General Disarray: Part II

What can the Bengals do this offseason to make sure that 2007 is better than 2006??

Look out, Justin Smith is coming through with his patented bull rush.

Get After the QB: The Bengals yet again struggled to maintain a consistent pass rush in '06. They managaed 35 team sacks, but 7 of those came against Kansas City's weak O-Line in week one of the season. Robert Geathers had a breakout season with 10.5 sacks, and one can only wonder how good he could have been had Marvin not moved him inside on third downs in 2005. One of the most frustrating Bengals over the past few seasons has to be Justin Smith. Smith managed 7.5 sacks this year, but three of those came in week one when he was going against a 270 lbs. Kyle Turley who was getting his first game action in nearly three seasons. The most telling stat is that Smith had only 1.5 sacks in the team's final ten games. For someone who was drafted #4 overall that is embarassing. Smith does work hard on every snap, and he deserves to be recognized for that, but he has failed to develop any type of successful pass-rushing technique. One of his biggest problems is that he seems to have only one move which is the bull rush, where he puts his head down and runs as fast as he can into the opposing offensive tackle. I mean he looks like Fred Flintstone out there the way that he tries to bull everyone over. Smith is an unrestricted free agent, and some team will more than likely overpay greatly for him. The Bengals cannot afford to overpay for his services. Cincinnati needs to find an impact defensive end either through the draft or free agency. One possible answer could be the Chiefs' Jared Allen who is also a free agent. Allen is only 24 years old, and he has shown a knack for getting after the QB in his first three seasons. He has 22.5 sacks in those three seasons, highlighted by his 11 sack performance in 2005. Smith has never reached double digit sacks in his career. Allen would bring some added baggage, however. He was recently sentenced to 48 hours in jail for his second DUI arrest, and he was allegedly involved in several "bar fights" while he was in college. This shouldn't worry the Bengals. He would probably be a team leader who the rest of the guys can look upto.

Open the Pocketbook: Marvin Lewis has been able to attract B-list free agents since he arrived here in 2002, which is much better than Cincy had done in the previous 15 seasons where Michael Westbrook was considered a big signing. Lewis had to overpay for his first few free agents (see: John Thornton) in order to establish Cincinnati as a desirable destination. The other free agents the Bengals have signed were either in the twilight of their career, or they were second-tier players. This offseason Cincinnati will have an opportunity to bring in an impact free agent who could immediately step in and contribute on defense. Besides Allen, the two names that come to mind are Adalius Thomas of Baltimore and Lance Briggs of Chicago, both linebackers. Thomas is a 6'2" 270 pound wrecking ball who has 28 sacks and 4 interceptions in the last three seasons. He can play several positions on defense, and he is the type of difference maker the Bengals' D desperately needs. Briggs is another playmaker who has 363 tackles and 5 picks the past three seasons. Either one of these players would step in and immediatley become the best player on the defense. The Bengals have consistently missed out on high profile free agents in the past, and they need to make sure they do whatever it takes to get one of these guys this offseason.

Breakaway Ability: Rudi Johnson has been durable, reliable, and consistent while playing for the Bengals. Unfortunately, he does not possess the speed or moves to make people miss and break the big play. He averaged 3.8 yards per carry in '06, and his long was only 22 yards. This puts added pressure on the Bengals' passing game because that has become the only way for the team to hit on the big play. Chris Perry has shown the ability to be that big-play threat, but his health problems have made him somone who cannot be counted on. Cincinnati missed out on Steven Jackson when they drafted Perry, and they need to address the running back position for '07. Their best bet would be to look into the 4th round for a back with blazing speed, even if he is undersized.