Cincinnati Bengals Rumors & News

NFL Suspends Bengals CB Adam Jones

July 21st, 2017 at 11:33am CST by Zach Links

Bengals cornerback Adam Jones has been suspended for one game for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Jones pled guilty to obstruction of official business stemming from a January 2017 incident.

Jones will appeal the ruling, according to a source who spoke with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). Meanwhile, agent Peter Schaffer tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Jones has not yet reached a decision on whether to appeal.

Initially, Jones was charged with three misdemeanors and a felony after an ugly string of incidents. The cornerback allegedly assaulted a man by “pushing and poking” him in the eye in a late-night argument. Then, he refused to stop when ordered to by police and he refused to enter the cop car as he kicked and head-butted officers. Then, when he arrived at jail, he allegedly spit on a nurse, resulting in the felony charge. Despite all of that, Jones was sentenced only to time served, which amounted to two days in jail.

“The Bengals anticipated this result and are glad to finally put the matter behind us,” the team said in a statement. “Our focus is getting ready for the upcoming season. Adam will participate in training camp and we are counting on him to help our team when he returns from suspension.”

Jones will be out of action for the season opener against the Ravens on Sept. 10. He’ll be eligible to return for Week 2 against the Texans.

All things considered, the one-game ban isn’t a bad outcome for Jones given his history and the severity of allegations from earlier this year. In Week 1, the Bengals will rely a little more on Dre Kirkpatrick, Darqueze Dennard, and William Jackson III to keep opposing receivers in check. Losing Jones isn’t ideal, but a team could do a lot worse than trotting out three former first-round picks at corner.

The 33-year-old saw his production slip a bit in 2016, grading as only the league’s No. 37 cornerback, per Pro Football Focus. In 2015, PFF had him ranked as the NFL’s 15th best corner.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Marvin Lewis On Bengals' Joe Mixon Selection

July 13th, 2017 at 9:02pm CST by Connor Byrne

Speaking with Sirius XM on Thursday, head coach Marvin Lewis delved into the Bengals’ decision to select controversial running back Joe Mixon with the 48th pick in the draft (via Conor Orr of NFL.com). The ex-Oklahoma Sooner was caught on video striking a woman back in 2014, which caused some teams to remove him from their draft boards. Not the Bengals, though, and Lewis explained that “a lot of time” and “a lot of research” went into picking Mixon. “Time spent with Joe. Time researching people around Joe. Joe’s past in East Bay [California],” he continued. “All those kinds of things that way. His past on campus at Oklahoma since the incident. So, there couldn’t be any other red flags to say, ‘Well, well, maybe…’ No, no, no. It had to be clean, and Joe knows that. He knows going forward, it has to stay clean all the time. He’s lived on the tip of the sword for three years now, and he’s got to continue to probably for the rest of his life.” If Mixon can avoid further off-field troubles, Lewis expects him to succeed in the pros, in part because “he’s off the charts talent-wise” and “as smart as a whip.”

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AFC North Notes: Steelers, Bell, Bengals

July 13th, 2017 at 10:29am CST by Zach Links

Here’s a look at the AFC North:

Given the market for the running back position, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell has reason to get a deal done rather than play the year out, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. In the case of quarterback Kirk Cousins, he knows that a better offer will be coming his way next year. For Bell, however, the risk of an injury is so big that he probably has to consider any deal that gives him more than $9MM per year on average, Fitzgerald feels. There hasn’t been a ton of progress between the Steelers and Bell lately, but the Steelers have a track record for treating their players properly. If the two sides can’t come to terms, then Bell will play out the year on a one-year deal worth just over $12MM.
In the event of an injury, the Steelers might regret not doing more at the running back position behind Bell, Ray Fittpaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. The Steelers are 11-5 (playoffs included) without Bell over the last two seasons. This time around, however, they are without the safety net of DeAngelo Williams. Williams remains on the open market and hopes that a return might be in the cards. For now, however, the Steelers have Fitzgerald Toussaint, third-round pick James Conner, and former Chiefs tailback Knile Davis behind Bell.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is on the hottest seat of any coach in the AFC North, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com opines. In all of his years at the helm, the Bengals have not managed to win a single playoff game, and that’s a bigger headline than the team’s five consecutive playoff berths from 2011-2015. With a shaky offensive line, there’s no guarantee that the Bengals will be able to snap the streak this year. If the Bengals cannot take a step forward in 2017, this could be Lewis’ last year in Cincinnati.

