Trotwood-Madison vs. Winton Woods
.jpg)
2009-10 UD men's basketball
Pyramid Hill lights up
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 > 24 > Entry
And the Bengals are on the clock … (The Chickster’s punishing 2009 draft preview)
===COMING TO “LUDWIG AT LARGE” ON SATURDAY, APRIL 25: THIS CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED CHAD (PSST! CHICKSTER PREDICTS OCHO WILL GO-GO TO THE NFC EAST, AND THE BENGALS WILL NEVER-EVER-EVER HAVE TO PLAY AGAINST HIM, UNLESS THEY MEET IN THE SUPER BOWL).===
POUNDING THE BENGALS’ PAVEMENT
ON THE EVE OF THE 2009 NFL DRAFT
Picks: 11
Rounds: First (No. 6 overall), second (No. 38), third (Nos. 70 and 98), fourth (No. 106), fifth (No. 142), sixth (Nos. 179 and 209) and seventh (Nos. 215, 249 and 252).
What they need: An offensive tackle to protect quarterback Carson Palmer, who suffered a broken nose and partially torn ligament and tendon in his right elbow, which sidelined him for 12 games. The Bengals yielded 51 sacks and finished last in total offense.
Top five offensive tackles: Eugene Monroe (Virginia), Jason Smith (Baylor), Andre Smith (Alabama), Michael Oher (Mississippi), Eben Britton (Arizona).
Possible surprise: The upset pick would be tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells. The club is enamored with him, but his selection would cause an angry fan base to revolt.
After Round 1: The Bengals generated only 17 sacks in ‘08, so an aggressive defensive end is needed to put pressure on the quarterback and make the NFL’s 12th-ranked defense a top-10 unit. A center is a must. The club can’t afford a swinging gate in front of Palmer.
Best draft since 2000: That’s easy. It was 2003 when first-year head coach Marvin Lewis selected Palmer No. 1 overall. Owner Mike Brown whiffed on first-round QBs David Klingler (‘92) and Akili Smith (‘99), but finally hit a home run with Palmer.
Best pick after Round 3: Team founder Paul Brown chose Florida A&M quarterback Ken “The Rattler” Riley in the sixth round in 1969 and switched him to cornerback. Riley played 15 seasons (1969-83). His 65 career interceptions rank fifth in NFL history.
Worst draft since 2000: In 2005, the Bengals drafted David Pollack, Odell Thurman and Chris Henry. Pollack suffered a neck fracture in the second game of his second year. Thurman played one season, then got suspended the next two for violating the NFL’s Substance Abuse Policy. Henry’s been arrested four times.
All-time worst pick in Round 1: This is a no-brainer — QB Akili Smith in 1999. The Bengals turned down nine New Orleans Saints draft picks — all six in 1999, No. 1s in 2000 and 2001, and a second-rounder in 2002 — and picked Smith No. 3 overall behind Tim Couch (Browns) and Donovan McNabb (Eagles). The Bengals quickly discovered Smith couldn’t play.
Bottom line: Some would argue Mike Brown would do a better job if he threw darts at the draft board blindfolded. He’s notorious for his infatuation with skill position players. He finally got the quarterback he coveted in Palmer, but hasn’t done a good job of surrounding Palmer with enough talent. If the Bengals strengthen the offensive and defensive lines, they’ll make the playoffs. If not, the ox cart stays stuck in the ditch.
WHO MAKES THE CALL — Team owner 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.
Recommendations from Jim Lippincott, director of football operations; Duke Tobin, director of player personnel, scout Greg Seamon; and scouting consultants Bill Tobin, John Cooper and Earl Biederman carry significant weight. Brown likes to reach a consensus, but isn’t afraid to overrule anyone.
DRAFT BUZZ — The acquisition of wide receiver Laveranues Coles and defensive tackle Tank Johnson clears a path to address the offensive line in the first round. The team will get trade offers for the No. 6 slot. The Bengals won’t move up, but could move down if they’re assured of landing one of four prized offensive tackles.
The Bengals must be creative and land a defensive end and center on Day 1. A bold move like that would show fans the team cares. What do the Bengals have to lose? They’ve been to the playoffs just twice in 20 years.
TARGETING — The O-line is the biggest area of weakness and the team can’t afford to lose out on a massive pass protector for Carson Palmer. Any one of four OTs will do — Eugene Monroe, Jason Smith, Michael Oher or Andre Smith.
Smith didn’t help himself with an early exit from the NFL Combine and a poor on-campus workout. But he’s a dominant blocker who would fill the void at right tackle.
