the pocket and being a west coast offense pocket QB.
Matt Flynn and Jason Campbell are both free agents, but may want starting jobs and would probably cost too much to bring in as a backup QB. Dennis Dixon is a QB who can run which I really like that would bring a different element to this offense if he were forced into action. The two names I like the best are Shaun Hill and AJ Feeley. I think Hill played well when he was forced into action on a bad Detroit team, Feeley was a starter at one point. I think both could provide good support for Dalton as well.
Recomendation: Try to bring in Shaun Hill, if he's not available then bring back Gradkowski. Also look hard at QB's that could be a diamond in the rough in the 6th round. A developmental project maybe.
Runningback: This is a position that needs to be upgraded. I don't think Benson is bringing it like he used to and wouldn't bring him back. Bernard Scott was outplaying Benson at the end of the season and really has shown some flashes of being a very good RB. However this team plays in the AFC North, the most physical division in the league. Scott isn't built to shoulder the load of an AFC North schedule by himself. Bottom line an upgrade must be made, the running game wasn't where it needed to be.
Draft: I am not a fan of drafting a RB in the first round at all. The player would have to be special and the only player I'd consider spending a first round pick on in this year's draft would be Trent Richardson. There's a couple other backs that have first round grades, but I wouldn't take them. Runningbacks aren't valued nearly as much as they used to be so there's a chance Richardson could slip some. This team's first pick is the 17th pick so if he falls to 13th or so I would look into trading up possibly as long as it doesn't cost too much to do so.
There's a couple names that could be of interest in the 2nd round such as David Wilson and Chris Polk. Wilson from Virginia Tech is one I really like and would definitely put strong consideration into taking him if he's there in the 2nd when this team picks. Also trading back one of the first round picks and picking up some extra selections would be an option. Wilson could stand to add about ten pounds, but he's explosive, can pick up yards after contact, and can hit the home run. Chris Polk from Washington is a bigger back that could be suited well for the AFC North with his power running style. He has good speed as well. The Bengals had some good luck with another back from Washington named Corey Dillon and I see a lot of similarities in the two.
There's a couple other backs that could be had in the 3rd or 4th round in Doug Martin of Boise State and Isaiah Pead from Cincinnati. Martin is a well rounded back with decent speed. I just wonder if he's a product of playing at Boise where the team dominated lesser competition. Most in the city know about Pead. He's a good pass catcher, but like Polk his concerns are his upright running style. With Scott here the two could split carries though and might be a good RB by committee. If either are available in the 4th I would probably pull the trigger, the 3rd it would be a tough choice.
For the late rounds there's two players I really like. Tauren Poole from Tennessee and Brandon Bolden from Ole Miss. Both players could have higher draft stock but battled injuries in 2011 which is a concern. If Poole is around in the 5th round that would be something to look at depending on how the draft has played out and the need at the position for this team. If by the 4th round there still isn't a RB brought in here then I would even consider taking him then. He had a big 2010 season in the SEC on a Tennessee team that wasn't very good against elite competition. Poole is a bigger power back that is good in short yardage and would be a good compliment to Scott. Bolden is projected to go in the 7th round or be an undrafted free agent. The injuries this last year are a concern but in 2010 he averaged six yards a carry on an Ole Miss team that isn't as good as it's competition in the SEC west. He also had 32 catches that season which makes him a complete back and could be a steal as someone projected to go that late.
Free Agents: There are some big name free agents at the RB position this off season. Most of them will end up back with their old teams like Ray Rice and Matt Forte. Although Forte could leave the Bears if he's unhappy with their offer. Peyton Hillis will likely be available, but I wouldn't want to pay him the kind of money he's probably looking for, especially with the questions about his commitment to his team.
One name I really like that could be had at reasonable cost is Micheal Bush from the Raiders. He's a big powerful back that would fit in well in this division. I doubt he goes back to Oakland to play behind McFadden. He's probably looking to go somewhere he can get more carries. This would be a good get if the team could land Bush.
A couple other names that could be last resorts are Tim Hightower and Jason Snelling. Both have shown flashes when put in starters roles.
Recomendation: Getting a quality RB is a must for this team. Benson did not get the job done this year. While Bernard Scott has shown some flashes and I like his ability, I wouldn't want to go into next season with just him as the only quality RB on the team. Since free agency comes before the draft I would like to make a run at signing Micheal Bush from the Raiders. If he can't be brought in I would test the waters with Hillis, but I wouldn't over pay for him. The next choice would be to try to get Hightower here, only at a reasonable price and he would serve as an insurance policy in case the team is unable to find a back it likes in the draft to contribute immediately.
If Bush or Hillis is brought in then drafting a RB early is not a priority. If neither can be or no one else of at least their caliber then I would really consider trading up, not too much, to get Richardson from Alabama. After that, if no quality free agents are brought in the team would have to make sure they secure either Wilson from Virginia Tech, Polk from Washington, or Miller from Miami in the 2nd round.
Wide Receivers: The Bengals hit a home run with AJ Green in the first round of last year's draft. He is going to be an elite WR in the NFL for the next decade if he can avoid a devestating injury. Jerome Simpson showed some flashes of his athleticism, but overall he is inconsistent and I believe if he isn't involved early in a game he disappears. I don't think he has the intelligence or drive to be a consistent number two that will help take some pressure off of Green and would like to see the WR2 position upgraded. Jordan Shipley has shown he has the makings of a good slot WR and now days ACL injuries usually don't hinder a career. Andrew Hawkins was a pleasant suprise and when put in the slot is too fast for Safeties or LB's to even try to cover. Also I think he would be a good punt returner and would like to see him get some work there, he can be an asset to this team. I also like what I've seen from Ryan Whalen and hope he doesn't get squeezed out in a numbers game, but if he does it's a good problem because that means the team has too many quality WR's.
