2013 NFL Offseason: Cincinnati Bengals
Draft Grades, Season Previews, Team Needs, Free Agents
Cincinnati Bengals (Last Year: 10-6)
2013 NFL Draft Grade: B
Please note that the overall grade is not an average of all the individual grades. Other things are taken into account like team needs and goals.
Goals Entering the 2013 NFL Draft: The Bengals have some holes on their defense (as well as right tackle and running back) that they'll have to address. Fortunately, they have tons of picks to take care of that. With lots of cap space, Cincinnati is in a great spot.
2013 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Bengals have reached the playoffs twice with Andy Dalton, but they've scored a total of 23 points in the two games. They needed to give Andy Dalton some weapons to work with outside of A.J. Green, and they managed to accomplish that with their first two picks, Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard.
Everyone expected Cincinnati to go for a back like Bernard, so the Eifert selection was more interesting. Tight end wasn't a perceived need with Jermaine Gresham already there, but the two-tight end set is becoming more and more popular, and it'll be extremely useful for Dalton, who doesn't have the strongest arm in the world.
The Bengals made some other solid selections like Sean Porter in the fourth round, but I didn't like a few of their choices. Margus Hunt is extremely raw and didn't fill a need at No. 53. Shawn Williams, meanwhile, was a slight reach in the third frame, though he does fit well in Mike Zimmer's defense. I also don't know what to make of Tanner Hawkinson at 156 or Rex Burkhead at 190. Why not actually fill needs there?
Cincinnati came away with a quality draft overall. I would have changed some things, but the front office definitely improved its roster.
2013 NFL Draft Individual Grades:
21. Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame: B+ Grade
This is the ultimate "BPA vs. need" argument. The Bengals didn't have a hole at tight end with Jermaine Gresham there, but Tyler Eifert was definitely the top prospect available. Besides, teams like to use two-tight end sets, and it's not like Gresham is setting the world on fire with his receiving ability. Andy Dalton has limited arm strength, so he'll lean on Eifert quite frequently.
37. Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina: B- Grade
We heard that the Bengals were going "all in" on Eddie Lacy, but Giovani Bernard makes more sense as a complement for BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Bernard is a speed back with return ability, which is exactly what Cincinnati needed. This is a slight reach - Bernard probably would have been around for Cincinnati's second-rounder - but he's a very good fit.
53. Margus Hunt, DE, SMU: C Grade
The Bengals are definitely in favor of drafting the best player available regardless of need because Margus Hunt doesn't fill a need at all. The Bengals are pretty set at defensive end with Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins. Hunt is very raw and will have to spend a couple of years developing. I'm not a fan of drafting such a project in the second round.
84. Shawn Williams, S, Georgia: C+ Grade
This is a slight reach, but Shawn Williams is a good fit in Mike Zimmer's defense. The Bengals had to find help at safety, but had to wait this long because they missed out on Kenny Vaccaro and Eric Reid at No. 21.
118. Sean Porter, OLB, Texas A&M: A- Grade
I thought Sean Porter would go a round earlier than this, so I like the value. Porter makes sense as a need as well, as he can play learn from James Harrison for a couple of years and then eventually take over the starter if he develops accordingly.
156. Tanner Hawkinson, OT, Kansas: C- Grade
Tanner Hawkinson was a borderline draftable prospect, so this is a reach. I also don't see how Tanner Hawkinson contributes anytime soon. I'm not a fan of this selection.
190. Rex Burkhead, RB, Nebraska: B- Grade
Rex Burkhead fits the range in the middle of the sixth round, but he wasn't needed with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Giovani Bernard on the depth chart. He's not bad injury insurance though.
197. Cobi Hamilton, WR, Arkansas: A- Grade
I like this pick a lot. Cobi Hamilton probably should have gone in the fourth-round range, so he slipped a bit. The Bengals wanted to add another wideout, though I thought they'd take Da'Rick Rogers.
240. Reid Fragel, OT, Ohio State: A Grade
Reid Fragel was considered a mid-round prospect; I've had him in the fourth or fifth. This is great value for the Bengals, as Fragel could eventually be Andrew Whitworth's successor at left tackle.
251. T.J. Johnson, C, South Carolina: A- Grade
The Bengals needed someone to challenge Kyle Cook at center. Despite being a seventh-rounder, T.J. Johnson could do it.
*** 2013 NFL TEAM NEEDS BELOW COMMENT BOARD ***
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Mike
05-12-2013
03:14 pm
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"because they missed out on Kenny Vaccaro and Eric Reid at No. 21."
