Thornton Blogs on pick #6

[WMR]

Originally Posted by Highlifeman21

What, too lazy to type "before", WMR?

Here I am scanning thru posts and I see "b/f draft day" and I'm asking myself "What the heck does a boyfriend have to do with draft day?"

Nice job, ya got me...

Freud would have something very interesting to say about where your mind is at, HLman.

[Tony Cloninger]

IF LB's are a dime a dozen....why is it the bengals seem to always draft or sign mostly pennies worth of LB's?

When they went back to the 3-4 back when DL came back to be DC in 1997....this team could not draft or develop anyone in the LB position....and the defense stunk again with Dick here. He goes to PITT and their defenses are some of the best ever......during 1992-96 era and now during his 2nd stint.

That too me also explains in a nutshell the differences between those 2 teams...who have employed the same DC at various times since 1984.

Look up the defensive stats of the Bengals from 1984-91 and 1997-2000 and the Steelers from 1992-96 and 2003 until the present.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Tony Cloninger

IF LB's are a dime a dozen....why is it the bengals seem to always draft or sign mostly pennies worth of LB's?

When they went back to the 3-4 back when DL came back to be DC in 1997....this team could not draft or develop anyone in the LB position....and the defense stunk again with Dick here. He goes to PITT and their defenses are some of the best ever......during 1992-96 era and now during his 2nd stint.

That too me also explains in a nutshell the differences between those 2 teams...who have employed the same DC at various times since 1984.

Look up the defensive stats of the Bengals from 1984-91 and 1997-2000 and the Steelers from 1992-96 and 2003 until the present.

I wouldn't necessarily call Brian Simmons and Takeo Spikes penniesworth of linebackers.

That being said, it's more about development than anything. Teams like the Steelers are good at developing their type of players to fit their system.

Lance Briggs, Lofa Tatupu, and Cato June are linebackers who have been drafted outside of the first round as well.

[DTCromer]

I've said since November Michael Crabtree will be the 6th pick if he's still there. I think outside of C, the coaching staff likes the OL they already have on the roster.

[Mario-Rijo]

Originally Posted by WVRed

I wouldn't necessarily call Brian Simmons and Takeo Spikes penniesworth of linebackers.

That being said, it's more about development than anything. Teams like the Steelers are good at developing their type of players to fit their system.

Lance Briggs, Lofa Tatupu, and Cato June are linebackers who have been drafted outside of the first round as well.

Briggs and Cato are only LB's in a cover 2 defense or at least they were drafted that way. They are smaller faster LB's that fit that scheme but at the time they were drafted were not fits for most clubs at LB.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by DTCromer

I've said since November Michael Crabtree will be the 6th pick if he's still there. I think outside of C, the coaching staff likes the OL they already have on the roster.

Can't see it.

Levi=injury prone. Hasn't been the same for awhile.
Whitworth=solid. Probably the best of what we have right now.
Ghiachuic=gone. Thank God.
Bobbie Williams=getting long in the tooth.
Stacy Andrews=now an injury concern.

Take Andre Smith or Michael Oher if one of them falls and move Andrews to guard if he is healthy or release Levi.

[Tony Cloninger]

This organization spent the early to middle 90's thinking their OL was fine also.

Since Mike is still here along with his family....they probably feel that was now as well...and stupidly so.

They always depended on McNally to turns (crap) into salad.....so they drafted these really bad OL just beacuse they practiced well or looked good in the combines. It was not until 1995-96 that they finally started re-addressing this issue.

[Boss-Hog]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Can't see it.

Levi=injury prone. Hasn't been the same for awhile.
Whitworth=solid. Probably the best of what we have right now.
Ghiachuic=gone. Thank God.
Bobbie Williams=getting long in the tooth.
Stacy Andrews=now an injury concern.

Take Andre Smith or Michael Oher if one of them falls and move Andrews to guard if he is healthy or release Levi.

I agree that O-Line desperately needs to be addressed (preferably in the first round), but you neglected to mention Anthony Collins, who will be starting somewhere along the line next year.

[Redsfaithful]

It wouldn't surprise me if they see Collins as their LT next year.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Redsfaithful

It wouldn't surprise me if they see Collins as their LT next year.

or RT, assuming they do nothing.

I forgot to mention Collins, but I was looking more at last years line. It wouldn't hurt my feelings to take Smith/Oher and then take a Max Unger or another center in the second round.

[WVRed]

http://profootball.scout.com/2/839933.html

Some interesting comparisons (players the Bengals are or should be interested in):

Michael Oher to Orlando Pace
Eugene Monroe to DBrickashaw Ferguson
Everette Brown to Dwight Freeney (who they have the Bengals picking)
Andre Smith to Shawn Andrews
BJ Raji to Kevin Williams
Rey Maualuga to Lofa Tatupu
Jason Smith to Jamaal Brown
Brian Orapko to Tamba Hali

[Newport Red]

Originally Posted by DTCromer

I've said since November Michael Crabtree will be the 6th pick if he's still there. I think outside of C, the coaching staff likes the OL they already have on the roster.

If the Bengals don't like someone who plays in a three point stance at 6, I'd trade down for an additional 2nd round pick. If they can get another 2nd round pick plus for Chad, trade him. That gives them 4 picks in the top 50 or so. This is by all accounts a deep draft this year. This gives Marvin an excellent opportunity to re-make the Bengals again.

Hopefully, he does it from the lines on out.

[WVRed]

For those wanting Rey at no 6, talk is that teams have been unimpressed with his decision making and that he has likely fallen to late in the first round.

[Redsfaithful]

Weird how much things can change from the end of college football to the draft, despite none of these guys playing a down of football. Doesn't always make a lot of sense to me.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by Redsfaithful

Weird how much things can change from the end of college football to the draft, despite none of these guys playing a down of football. Doesn't always make a lot of sense to me.

What gets me is the 40 yard dash. Some of these kids go to track specialists and learn to run with the best form. Much of that time comes from how fast they come out of their stance. Maualuga and Laurinaitis didn't come out of their stances cleanly and they were "slow" each in at around 4.8. Maualuga may have hurt himself as well as he seemed to pull up as he finished his 40. Marcus Freeman who isn't half the player either of them are runs a 4.67 and is labeled fast.