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Offseason In Review: Cincinnati Bengals

July 8th, 2017 at 6:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In 2016, the Bengals missed the postseason for the first time in the Andy Dalton/A.J. Green era, posting a 6-9-1 record after earning playoff berths each season from 2011-15. Now, Cincinnati could be gunning for one more trip to the postseason under Marvin Lewis, who is entering the 2017 campaign as a lame duck head coach. Armed with a top-10 draft pick for the first time since 2011, the Bengals had offseason work to do on both sides of the ball.

Notable signings:

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB: Five years, $52.5MM. $12MM guaranteed.
Brandon LaFell, WR: Two years, $9MM. $3.3MM guaranteed.
Kevin Minter, LB: One year, $4.25MM. $2.1MM guaranteed.
Andre Smith, G: One year, $3.25MM. $1.55MM guaranteed.
Wallace Gilberry, DE: One year, $1.4MM. $300K guaranteed.
Cedric Peerman, RB: One year, $1.15MM. $100K guaranteed.
Eric Winston, T: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Bene Benwikere, CB: One year, $690K.

Although the Bengals have drafted two more first-round cornerbacks since selecting Dre Kirkpatrick with the 17th overall pick in 2012, their lack of options in the secondary meant Cincinnati still needed to open up their checkbook to retain the Alabama product. Darqueze Dennard has barely played since entering the league in 2014, while William Jackson III missed his entire rookie campaign after tearing a pectoral. With a legal issue hanging over veteran Adam Jones, the Bengals couldn’t afford to let Kirkpatrick — the team’s most reliable option at corner — leave via free agency.

It’s easy to call the Kirkpatrick contract an overpay, as he’s never resembled a true No. 1 corner during his five-year NFL tenure. In 2016, Pro Football Focus graded Kirkpatrick as just the 52nd-best corner among 111 qualifiers, while he’s provided the 20th-most approximate value (Pro Football Reference’s catch-all metric) among cornerbacks since becoming a full-time starter in 2015. Despite that spotty record, Kirkpatrick’s new $10.5MM annual average ranks 11th among corners.

However, as with most Bengals contracts, the deal is more team-friendly than it initially appears. Kirkpatrick received only $12MM in full guarantees, which ranks 25th among cornerbacks, while his guarantee per year ($2.4MM) is only 24th among non-rookie corner accords. Conceivably, Cincinnati could remove itself from Kirkpatrick’s contract as soon as next spring — before he’s due a $3.25MM roster bonus — if he tanks during the 2017 campaign, and the dead money that would accelerate onto the Bengals’ cap following a release in either 2018 or 2019 isn’t ominous. Those scenarios are unlikely, of course, as most Cincinnati extendees play out their pacts.

While Kirkpatrick represented the majority of the Bengals’ free agent outlay, the club also made a value signing on defense with the addition of former Cardinals linebacker Kevin Minter. Only 26 years old, Minter played on at least 85% of Arizona’s defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons, and figures to slot in next to Vontaze Burfict in Cincinnati’s starting lineup. The Bengals made a smart contractual decision with Minter, using a $1.1MM workout bonus — which doesn’t count against the compensatory average per year formula — in order to lower his overall contract value. As Nick Korte of Over the Cap explained earlier this year (Twitter links), that strategy could end up bumping the Bengals’ projected seventh-round compensatory selection to a sixth-rounder, a marginal (but important) win.

On the other side of the ball, Andre Smith is back in a Bengals uniform after a brief one-season layover in Minnesota. Smith, whom Cincinnati originally drafted sixth overall in 2009, won’t be lining up at his usual right tackle position, however, as the Bengals signed him to play guard. We’ll discuss Cincinnati’s offensive line issues a bit later, but the decision to bring in Smith is a risky one on two fronts. First, he’s never played guard in his NFL career, and second, he only managed to appear in four games in 2016 before going down with injury. The Bengals don’t have much high-quality interior depth, so relying on Smith as a starter at an all-new position seems perilous.