That makes no sense Walt. The 49ers reached for Eric Reid at 18 and the Bengals could have easily took Elam or Cyprien at 21 if they were really targeting a Safety at 21.
Stephen Donatelli
05-10-2013
09:37 am
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I live in PITTSBURGH and even I have to admit that the BENGALS will win the division and if HEALTHY can clearly make it to the "AFC CHAMPIONSHIP" game. A.J. GREEN has hands like CHRIS CARTER and adding (OLB) James Harrison was brillant. My SLEEPER pick in the AFC for sure.
John
04-29-2013
03:43 pm
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From the Ravens write-up: "129. John Simon, DE/OLB, Ohio State: B+ Grade
You can never have enough pass-rushers, so while John Simon doesn't fit an immediate need, he could be useful down the road or in the wake of injuries." Seems a little hypocritical don't you think?
CinciREborn
04-29-2013
02:00 pm
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In your explanation of hunts grade you say bengals are set at DE with Dunlap and Atkins.
Atkins is a DT Also I would grade hunt at least a B Michael Johnson had to be franchised so there's a good chance he won't get the deal he's looking for. So hunt would essentially become MJs replacement. Hunt fits perfect mike zimmermans mold for a DE. And two great DEs doesn't mean you shouldn't add another great DE. Giants are a perfect example. If you follow the bengals for know the bengals run a very consistent rotation on the DL. Hunt will see plenty of playing time. It's also funny you mention Dunlap as a reason for the C on hunt. Dunlap doesn't even start for the bengals. Bengals starting DEs are Michael Johnson and Robert Geathers. Dunlap is a situational rotation player that excels just like the 6-8 monster who runs a 4.6 in Margus Hunt will. Hunt has a great chance of being the biggest steal in the draft
Jimbo
04-29-2013
01:08 pm
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I like this Bengals draft. They picked up solid athletic players that could blossom into stars. Eifert will allow for more 2TE sets and open up the play-calling for Gruden. Giovani Bernard, if he can stay healthy, could break some big ones. Margus Hunt, with the right coaching and conditioning, could become a distruptive force for years to come. Reid Fragel has all the tools to become a solid, long-term starter at right tackle. The Miami Doophins should have taken him before Cincy.
John
04-29-2013
09:33 am
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a couple comments:
53. Atkins is a DT, not an DE. You're thinking of M. Johnson. Both Dunlap and Johnson are on a 1 year deal as of right now (as is Atkins), so I'd argue that DE is a need. This give the Bengals a year to develop him, while using him as a kick blocker on ST. 84. Williams is a slight reach, but the safety they really missed out on was Cyprien at 37 (taken by the Jags at 33), which would have allowed them to take Gio Bernard or Franklin at 53. Was hoping for more of a centerfielder at safety than an in-the-box kind of guy. 251. Trevor Robinson is already on the roster to challenge Cook. Many would say he was the better of the two last year. Otherwise, good write-up. I'm intrigued by the Bengals this year. It's all on Marvin, Gruden and Dalton now.
Daz Low
04-29-2013
04:26 am
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There were some 'questionable' picks later in the draft. But when you don't have needs, you can afford to take a punt or two (or three) on players who need development. The Bengals got raised eyebrows when they picked MJ and Geno. No raised eyebrows now.
When you have good coaches you can pick players who will benefit from good coaching. The Bengals have worked their way into being able to afford to take a risk or two with their roster. I liked the draft. It was good and they've added competition and depth in the trenches where many games in the AFC North are won and lost.
Walter T.
04-29-2013
04:05 am
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Great job as always Walter Football.
GO BENGALS!
Joe Williams
04-28-2013
11:48 pm
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"They solidified their position as the best team in the AFC North"
Derp derp derp derp.....
Bryan
04-28-2013
08:02 pm
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I disagree that Margus Hunt doesn't fill a need. Well, I guess he doesn't fill an immediate need, but Michael Johnson was franchised this year and if he can't be signed long term, the Bengals will need a DE next year. That gives the Bengals a year to see if Margus Hunt can develop into his replacement.
Danny
04-28-2013
07:51 pm
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You have to hand it to the Brown family. Something clicked after Palmer demanded a one way ticket out of town. They have drafted very well the past 3 years.
Eifert is a great pick. Dalton doesn't have the biggest arm, but he does have plenty of zip attacking the middle, intermediate part of the field. He's got great chemistry with A.J. Green on the outside. Bernard offers a little more big-play ability at RB. This looks like a pretty darn good offense on paper.