So basically the team is good at WR1 and in the slot with two good slot players so the depth is there for the slot. I don't see either Simpson or Caldwell being brought back after their contracts are up and could be cut before if the roster space is needed. There are some quality WR's in the draft that could fill that WR2 spot if it falls that way and we can get good value early. If the team doesn't think that can happen then it should look to free agency. An elite WR doesn't need to be brought in so it shouldn't cost too much, but the team needs to spend the dollars to make sure a quality player that can win one on one match ups is brought in for when teams focus too much attention on Green.
Draft: The top WR is Justin Blackmon, but there's no way this team will be in position to draft him unless it wants to spend like the Falcons did last year and I don't think that would be wise. An interesting thing has happened this year. Going into the season most draft experts had Alshon Jeffrey as the top WR slightly ahead of Blackmon and projected to go top 10. Now most have Jeffrey in the 15 to 25 range. He is a big, physical, talented WR who could be a number one WR on a lot of teams in the NFL. His numbers dropped off from 2010 to 2011, but that was more due to really bad QB play at South Carolina, and a team that underachieved overall in my opinion.
I think if Jeffrey is there when this team picks at number 17 you pull the trigger. That would all of a sudden give a young offense, possibly the most talented group of WR's/TE's in the NFL right up there with the Saints and Packers. When you have a chance to put an offense like this together, it's rare and you have to take that opportunity and find another way to fill other holes. Remember this team also has two first round picks which makes it somewhat of a luxury. With the way the draft is projected to fall, I would say he'd be the most talented player on the board if he's still there at 17 and the WR position would be set for a long time. The team would basically have two number one WR's and the best one two punch in the league.
There is also Micheal Floyd, and I would consider using a 1st round pick on him as well. He's projected to go somewhere around 20 to 29 or so and would be more than competant as a number two. He has been more consistent throughout his college career than Jeffrey but isn't as talented. I do think as far as Jeffrey goes he should take off some of the weight he added this year to get a bit faster. And Floyd should add about 5 lbs to get a bit stronger. Both are good prospects, big physical WR's, but Jeffrey's a bit bigger and Floyd just a bit faster with Jeffrey at his current weight. At this point I'd take Jeffrey no doubt in the first and Floyd there'd be a decision to make depending on how free agency went. I would prefer to upgrade over Simpson so if Jeffrey is gone, taking Floyd would be a strong possibility.
After that there is Kendall Wright from Baylor. He is a burner but only 5-10 which is on the small side. He'd be able to stretch the field, but press coverage could be a problem for him. He is projected to go in the early 2nd so trading back one of the first round picks could be an option. He is comparable to Mike Wallace which could you imagine Wallace and Green on the same team.
The only other WR in this draft that I think would be an upgrade over Simpson is Mohamed Sanu of Rutgers. He is another big WR that carried the Rutgers team in a lot of games. He dominated a North Carolina defense full of NFL caliber talent on an inferior team. He is a good route runner, has decent speed for his size, and excellent hands. If he's available with the teams 2nd round pick that would be great value.
Two other players I would consider in the 3rd round or earlier is Rueben Randle from LSU. He doesn't have the numbers of some of these other players, but plays on an LSU team that can't throw the ball very well. He could be a steal in the 3rd round. He has good height at 6-4 and would be another big red zone threat. Nick Toon from Wisconsin is the other, another player with good size and an ability to stretch the field.
Free Agents: There are a lot of big name free agents this year, but as usual most will end up back with their teams. Big name free agent WR's cost a lot of money as well. If Philly is unable to get DeSean Jackson signed I would take a hard look at him depending on the cost. He'll cost some money, but this team is well under the cap. Jackson would definitely make defenses play honest. If they wanna cloud AJ Green, he'll make them pay. If the running game can get going this team would be impossible to defend because you can't put 8 in the box with Green and Jackson's ability to beat you deep.
Colston and Meachem from the Saints are both free agents. I expect Colston to be resigned, but maybe not Meachem. He could probably be had for a more reasonable price and has show ability to beat teams deep and is a red zone threat. Meachem would be a good pick up and then a WR wouldn't need to be drafted early at all.
The only other WR I think could be available that I feel would be an upgrade over Simpson is Pierre Garcon, but he will probably be back in Indy.
Recomendation: Although Simpson isn't consistent, there aren't a lot of options that would be better to replace him. If someone isn't brought in via free agency to be the number two WR and Jeffrey is available I would take him. As long as there isn't a clear cut choice that the team feels is better and would fill a hole or significantly upgrade the position.
Tight Ends: The Bengals are set with a talented 1st round talent in Jermaine Gresham. However you are seeing teams have success with two TE sets like the New England Patriots. A two TE set is hard to defend because defenses usually stick with their base defense so they don't get run all over. That means the TE's are being covered by slower LB's or smaller Safeties, either way a mis match. I think Donald Lee and Colin Cochart did a good job contributing to this team and wouldn't mind seeing either of them here in 2012.
Draft: As far as drafting goes this team isn't going to spend an early round pick on a TE. There are too many other holes to fill on this team. There is a bigger TE from Alabama that could be had in the late rounds, Micheal Williams, who would provide the team a good blocking TE for the run game. Other than that the team should look at late round players and see if they can find any diamonds in the rough.
Free Agents: The biggest named free agent is Jermicheal Finley. He is going to command top dollar, and will likely end up back with the Packers. I don't think this team should spend big money on the TE position there are too many other holes where the money would be better served.
