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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 > April > 20 > Entry
Bengals’ 2009 draft: Hot stove is heating up
BENGALS’ DECISION-MAKERS
ARE HUDDLING, GOING OVER
MOCK DRAFT SCENARIOS
Let’s get one thing straight: Owner/president Mike Brown has the final say on all draft picks.
He works closely with head coach Marvin Lewis; player personnel boss Pete Brown, who is Mike’s brother; and team executives Katie and Troy Blackburn., Mike’s daughter and son-in-law. Katie is the club’s executive vice president, and her husband, Troy, is a team VP.
Of course, recommendations from Jim Lippincott, director of football operations, and Duke Tobin, director of player personnel, also carry significant weight as Brown likes to reach a consensus.
But let’s not kid ourselves: Mike isn’t afraid to overrule anyone.
Brown is notorious for his infatuation with skill position players, especially QBs.
He whiffed on first-rounders David Klingler (‘92) and Akili Smith (‘99), and finally hit a home run with Carson Palmer in 2003.
But Brown hasn’t done a very good job in surrounding Palmer with enough talent.
Brown’s biggest mistake was waiting too long to replace Hall of Fame LT Anthony Munoz, who retired after the ‘92 season.
The only two first-round OTs since Munoz retired are Willie Anderson (1996) and Levi Jones (2002).
This year’s obvious choice is a LT, but the temptation to draft a WR or TB at No. 6 will be great.
With 11 draft picks, the likelihood of a trade is greater than ever because not all 11 are going to make the 53-man roster.
Trading up to get LT Eugene Monroe is a possibility. So is trading down to get either LT Michael Oher or LT Andre Smith.
Three first-day picks (LT, C and DE) is a must. The team needs quality, not quantity.
Shore up deficiencies on both lines and the playoffs are within reach for only the second time in 19 seasons.
Yep, that’s right folks … The Bengals have been to the playoffs just twice in 20 years (1990, 2005) since the 1988 season’s March to Miami for Super Bowl XXIII.
Permalink | Comments (14) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By David V.
April 20, 2009 12:23 PM | Link to this
Hey Chick…I know the Major Busts have been Klingler and Akili…and there were many choices made that were incorrect…my question to you is…doesn’t Andre Smith look ALOT like Freddie Childress?By Brian
April 20, 2009 12:50 PM | Link to this
They’ve got to protect Carson. In their first five games the young linemen are going to have their work cut out for them playing the Broncos at PBS (seems winnable given Denver’s current dysfunction); then at Green Bay; the Steelers (who take a unique sadistic joy in pounding the Bengals) at PBS; the Brownies at Cleveland; and finally the Ravens (who take a similar sadistic joy in pounding the Bengals) in Baltimore. If their offensive linemen hold up against that early schedule things may not be so bleak, but if Carson gets pounded and hurt it will turn ugly in a hurry.By David V.
April 20, 2009 4:05 PM | Link to this
I agree the Bengals need to protect the franchise, but with the son of Flubber?By SD
April 20, 2009 4:27 PM | Link to this
Chick, In Saturday’s blog you blasted Bengals for a past draft mistake because they drafted for need, not the best player available. Today you they must have get a LT, C, and DE with there 2 first day picks. Isn’t that drafting for need? I also want to point out that of the 4 tackles on the roster 2 are LTs, Kooistra is really a G, and I’m not sure Roland made it off the practice squad. So isn’t RT a bigger need than LT?By VoHo
April 20, 2009 4:50 PM | Link to this
The Bengals best hope for a tackle worth the sixth pick is for Detroit to take Stafford and Seattle to take Sanchez. One of the tackles is almost assuredly gone to St. Lou, so that would leave KC as the remaining “threat”. However, I think Curry goes in the top five somewhere… unfortunately maybe as a gift to Cleveload if KC takes a tackle. If both J Smith and Monroe go in the top five, the Bengals, next best hope may be that Sanchez didn’t and either the Jets or the Redskins comes calling for the sixth pick (Oher or Smith could be had for the 13th or 17th pick). Beyond those two scenarios, it’s likely chaos in the Bengals’ draft room (why would that be new?) and they have to decide between Crabtree, Raji or Okrapo. We’ll have to wait and see when the next-great-bust emerges.By VoHo
April 20, 2009 4:53 PM | Link to this