@To "Hunt sucks"
04-28-2013
05:19 pm
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Your argument was fundamentally flawed and you are the one who has no idea what you're talking about. First of all, if you've watched film, you would realize that SMU played a 3-4, meaning Hunt was being blocked by guards, not Matthews or Joeckel. He was mauled out of every single play, and saying my assessment is assine shows your ignorance.
You say it's asinine to say he's bad for not showing up against elite competition, well, he isn't playing Baylor next year, buddy. Every single team he plays will ave a better line than Tex A&M, even if they had two very highly rated prospects. So it was an absolutely fair comparison, as that's who he will be playing in the NFL is ELITE competition. Furthermore, Hunt is 26 years old; that's not exactly a spring chicken. His football age lags severely behind his actual age, which is a problem in my eyes. You're right in saying he's a special special teams player, If you could read, you would realize i didn't argue that. I merely said that taking a special teams player in round 2 was foolish, especially with Arthur Brown still on the board. Your deduction of an argument is very weak, almost as weak as Hunt's football skills, as you essentially didn't counter anything I said and used a straw man argument to attempt to disprove me. Therefore, Hunt was a terrible choice at 53, in my opinion. There were better players on the board and bigger needs, so it doesn't exactly make sense. Hunt will be a good special teams player, but I have a feeling that's all he'll ever be.
Geno Atkins
04-28-2013
04:49 pm
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When did I become at DE?
jeremy
04-28-2013
10:20 am
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Im a die haes bengals fan and my 2 disappointments in this draft are with the giovanna pick when lacy and ball was still there I wasnt sold on lacy really but monte ball is going to impact the league he is what we needed ellis prolly wont be around to long and if he is then we could have had what the steelers had when they had the bus and parker this could had been a great dou and the second is we in my opinion wasted our 2nd pic in the 2nd rd on a de we could have had a really good saftey if they played their cards right
Todd
04-28-2013
09:17 am
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If I had to choose one team who had the best draft this year, it's the Bengals. Gone are the dreadful days of the "Bungals." They essentially got three first round picks in the first two rounds in Eifert, Bernard, and Hunt. They solidified their position as the best team in the AFC North and they are....wait for it.....Super Bowl contenders this year.
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Season Summary:
The Bengals need to ask themselves if Andy Dalton is the answer. He has shown that he can beat inferior competition, but he has yet to put together a quality performance against an elite defense. He was absolutely terrible against the Texans in the playoffs for a second year in a row. He should improve, but will he ever be capable of leading Cincinnati to a Super Bowl?
Offseason Moves:
Team Needs:
- Running Back: BenJarvus Green-Ellis is just a mediocre plodder whose stats were enhanced because of a powerful offensive line. The Bengals need to add a speed complement. There will be plenty of options in Round 2. Reggie Bush might also be considered.
- Two Linebackers: Vontaze Burfict was a pleasant surprise for Cincinnati this season, but Manny Lawson is a free agent, while Rey Maualuga was the worst starting linebacker in the NFL. Signed James Harrison; re-signed Rey Maualuga
- Safety: Nate Clements had to play the safety position despite being a natural cornerback because Taylor Mays was awful. Both Clements and Chris Crocker are free agents in their 30s.
- Right Tackle: Andre Smith is coming off a Pro Bowl-type campaign. He'll be hitting free agency and must be retained. Re-signed Andre Smith
- Defensive End: The Bengals have three defensive ends entering free agency - and this includes starter Michael Johnson. Someone like Damontre Moore makes sense at No. 21 overall if Johnson isn't franchised. Franchised Michael Johnson; re-signed Robert Geathers and Wallace Gilberry
- Center: Cincinnati did not get quality play out of the center position with Kyle Cook and Jeff Faine. Signed Mike Pollak
- Cornerback: Depth is needed here with Terence Newman and Pacman Jones heading for free agency. Re-signed Terence Newman and Pacman Jones
- Quarterback: The Bengals should find a young quarterback to groom behind Andy Dalton just in case he isn't the answer. Signed Josh Johnson; claimed John Skelton
- Wide Receiver: Mohamed Sanu might emerge as a decent No. 2 option for Dalton. Depth is needed regardless.
- Kicker: Josh Brown and Mike Nugent are both free agents. Re-signed Mike Nugent
- Punter: Kevin Huber's contract will expire in March as well. Re-signed Kevin Huber
2013 NFL Free Agent Signings:
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James Harrison, DE/OLB, Steelers. Age: 35. 
