lets figure out out LB positions....

[SHRacerX]

Originally Posted by sled21

Teo will be long gone before the Bengals get a pick....

I would actually be very surprised if he went very early. MLB just isn't what teams look for early in the draft. Tackles, QBs, WRs, CBs, and DEs will rule day 1. I want him at #21, but would take Ogletree in a second if he is gone. One of them may be there. Hopefully, the Bengals would have already signed a S in FA like Goldson, and the middle of the defense would be massively improved.

Then go after RB, WR, TE, and De with the remaining early picks.

[NATI BENGALS]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

Yeah, I might have jumped to the same conclusion if I totally ignored Marvin Lewis flat-out telling the media that Moch was practicing only at LB. That pretty much ends any speculation.

I think you got punked by Marvin in a weekly press conference or something. Because when Moch played his only game this year he got some snaps at DE in pass rushing situations.

"On Sunday, Moch took a handful of third-down snaps at end for his first action since the Bengals took him in the third round in 2011"

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-...3-3fb76d3b8899

Marvin isn't the type to play somebody in a game at a position he has not practiced.

He came back a 270 pounds and the only snaps he took on D in a game were at DE. You can't say he is exclusively a LB because of some random game week head coach talk. He played very well in the preseason at DE. And came back more physically prepared to play DE.

If he gets his migraines under control he might be the DE version of Geno Atkins. I have no problem with a 6-2 270lbs DE with 4.4 speed. His pass rush skills are far more advanced than his coverage skills. Use his strengths. But A freakishly fast oversized LB doesn't sound bad either. Moch is still a tweener. The added size that he now has easily makes him worth a roster spot if healthy. We can't give up before we know what we have ala Ahmad Brooks. I think he still has a lot of potential, but obviously we can't count him as a sure thing. Will not hurt my feelings if he happens to replace Rey or Skuta at the back end of the LB depth chart.

[NATI BENGALS]

How I figure it out is if heading into the draft we don't allow ourselves to be in a position where we are forced to pick a LB early or at all then then we are in good shape. So..

Starters: Howard, Burfict, Wheeler (FA)
Bench: Lamur, Maybin, Moch, and maybe a draft pick, Rey, Skuta, or Schaffer stick as our 7th LB
Keep 6-7 LBs on the 53 man roster. Maybe Moch ends up counting as a DE. It would be nice to have Maualuga back as a backup MLB. But with his weak psyche it would probably end his career.

[Bull Durham]

Bengals have always used free agency as a means to fill holes so they aren't forced to take a particular player. They try to position themselves so they can draft best player available.

[Munoz The Great]

Originally Posted by thebigcat454545

A few questions, is Tez our starting mlb next year?
if Teo drops to us do we take him and keep Tez outside? Teo is 6'2" 250lbs and runs a projected 4.58 (the fastest top 10 linebacker)
Im seeing more and more sites saying Montgomery and John Simon is OLB's. Being a Buckeye fan I love Simon but feel he may have reached his potential, I love his leadership and try hard attitude, if he falls to rd 2-3 would you take him? shockingly he is only 6'1" 256lbs ( i thought he was bigger then that). We need athletic, fast LB's that fly around. Give me your opinions on what you would like to see.

Call me crazy, but i don't want a LB that is too stupid to call an online fling his girlfriend and then acts surprised when he finds out that his "girlfriend" is really a dude....

[Munoz The Great]

As far as the Draft goes, i want this team to upgrade at the O-Line and LB position. Dalton was sacked 46 times last season and that's way too much. Ken Anderson went from being a good to great QB when he got an O-Line who gave him plenty of time to pass the ball.....

[D's Nuts and Bolts]

Originally Posted by momadance02

Quit being a jerk.

No

[Lawless_1]

SAM-Maybin
MIKE-Burfict
WILL-McClain

[D's Nuts and Bolts]

Originally Posted by NATI BENGALS

I think you got punked by Marvin in a weekly press conference or something. Because when Moch played his only game this year he got some snaps at DE in pass rushing situations.