Offensive Line: I am a firm believer in winning football starts up front whether it's pop warner football or the NFL. For the most parts the teams with the most depth and best players up front seem to be the consistent winners. On both the offensive and defensive side of the ball I would never have a problem with the team using an early draft pick on a lineman. If you can push people around up front and move the line of scrimmage you will win. Look at the Giants in 2007, they won the Super Bowl against a Patriots team that was 18-0 by beating the Patriots offensive line the entire game and never giving Brady time to throw.
As far as the Bengals offensive line goes, it is solid. There is definitely room for improvement, epecially at Guard. I think they are pretty well set at Tackle. They have two quality starters and a good back up if they can retain Anthony Collins. Whitworth played at an all-pro level this year and Andre Smith showed major improvement and finally started to show he may be capable of living up to his number six overall pick.
Guard is where the issues are the biggest. Nate Livings has been a success story as far as being undrafted and playing his way to a starter. However his play is below average if you ask me. Too many penalties, mainly holding, which tells me he's getting beat too often. I think he's got to be upgraded if the line is going to reach it's full potential. If Guard can be upgraded the sky is the limit for this team with all of the good young skill players and the promise Andy Dalton showed at QB. At the other Guard spot Bobbie Williams may have played his last game as a Bengal. He has been a good player here for a long time, but he is aging and starting to decline as injuries are catching up to him.
At Center Kyle Cook has been a good player. It's a far cry from the days of Eric Guicec who was terrible. He's solid but I am worried if he went down who would the team turn to. There isn't a proven back up. At Guard's back up I think Clint Boling has a promising future. As Lapham has said many times he needs to work on lowering his pad level but that can be fixed with some coaching and he may be a starter at Guard in 2012.
This team is going to have to add some offensive lineman either via free agency or the draft. They have to be better up front if they want to take the next step and advance far into the playoffs. A perfect example is the first time they played the Ravens. After coming back from down 17, they were down 7 and driving down to the Ravens 5 yard line. After Hawkins dropped a ball on first down the Ravens were on Dalton the next three downs before he had time to do anything and secured the game. The line has to be better as they showed they were outmatched when the game was on the line.
Draft: Depending on how this draft falls a 1st round Guard could be in order. Like I said earlier the two biggest holes are Guard and CB. This draft class is loaded at CB so waiting til the 2nd round to get one could still net them a very good CB that would go in the first round in other years.
There is a Guard prospect who may be one of the better interior lineman to come out of college in a long time, David DeCastro from Stanford. DeCastro can do it all. He pushes defenders back in the run game, he can pull, and he is an excellent pass blocker. He was a force in college football all season long and has been consistent throughout his college career. Taking him with one of the two first round picks would have to be under strong consideration, if he lasts that long. Once teams watch all the tape on him his stock could rise and he could be gone before 17.
Cordy Glenn is another top Guard prospect. He plays Tackle at Georgia, but will likely be moved inside in the NFL due to his size. He has the perfect body type for Guard, not really Tackle. He's projected to go late first early second round. I don't know if I'd use one of the picks the team currently has without trading back because I don't think it'd be the best value. I think finding a Tackle projected in the 2nd to 3rd round that is more athletic and moving him inside would net the team just as good of a player.
Which gets to my next point. Lots of teams are taking middle round Tackles and moving them to Guard because Tackles are more athletic. Usually they have to put on about ten to fifteen pounds but that's not a problem with these big guys. Teams are finding that a player that is a 4th or 5th round Tackle that moves into Guard usually ends up being just as good as a 2nd round Guard. Now in DeCastro's case, he's a special player and is well worth the 1st round pick.
Kelechi Osemele is a Tackle from Iowa State that is projected to play Guard in the NFL and is a projected 2nd rounder. He weighs 347 pounds but actually has great athleticism for his size and maybe could play RT in the NFL. That versatility alone makes him valuable. With only so many roster spots getting a guy that could play 3 or maybe even 4 positions makes him a hot commodity. With the need at Guard, if the position isn't filled and he's available in the 2nd round it'd be an excellent pick.
There are also a few good middle round Guards such as Kevin Zeitler of Wisconsin and Ryan Miller from Colorado. This team could take two Guards in this draft. If a starter isn't brought in in free agency one will have to be within the first two rounds. Really I think the team is looking for two new starters unless they think Boling is ready to start right now.
Free Agents: Carl Nicks from the Saints is the top free agent Guard in 2012. The Saints just signed Evans to a big money deal last year and may not want to pay another Guard that type of money. If Nicks is available this team should make a serious run at him. Free Agents will be more willing to come to Cincinnati with the young talent and promise on this team.
Another top free agent Guard is Ben Grubbs from the Ravens. This would be a double win if he isn't back in Baltimore and comes here as it takes a top lineman away from one of your division rivals and makes your line better. Taking a run at both Nicks and Grubbs would be in the best interest of this team. There is plenty of room under the cap and if somehow you landed both you would instantly have one of the best lines in the NFL to go along with a talented young offense with talented young skill players. This would also open up the draft to adress WR2 and the defense.
Recomendation: I would take a serious run at the two top free agents. There are a couple other free agents I would look into as landing both is unlikely. If the team feels like Boling is ready to take over one Guard spot then you only have to fill one. If not, you've gotta get a starter via free agency. You don't want to go into the draft looking for two starting Guards. If DeCastro is available he's gotta be on the short list to be drafted first by this team. DeCastro and Jeffrey the WR for the offensive side would probably be my top two candidates for first round picks.
Offensive Summary: Overall the offense looks to be in good shape moving forward. There are a lot of young pieces that are going to improve on this offense, especially with a full off season. The two biggest holes to fill are Guard and WR2 and there are some prime candidates to fill those holes either via the draft or free agency.

