Much like the CBs, the safety position needed and received some retooling in the brief offseason. Starters Nelson and Crocker returned, and the Bengals got back Gibril Wilson after he spent 2010 on IR. After nearly signing Donte Whitner, they pulled an un-Bengal-like move in trading a pick to get Taylor Mays (who they had [...]

With the Bengals losing Johnathan Joseph in free agency and Adam Jones beginning the season on the PUP list, the corners were looking like a major concern going into the season. The front office responded to the losses by signing free agent Nate Clements and trading Clinton McDonald, a solid D-lineman who was going to [...]

I was trying to think of the last time I felt really good about the group of linebackers that the Bengals had. Boy, it’s been a while. This year’s crew was as good as they’ve been in a while, but I’m not sure that many of us would say we felt really good about how [...]

Is it me, or do the Bengals just seem lost when it comes to the concept of the tight end? Every year the defense struggles to cover them. And despite producing one of the first great TEs of the modern era, Bob Trumpy, the offense struggles to properly use the TEs on the roster. So [...]

I was going to review tight ends next. But when I saw Nate’s post considering the possibility that Trent Richardson could slip to the Bengals at #17, I had to switch gears. Coming into the season, Marvin Lewis and Jay Gruden assured us that they were committed to running the ball to take pressure off [...]

The Bengals keep six receivers. With Jordan Shipley and Andre Caldwell ending the season on IR, we have eight names to sort through as we evaluate the wide receiver position. As a whole, the wide receiving group could have and should have been better than it was in 2011. Is getting Shipley back enough to [...]

In order for us to develop informed opinions about who the Bengals ought to pursue in free agency in March and in the draft in April, we need to look through each position and evaluate its performance in 2011. Since the Bengals have the cash and the good foundation that ought to allow them to [...]

Now that 2011 is officially in the books, let’s compare notes on the various personnel groups did over the season. Some brought a lot of value, and a some were not as good as they needed to be. Here is how I would rank them in terms of value to the team (#1 being most [...]

After a weekend filled with football, family and more football, it’s time for me to catch up with the rest of my WDF mates and post a few thoughts as the Bengals begin the offseason. Because it’s Monday and I can’t come up with a fun package, they are coming at you random-style. So enjoy [...]