"On Sunday, Moch took a handful of third-down snaps at end for his first action since the Bengals took him in the third round in 2011"

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-...3-3fb76d3b8899

Marvin isn't the type to play somebody in a game at a position he has not practiced.

He came back a 270 pounds and the only snaps he took on D in a game were at DE. You can't say he is exclusively a LB because of some random game week head coach talk. He played very well in the preseason at DE. And came back more physically prepared to play DE.

If he gets his migraines under control he might be the DE version of Geno Atkins. I have no problem with a 6-2 270lbs DE with 4.4 speed. His pass rush skills are far more advanced than his coverage skills. Use his strengths. But A freakishly fast oversized LB doesn't sound bad either. Moch is still a tweener. The added size that he now has easily makes him worth a roster spot if healthy. We can't give up before we know what we have ala Ahmad Brooks. I think he still has a lot of potential, but obviously we can't count him as a sure thing. Will not hurt my feelings if he happens to replace Rey or Skuta at the back end of the LB depth chart.

Moch needs to be not counted on for anything until proven otherwise.
Ahmad Brooks actually played in games.

My concern is you keep him over another player, he gets a migrane or studs his toe in week two, goes on IR then you are looking for another player.

I really don't consider him on the team.

[NATI BENGALS]

Originally Posted by D's Nuts and Bolts

Moch needs to be not counted on for anything until proven otherwise.
Ahmad Brooks actually played in games.

My concern is you keep him over another player, he gets a migrane or studs his toe in week two, goes on IR then you are looking for another player.

I really don't consider him on the team.

Anybody has a chance to get hurt though. If he has control of the migraines what he brings to the table is worth a roster spot. I am now basically counting any Moch production as a bonus. And if it happens to start clicking for him he still has enormous upside.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by NATI BENGALS

Anybody has a chance to get hurt though. If he has control of the migraines what he brings to the table is worth a roster spot. I am now basically counting any Moch production as a bonus. And if it happens to start clicking for him he still has enormous upside.

It seemed relatively clear in camp that the LB experiment with Moch was over and that he was working strictly as a DE. We really do not know what he brings to the table because of his absence from the field. Not sure I would keep him over any dlinemen we had on the roster this season.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

No. He may have added weight. I seem to remember a tweet saying that he got up to 270 lbs during his suspension. But once he returned from his suspension, Marvin sid he was working exclusively with the LBs. Wasn't playing DE at all.

I believe you have this backward. He worked almost exclusively as DE in camp.

[sixxfan26]

I see us keeping Burfict, Rey, Skuta, Howard, Maybin, drafting an LB, and probably grabbing another FA LB.

[degolfisfun]

Originally Posted by Munoz The Great

As far as the Draft goes, i want this team to upgrade at the O-Line and LB position. Dalton was sacked 46 times last season and that's way too much. Ken Anderson went from being a good to great QB when he got an O-Line who gave him plenty of time to pass the ball.....

The OL doesn't need much upgrade. Of the 5, 3 are top end OL men. I'd say the other two are Average to Below Average .... not bottom end. The team's problem is dealing with 5-6 man rushes right up the middle. Dalton has to learn to deal with it and make a positive play from it. Just like other QBs when they get pressure in their face. Manning, Brady, and even Russell Wilson, and RG3 know how to use their checkdowns in the face of pressure. The higher-than-average sacks that the Bengals take are TOTALLY a factor of the QB not properly using his checkdowns IMO. Check out Bengals RBs pass reception yardage vs other teams RBs pass reception yardage. (I agree the loss of Scott hurt this some. But I'd guess BJGE had more pass reception yardage with the Pats in 2011 than with the Bengals in 2012 on probably half the playing time.)

I am optimistic that this is coachable though.