Monday, January 2, 2012

2012 NFL Mock Draft

12/2/2012

1. Indianapolis Colts- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Well it's official the Colts are on the clock and the debate is on. Should the Colts take Andrew Luck and ship Peyton Manning out of town. If you are GM of the Colts you have to think about the franchise long term and the fact is Manning only has a few years left while Andrew Luck has an entire career ahead of him. Yes it will be tough for Colts fans to see Manning with another team, but ask Green Bay how it worked out for them trading Brett Favre. The ideal situation would be for Luck to come in and sit behind Manning and learn from him for a year. If you are Manning why wouldn't you want to do this, it's something else you can add to your legacy.

2. St. Louis Rams- Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Rams have taken Offensive Tackles very early in drafts quite a few times lately and whiffed. They could take a WR here, but there is going to be a new regime in charge in St. Louis next year and they will see the mess the offensive line is in and take Kalil. Kalil is the best player on the board and even though Bradford needs weapons he needs to have time to throw the ball first.

3. Minnesota Vikings- Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Vikings have a young QB that they are looking to to be the future of their franchise. With Sidney Rice leaving last off season via free agency the Vikings don't have a legit number one WR. The pieces are in place for this offense to have success. They have the best RB in the NFL, a good number two WR in Percy Harvin, and a young QB that looks like he has a promising future.

4. Cleveland Browns- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

The Browns are not going to bring back Peyton Hillis after the whole strep throat and knee injury things this year. Some people are calling for a new QB in Cleveland, but can you really give Colt McCoy a fair assessment up to this point. No QB could do well with the lack of weapons they have in Cleveland. All things considered I think he's played about as well as anyone could have.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

The Bucs almost definitely have to take Claiborne if he's available when they pick. Ronde Barber has to close to retirement and Aqib Talib may be in jail by the time the season starts next season. Claiborne is the top CB in this draft and this would be the ideal situation for TB. If he's gone they may want to consider trading down a few spots.

6. Washington Redskins- Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The success of running QB's like Tebow and Newton made Griffin's draft stock rise big time. Mike Shanahan is not going to go through another season with Rex Grossman or John Beck as his starting QB. He knows as well as anyone that you have to have a good QB to win in the NFL as he hasn't won anything without John Elway.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars- Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

The Jaguars brought in Aaron Kampman a couple years ago to be their pass rusher and he blew out his knee in the first training camp with the Jaguars. They've still been searching for someone to be that guy. When you play in a division with good QB's like Manning/Luck and Matt Schaub you have to be able to get some pressure on them.