Signed with Bengals (2 years)
James Harrison can still put good pressure on the quarterback, but given that he turns 35 in May, it's fair to wonder how long that'll last. He's also injury-prone, so that doesn't help his cause.
- John Skelton, QB, Cardinals. Age: 25.
-- Claimed by Bengals
- Mike Pollak, G/C, Panthers. Age: 28. -- Signed with Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals Free Agents:
Salary Cap: TBA.
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Andre Smith, OT, Bengals. Age: 26.
Re-signed with Bengals
Andre Smith has developed into one of the league's premier right tackles. He was a dominant run-blocker and also excelled in pass protection. There's still some concern that he could get lazy with a big contract, but he deserves the money based on how he's played.
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Michael Johnson, DE, Bengals. Age: 26.
Franchised by Bengals
The sky's the limit for Michael Johnson, who turns 26 in February. He recorded 11.5 sacks in 2012 while playing the run very well. He's expected to be franchised.
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Kevin Huber, P, Bengals. Age: 28.
Re-signed with Bengals (5 years)
Kevin Huber was fourth in net punting among starters in 2012.
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Nate Clements, S/CB, Bengals. Age: 33.
Nate Clements, who turned 33 in December, had to play safety this past year because Taylor Mays was such a liability in coverage. He'll probably have to stay at safety given his declining skills.
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Thomas Howard, OLB, Bengals. Age: 30.
Thomas Howard was out for all but one game in 2012 with a torn ACL. It was impressive that Cincinnati's defense still played well despite missing such a solid linebacker.
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Manny Lawson, OLB, Bengals. Age: 29.
Signed with Bills
The Bengals asked Manny Lawson to rush the passer and stop the run, and he did that very well. He's not good in coverage, however.
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Chris Crocker, S, Bengals. Age: 33.
Chris Crocker is still an OK starting safety, but he'll be 33 in March. His best days are behind him.
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Josh Brown, K, Bengals. Age: 34.
Signed with Giants
Josh Brown hit 11-of-12 kicks in 2012, but he's one year removed from going just 21-of-28.
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Pacman Jones, CB/KR, Bengals. Age: 30.
Re-signed with Bengals (3 years)
Pacman Jones played well in nickel situations, but will turn 30 at the end of September.
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Robert Geathers, DE, Bengals. Age: 30.
Re-signed with Bengals
Robert Geathers did not play well this past season because of a lingering knee injury. He was still decent as a run-stopper.
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Wallace Gilberry, DE, Bengals. Age: 28.
Re-signed with Bengals (3 years, $6.75 million)
Wallace Gilberry is a quality nickel pass-rusher. He recorded 6.5 sacks despite not playing very many snaps.
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Terence Newman, CB, Bengals. Age: 34.
Re-signed with Bengals (2 years, $5 million)
Terence Newman was surprisingly pretty solid this past season after struggling in Dallas. Credit must be given to defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who knows how to use Newman, but it was still shocking to see Newman do so well.
- Cedric Peerman (RFA), RB, Bengals. Age: 26. -- Re-signed with Bengals
- Brandon Tate, KR, Bengals. Age: 25. -- Re-signed with Bengals (1 year)
- Rey Maualuga, ILB, Bengals. Age: 26. -- Re-signed with Bengals (2 years, $6.5 million)
- Pat Sims, DT, Bengals. Age: 27. -- Signed with Raiders
- Mike Nugent, K, Bengals. Age: 31. -- Re-signed with Bengals
- Brian Leonard, FB, Bengals. Age: 29. -- Signed with Buccaneers (1 year)
- Dan Skuta, OLB, Bengals. Age: 27. -- Signed with 49ers (2 years)
- Dennis Roland, OT, Bengals. Age: 30. -- Re-signed with Bengals
- Bernard Scott, RB, Bengals. Age: 29. -- Re-signed with Bengals
- Jason Allen, CB, Bengals. Age: 30.
- Jeromy Miles (RFA), S, Bengals. Age: 26. -- Tendered by Bengals
- Dick Quinn, TE, Bengals. Age: 26. -- Re-signed with Bengals
- Bruce Gradkowski, QB, Bengals. Age: 30. -- Signed with Steelers (3 years)
2013 NFL Free Agent Positions:
QB | RB | FB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | OLB | ILB | CB | S | K/P | FA Grades
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 22
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 22
2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 21
Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 20
NFL Picks - Feb. 3
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