Elsewhere on offense, Cincinnati continued to opt for familiarity, re-signing wide receiver Brandon LaFell, running back Cedric Peerman, and offensive tackle Eric Winston to play reserve roles. LaFell, notably, led Bengals pass-catchers in snaps a season ago, but despite the fact that he’ll earn $5MM in 2017, his playtime percentage will almost certainly decrease. First-round rookie John Ross figures to start opposite A.J. Green with Tyler Boyd in the slot, meaning LaFell will be a well-paid fourth receiver at best.

Chykie Brown, CB
Rex Burkhead, RB
Karlos Dansby, LB
Margus Hunt, DL
Rey Maualuga, LB: Released
Domata Peko, DT
Andrew Whitworth, T
James Wright, WR: Waived
Kevin Zeitler, G

Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler‘s fates were seemingly sealed in 2015, when the Bengals used their first two draft picks on offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher. Cincinnati’s perspective on Whitworth and Zeitler’s free agency is clear: the club invested in linemen two years prior, and didn’t have any intention of spending exorbitant sums on a 35-year-old (Whitworth) or a guard (Zeitler). Still, given that the Bengals still have nearly $19MM in available cap space, it’s difficult to argue that Cincinnati shouldn’t have made more of an effort to retain at least one of its two best front five players.

Zeitler’s allowed defection is easier to understand, as the Bengals simply couldn’t compete financially with the division-rival Browns, who boasted enough cap room to make Zeitler the NFL’s highest-paid guard. Zeitler landed $12MM annually from Cleveland, a figure which makes him the top-earning right guard by $2MM. He also scored $23MM in full guarantees, $4MM more than runner-up T.J. Lang. Cincinnati should never have been expected to spend that much money on an interior player — fellow guard Clint Boling is earning just $5.2MM annually — so letting Zeitler go was defensible.

On the other hand, the Bengals should have put on the full-court press to retain Whitworth, who graded as Pro Football Focus‘ No. 2 offensive tackle and hasn’t shown any signs of decline even as he enters his 12th NFL season. Whitworth inked a three-year, $33.75MM pact with the Rams that contains $15MM guaranteed, but the deal isn’t all that it seems. The accord is effectively a two-year, $23MM contract, a more than manageable total for a top-flight left tackle. Re-signing Whitworth would have stabilized Cincinnati’s offensive line for a few more seasons, but the club will instead turn to Ogbuehi, who has never looked capable on an NFL field.

On defense, the Bengals parted ways with a couple of veterans who’d been with the team for a combined 19 seasons: defensive lineman Domata Peko and linebacker Rey Maualuga. Peko, 32, hasn’t been effective a number of years (PFF’s No. 106 DT in 2016), but he did reap a two-year contract from the Broncos. He’ll be replaced in Cincinnati by a combination of second-year player Andrew Billings and veteran Pat Sims. Maualuga, meanwhile, had seen his snap percentage dwindle in recent seasons (just 30% a season ago) and was released with one year left on his contract. He’s yet to find a new NFL home.

Rex Burkhead looked like the Bengals’ best running back at various points last season, especially during a Week 17 performance that saw him rush for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Among running backs with fewer than 99 rushes, Burkhead ranked first in both DYAR and DVOA, both of which are Football Outsiders efficiency metrics. He also played on nearly half of Cincinnati’s special teams snaps. Earning only $3.25MM on a one-year deal with New England, Burkhead’s absence will be felt.

Trades:

Acquired DE Chris Smith from the Jaguars in exchange for a 2018 seventh-round pick.
Acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 48; RB Joe Mixon) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 128; WR Josh Malone) from the Vikings in exchange for a 2017 second-round pick (No. 41; RB Dalvin Cook).
Acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 207; S Brandon Wilson) from the Titans in exchange for 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 217; OL Corey Levin) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 227; LB Josh Carraway).

