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3 Things We’re Excited About for Bengals Training Camp

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We’re less than a week away from the start of the Cincinnati Bengals training camp. This is a golden time for any football fan. The hope for a new season. Arguing with your buddies about who should start, or which player will have the biggest season. A chance to get revenge on your fiercest rivals. The time is here, and it is GLORIOUS!

But that’s not the only reason to get excited.

The Bengals have plenty of reasons to think they’ll be back in the playoffs in 2017. From the offense that should blow up like a bottle of shaken-up soda to seeing what a bunch of motivated players will do to get last year’s sour taste out of their mouths, 2017 will be a year to remember. Here are the top three things that get us jazzed ahead of Bengals training camp.

Bengals Training Camp: 3 Reasons to be Revved Up

1. Offensive weapons. The Bengals are loaded this year. Armed to the teeth. Remember that scene in the movie Commando when Schwarzenegger paddles to the beach and then spends the next couple of minutes gearing up for the big gun battle? That’s how fans should feel when reading Cincinnati’s offensive depth chart.

Andy Dalton is ready to follow up on his 4,206-yard performance from last year. And for the first time in what seems like forever, he’ll have to make up his mind about who to chuck the pigskin to. All-Pro wide receiver AJ Green returns after being painfully close to a 1,000-yard receiving season despite only starting 10 games. Tyler Boyd, Brandon LaFell, Cody Core, rookies John Ross and Josh Malone … the WR list goes on. Don’t forget about tight end Tyler Eifert (more on him in a minute).

With defenses being so busy trying to stop Dalton and Co., it will open up the running game. If the O-line can gel – and that’s a big if – then Jeremy Hill should build upon his 839-yard campaign from last year. Giovani Bernard collected 673 yards from scrimmage. Draft pick Joe Mixon gained 1,812 total yards and scored 15 touchdowns last year at Oklahoma. The firepower’s there.

2. Jordan Willis. Cincy averaged 2.1 sacks per game last year. That tied them for 19th in the NFL. They need a boost, and third-round draft pick Jordan Willis could be the one that gives it to them. He racked up 11.5 sacks for the Wildcats in 2016 and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the year. He has good burst and plays at a position of need. The Bengals had plenty of close games last season. If Willis’ rush can stop even one 3rd-and-long, it could flip the game in the Bengals’ favor. We say he’ll stop a lot more than one.

3. Contract years for Burfict and Eifert. It’s the perfect storm for these two players. Eifert and linebacker Vontaze Burfict spent big chunks of last season banged up and suspended, respectively. Now they are healthy, ready to prove something, and in the final year of their contracts. If that doesn’t motivate you to hit, catch, tackle and score, what will?

Bengals’ Biggest 2017 NFL Draft Needs, Part II: Running Backs

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Before you see our analysis of the running backs, make sure you catch our recent post on the top 3 choices for Cincinnati at defensive end. Check it out here!

There’s more buzz surrounding the running backs than any other position in the 2017 NFL Draft. The number of quality guys is so impressive, it’s like reading the name of a law firm with an irritatingly long list of partners. The Cincinnati Bengals could use some of those fresh legs in the backfield to take pressure off QB Andy Dalton.

Cedric Peerman sustained an arm injury in the preseason that basically wiped out his 2016. Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard led a rushing attack that averaged 4.0 yards per carry, good (or bad) for 23rd in the league. Now’s the time for the Bengals to cash in and get a franchise-caliber RB.

 

TOP RUNNING BACKS FOR THE CINCINNATI BENGALS

1. Leonard Fournette – Fournette came to LSU with ridiculous expectations and did not disappoint. His junior campaign was limited by an ankle injury, but Fournette showed as a sophomore what he can do when healthy. In 2015, he rushed for 1,953 yards, scored 22 TDs (in the SEC, mind you), and was a unanimous All-American. It’s tough to catch the 4.51 speedster. It’s even tougher to bring him down. He weighs 240 pounds, plays with low pads, and has little fear of defensive backs.

2. Dalvin Cook – Florida State couldn’t get enough of Cook’s performance over the last few years. Cook put up three straight 1,000-yard seasons for the Seminoles. He finished off his college career by rushing for 1,765 yards and 19 touchdowns. This two-time All-American used his sub-4.5 speed to earn Orange Bowl MVP honors (207 total yards) in a 33-32 win over Michigan. He tends to fumble too much, though (13 career cough-ups) and has had some run-ins with the law. That could make him a distraction in the locker room.

3. Joe Mixon – This Oklahoma back caught the eyes of college football fans everywhere when he gained 1,812 yards from scrimmage in 2016. He caught the eyes of NFL coaches by displaying his burst of speed and quick feet at the NFL Combine. He caught the eyes of the rest of America when a video surfaced of him punching a lady in a Norman, OK cafe in July 2014. Mixon has the physical tools to be a first-rounder, but the off-the-field behavior may have cost him. He could still be a steal if he slides in the draft and it will be interesting to see if Cincy is willing to take a risk.

