List your Bengal changes here.

[dsmith421]

Carson Palmer completely choked for large portions of the last three games, then has been quoted in the press pointing fingers at "selfish" teammates.

I guess he's one of those low-character guys we need to run out of town.

[forfreelin04]

Originally Posted by dsmith421

Carson Palmer completely choked for large portions of the last three games, then has been quoted in the press pointing fingers at "selfish" teammates.

I guess he's one of those low-character guys we need to run out of town.

I hope you are being sarcastic about the last comment because I feel Palmer will bounce back from a rebuilding year for him and have an even more sucessful season next year.

Palmer certainly is not a low character guy. If anything I think he realizes the team makes or breaks by his performance. The lack of consistecy on defense is surely adequate evidence of this. I think he simply tries to do too much. Say what you what about Kitna or other less talented quarterbacks like a Chad Pennington or a Steve McNair, but they have realized one thing that Carson WILL but hasn't yet. That is, you can attempt to do too much. How many times did we see Palmer force a ball into double coverage or force a ball to Ocho Cinco because he seemingly felt he needed too? Or even more so, hold onto the ball way longer then necessary? He needs to learn to throw the ball away when coverage downfield is sealed and especially when the pocket has collapsed!! How many times did he fumble this year because he thought he had an opportunity at the last second? He needs to throw it away or tuck the ball away and take the coverage sack in these situtations. I understand why he feels the way he does. But Marvin and company need to teach him to be conservative with the football when necessary. His fumbilitis could have hurt us in many more situations then it did. The best way for Marvin to counteract this problem is to finally provide the tools and the coaching this defense needs. This is something Dungy has not addressed in Indy yet and I don't see the all important ring on his finger yet. With a much improved instead of a marginally improved defense, Carson can finally worry less about making the big play.

[GAC]

Anyone listen to Alan Cutler on WLW this morning? I thought he was right on. He basically said that Marvin Lewis was instrumental in turning this team around and instituting his program. But Lewis' "honeymoon" is now over, and it's time for him to be a head coach in the sense of taking charge.

If he had taken the Bengals to the Super Bowl, then he would have gotten credit. Should he also not get the blame when things kinda went awry? Or is he exempt?

I listened to parts of a Lewis interview given yesterday, and he stated that he didn't feel some of the personal issues some of the players experienced had any effect on the field.

Now was he simply giving the media a "dog and pony" show?

[Danny Serafini]

Something tells me character still isn't high on the list. From the Bengals blog on one of those Cincinnati newspapers:

The Bengals signed former Iowa State defensive end Jason Berryman to two-year contract Tuesday -- he is one of 10 newcomers to the offseason roster.

But, according to the Des Moines Register, Berryman is just another bad boy on a roster filled with them.

According to the newspaper, Berryman last played for the Cyclones in 2005, when he was third on the team with 72 tackles, had had several legal problems.

The Register reports: "In his last college game, the 2005 Houston Bowl, he collected 12 tackles and five sacks. As a freshman, he was named the Big 12's defensive newcomer of the year in 2003.

"Berryman, however, drew almost as much attention to himself off the field.

"He was kicked off the team last January shortly after being ticketed for being "on premises under age" at a dance club. He had spent 258 days in the Story County jail for punching an Iowa State student and robbing him of $4 and a cell phone from in August 2004. He was released from jail in April 2005 and was allowed to rejoin the Cyclones that August.

"Berryman applied for the 2006 NFL supplemental draft last summer but was not selected."

[dsmith421]

Originally Posted by forfreelin04

I hope you are being sarcastic about the last comment because I feel Palmer will bounce back from a rebuilding year for him and have an even more sucessful season next year.

I was being sarcastic.

But Palmer's performances against Indianapolis, Denver, and Pittsburgh were downright pathetic and far below the standards he set last season. If anything, he's the one player on the roster whose late failures contributed most to the Bengals' collapse.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by GAC

Anyone listen to Alan Cutler on WLW this morning? I thought he was right on. He basically said that Marvin Lewis was instrumental in turning this team around and instituting his program. But Lewis' "honeymoon" is now over, and it's time for him to be a head coach in the sense of taking charge.

If he had taken the Bengals to the Super Bowl, then he would have gotten credit. Should he also not get the blame when things kinda went awry? Or is he exempt?

I listened to parts of a Lewis interview given yesterday, and he stated that he didn't feel some of the personal issues some of the players experienced had any effect on the field.

Now was he simply giving the media a "dog and pony" show?

I think he's right in that some of the personal issues had no effect on play on the field. I don't think Steinbach or O'Neal were greatly affected on the field by their OVIs. The only players whose outside conduct really had an affect on their play this season were Henry and Thurman. Henry missed two games because of suspension and Thurman, of course, missed the whole season.

[KoryMac5]

Originally Posted by Danny Serafini

Something tells me character still isn't high on the list. From the Bengals blog on one of those Cincinnati newspapers:

The Bengals signed former Iowa State defensive end Jason Berryman to two-year contract Tuesday -- he is one of 10 newcomers to the offseason roster.

But, according to the Des Moines Register, Berryman is just another bad boy on a roster filled with them.

According to the newspaper, Berryman last played for the Cyclones in 2005, when he was third on the team with 72 tackles, had had several legal problems.