8. Miami Dolphins- Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Jones may consider going back to school for his senior season and if he does the Dolphins will have to trade up or go with Matt Moore another year at QB. If he is available I think Miami takes him. They've seen this play out too many times with a career backup coming in and playing well for a few games and getting the job only to stink for a couple of seasons. They are still looking for the successor to Dan Marino in Miami.

9. Carolina Panthers- Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

The Panthers couldn't stop anyone on defense in any way this season. Cam Newton played very well as a rookie QB and if their defense had been average they may be in the playoffs this year. With a division that has Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Josh Freeman getting pressure on the QB is a must if you want to have a chance at winning it.

10. Buffalo Bills- Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

The Bills have been trying to transition to a 3-4 defense for a couple years. They finally added a good piece, Marcell Dareus, that will help them with that transition. Now they need to add a speed rusher off the edge. Upshaw comes from a defense that ran a 3-4 at Alabama so he will be able to step in and contribute immediately.

11. Kansas City Chiefs- Jonathon Martin, OT, Stanford

This pick will allow the Chiefs to do something they've needed to do for years and move Brandon Albert in to the Guard position. This will make two positions better on that line with one pick. GM Scott Pioli will pull the trigger on this in a second because not only is Martin the best on the board but he plays a position of high value.

12. Seattle Seahawks- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Some would consider this a reach, but everyone saw what happened in the 2011 draft with QB's going off the board early. In a league where it seems like multiple teams need a QB upgrade every year they are going to come off the board early. I think Seattle is also kicking themselves for passing on Andy Dalton and won't want to make the same mistake twice.

13. Arizona Cardinals- Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The Cardinals currently have two OT's that are overpaid and underperforming. Taking Reiff will allow them to cut at least one of them and save them some money on the salary cap. Kevin Kolb was brought in and they gave up a lot to get him only to have him get hurt due to bad line play.

14. Dallas Cowboys- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Dallas secondary hasn't played very well this year. Part of that was due to injury. Part of that was due to Terrance Newman is getting old and losing some of that world class speed. Mike Jenkins is afraid to tackle anyone. Kirkpatrick is a big, physical CB that will hit people and can cover something the Cowboys have been missing.

15. Philadelphia Eagles- Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Teams gashed the Eagles defense by running right up the middle. Some blame the wide nine defense they were running. I blame it on them being soft up the middle. Kuechly will bring some toughness and leadership to the middle of that defense.

16. New York Jets- Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

This may be a bit of a reach, but the Jets are going to do something about that pass rush. I'm really glad to see Rex Ryan not in the playoffs because he runs his mouth all the time. That said, he's a good coach and will get the things fixed that need to be fixed and the pass rush is number one on defense which is his forte.

17. Cincinnati Bengals- David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Well we know the Bengals will have the 17th pick for sure as this is the pick from Oakland. I'm a believer in winning football starts in the trenches whether it's pee wee football or NFL football. The Bengals have a good young team and the future looks bright. However one spot that needs an upgrade is Guard. I don't want to see Nate Livings start another game for this team and Bobbie Williams is getting old and his contract is up. The Bengals got a steal with Clint Boling in the 5th round last year, in my opinion and he should be able to fill one of those spots.

If DeCastro is available this would be an excellent pick. If you read the scouting report on him everything is good. He is the most talented interior offensive lineman in this draft and he went to Stanford so you know he is intelligent. The Bengals haven't used a high draft pick on an interior offensive lineman since Eric Steinbach. With all the young talent at QB and the skill positions if you had a line of Whitworth, DeCastro, Cook, Boling, Smith that would be an offense that is young an explosive. Having Livings be a backup along with Collins as a backup would also mean they have good depth. There are always injuries to every team, every year, so depth is a must.

18. San Diego Chargers- Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

The Chargers have needed to upgrade their pass rush since they made Shawn Merriman stop taking steroids. They drafted Larry English a couple years ago and he hasn't lived up to his first round draft status at all. Also with Tim Tebow in that division having big, fast, LB's is going to be a must to stop his running the ball.

19. Chicago Bears- Peter Konz, OC, Wisconsin

The Bears offensive line has been terrible for years. Jay Cutler couldn't finish the season and it cost the Bears a playoff berth. Their best lineman, Olin Kruetz, left for New Orleans via free agency then retired. Teams are starting to value the Center position more and more as all the great lines have a good Center.

20. Tennessee Titans- Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

The Titans group of LB's has been atrocious this season. Really they haven't had a good LB since Keith Bullock was in his prime. Burfict is a playmaker at the LB position who can go sideline to sideline. He has some issues with taking bad angles, but that can be corrected with some NFL coaching.