The Bengals best hope for a tackle worth the sixth pick is for Detroit to take Stafford and Seattle to take Sanchez. One of the tackles is almost assuredly gone to St. Lou, so that would leave KC as the remaining “threat”. However, I think Curry goes in the top five somewhere… unfortunately maybe as a gift to Cleveload if KC takes a tackle. If both J Smith and Monroe go in the top five, the Bengals, next best hope may be that Sanchez didn’t and either the Jets or the Redskins comes calling for the sixth pick (Oher or Smith could be had for the 13th or 17th pick). Beyond those two scenarios, it’s likely chaos in the Bengals’ draft room (why would that be new?) and they have to decide between Crabtree, Raji or Okrapo. We’ll have to wait and see when the next-great-bust emerges.By richardb
April 20, 2009 6:17 PM | Link to this
Chris Perry was the result from the last trade down. Still smells. I think the Bengals will surprise us in round 1. They might not take an OT, even if available. Collins played well last year at LT. They might go RT in round 2 or 3 instead and simply go for the first DE off the board at pick #6.By hatelovingthebengals
April 20, 2009 8:45 PM | Link to this
Prediction; Curry LB round 1 to take the D to playoff caliber, then OT in rd 2 (Meredith), and best O-Lineman there in rd 3 (Lang, Caldwell) with ILB in rd 3 with supp pickBy C in Tipp
April 21, 2009 11:01 AM | Link to this
The worst mistake this franchise has made in the past 10 years was letting Eric Steinbach go. They had the money to pay him” tackle pay” We stole this stud with the 1st pick in the 2nd round in 2003, and let him go. What message did Brown send to Carson when he did that? HE’s ALL PRO!! Why do you think Rudi had 3 consecutive 1,000 yard rushing seasons? Where has the running game been since we let him go to our divison rival? My point is, we do need a left tackle. DESPERATLY!! Levi can’t walk, let alone run! So take the best LT or, if a stud LT is not available, grab Bennie Wells. ( I’m not being an OSU fan here) You can’t let Wells sit there until Baltimore’s pick so he can knock down, step on, run over, out run, side step, stiff arm ect….. the Bengals Defense two times next year. And if we do happen to get a stud LT, will Mike keep him or let another all pro talent go to the opposition and start all over like we’re doing this year.By C in Tipp
April 21, 2009 12:12 PM | Link to this
And Chick, I know you remember this, but we did not need a LG in 2003, but Marvin took the best player available and that was Steinbach. Aside from Carson, that’s been the best pick we’ve made in a long time. He played center, he played LT and his bread and butter guard position. So going with the best player available works in the long run. Even Andre Smith would be worth the gamble. I know you’ve seen his game film, especially the bock he put on the DE in the Arkansas game. Not a cheap Hines Ward blind side block, but a straight up PANCAKE block on a reverse. Next to Wells, he’ll probably be the best player available at number 6.By richardb
April 21, 2009 12:51 PM | Link to this
Drafting Beanie Wells would set the franchise back yet again. Just as drafting Andre Smith would. For different reasons. Beanie because he couldn’t stay healthy at the college level, why expect he could at the much rougher pro level? For Andre Smith, he has done nothing but make a series of very bad choices going back to December. First getting himself kicked off the team by Nick Seban prior to their bowl game, then not taking the effort to prep for the combine. Then knowing he embarrassed himself, he didn’t take the time to work out prior to his pro day. One is too frail, the other is too lazy. Neither is best available at #6.By BnOPanther
April 21, 2009 1:13 PM | Link to this
C in Tipp you are an idiot. Steinbach is 290 lb guard. Witt and Bobbie are twice the players he is. The line went downhill when Levi and Willie got hurt and little Guy playing center.By C in Tipp
April 21, 2009 1:38 PM | Link to this
BnOPanther. I bet you never played a down of football in your life. You’re calling me an idiot? Of course your line goes down hill when you lose two tackles. If you played football you’d know that. Steinbach couldn’t play all three positions. And for a little guy, he sure a makes one heck of an all pro at left guard. Rich, I agree on the issue of Wells getting hurt might be an issue, but what running back doesn’t get hurt? And if you think Smith is lazy, do some homework and look at some of his game film.By Club Seat Holder
April 21, 2009 2:05 PM | Link to this
C in Tipp, I agree with you on Steinbach, not necessarily on Wells. BnOPanther, Williams nor Whitt can hold a candle to Steinbach. 6-7 330 doesn’t make you a good player. Have either one of them been to a Pro Bowl? I’m not a big fan of Wells, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Brown took him. He loves the skilled positions