The Register reports: "In his last college game, the 2005 Houston Bowl, he collected 12 tackles and five sacks. As a freshman, he was named the Big 12's defensive newcomer of the year in 2003.

"Berryman, however, drew almost as much attention to himself off the field.

"He was kicked off the team last January shortly after being ticketed for being "on premises under age" at a dance club. He had spent 258 days in the Story County jail for punching an Iowa State student and robbing him of $4 and a cell phone from in August 2004. He was released from jail in April 2005 and was allowed to rejoin the Cyclones that August.

"Berryman applied for the 2006 NFL supplemental draft last summer but was not selected."

I almost fell out of my chair when I saw that they signed Berryman. After all the trouble and constant media and fan attention on the character issue this is one of the first signings of the offseason. Yuck!

[dsmith421]

Oh, and while we're on the subject of successful teams and character, meet your 13-3 Baltimore Ravens:

http://www.mugshots.com/Sport/Steve+McNair.htm

http://www.mugshots.com/Sport/Ray+Lewis.htm

http://www.sportsgoons.com/volume3/V...index3_18.html

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/f...01,0,4612876.s...

http://ravens.scout.com/2/575555.html

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1786805

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...1231F934A25755...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1682277

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2031461

[GAC]

Originally Posted by dsmith421

Carson Palmer completely choked for large portions of the last three games, then has been quoted in the press pointing fingers at "selfish" teammates.

I guess he's one of those low-character guys we need to run out of town.

I still believe that Carson is not fully recovered from last year.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by GAC

I still believe that Carson is not fully recovered from last year.

Equal parts physical AND mental, IMO.

I think he'll come back and have a monster season next year.

This will be a big off-season for him to get everything fully back on track.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by GAC

I still believe that Carson is not fully recovered from last year.

I agree with that assessment. I look forward to seeing how he plays after an off-season focusing on honing his craft rather than rehabilitating his knee.

[SunDeck]

I think the key ingredient in being a successful NFL team is keeping the starters in the lineup. The Bengals were not able to do that in two key areas- linebacker and the offensive line. I think both of those problems were huge this year, keeping them from really coming together as a team. Only one of the players missing from those positions was a "character issue", Odell Thurman.

My suggestion for the Bengals would be to move Geathers to LB, and use draft picks to go after another top LB. They are quite a ways under the cap; I'd use a lot of it to change the defensive line- letting Smith walk if they can bring in an equal or better replacement (personally, I think they never should have put him at end. He'd be a wicked inside linebacker). And they'll have to strengthen the backs (especially of James goes).

Leave the offense as is except to upgrade at TE...or keep Kelly and use him more downfield.


I also agree about Palmer not being 100%. We ought to be thankful the guy even played the entire season after knee reconstruction. It's one thing to get back to shape physically, another entirely to regain the speed and timing needed to be an NFL quarterback. The fact that he performed as well as he did is amazing if you ask me.

[lo ryder]

All defensive and special temas assistant coaches.

[George Foster]

Marvin said either Wed. or Tues. that all the coaches are under contract and are coming back. This goes back to my argument that Head Coaches, like officers in the Army, should not have close personal relationships with their coaching staff. You see them through "rose colored glasses."

In the military officers are forbidden to have personal relationships with fellow soldiers under them (enlisted men). The reason for this is it is harder to give orders or take orders from a buddy. Even harder to fire one of them.

[Tony Cloninger]

Special Teams were in the Top 5 in KO, PR return avg.
They were not the problem.....except for 1 muffed XP.
I mean really.....all they would have done was tie that game.

The game was lost with CP overthrowing TJ in the endzone when he was wide open for a 6 yard TD.....and motion penalty taking away 75 yd pass to Henry......AND Chad's fumble, and he hardly ever fumbles...the way was clearly trying to tackle the ball and CJ still would not just go down and let the guy strip it away.


On the subject of LeBau.........people really have short memories.
I see it on the Bengal web site also...... This is a guy who became DC in 1984 after Hank Bullough left it as the No. 1 rated defense in the NFL in 1983.

Gone were only Ken Riley and Jim LeClair.....yet it goes to middle of the pack in 1984....and then dead last in 1985....with the same players, save those 2 and i think Gary Burley was gone by then.

His defenses.....BOTH times he was here....were never Top 10...barely in the Top 20....always run over.....always weak and soft.

But this also goes back to the way the bengal org. runs things.

Why does Lewis and LeBau have success in BAL/WASH and PITT respectively?

What do those 3 org have that the Bengals do not have?

They have a true GM and double the full time scouts.
They do not have an owner who thinks beacuse his father was a great judge of talent....he also is...and can do it 60's-70's style......with a bare bones front office.

Those teams have GM's, Player Pers. Directors (Not Jim "I coached in High School" Lippincott).....and scouts who do this FT and do not expect their coaches to try and do it on the fly.

PITT is famous for drafting great players after the 1st 3 rounds.....I mean in the first 3 rounds....most of us could make great picks....it's after those rounds when the depth of your team and the ability to replace FA comes into play.

PITT and BAL have and have had great GM's.
Maybe throwing WASH in here is a stretch due to the woner wanting to buy his way to the top.....and that is not the only way to go....BUT if MB had half of Snyder's ego....he would probably see that it might be time to break the bank on a difference maker on defense....while realizing he needs a GM and to hire more scouts.