21. Denver Broncos- Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

John Fox is a coach who loves to run the football. He also isn't afraid to take RB's in the first round. He did it twice while he was in Carolina. I don't think Fox is sold on Knowshown Moreno at all and McGahee is too old to shoulder an entire season's workload. Miller is a guy who can hit the homerun and also power between the tackles.

22. Cincinnati Bengals- Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

Leon Hall going down with an achilles injury really hurt the Bengals secondary this year. It also exposed the fact that more CB depth was needed. Jenkins may be the best cover CB in this draft. He started on a Florida National Championship team as a true freshman. He also was arrested for possesion of marijuana. I can hear the jokes now if the Bengals take him, but so what no one will be laughing when they win the Super Bowl.

Getting Jenkins would give the Bengals one of the best CB duos once again in the NFL. If they can also resign Clements and Jones they will probably have the best 1-4 CB group in the league. With the way that defensive line played this year, if they can keep that up the defense will be top 5 once again. If you add that to the explosive young offense they have you have a window where this team could make a Super Bowl run here in the next few years.

23. Cleveland Browns- Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina

The Browns lucked out with Jeffrey having a down year. He may be the most talented WR in this draft. Look at what he did his sophomore year. He didn't just all of a sudden become a worse WR, the QB play at South Carolina was atrocious. The Browns have two first round picks, they have to come away with a WR with at least one of those picks.

24. Detroit Lions- Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State

I think the Lions got lucky with Stafford making it through an entire season without getting hurt. If they want to continue to make the playoffs they need to upgrade on the offensive line. Sanders is an athletic Tackle that can protect the blind side of Stafford and allow them to move Backus somewhere else.

25. New York Giants- Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

The Giants reunite Amukamara with fellow Cornhusker Dennard and give themselves a first round CB duo. In a division with explosive offenses like the Eagles and Cowboys have you can't have too many good CB's. They are thin in the secondary anyway, at the beginning of the season they were bringing in guys off the street to come in and start for them.

26. Houston Texans- Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

The Houston defense went from one of the worst in the league to one of the best, a big reason for that was Wade Phillips. He was able to mask some of their deficincies. They are still thin in the secondary and could use an upgrade at Strong Safety. Barron is by far the best Safety in this draft and would be a big difference maker for their defense.

27. Pittsburgh Steelers- Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

The Steelers have been bad on the offensive line for a few years now. Really I'm suprised they've won as much as they have with that line. That's a tribute to their defense and to Big Ben being big and strong and able to take hits. Glenn is the best offensive lineman available and they need help both at Guard and Tackle.

28. San Francisco 49ers- Micheal Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

The Niners just released Braylon Edwards, who stinks anyway. The only viable WR they have is the overrated Micheal Crabtree. They have a good team in SF, but they need some playmakers on offense if they want to take it to the next level and win it all.

29. Baltimore Ravens- Devon Still, DT/DE, Penn State

Ozzie Newsome is a believer in taking the best player available. In this case that is Still. He can play either DT or DE and that versatility makes him more valuable. The Ravens are a defense that switches between a 3-4 and a 4-3. Putting Still next to or across from Ngata will give the Ravens a dominant D line.

30. New England Patriots- Vinny Curry, DE/OLB, Marshall

The Patriots absolutely have to get a pass rusher early in this draft. Curry has great speed and would be able to come off the edge and get after the QB. He can also play with his hand on the ground if they need him to. With two first round picks if the Pats can upgrade that defense they will probably be the Super Bowl favorites heading into next season.

31. New England Patriots- Billy Winn, DT/DE, Boise State

The Patriots traded away Richard Seymour a couple years ago and have been looking for a replacement for him every since. I thought they should have taken Cameron Heyward last year, but they passed. Winn isn't quite as talented as Heyward but will give them a force at DE that can stuff the run and get after the passer a bit.

32. Green Bay Packers- Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

In Green Bay there aren't a ton of holes. One weakness has been on the offensive line where injuries have hurt them a bit. They are still good up front. When you have a QB of Aaron Rodgers caliber it's never a bad thing to use a 1st round pick on an offensive lineman and add depth to that line. If you can keep him protected and give him time to throw he'll win you some Super Bowls.

2nd Round

33. St. Louis Rams- Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

The Rams need to add some weapons at WR for young QB Sam Bradford. Brandon Lloyd may or may not be back, I think depending on if Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels is retained in St. Louis. Either way Lloyd is not enough.

34. Indianapolis Colts- Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

As we've seen this season the Colts have a long way to go in building a team that is not just centered around Peyton Manning. The Colts have been used to playing with a lead for years and centered their defense around playing the pass as teams were forced to throw the ball to keep up with Manning. They now have to build a team that is balanced on both sides of the ball.

