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The
Bengals could still fill some gaps in the roster before the team gets
deeper into
off-season workouts. Photo courtesy of
bleacherreport.com
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Missing pieces the Bengals could still fill
bleacherreport.com
CINCINNATI- Fortunately for the Cincinnati Bengals, there are not many
holes to fill on the current roster. In fact, after the draft, the
Bengalsshould have their starters almost set in stone for 2013.
However, there are some missing pieces that could be added to improve
depth or provide positional battles in camp.
While looking at the Bengals' roster, there are some noticeable voids
at certain positions behind the incumbent starter. There are plenty of
positions that have very young, inexperienced players as the initial
backup.
This could provide some nasty problems if the Bengals are hit by the
injury bug in 2013.
Rationally speaking, these positions should be filled by low-cost
veterans that could provide more stability if needed to step into the
lineup. There are not many of these instances on the Bengals' roster,
but some should still be addressed.
1. Fullback
Chris Pressley is a serviceable fullback, but that is really where you
draw the line with him. He is not terrible in any aspect of his game,
but he does not shine in one particular category either.
In 2012, Pressley was ranked 19th out of 25 eligible fullbacks in the
league (via Pro Football Focus, subscription required). He received
negative grades in every statistical category.
Pressley is not the kind of fullback that fits in a West Coast offense.
He is not a reliable receiver, and with the addition of a faster
running back in Giovani Bernard, he may not be able to keep pace as a
lead blocker.
To make matters worse for Pressley, he is coming off of a season-ending
knee injury suffered late in the 2012 season. There will be no telling
if he is full-go until the team puts the pads back on.
At the very least, the Bengals should bring in another fullback to
compete in camp alongside Pressley. Yes, John Conner is still around,
but he was brought in as more of a band-aid during Pressley's absence.
Bringing in a veteran such as former Buffalo Bills fullback Corey
McIntyre could be very beneficial for the Bengals at this juncture.
McIntyre has more speed, athleticism and agility than Pressley and can
be a receiver out of the backfield when asked. He only played 103 snaps
in 2012 but was given positive grades across the board by Pro Football
Focus in that span.
2. Cornerback
The Bengals have some great starting cornerbacks returning for the 2013
season. Incumbent starter Leon Hall will top the position, followed by
Terence Newman and Adam Jones.
In the mix will also be last year's first-round draft pick Dre
Kirkpatrick.
Kirkpatrick has said earlier this offseason that he wants to start in
2013. He wants to make his way up the depth chart and become the
complementary corner to Hall.
However, that will be tough sledding for him, as he is not game-tested
yet and still has lots of learning to do at the NFL level.
After Kirkpatrick are very inexperienced corners Brandon Ghee and Shaun
Prater. Neither of these players have seen active playing time in the
NFL's regular season.
This means that the position could severely suffer if one of the top
three starters would be unable to perform. The Bengals should be
enticed to bring in a veteran cornerback that would be able to step in
and contribute in a pinch.
By signing a veteran corner at a low cost, the Bengals are afforded a
low-risk, high-reward payoff. If the younger guys show up at camp and
impress coaches, the free-agent veteran would be cut with minimal loss
to the team.
The Bengals could shore up other spots as well, namely at Strong
Safety, Center and Middle Linebacker.
To read more on this, click here
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