The Bengals had been eyeing defensive end Chris Smith for more than a year before acquiring him from the Jaguars, but he’s no lock to make the club’s roster. Cincinnati added two edge rushers in Jordan Willis and Carl Lawson during the draft, while Will Clarke and Wallace Gilberry will also compete for backup snaps at end. Smith hasn’t played much special teams during his three-year career, so his roster prospects could be limited despite the Bengals having forked over a draft pick for him. Cincinnati is currently projected to pick up a 2018 seventh-round compensatory pick, which would help alleviate the loss of the draft selection it gave up for Smith.

Given that Cincinnati was heavily linked to Joe Mixon prior to the draft, the team did well to pick up extra value before selecting the controversial Oklahoma running back later in the second round. By moving down only seven spots, the Bengals acquired 123 cents on the dollar from the Vikings, according to Chase Stuart of Football Perspective’s draft pick value calculator. Cincinnati’s second draft-day trade wasn’t as fruitful, as the club gave up 173 cents on the dollar to move up for defensive back Brandon Wilson.

Draft picks:

1-9: John Ross, WR (Washington)
2-48: Joe Mixon, RB (Oklahoma)
3-73: Jordan Willis, DE (Kansas State)
4-116: Carl Lawson, DE (Auburn)
4-128: Josh Malone, WR (Tennessee)
4-138: Ryan Glasgow, DT (Michigan)
5-153: Jake Elliott, K (Memphis)
5-176: J.J. Dielman, OL (Utah)
6-193: Jordan Evans, LB (Oklahoma)
6-207: Brandon Wilson, S (Houston)
7-251: Mason Schreck, TE (Buffalo)

As I noted on 700 WLW’s Sunday Morning Sports Talk (77:00 minute mark) last weekend, the Bengals seem to be addressing their offensive line limitations by adding speed at the skill positions. Both John Ross and Joe Mixon figure to contribute immediately, and it would be a surprise if both weren’t full-time starters midway through the season. Ross, specifically, should be able to help Cincinnati’s woeful front five, as safeties will have to play deep instead of near the line, alleviating the pressure on quarterback Andy Dalton. Josh Malone, meanwhile, is at least fifth on the Bengals’ wideout depth chart, and will start his NFL career on special teams duty.

Finding edge rushing help was arguably Cincinnati’s No. 1 need heading into the offseason, and while the club didn’t do much in free agency to aid in that realm, the Bengals found two draft values in Jordan Willis and Carl Lawson, both of whom were viewed as potential Day 1 picks but fell until the third day of the draft. Lawson, in particular, has been working as an outside linebacker in Cincinnati’s 4-3 scheme, but he and Willis will likely see most of their action as sub package defensive ends, getting after opposing quarterbacks on passing downs.

Jake Elliott was surprisingly the first kicker off the board in the 2017 draft (most analysts rated Arizona State’s Zane Gonzalez as the top kicker), and given that the Bengals thought enough of him to invest a fifth-round pick, he’s overwhelmingly likely to act as the team’s kicker come Week 1. For now, he’ll compete in a nominal camp battle with veteran Randy Bullock and second-year kicker Jonathan Brown. Elliott converted 80.8% of his field goal attempts in 2016, but Lance Zierlein of NFL.com noted Elliott’s trouble with kickoff hang times.

Extensions and restructures:

T.J. Johnson, OL: Extended through 2018. Two years, $3.475MM. $350K guaranteed.

Other:

Exercised 2018 fifth-year option for CB Darqueze Dennard ($8.526MM).
Signed 13 undrafted rookie free agents.

Of the 32 first-round selections in the 2014 draft, only one choice — Philadelphia’s Marcus Smith — has provided fewer points of approximate value than Darqueze Dennard‘s four. Even when not limited by injuries, Dennard simply hasn’t been able to crack the Bengals’ starting lineup. In 2016, he played on only a third of the club’s defensive snaps. Ticketed for nickelback duties next season, Dennard will get the opportunity to prove he’s worth an ~$8.5MM salary in 2018. That figure is guaranteed for injury only, so Cincinnati can still escape the deal if Dennard doesn’t play well.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Andy Dalton, QB: $15,700,000
A.J. Green, WR: $13,500,000
Geno Atkins, DT: $10,600,000
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB: $9,384,375
Adam Jones, CB: $8,166,666
Carlos Dunlap, DE: $7,250,000
George Iloka, S: $5,400,000
Michael Johnson, DE: $5,125,000
Brandon LaFell, WR: $5,000,000
Clint Boling, G: $4,925,000

The Bengals posted another typical Cincinnati offseason: a long-term commitment to at least one internal free agent, limited spending on external free agents, and a draft class that was lauded by most analysts. Whether the club’s moves will keep the Bengals in contention for another year is an open question, but Cincinnati should have a fighting chance even in a strong AFC North.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Could 2017 Be Final Season For Marvin Lewis?

