[BFritz]

Check this out:

Ed Hartwell, 6-1, 250:

ROLB Landon Johnson, 6-2, 235:
LOLB Rashad Jeanty, 6-2, 245:

Caleb Miller, 6-3, 225:
LOLB Andre Frazier, 6-5, 234:
MLB Ahmad Brooks, 6-4, 260:

MLB A.J. Nicholson, 6-1, 240:
LOLB Eric Henderson 6-2, 255:
Earl Everett, 6-3, 238:
Matt Muncy, 6-1, 238: Cameron Siskowic, 6-1, 228:

The line also looks solid: Justin Smith at one end, probably Gathers at the other. Big Sam Adams at a tackle or nose, Domata Peko, John Thorton, and Michael Meyers at tackles.

I'm almost thinking they'll be better staying in a 4-3.

Hall and Joseph at corners, maybe toss O'Neal in there, maybe play two at corner, one at nickleback.

Not to mention Marvin White possibly playing tight at safety and helping with the run. We also got Madieu Williams and Dexter Jackson possibly.

Doesn't look amazing, but should be good enough to be better than 30th (or whatever we were last year). I'm thinking we could be ranked in the mid-to-late teens in defense.

[Bengal Cat]

Also lets not forget, theres a chance we might add Odell Thurman to that mix. Marvin has not dismissed the possibility.

[t-cat50]

if they can stay out of jail they might be alright

[More Cowbell]

Also lets not forget, theres a chance we might add Odell Thurman to that mix. Marvin has not dismissed the possibility.

I really hope we get Odell back this year. I would feel a lot better about our LB corps with him out there terrorizing the other team.

[BFritz]

Also lets not forget, theres a chance we might add Odell Thurman to that mix. Marvin has not dismissed the possibility.

With how bad of shape he was in, I'm not expecting a whole lot, but IF he did get back to anywhere near his prime, then yes, I agree, and he would be a great spot

[BFritz]

We're signing a bunch of defensive linemen (along with a few backers), so we're going to have a strong front line, but we have Sam Adams at nose, and if we're switching to a 3-4, then the other defensive linemen would go to waste, besides for d ends and a nose to come in to pass rush in passing situations.

We have enough solid backers to play a 3-4, might need one more even if Odell comes back strong, so I'm not real sure why we keep signing defensive tackles.

[Bengal Cat]

Pretty sure we are staying with the 4-3. We shall see I guess. But with all the talk about how bad the Bengals run D was, we obviously needed to add some players, but the tackling was terrible. Getting to the ball carrier wasn't a big deal. But bringing him down was. I think tackling is a lot attitude, just like rebounding in basketball. When you look around the league, all the good defenses have one thing in common, they tackle well. I think you will agree that too many times last year, there were too many yards gained after initial contact was made. I think Dexter Jackson tried to light an emotional fire under those guys. I remember him calling people out for a lack of effort. Maybe some of these new players can not only bring some talent and depth, but a little attitude as well.

[Bengal Cat]

Looks like Hartwell will be moved to outside. Heres a paragraph from the article....

Hartwell is saying he’ll be moving from middle linebacker to the right outside when he arrives in Cincinnati’s 4-3 alignment, a position that Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis says isn’t much different than the inside spot he played in Baltimore’s 3-4. It was Lewis who was the Ravens defensive coordinator when Baltimore took Hartwell in the fourth round of the 2001 draft, Lewis’ last with the Ravens.

[BFritz]

Looks like Hartwell will be moved to outside. Heres a paragraph from the article....

Hartwell is saying he’ll be moving from middle linebacker to the right outside when he arrives in Cincinnati’s 4-3 alignment, a position that Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis says isn’t much different than the inside spot he played in Baltimore’s 3-4. It was Lewis who was the Ravens defensive coordinator when Baltimore took Hartwell in the fourth round of the 2001 draft, Lewis’ last with the Ravens.

That makes more sense then, and I'm glad I was wrong about moving to a 3-4, and I just checked and saw you're right.

Brooks, Hartwell, if Odell comes back strong then that could be a hell of a linebacking core, but if he doesn't, who do you like in the third position? Everett's untested, but if he steps-up, that could be huge.

[Bengal Cat]

That makes more sense then, and I'm glad I was wrong about moving to a 3-4, and I just checked and saw you're right.

Brooks, Hartwell, if Odell comes back strong then that could be a hell of a linebacking core, but if he doesn't, who do you like in the third position? Everett's untested, but if he steps-up, that could be huge.

I think Everetts going to get a long look. But I tell you a guy I like, Rashad Jeanty. I think he has the potential to be a helluva backer.

Now since we are talking linebackers, David Pollack has stated he intends to resume his football career. Who knows if he could ever get back to the level he was. I think the mental aspect will be the hardest for him to overcome. But if he does....won't that be a story?

[More Cowbell]

I think Everetts going to get a long look. But I tell you a guy I like, Rashad Jeanty. I think he has the potential to be a helluva backer.

Now since we are talking linebackers, David Pollack has stated he intends to resume his football career. Who knows if he could ever get back to the level he was. I think the mental aspect will be the hardest for him to overcome. But if he does....won't that be a story?

If Odell does come back, will he be able to play strongside LB? I know he played middle the year he played for us, but I don't know where he lined up in college. I would love it if he could play strongside, we could then potentially have a starting group of Brooks, Hartwell, and Thurman, with Johnson and Jeanty as top backups. Also throw in Miller and Everett, and that looks like a pretty solid group.