Defensive ends Robert Ayers, Connor Barwin and Paul Kruger should be available in Round 2, Center Eric Wood’s strength and experience make him a perfect fit. If he’s off the board in the Round 3, Jonathan Luigs or A.Q. Shipley will be considered. The club must groom a middle linebacker behind aging starter Dhani Jones.
DON’T BE SURPRISED IF — The Bengals pick Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji at No. 6. Head coach Marvin Lewis won a Super Bowl ring as the Ravens defensive coordinator (2000 season) with monsters Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams in the middle. Raji and Tank Johnson would join Domata Peko and Pat Sims in a run-stuffing rotation that would border on formidable.
UNTIL NEXT TIME…
This is “The Chickster” saying, “Make Love, Not War; Give Peace a Chance; and Strawberry Fields Forever.”
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
For more information on Chick Ludwig, go to:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/chickludwig56#h150-309
“Yours is the only blog I’ve got bookmarked. When I go to DaytonDailyNews.com and read The Chickster’s prose, I dim the lights, pour myself some chardonnay and cuddle up by the fire.” — Tim Carley, public relations liaison, PlayersRep Sports Management.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By R Young
April 24, 2009 10:01 AM | Link to this
Chick when has Mikey ever cared what his customers think? After all this is the same man who hired a HS athletic director to be his Dir of F-ball Ops. HGow did that work out?By Tom
April 24, 2009 11:05 AM | Link to this
Go with the O-line picks, Beanie would be great, but gotta protect Carson.By Lee
April 24, 2009 11:17 AM | Link to this
Too bad the Bengals can’t draft a new owner, new front office, and new coaching staff.By Lee
April 24, 2009 11:18 AM | Link to this
Too bad the Bengals can’t draft a new owner, new front office, and new coaching staff.By Lee
April 24, 2009 11:21 AM | Link to this
A Steelers’ fan here, dropping by to see what the Bengals are up to. Nothing personal, but hope you blow another 1st round pick.By Lee
April 24, 2009 11:22 AM | Link to this
A Steelers’ fan here, dropping by to see what the Bengals are up to. Nothing personal, but hope you blow another 1st round pick.By Troy
April 24, 2009 11:29 AM | Link to this
They need to protect the franchise QB. Andre Smith OR Eugene Monroe would be nice.By William
April 24, 2009 11:37 AM | Link to this
I have no doubt the Steelers fans will get another Christmas gift in April with the stupidity of Mike Browns draft picks. Better get a full blown ICU at PBS for Carson this year.By Bubba
April 24, 2009 11:53 AM | Link to this
Damn Chickster, take a couple of valium and go enjoy the sunshine. You’re workin’ too frickin’ hard on a draft in which these losers will get an F. The terms “who’s this guy” and “what the hell are they thinking” will be the most used by the fans about the Bengals Indecision Room. And Mikey boys’ most-used phrases to Mucked Up Marvin and his incompetent staff will be “no, we can’t afford him” and “pass on him. I don’t like his agent.”By VoHo
April 24, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this
Chick - Here it is… my last chance to get every prediction wrong: 1 (6) - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia; 2 (38) – Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech; 3a (70) Jasper Brinkley, LB, South Carolina; 3b (98) - Sherrod Martin, CB, Troy; 4 (106) - Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama; 5 (142) - Kory Sheets, RB, Purdue; 6a (179) - Tony Fiammetta, FB, Syracuse; 6b (209) - Joel Bell, OT, Furman; 7a (215) - Terrill Byrd, DT, Cincinnati; 7b (249) - Tiquan Underwood, WR, Rutgers; 7c (252) - Dallas Reynolds, OG/C, Brigham YoungBy Brian
April 24, 2009 1:37 PM | Link to this
Drafting Beanie wouldn’t cause a fan revolt so much as a mass synchronized eye roll that would garner attention from the Guinness Book. I could see an upset scenario similar to Arizona inexplicably nabbing Leonard Davis ahead of the Bengals in 2001 (dooming the team to the Justin Smith era of overpaid averageness), where Jason Smith, Eugene Monroe, and Andre Smith are all off the board by the 6th pick, setting the stage for Beanie as the Bengals’ pick. Sure, there would be an initial uproar, then the team would spin the “Benson and Beanie backfield” as their version of “Smash & Dash” (DeAngelo Williams & Jonathan Stewart and/or Chris Johnson and LenDale White) and grumpiness will give way to renewed optimism…until Carson is flattened and placed on injured reserve after week 3.By Mike
April 24, 2009 3:06 PM | Link to this
Hey chickster, the Bengals resigned Jeremi Johnson. There is the upgrade to the offensive line. Beanie Wells will be the no. 6 pick of the draftBy Pat-N-Texas
April 24, 2009 4:38 PM | Link to this
Hey, Lee- nothing personal, we just hope the Steelers blow!