Who Stays and Who Goes for Who Dey – Part III

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We’ve spent the past couple of weeks evaluating Cincinnati Bengals players with names like Whitworth, LaFell, Kirkpatrick, and Zeitler, among others. The purpose? To make the call on whether these free agents will suit up for Cincy next fall. They are some of the biggest names to watch, but they ain’t the only ones. Let’s take a look at two others to keep an eye on this offseason.

 

6. Eric Winston (offensive tackle) – The 11-year NFL veteran has done a nice job over the past 3 seasons with the Bengals. The team brass has thought the same thing. They originally signed Winston to a one-year deal in late 2014 and keep bringing him back. Another one-year deal could happen again, but if it does, Winston might be filling the backup role. In fact, the Cincinnati Bengals’ decision to re-sign Winston in any capacity will probably be determined by how things shake out with Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler. Ya gotta think we’d be able to keep at least one, which would leave enough room for Winston for one more year. Re-sign (yep or nope): Yep

7. Cedric Peerman (running back) – Peerman has been an extremely valuable special teams player during his time in Cincy. He didn’t get a chance to prove himself in 2016 at running back, though, after suffering an arm injury during the preseason. Further clouding Peerman’s future with the Cincinnati Bengals is the depth of this year’s running back class in the draft. We’re talking Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Alvin Kamara, D’Onta Foreman, and Joe Mixon, to name a few. We doubt the Bengals will retain Peerman’s services. They have the chance to get fresh legs and someone to compliment Rex Burkhead in the backfield. It’s too good of an opportunity to pass up. Re-sign (yep or nope): Nope

Cincinnati Bengals vs Baltimore Ravens – Week 12 Preview

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To play the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals will travel about 430 miles. That’s almost as far away as the playoffs look at this point. But we digress.

The first step toward a 2016 turnaround will be against a division rival that Cincinnati has beaten 5 straight times. Baltimore is a brick wall on defense (2nd in the NFL) but struggles on offense (24th in the league). The Cincinnati Bengals will probably do likewise on O after losing wide receiver AJ Green and running back Giovani Bernard to injuries last week.

So what are the 3 things to keep an eye on in this AFC North matchup?

3 Things to Watch in the Cincinnati Bengals-Baltimore Ravens Game

1. Who steps in for AJ Green and Giovani Bernard? Green’s hamstring injury means Brandon LaFell will be the leading receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals (419 yards, 4 touchdowns) at kickoff. Hopefully, WRs Tyler Boyd and Cody Core can be productive against a Ravens’ defense that’s yielded 219 passing yards per game. The outlook doesn’t look much better behind QB Andy Dalton. Running back Cedric Peerman was just activated from IR after a preseason arm injury and Rex Burkhead has only gained 39 yards this year.


2. Will Steve Smith move past Harrison? Ravens’ receiver Steve Smith is only 133 yards away from passing the great Marvin Harrison for 7th on the all-time career yardage list. If he makes it, that probably means Baltimore QB Joe Flacco is having a great day all around. After all, it’s not like Smith will get 150 and Mike Wallace will get 15.

3. Can we keep the mental advantage? The Ravens haven’t beaten the Cincinnati Bengals since a 20-17 overtime win on November 10, 2013. Even with Cincy’s recent struggles, you gotta think they’re in the heads of the guys wearing purple. Like Cincinnati, Baltimore has only beaten one team with a winning record this year (Pittsburgh) and they’re averaging less than 20 points a game. That puts a lot of pressure on the Ravens’ defense. They don’t want that. We do.

Week 4: Cincinnati Bengals vs Miami Dolphins – 5 Takeaways

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The Cincinnati Bengals are back to the .500 mark after a 22-7 win over the Miami Dolphins. With a 2-2 record (which includes a loss to their most hated rival), it’s tough to tell how much momentum they have with 25% of the season gone.

But here are 5 things we are certain of after the Miami win:

5 Things About the Cincinnati Bengals

1. Defense wins, baby. The Cincinnati Bengals’ D has been as on-again-off-again as the orange stripes on their helmets. Want proof? They logged 5 sacks against Miami but have given up 10 passing TDs in only 4 games. It’s only the 27th-ranked rushing defense in the NFL but have forced 6 turnovers (tied for 12th). They must develop consistency across the board.

2. Green is good. Total shocker, we know. AJ Green could have a career year in 2016, which is saying something considering the 5 straight Pro Bowls and 5 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start his NFL career. He’s on pace for 128 catches and 1,872 yards this year.

3. Andy Dalton’s getting it done. Despite losing WRs Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones to free agency, and running back Cedric Peerman to a preseason injury, AND taking an NFL-most 13 sacks, Dalton is producing. He leads the league with 1,234 passing yards. ‘Nuff said.

4. The Bengals miss TE Tyler Eifert. Especially in the red zone. They only scored 1 touchdown in 4 red-zone trips against Miami. A 6’6″ tight end would help a lot there.

5. Mike Nugent is money. The Cincinnati Bengals’ kicker was shaky in the preseason. Now that seems as distant a memory as the Bengals’ last playoff win (but it’ll happen soon, right?). Through 4 games, he is 12-13, and perfect (4-4) from 40-49 yards. That will bode well in close games.