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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 > 23 > Entry
WR Jerome Simpson didn’t fail as an NFL rookie in 2008; the Bengals failed him
MARVIN LEWIS ADMITS MISTAKE
IN HOW SIMPSON WAS HANDLED
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis made a stunning admission in his pre-draft news conference this week.
Wide receiver Jerome Simpson didn’t fail as a rookie in 2008 when he had one catch for two yards.
The Bengals failed him.
Instead of getting Simpson on the field and letting him blossom, the Bengals buried the second-round draft pick from Coastal Carolina behind Chad Ochocinco, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry.
Lewis also took a swipe at Jerry Jones — publisher of The Drugstore List draft report — when asked what lessons he’s learned heading into his seventh season and seventh draft as head coach of the Bengals.
“What I urge our coaches and personnel people to do is do a really great job of evaluating the guys down the line and making sure these guys fit the football characteristics and things we need on and off the field that are going to make them an eventual good player. Those kind of traits within them.
“Not to look at the guy who puts out some draft booklet says, but the guy that really fits what we need them to do and we can bring that guy in here and right away as a young player he can have success doing what we felt like he was capable of doing on his campus already.
“That enables him to have more success earlier in his career as he learns the other things he has to do on an NFL field. That he can make that transition right away and do what he was capable of doing.
“We failed that with Jerome a little bit last year because we were never able to get him up and running and to do what he did on his campus that maybe some of the other transitions that he had to make and the learning that had to come that would come faster because he would be more excited about going up and catching athletic passes.
“We were able to get that done with Andre (Caldwell), the cornerbacks (Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall), guys down the line, (David) Pollack even, come in and rush the passer. Those are the things that let the guy come in and do those things.”
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By Mike
April 23, 2009 9:19 AM | Link to this
What would it have hurt to give Simpson a little playing time? I would rather watch a young kid that doesnt complian or whine over these overpaid premadonnas anyday.By Ted
April 23, 2009 10:36 AM | Link to this
Saw you on NFLN last night talking about Klingler on the top 10 draft busts. During those highlights the bengals were wearing throwbacks. Any plans to do that this year for the 50th anniversary of the of the AFL?By Mike M.
April 23, 2009 10:37 AM | Link to this
For a 4/11/1 team there should of been a lot of playing time for him and a lot of other playersBy Joe
April 23, 2009 10:59 AM | Link to this
Marvin Lewis is not a good coach. How many times do I need to tell you?By R Youngh
April 23, 2009 2:30 PM | Link to this
The Bengals have personnel people? Since when?By SD
April 23, 2009 4:04 PM | Link to this
R Youngh, The Bengals have had a personal department since their inception. Paul Brown’s teams (probably started with the Browns) were the first the “scout” college players, at least in the modern sense of the word. Truth,The Bengals now have fewer scouts than most NFL teams. I’m just here to help.By SD
April 23, 2009 4:08 PM | Link to this
R Youngh, The Bengals have had a personnel department since their inception. Paul Brown’s teams (probably started with the Browns) were the first the “scout” college players, at least in the modern sense of the word. Truth,The Bengals now have fewer scouts than most NFL teams. I’m just here to help.By islebfrank
April 23, 2009 4:25 PM | Link to this
I’ve been following the Bengals since the beginning, and I don’t ever remember them wearing “throwbacks” as Ted claimed above. That doesn’t mean they didn’t…I just don’t remember it. I’ve even wondered why they never wear throwbacks like many of the other NFL teams do. What’s your take on this, Chick?By Club seat holder
April 23, 2009 7:41 PM | Link to this
SD. You might be on the right track as far as the scouts are concerned, but hit the send button once, and let it filter through the DDN. It takes about 3 mins. Give it time time.By Blindeye
April 23, 2009 9:17 PM | Link to this
I agree with Joe. Marvin Lewis is a horrible coach. How can a team fall down the tubes like the bengals have during the last 3 years and the fans think that he is a good coach! Winners win and Losers lose. As to the WR Simpson. Does he have the right stuff? How do you draft a guy that high in the draft and he’s on the bench for practically the whole season. Know Why? The reason why is that the bengals are paper tigers. Yeah, the players they draft look good on paper but they don’t pan out on the field.