35. Minnesota Vikings- Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia

The Vikings need to take advantage of this loaded class of CB's and get one within the first few rounds. Their best CB, Griffin, is 35 years old and Chris Carr has been a disappointment so far in his short career.

36. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

The Bucs have a lot of pieces on place on their defense, especially young pieces along the line. If they land Claiborne they will be on their way at CB as well. One thing they have been missing is a good LB, they haven't had one since Derrick Brooks. Brown is a first round talent that has the speed to contribute in pass coverage as well as against the run.

37. Cleveland Browns- Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson

The Browns should focus on offense early and often in this draft. Their defense actually played pretty well and the numbers would have been even better if the offense could have actually stayed on the field. If the draft falls like this for the Browns they will have a bright future, getting the best RB, maybe the most talented WR, and now the top TE all in one draft.

38. Jacksonville Jaguars- Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin

If the Jags don't land Justin Blackmon with their first pick they will have to grab a WR in the second. Right now they don't have any viable weapons for young QB Blaine Gabbert. With a new regime they may even end up taking Robert Griffin, if the new coaches don't like Gabbert. Either way they need to add some weapons.

39. Washington Redskins- Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

The Redskins will almost certainly have a new signal caller next season. No matter if it's a rookie or a free agent they will also need to get him some weapons. When your best WR is Santana Moss you are in trouble.

40. Carolina Panthers- Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

The Panthers could use another WR across from Steve Smith, but I don't see any left here worth this pick. They also have a lot of holes to fill on defense and Thompson is the top player on the board. Getting two defensive lineman with your first two picks is a good way to start to rebuild that defense, especially when both have first round grades.

41. Buffalo Bills- Brandon Jenkins, DE/OLB, Florida State

The Bills took a pass rusher in the first round, the best of the tweener edge rushers. They are trying to transition to a 3-4 defense. The great 3-4 defenses have two good pass rushers coming off the edge, like the Steelers with Harrison and Woodley. When you have Tom Brady as your competition to win that division you have to be able to get pressure on him. Adding Upshaw and Jenkins would give the Bills a formidable pass rush immediately.

42. Miami Dolphins- Alameda Ta'amu, NT, Washington

This would be a steal for Miami as good NT's are hard to come across and usually the best in the draft doesn't last this long. Every defense that runs a 3-4 could use NT depth and if Ta'amu is still available here teams like Pittsburgh or the Jets may trade up to get him.

43. Seattle Seahawks- Andre Branch, DE, Clemson

The Seattle defense didn't really get any kind of pass rush this season. Branch would be good value here as some have a first round grade on him. Branch is also a complete DE that would help in run support in a division where everyone can run the ball.

44. Kansas City Chiefs- Ronnell Lewis, DE/OLB, Oklahoma

Other than Tamba Hali the Chiefs don't have anyone that can rush the passer. It's a shame with all of those high draft picks on that defensive line that they can't get any pass rush out of them, but I guess when you run a 3-4 the lineman don't get as many sacks. Anyway Lewis would provide some help for Hali, and take away some of the constant double teams he draws.

45. Dallas Cowboys- Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech

That's right the Cowboys could double dip at CB in the first and second rounds. Why not, it's a position that's lacking depth and the could really use two new starters. If you're going to take two CB's this is the year to do it as the CB class is loaded in this draft. In other years Hosley could very well be a first round pick. Getting Kirkpatrick and Hosley would instantly give the Cowboys one of the best groups of CB's in the NFL.

46. Philadelphia Eagles- Kelechi Osemele, OT/OG, Iowa State

Andy Reid loves to take offensive lineman early and often in drafts. The Eagles need help on the O line as Vick has gotten sacked about as much as any QB in the NFL. Osemele has the versatility to play Guard or Tackle and the Eagles could use the depth at both spots so this is a good fit for Philly.

47. New York Jets- Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

Just a couple years ago the Jets defense was almost impossible to run against. Poe would give them that force in the middle they've been missing since Kris Jenkins was healthy. I know the offense has struggled and needs adressed, but I think Rex Ryan is going to focus on making the defense dominant again first.

48. New England Patriots- Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

The Patriots have a lot of picks early in this draft and I think this is the year they finally use them instead of trading them all. If they get the help up front with the pass rush with their first two picks then they can focus on the back end and another CB to help Devin McCourtey. If they upgrade their defense like this they may be the favorites to win it all next year.

49. San Diego Chargers- Casey Heyward, CB, Vanderbilt

Just a few years ago the Chargers looked like they were set at CB for a long time. Then they traded Cromartie and all of a sudden Quinton Jammer is in his mid 30's. The Chargers should take advantage of this group of 2nd Round CB's that is loaded.

50. Chicago Bears- Levy Adcock, OT, Oklahoma State

If I'm picking for the Bears I'm taking offensive lineman until that line is completely reloaded. The Bears were on a roll and looked like they were cruising to a wild card spot until Cutler got hurt. It was only a matter of time as much as he was being sacked. If they fail to resign Matt Forte then a RB might be in order here.