July 8th, 2017 at 11:37am CST by Ben Levine

Several ESPN writers weighed in on whether 2017 could be the final season for coach Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati. Jeremy Fowler believes he’ll be back with the Bengals if the team finishes with a winning record, while Jamison Hensley notes that the team has shown consistent regular season success under his leadership. On the flip side, Pat McManamon acknowledges that there’s been a “fair amount of chatter” that Lewis could ultimately move on, although he notes that the coach has no incentive to retire.

[SOURCE LINK]

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Bengals Unlikely To Cut Brandon LaFell

July 6th, 2017 at 7:30pm CST by Zach Links

You’re not likely to see the Bengals drop Brandon LaFell from the roster, Katherine Terrelle of ESPN.com tweets. While there is lots of young talent at wide receiver, cutting LaFell would require a $3MM+ dead money hit just after re-signing him this year. He also has a strong mentor/mentee relationship with A.J. Green that coaches do not want to bust up. The Bengals have Green, speedy rookie John Ross, Tyler Boyd, LaFell, and fourth-round pick Josh Malone as their top five receivers. Youngsters Cody Core, Alex Erickson, Jake Kumerow, and Chris Brown are left to fight for a spot that may or may not be available.

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Cowher: Bengals Smart To Keep Lewis

July 3rd, 2017 at 3:36pm CST by Zach Links

The Bengals deserve credit for sticking with Marvin Lewis rather than making a coaching change along the way, former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher says.

After going 6-9 in 2016, Lewis is entering a contract year with the Bengals. The coach pushed for a new deal in the winter, but backed off of that request in the spring, perhaps after being shut down by team brass. Bengals players say they aren’t dwelling on Lewis’ future, but the coach is probably feeling the heat.

The Bengals have reached the AFC wild-card round seven times under Lewis, including five consecutive years from 2011 through 2015, but lost each time. If the Bengals cannot make real headway in the postseason this year, their patience with Lewis might run out.

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Bengals Told Bradley Roby They'd Draft Him In 2014

June 27th, 2017 at 9:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bengals told current Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby that he’d be their pick at No. 24 in the 2014 draft, but that changed after Roby was charged with OVI, as Roby explains to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. Cincinnati instead chose Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard, a choice that — at least through three seasons — was clearly the incorrect choice. While Roby has played well as Denver’s third corner after being selected 31st overall in ’14, Dennard has struggled to get on the field in the Queen City. A fitting conclusion to the tale? Vance Joseph, now the Broncos head coach, was the Bengals defensive backs coach in 2014 who promised Roby he wouldn’t fall past pick No. 24.

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Bengals Sign Cameron Lee

June 27th, 2017 at 6:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bengals have signed guard Cameron Lee, the club announced today. Lee went undrafted earlier this year out of Illinois State after playing in 39 games during his collegiate career. After originally signing with the Saints as a UDFA, Lee was waived earlier this month. He’ll compete with Christian Westerman, T.J. Johnson, J.J. Dielman, and Trey Hopkins for playing time as an interior reserve.

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Bengals Not Sweating Lewis' Future

June 23rd, 2017 at 9:01am CST by Zach Links

There’s a lot of chatter about coach Marvin Lewis‘ future with the Bengals, but the players aren’t necessarily dwelling on it. “He doesn’t talk about contracts. He doesn’t talk about his situation,” quarterback Andy Dalton said (via Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer) . “It’s all about having a good year. So, the guys aren’t thinking about that.” While Bengals players say they are focused on winning rather than saving Lewis’ job, every player quoted in the story had positive things to say about the coach.

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