[Bengal Cat]

I think you could put Odell at either of the 3 linebacker positions and not worry about it. I haven't heard much info on Odell recently, other than the fact that Marvin has not counted him out. I'm going to try to do some homework on him. If I find anything out, I'll let you guys know.

[BFritz]

I think Everetts going to get a long look. But I tell you a guy I like, Rashad Jeanty. I think he has the potential to be a helluva backer.

Now since we are talking linebackers, David Pollack has stated he intends to resume his football career. Who knows if he could ever get back to the level he was. I think the mental aspect will be the hardest for him to overcome. But if he does....won't that be a story?

I got criticized on here and with friends for saying that Jeanty could be a hell of a backer. His build's amazing to be a backer, he reminds me of Goliath, he looks like he could just toss people around. Throw him into the mix and we have one hell of a linebacking core, plus a solid front four, then Jonathan Joseph, Leon Hall (O'Neal to back them up), Marvin White coming up from safety (not expecting much from Ndukwe), and the few solid defenders we already have, I don't think you're looking at a defense that can just finally be considered respectable, I think you're looking at a defense that's one of the top 5 or 10 in the NFL.

In any case, our defense will finally be able to stop people, and our offense will still put up lots of points.

[Bengal Cat]

I got criticized on here and with friends for saying that Jeanty could be a hell of a backer. His build's amazing to be a backer, he reminds me of Goliath, he looks like he could just toss people around. Throw him into the mix and we have one hell of a linebacking core, plus a solid front four, then Jonathan Joseph, Leon Hall (O'Neal to back them up), Marvin White coming up from safety (not expecting much from Ndukwe), and the few solid defenders we already have, I don't think you're looking at a defense that can just finally be considered respectable, I think you're looking at a defense that's one of the top 5 or 10 in the NFL.

In any case, our defense will finally be able to stop people, and our offense will still put up lots of points.

I think the more experience Jeanty gets the better he will become. As you say, he has the physical tools. The thing I noticed about him and really impressed me was, you never see him relax on the field. If he wasn't in on the play he was close to it. He has one speed and thats overdrive.

[BFritz]

I think the more experience Jeanty gets the better he will become. As you say, he has the physical tools. The thing I noticed about him and really impressed me was, you never see him relax on the field. If he wasn't in on the play he was close to it. He has one speed and thats overdrive.

I also loved that about him, he seemed ready to just explode into someone at all times.

If you check the post-draft steals thread, you'll see one instance where someone objected to me saying Jeanty would be good.

[More Cowbell]

I also loved that about him, he seemed ready to just explode into someone at all times.

If you check the post-draft steals thread, you'll see one instance where someone objected to me saying Jeanty would be good.

I assume you're talking about me and what I said. I did not really object to the idea of Jeanty being a good player, just that I would feel even better about our LB's with him as a top backup instead of a starter. That said, I do think he is a pretty good LB who is only going to continue to get better w/ more experience. At the same time, he does not have Thurman's ridiculous abundance of talent, and I would love to see Odell get his head on straight and come back and be a beast this year.

[BFritz]

I assume you're talking about me and what I said. I did not really object to the idea of Jeanty being a good player, just that I would feel even better about our LB's with him as a top backup instead of a starter. That said, I do think he is a pretty good LB who is only going to continue to get better w/ more experience. At the same time, he does not have Thurman's ridiculous abundance of talent, and I would love to see Odell get his head on straight and come back and be a beast this year.

I forget if it was you, but my comment in this thread wasn't an attack anyways, sorry if it came off that way. I have also heard other people, not on here, objecting to him being a good player.

The reason that I'm not banking on Odell coming back and being a beast is even if he gets his head on straight, he was so out of shape and ate up that it won't be easy. Having said that, if he does get back into football shape, he's an animal. However, I'm comfortable with Jeanty playing a lot and think he'll rip people's heads off and be an animal.

[More Cowbell]

I forget if it was you, but my comment in this thread wasn't an attack anyways, sorry if it came off that way. I have also heard other people, not on here, objecting to him being a good player.

The reason that I'm not banking on Odell coming back and being a beast is even if he gets his head on straight, he was so out of shape and ate up that it won't be easy. Having said that, if he does get back into football shape, he's an animal. However, I'm comfortable with Jeanty playing a lot and think he'll rip people's heads off and be an animal.

The one problem I have with the Bengals' LB group is that they seem to be a collection of decent-to-good players, but they don't have that one stud, a la Brian Urlacher or Ray Lewis. Most of them seem pretty even in terms of talent, except for Brooks (and Thurman before his suspension). I have high hopes for Brooks that he will take it to the next level this year.

[BFritz]

The one problem I have with the Bengals' LB group is that they seem to be a collection of decent-to-good players, but they don't have that one stud, a la Brian Urlacher or Ray Lewis. Most of them seem pretty even in terms of talent, except for Brooks (and Thurman before his suspension). I have high hopes for Brooks that he will take it to the next level this year.

I agree, and you never see any Bengals linebackers going up and blowing up backs in the hole, or making athletic plays that are amazing enough to make you go "wow". I'm hoping Brooks, along with new guys like Hartwell and Everett, can bring that to our team this year.