[fredtoast]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

The biggest problem with Ta'o that I see is he isnt a real explosive athlete or a real downhill player as a LB. But he will be a good run and chase player who will make players all over he field, maybe just not be as strong coming up and filling the hole to stone RBs at the point of attack. Maualuga's strength should be that he is a physical downhill player but he seems to have lost his aggressiveness and plays too tentative.

Ugh. It makes me feel like I need a shower when I agree with the Bull, but this is the same way I feel about Teo.

The thing is I believe the big run-stuffing MLB is going out of style. So I wouldn't mind drafting him. Very few MLBs go very high in the draft, so he could be around until 37.

I don't want to curse Teo, but I'll bet at this stage of the evaluation process Maualuga was still considred a lock to go in the first round. Teo may drop because he lacks bulk or elite speed, but I'd take that over a guy with no instincts or cover skills any day.

[Dgrove]

If Teo's there its a no Brainer! You take him!

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by Dgrove

If Teo's there its a no Brainer! You take him!

It is hardly a no brainer.

[savagehenry54]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

It is hardly a no brainer.

Yea, I agree, if Burflict can clearly demonstrate himself our best LB on the outside when his natural position is in the middle (something Rey never did but even Rey did improve when moved back inside) then I can't see any reason not to install Taze as the team's starting MLB going into next season. If he's that good out of position, I think we've got our guy for the middle. It stinks that someone drafted as high as Maul didnt' work out but hitting on an UDFA like Taze helps take the sting out of that.

[victor24]

Originally Posted by spinksjinx

Off topic a bit, but does anyone think it's great we are finding value with undrafted guys and hitting on the drafted guys as well?

Lamur, Hawkins, Burfict, Robinson....

It's pretty damn impressive. Some say we just got lucky but over a 2.5 year span you just don't luck into this.

Coincidental after this latest Marvin extension we have been hitting on the draft picks and free agent signings...He wanted to buy the groceries to make the dinner....

I agree. I think that Marvin & Company have gone straight to work on 2013. I like it. The formula has been set. I'm optimistic.

[BoomerFan]

Originally Posted by spinksjinx

Off topic a bit, but does anyone think it's great we are finding value with undrafted guys and hitting on the drafted guys as well?

Lamur, Hawkins, Burfict, Robinson....

It's pretty damn impressive. Some say we just got lucky but over a 2.5 year span you just don't luck into this.

Coincidental after this latest Marvin extension we have been hitting on the draft picks and free agent signings...He wanted to buy the groceries to make the dinner....

It is good, and I happy to be able to come up with starters that way. At the same time, none of those guys have made the pro-bowl (yet).

Also, never forget that after Parcells said that, he never won another playoff game (though...I do think it is the right philosophy generally speaking).

[PApinhead]

Originally Posted by Dgrove

If Teo's there its a no Brainer! You take him!

Completely disagree. I don't think we should go anywhere near him. He is not that good.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by savagehenry54

Yea, I agree, if Burflict can clearly demonstrate himself our best LB on the outside when his natural position is in the middle (something Rey never did but even Rey did improve when moved back inside) then I can't see any reason not to install Taze as the team's starting MLB going into next season. If he's that good out of position, I think we've got our guy for the middle. It stinks that someone drafted as high as Maul didnt' work out but hitting on an UDFA like Taze helps take the sting out of that.

Ideally if we moved Burfict to the middle, re-signed Howard on the weakside, and could land either Durant or Levy from Detroit to play the strongside we could have one hellava good LB corp.

[old man]

Originally Posted by PApinhead

Completely disagree. I don't think we should go anywhere near him. He is not that good.

Agree with you 100% pinhead. The kid doesn't know he's talking to a man and not a lady. Sounds like he's as dumb As Rey M. He won't get "it" either.

[THE PISTONS]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

Ideally if we moved Burfict to the middle, re-signed Howard on the weakside, and could land either Durant or Levy from Detroit to play the strongside we could have one hellava good LB corp.

I'd be happy with that. Lamur impressed me with his coverage skills. I could see him in the mix.

[RIPChrisHenry]

Teo is either going to be Junior seau or lofa tatupu.