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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2009 > March > 24 > Entry
Bengals welcome 4 compensatory picks (plus VoHo’s 2nd round draft selection)
BENGALS GET 11 DRAFT PICKS;
CAN THEY USE THEM WISELY?
THAT’S THE B-I-G QUESTION
The Bengals have been awarded four compensatory picks in the 2009 NFL Draft, pushing to 11 their total number of draft choices.
Compensatory picks are awarded by the NFL for net player losses in unrestricted free agency for the previous year. In addition to player movement, a formula including salary, playing time and postseason honors determines the specific picks awarded.
The Bengals got the picks after losing defensive end Justin Smith, defensive tackle Bryan Robinson, linebacker Landon Johnson and center Alex Stepanovich.
Cincinnati also lost free safety Madieu Williams to Minnesota in free agency in 2008, but the acquisition of Tennessee defensive end Antwan Odom canceled out any compensatory pick for Williams.
The 11 picks matches the number of draft selections the Bengals had in 2004.
Bengals fans can only hope the Bengals do a better job of drafting in ‘09 than they did in ‘04 when they selected Chris Perry, Keiwan Ratliff, Matthias Askew, Maurice Mann, Greg Brooks and Casey Bramlet.
In each of the last two drafts, Cincinnati has used a compensatory choice to acquire a key player. S Chinedum Ndukwe was secured with an extra seventh-round pick in 2007, and WR Andre Caldwell came as a third-round compensatory pick in 2008.
In this year’s draft, scheduled April 25-26, the Bengals will have an extra pick in Round 3 (98th overall), an extra pick in Round 6 (209th) and two extra picks in Round 7 (249th and 252nd).
The Bengals now have 11 total draft selections. Prior to the compensatory pick announcement, the Bengals had the standard allotment of one choice in each of Rounds 1 through 7.
Ndukwe, the seventh-round compensatory pick from 2007, was a starter on last season’s No. 12-ranked NFL defense. Over his first two seasons, he has posted five sacks, four INTs, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, 11 total passes defensed and 112 total tackles. He has scored two touchdowns on fumble returns.
WR Caldwell was taken with the No. 97 pick in last year’s draft, just one spot ahead of the extra third-round choice the Bengals have acquired for 2009. Caldwell was limited by injuries for much of last season, but he led the team in receptions over the three-game win streak that ended the year, and he finished as the No. 1 kickoff returner after averaging 26.0 yards on 13 returns.
In this year’s draft, the Bengals will select at the No. 6 spot in each round with their original selections. Compensatory choices are made at the end of each round.
JOE VON HOLLE’S 2nd ROUND PICK
Center Max Unger, Oregon (6-5, 309)
VoHo’s analysis: “If not Unger, then Alex Mack of California. One of those two ought to still be on the board at No. 38. I’ve been an Eric Ghiaciuc apologist for too long. Here’s a chance for a change. I think these are two of the better centers to come into the league in a long time. The pundits have been talking about them for two seasons already. These guys may be able to be in the lineup regularly by mid-season.”
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By Antwan Odom in your face
March 24, 2009 1:15 PM | Link to this
i think it will be Alex Mack…..Unger looks to be on his way to Pittsburgh at #32. regardless, either would be fine additions.By Ft. Myers Foursome
March 24, 2009 6:38 PM | Link to this
The Bengal’s should hire this guy. It would ensure a win-less season and continue the franchise’s long tradition of inept incompetency by employing people who know nothing or very little about professional football.By blindeye
March 24, 2009 8:41 PM | Link to this
Get out of here VoHo. You’re like stealing my picks. My #2 pick is OC Alex Mack of Cal. I agree with you on the fact that the OC position needs to be dealt with and I think they should do so in the second round. For #3 I like OLB Clay Mathews of USC. For #3b they should look at RB James Davis of Clemson. For #4 they should take OT Fenuki Tupo of Oregon. On #5 I like OT Sebastian Vullmar of Houston or TE Ryan Purvis of BC. On #6 is WR Brandon Tate of NC. For #6b I like DE Kyle Moore of USC or OG Ray Feinga of BYU. For #7 I like S Reshard Langord of Vandy. I’ll skip the two round 7 compensatory picks but somewhere between #4 and #7c I think they will take a backup QB or backup CB.By jon
March 24, 2009 9:41 PM | Link to this
With 11 picks we will find 10 losers and 1 thats ok. Everyone one of them will be some workout freak but dumb as a box of rocks.By VoHo
March 25, 2009 8:20 AM | Link to this
blindeye - good looking draft. I’m not sure if Mathews will be around in the 3rd but he’d work in place of my pick for Brinkley. I looked at an RB in 4. More candiates for O-line seems like a must but I put another LB and the CB ahead of the safety need. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the Bengals staff put in at least as much - maybe more - thought than we did.By Displaced Buckeye
March 25, 2009 8:27 AM | Link to this
Hey Ft. Meyers Foursome, You’re missing the point. It’s NEVER about football, it’s about Mike Brown’s pocket book. All this speculation about what they’re going to get and in which round is fun, but honestly, the Bungles will end up next year with their 3 wins and go into the next season in the Black. Until they start going into the Red and Mike Brown sells the team, you will never get a winning team.By sec 312
March 25, 2009 9:42 AM | Link to this
man those were some nice picks in 2004! great job mike brown! ps two for sale in 312By Chris
March 25, 2009 12:41 PM | Link to this
how much for the two for sale in 312?By blindeye
March 25, 2009 8:58 PM | Link to this
Voho, Thanks. You’re picks look good too. I know it has to be hard going with a defensive pick in the first round when the majority of fans are calling for an OT. The defensive pick just makes sense to me when you consider that the top 2 teams in the division have top 5 defenses.By mbclown
March 29, 2009 4:52 PM | Link to this
Hey Blindeye: your lack of football knowledge takes my breath away. So you’re implying that if the Bengals beef up their defense, then they can be division leaders? I believe your forgetting one thing. The Bengals finished 32 (yes that’s LAST) in the NFL for Offense. Once again, you must protect the franchise QB and give him time to throw downfield. We all will accept your apology for being an idiot and a loser anytime. Take care.