Bengals Present is Bright, Future Brighter

After the Bengals 38-31 win over the Steelers last Sunday there was a lot of talk about the torch of the AFC North being passed. This raised the question of can and will the Bengals take over the division for the coming years. This is not something that is easy to do in the present day NFL given the make up of free agency and the salary cap. That being said, the Bengals are in a great position to do just that with the youth and talent that Marvin Lewis has assembled here. Many of the impact players on this year's team have yet to hit their prime. There are still some pieces missing on the defensive side of the ball, and there is depth that needs to be built in a few areas, but on the whole this is a team that has the potential to be a legitimate AFC contender for years. Here is a break down of some of the key cogs of this team.
OFFENSE: Age in parenthesis
QB: Carson Palmer (26 on 12/27)--Palmer has become one of the top NFL quarterbacks in only his second full season on the job. He has a QB rating of 106.6 this season, and there are no signs that he will not continue to get better. It is important to have a quality back up at this position, and the Bengals worked out Tim Couch this week mainly because of the uncertainty of Jon Kitna for next season.
RB: Rudi Johnson (26); Chris Perry (24 on 12/27)--Rudi Johnson has proven to be a valuable runner especially late in the season. His running style is very effective in wearing down defenses, and he seems to get better as the season rolls on. Perry has been a dynamic threat out of the backfield with his ability to catch passes in crucial situations. This has been a pleasant surprise after he missed most of his rookie year with a sports hernia. He has more receiving yards than rushing yards, and his running style is the perfect compliment to Rudi.
FB: Jeremi Johnson (25)--Jeremi Johnson has become a great lead blocker for Rudi Johnson, and Rudi's record rushing season last year was evidence of this. J. Johnson is another example of Coach Lewis' ability to find unknown guys in the draft.
WR: Chad Johnson (27); TJ Houshmandzadeh (28); Chris Henry (22)--Johnson has proven himself to be one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. He leads the AFC in receptions and yards, and his big play ability and bravado have fueled this explosive offense. Houshmandzadeh has shown that he might have the best hands on the team. He is constantly making catches in tight spots, and his ability to get open on third down is remarkable. Henry may have the best big play ability of the three. As a rookie, he already has five touchdowns, and he has been able to beat defenders over the top. If he can improve his concentration and footwork, the sky is limit for this kid.
TE: Red Flag--This is one of the few areas on the team that is lacking. The three headed tight end of Reggie Kelly, Tony Stewart, and Matt Schobel has been non existent in the passing game. There blocking has been solid, but if the team can upgrade at this spot, the offense will be as dangerous as Indianapolis'.
OL: Willie Anderson (30); Levi Jones (26); Eric Steinbach (25); Bobbie Williams (29); Rich Braham (35); Eric Ghiaciuc (24); Stacy Andrews (24)--The offensive line has done a tremendous job of opening holes for Rudi Johnson and of keeping the pressure off of Palmer. This is an area where depth needs to be developed. They may have found the center of the future in Ghiaciuc, and he is getting great experience in being able to learn from one of the best in Braham. They also have Ben Wilkerson on the injured list who was voted the best center in NCAA last season before blowing out his knee. Anderson has shown great durability at the right tackle spot, and Jones has been nothing short of spectacular in protecting Palmer's blind side against the likes of Dwight Freeney, Terrell Suggs, Joey Porter, and KGB. Andrews showed some positives in the preseason, but he is still a project who could ultimately end up on the D-Line. The Bengals will need to look for tackle and guard depth for next season, but they should be fine barring an injury to any of their main contributors.
DEFENSE:
DL: Justin Smith (26); John Thornton (29); Robert Geathers (22); Bryan Robinson (31); Matthias Askew (23); Shaun Smith (24); Jonathan Fanene (23)--The defensive line has been a trouble spot on the defense since Lewis has arrived. Thornton and Robinson have a hard time of controlling the line, and this is dangerous considering that they play in the smashmouth AFC North. Shaun Smith has shown signs of promise in limited action this year, and Askew could be a long term fixture if he could ever get on the field. Thornton did state on his web site that Askew will most likely take over his DT spot next year after Thornton leaves which came as a surprise to most. This is still an area that they could upgrade through the draft and free agency, and they will need to find a two gap DT who can clog up the line. The DEs have been ineffective in pressuring the quarterback. Justin Smith is suffering from not having a solid pass rusher on the other side of the field. Geathers showed great pass rushing ability coming off of the edge as a rookie last year, but the Bengals have been moving him down to DT on passing downs which does not make much sense given his strengths. They have used Duane Clemons and Carl Powell at end, but neither of the two is the long term answer. Fanene showed play making ability in his first action of the year last Sunday against Pittsburgh. He is still a project, and an upgrade here is needed.
LBS: Odell Thurman (22); Landon Johnson (24); Brian Simmons (30); David Pollack (23); Nate Webster (28)--The linebackers have played relatively well this year. Thurman has shown incredible speed and power at MLB, and he is the favorite for defensive rookie of the year with 79 tackles and 5 ints. This is more exciting given that he is only 22. Johnson continues to prove his worth as a solid linebacker. Many thought he would be the odd man out after the team drafted Pollack in the first round, but his play has made it impossible to take him off the field. Johnson is also versatile given that he played in the middle last season as a rookie and has made the transition to his natural OLB spot flawlessly. Simmons is having a very good year especially considering that many people thought he was overrated. He may not be able to shoulder the load on his own, but like he did when Takeo Spikes was here, he has shown to be valuable when surrounded by other good linebackers. Pollack has struggled this year, partly due to his hold out and partly due to the transition from DE in college to OLB in the NFL. He has played better as of late when he has been used as a pass rusher off the edge. Time will tell if he will become another Reinard Wilson or another Peter Boulware. Webster adds some depth here, but he was active for the first time in over a year after a knees injury sidelined him in the first weeks of last year. There may be need to address the depth considering Simmons increasing age.
DBs: Deltha O'Neal (28); Tory James (32); Kiewan Ratliff (24); Madieu Williams (24); Kevin Kaesviharn (29)--The secondary has proven to be a ball hawking, turnover creating force this season. They have forced an NFL best 26 INTs this year with O'Neal leading the way with 8. O'Neal has experienced a resurrection to his career since arriving in Cincinnati from Denver where his differences with coach Mike Shanahan led him to be driven out of town. James has been beaten some this year, but he has played well on the whole. His age is catching up to him, and they will look to Ratliff to replace him in the upcoming years. Ratliff has played well in nickel situations grabbing 3 picks on the year. His physical style of play will give him more opportunities for playing time next season. The loss of Madieu Williams to injury this year has been noticeable in both the run defense and the coverage of opposing tight ends. He looked like the best overall player in the secondary last year as a rookie, and he will be a Pro Bowler if he can stay health throughout his career. Kaesviharn has been serviceable and is having one of his best seasons as a Bengal. An upgrade at safety and depth at corner will be needed.

It is obvious that the Bengals are talented and young enough to compete in the AFC for years to come. They have great talent at almost every position, and with a few upgrades to the defense, they will be on the same level as the Colts. As is always the case in the NFL, unpredictable things like injuries can always wreck a season, see '05 New England. That is why it important to have depth to ensure that injuries will not deter them from their ultimate goal, the Super Bowl.