51. Philadelphia Eagles- Josh Chapman, DT, Alabama

While Chapman is better suited to play NT in a 3-4, the Eagles need to get tough in the middle up front on that defense. 4-3 defenses can utilize NT's and line them up in the A gap between Guard and Center like the Bengals do with Peko. Adding Chapman and Kuechly instantly gets the Eagles tough up the middle.

52. Tennessee Titans- Mike Brewster, OC, Ohio State

The Titans had a franchise Center in Kevin Mawea for a decade and a half and were set at the position. Mawea retired and they've struggled at the position every since. Brewster is the best Center in this draft in my opinion, but I think Konz will go before him, which will be a mistake.

53. Denver Broncos- Jonathon Banks, CB, Mississippi State

The Broncos are old at CB. While Champ Bailey is still a competant CB, he is not the dominant force he once was. It's time for the Broncos to infuse some youth at the CB position. Especially in a division where there are a lot of young promising WR's on the Raiders and Chiefs, and some quality veterans in San Diego.

54. Cincinnati Bengals- David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

This would be a tough call between Wilson and Chris Polk from Washington. Wilson is definitely the more explosive back, but his size could be a concern. That said, with Bernard Scott to split carries I think he's more than big enough. Wilson can hit the home run at any time, he has incredible balance, and hardly ever goes down on first contact. He would be a major upgrade over Benson who just seems to not be into the game anymore and incredibly mediocre. With all of the other pieces on offense this gives the Bengals their version of the big 3 in Dalton, Green, and now Wilson.

55. Detroit Lions- Coryell Judie, CB, Texas A&M

It seems like every other pick in the 2nd round is a CB. There could be up to 8 taken in the 2nd round which is a quarter of the picks. Detroit has needed to add some depth and upgrade in the secondary for a while now. I thought they might go CB in the first last year, but I don't blame them for not passing on Fairley. And everyone thought Fairley was the dirty player, not as dirty as Suh.

56. Atlanta Falcons- Kevin Reddick, LB, North Carolina

Reddick is the top player on the board and at a position of need. Other than Curtis Lofton the Falcons don't have any viable LB's. Their defense hasn't quite been able to get over the hump as a result. When you have the Saints in your division you need to step it up on defense, not try to outscore them, which is what they were trying to do with the Julio Jones trade up.

57. New York Giants- Chris Polk, RB, Washington

Ahmad Bradshaw can't stay healthy for an entire season and Brandon Jacobs isn't what he once was. Polk kind of reminds me of Jacobs a bit, but with more speed and a better pass catcher. The Giants need to get back to running the ball, a staple of the Tom Coughlin offense.

58. Houston Texans- Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M

While Andre Johnson was out this season the Texans struggled at WR big time. Even with a healthy Johnson they need to add a WR that can make some plays when Johnson is double and triple covered. Other than Owen Daniels they are missing that playmaker.

59. Pittsburgh Steelers- Donta Hightower, LB, Alabama

The Steelers have the dominant edge pass rushers at OLB, but they aren't quite as good at inside LB. Hightower has played in a 3-4 defense at Alabama and may be the best ILB from a 3-4 defense in this draft.

60. San Francisco 49ers- Markelle Martin, SS, Oklahoma State

The Niners drafted Taylor Mays a couple years ago to be their man at SS and that didn't work out for them. They are still searching for a Safety on an improving defense. Martin is the best in this draft other than Barron. If things don't work out they can trade him to the Bengals for a 7th round pick.

61. Baltimore Ravens- Ben Jones, OC, Georgia

The Ravens made a mistake letting their Center of the future go a couple years ago. They then brought in an old Matt Birk. They now find themselves needing a young Center for the future. This is a draft with a few good Centers, they are going higher and higher though as teams are realizing all the great lines have a good Center.

62. New Orleans Saints- Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska

The Saints are kind of weak at LB. Getting David this late would be a steal, but LB's are starting to slip in drafts in the past few years as teams aren't valuing the position as much as they used to. When they lost Fujita and that was a big deal that showed how bad they were at LB.

63. New England Patriots- Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina

While the Patriots do have Tom Brady and an explosive offense, they can be stopped by teams with a good defense. The Pats don't have a deep threat so if you can squat on the short routes and get some reasonable pressure on Brady they will have a tough time moving the ball. That's what the Steelers did and blew them out because their defense is horrible. Jones would provide them with a big WR that is a deep threat.

64. Green Bay Packers- Brandon Lindsey, DE/OLB, Pittsburgh

The Packers need help at rush LB across from Clay Matthews. Teams are just throwing a Tackle and either chipping him with a TE or a RB and shutting down the GB pass rush this year. Bringing in Lindsey would make teams play them honest and help Matthews get his sack numbers back up.