Now that the Super Bowl has been played and free agency is in a couple days, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be completing our top three needs series. Today we’ll be analyzing the needs of the Cincinnati Bengals.
2014 Season Review
Cincinnati finished the year 10-5-1 after a season filled with some solid wins and some terribly embarrassing losses. The Bengals defeated their AFC North rivals in Baltimore both times they played them this year, and crushed the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football in Week 16. The team also came away with some awful losses, including a drubbing by the Patriots on Sunday Night Football, an afternoon demolishing by the Colts, and a Thursday night disappearance against their instate rivals, completed with four Andy Dalton turnovers.
The Cincinnati Bengals, at their best, were a team that seemed capable of a conference championship appearance; at their worst, they looked like a team confused as to what sport they were playing. The Bengals ended the year with a playoff road loss in Indianapolis where they didn’t score in the second half.
Luckily for Cincinnati, they have plenty of cap space and a full offseason to get healthy.
Cincinnati Bengals 2015 Offseason: Top 3 Needs
Defensive Line
The 2014 iteration of Cincinnati’s defensive line was a far cry from what we saw in 2013. The pressure that forced 44 sacks just wasn’t there, as the defense only forced 21. The lack of a pass rush hurt them everywhere on the defense, as the team allowed over 500 more yards through the air, and 300 more on the ground. The intimidating presence disappeared. Part of this has to do with Geno Atkins missing time and recovering from a torn ACL, part of it had to do with the loss of Michael Johnson in free agency, and the rest was just poor play.
Cincinnati played patty-cake in the trenches at times this year.
The front office can certainly fix this though, and the best option is through free agency. This is a defensive tackle free agent crop like no other, with Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, and Terrance Knighton all on the market.
Behind Gerald McCoy, Suh was the second-best defensive tackle in the league this season, and has consistently been one of the premier defenders in the NFL since coming out of Nebraska. Though he only produced five sacks, Suh hurried the quarterback 54 times and created opportunities for Nick Fairley sacks. He could do the same for a healthy Geno Atkins. Bringing in Suh would give the Bengals defense the fierce, no-nonsense identity they so desperately craved this year without Mike Zimmer as the coordinator.
Fairley had his best season as a pro in 2014. Finally using those work ethic questions as motivation, Fairley was Pro Football Focus’ 11th ranked defensive/nose tackle throughout the first 8 weeks of 2014 before an injury hampered the rest of his season. Fairley would be a more affordable option than Suh, but nowhere near as consistently dominant.
Knighton is an interesting option, as he isn’t a great pass rusher on his own, but he could be a great complement to Geno Atkins due to his prowess as a run stopper.
Jerry Hughes might be a good addition as well, as he has the ability to help the pass rush from the defensive end position with his hand in the dirt or in a stand-up stance.
The Bengals have plenty of money to throw at defensive linemen this offseason and if they don’t fortify the trench on the defensive side of the ball, the defense will look like swiss cheese in 2015.
Wide Receiver
The playoff game against Indianapolis showed the glaring weakness at the wide receiver position. Without A.J. Green, the Bengals couldn’t do anything downfield, and forced Andy Dalton to throw the ball to Mohammed Sanu, Brandon Tate, and Dane Sanzenbacher. Marvin Jones was a great #2 wideout in 2013, but missed all of 2014 on IR. If Jones and Green stay healthy in 2015, it would benefit Andy Dalton greatly and would put Sanu back to being a very good #3 – but in the NFL there are no guarantees.
It might be wise to draft a late-round receiver. Tyler Lockett of Kansas State fits the NFL prototypical #3 wide receiver mould very well. He has good speed, was highly productive at Kansas State, and possesses a high football IQ. Lockett is also athletic enough to contribute as a special teamer, primarily a returner.
Miami’s Phillip Dorsett could be another option for the Bengals. The receiver ran a 4.35 at the combine and could give the Bengals another downfield threat. All of the Bengals receivers are over 6’2, so a receiver of a smaller stature wouldn’t hurt them too much.
The need isn’t something the Bengals should put a lot of money into, but it is a need for them. A late draft pick is ideal for Cincinnati, as there could be tremendous upside in adding another weapon to Dalton’s arsenal – especially one with speed.
Linebacker
James Harrison played great in the snaps he played in Cincinnati during the 2013 season, but went into a short-lived retirement and came back for the Steelers. Cincinnati sorely missed his ability to stop the run and his experience in pass coverage. Vontaze Burfict was outstanding in 2013 as well, but missed 11 games this season with recurring injuries. The two losses left the linebacking corps lacking for the Bengals, forcing Vincent Rey and Emmanuel Lamur into heavy duty.
Rey Maualuga, one of the leaders on the defense, missed 5 games, but was re-signed before they let him become a free agent.
Cincinnati has the cap room to add another anchor to their defense. They could take a run at former Jets linebacker David Harris, who has had six straight seasons approaching or surpassing 1000 snaps. Versatility and durability are something the Bengals need from the linebacker position, and Harris has shown time and time again that he’ll be on the field when you need him to be.
More likely, however, is the targeting of Pernell McPhee. McPhee only played 540 snaps, but he was one of the best outside linebackers this year and can rush the passer and stop the run.
Cincinnati might not attack the position in free agency if it thinks that Lamur and Burfict can develop into full-out studs. It’s certainly possible, seeing as Lamur is only 25 and Burfict is only 24.
Cincinnati is already a playoff team with lots of solid young players, and with a few key additions here and there, they could turn their weaknesses into strengths. They’ll need great play from Andy Dalton, but with a few pieces, the Bengals might be able to make a deep run into the playoffs.
You can find your favorite team’s offseason needs and draft prospect profiles at The War Room: Last Word’s 2015 NFL Draft Headquarters.
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