Ahhhhh, Draft time. I live in Cincinnati, and while the Reds are the cities team, I am first and foremost a football fan. I grew up in north central Ohio, so the Browns are my first love, even if they do not have a prayer. I lived in Columbus, so I love the Buckeyes. But now I am in Cincinnati, so I do root for the Bengals (except when they play the Browns). They have had their ups and downs since Marvin Lewis took over the team, but I mostly like what I have seen. I just hope that they are able to start taking care of their off field problems, and focus on playing as a team again after last season. If they are able to to that they will probably be in the playoffs again as they do have some deep talent pools. And it looks like they are building some more depth with this draft.
Iffy running back depth also gets some attention
Marvin Lewis contends that if Ahmad Brooks had played another college season at Virginia, the linebacker would have been a first-round pick this past weekend.
Instead, the Bengals selected Brooks in the third round of the supplemental draft in July, thus forfeiting their third-round pick Saturday.
And after flashing big-play potential and a dominating physical presence at middle linebacker in 11 games last season, Brooks is expected to solidify a weak position at the heart of Lewis' defense.
"We felt like we had great value for that pick," Lewis said of Brooks. "We would have taken Ahmad somewhere after our first pick, let alone with our third pick.
"It played out this year with us getting two first-round names."
Using that logic, which is not altogether incorrect, the Bengals came away with a pair of first-round defenders this weekend that should help shore up the 30th-ranked unit from 2006 well into the future.
In the first round, cornerback Leon Hall fell to the Bengals at No. 18. He played in 50 games with 37 starts at Michigan and is clearly ready for the pro game. He should play the nickel back immediately and could challenge as a starter before the end of his rookie season. In Hall and Johnathan Joseph, the Bengals' first-round pick in 2006, they have their cornerbacks of the future.
In Hall, Brooks and hard-hitting, fourth-round safety Marvin White of Texas Christian, the Bengals have a trio of players who should infuse a moribund defense with energy.
In the second round Saturday, at No. 49, the Bengals passed on defense to select Auburn running back Kenny Irons. The pick was surprising, given the major needs across the span of the defense, which tied for last in league rankings against the pass last season.
The pick of Irons spoke loudly about the iffy health of former first-round pick Chris Perry, who is rehabbing from yet another major injury - ankle and fibula damage - suffered last season. He will not be ready for the start of training camp in late July.
"We're probably in the same boat as last year," Lewis said of Perry, who did not play until Week 7 because of offseason and left ankle injuries.
Still, the Bengals do have reliable veteran Kenny Watson, who performed well as a third-down back last season and re-signed as an unrestricted free agent in March.
On Day 2 Sunday, the Bengals added three defensive players and two on offense. In Round 4, White comes to the Bengals as an acknowledged big hitter who makes receivers pay for coming across the middle. He also is expected to add instant impact to a kicking game that lost several established players - Marcus Wilkins, Tony Stewart and Kevin Kaesviharn - in free agency. The Bengals' last pick, another strong safety, Chinedum Ndukwe of Notre Dame, also should challenge for a defensive role among a group of inexperienced backup safeties but could find his way on the roster on special teams.
In the fifth round, the Bengals drafted quarterback Jeff Rowe of Nevada and plan to develop him over a number of years - as opposed to bringing in a string of veteran backups.
The Bengals will not pursue veterans Tim Rattay or Koy Detmer and will list Doug Johnson as the top backup to starter Carson Palmer.
"We just feel comfortable with him at this point in time," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said Sunday of Johnson, who spent all of 2006 with the Bengals.
The Bengals did not draft a linebacker or tight end.
Though starter Reggie Kelly is the Bengals' only experienced NFL tight end, Lewis likes and sees potential in a series of journeymen backups currently on the roster.
At linebacker, the Bengals have made an offer to former Ravens and Falcons starter Ed Hartwell, who is trying to come back from injuries last season.
"He wants to come here," Lewis said of Hartwell. "He would be a good fit for us, so we'll see what happens."
Bengals rookies will participate in the rookie minicamp Friday through Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. The team is expected to sign a group of about a dozen college free agents before rookie camp. The first OTA (organized team activity) is May 15.
"You build through the draft," said Lewis, who anticipates having 11 picks in 2008 thanks to four compensatory picks from the league for veteran free agent losses this year.
But for 2007, the Bengals addressed several areas of need - not all - and earn an early solid "B" for getting Hall and making the bold move to take Brooks last summer.
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