As the Bengals' season gladly ends, many questions arise in the offseason. Whom will they draft? Whom will they let go? Whom will they acquire in free agency?
After another year without a 1,000-yard runner, who do you blame most? Is it the O-line, the back, the coach, or the field-manager in the quarterback? I think it's all four.
The O-line ist not blocking like they should, the backs are nothing special, the offensive coordinator don't know how to disguise a play, which means the QB can't perform well, even though their starter is Ryan Fitzpatrick.
In the AFC North division, you have to be able to pound it out. The defenses in this division are too tough for you to pussy-foot around. When I think of the AFC North, I think of their backs that they've had. Jerome Bettis, Jamal Lewis, Reuben Droughns, Rudi Johnson, and Le'Ron McCain—all are big backs that have gotten it done for their teams.
The Bengals, in my opinion, need a back who is going to run straight at these defenses instead of around them. Chris Wells of Ohio State would fit this team perfectly. He is a big physical back that can grind it out much like they need. He's big enough to keep the defenders off of Carson in the passing game. In the running game, he's what defenses hate to prepare for.
This team was at its best when Rudi Johnson was at his best. Wells is a younger, faster, and a better runner than Rudi. The Bengals decided to get rid of Rudi because of injuries and replaced him with Chris Perry. Perry fumbled to much so they went to Benson. Benson had a couple good games against horrible teams, the question is where was those hundred yards all year?
Many argue they need a line, but you have five 300-plus-pound men that don't know what they're doing. Get a new line coach and get this group to figure out what they're doing. Maybe draft a lineman in the second round, but not the first. Draft Wells, he's the best man for the job!
23 comments Last one added 5 months ago — Leave a Comment
Evan Shepherd 6 months ago
He Gets Hurt Every Other Play
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Kyle Strittholt 6 months ago
Even hurt he can still run for 100 yards against the number 2 defense in the nation.
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paul williams 6 months ago
DE & T then C & DT. bengals have no need for more WRs or RBs.
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Kyle Strittholt 6 months ago
The Bengals don't have a running back that is going to help them get to where they want to go. If they don't draft Wells they need to get someone to compete for a job at least. As far as wide recievers, if T.J. is gone then this offense is going to take a huge blow. Chad hasn't been the best wide reciever in the game and Chris Henry drops more passes than Chad. This team has more problems than a math book, and they need to make this off-season very productive if they have any chance of winning next season.
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paul williams 6 months ago
they have jim anderson. that's all they need to make any RB a quality starter. it was the o-line that failed the running game this season. not the other way around.
feel free to name the last 1000 yard running back in the nfl without an o-line.
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anthony douglass 6 months ago
"feel free to name the last 1000 yard running back in the nfl without an o-line"
ok..... Barry Sanders
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Kyle Strittholt 5 months ago
Corey Dillon rushed for a thousand yards with a not so good offensive line with the Bengals. I think Chris Wells will be better than him.
Emmitt Smith was just shy of a thousand yards with the horrible offensive line of the Cardinals in 2004
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anthony douglass 6 months ago
"feel free to name the last 1000 yard running back in the nfl without an o-line"
ok..... Barry Sanders
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paul williams 6 months ago
Barry's last game was in 1998. So are you suggesting that Chris Wells is the next Barry Sanders? Or that a running back that can run without an O-Line comes along once every decade?
And for the record, Kevin Glover - C & Lomas Brown - T were perennial pro bowlers during Barry's years in Detroit.
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Kyle Strittholt 6 months ago
With the offensive line the Bengals had, they had a couple games with a 100 yards runner. It's not that they can't block it's they just are not blocking.
Wells may not be a Barry Sanders, but he's closer to that than Benson or Perry. Perry just simply sucks, and i was against getting Benson in the first place with the DUI's. I don't think the whole first round in the draft is going to be offensive line. Pick a stand out player then in the second round get the best lineman available.
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nick asaaap 5 months ago
hey the bengals have alot of the same line they had when rudi rushed for a thousand yards. levi jones, bobby williams, andrew whitwerth, and stacy andrews. why cant they block right now.
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Zane Daniels 5 months ago
Re-Sign Cedric Benson and worry about other problems. If we take a running back we should take one no earlier than the 3rd round.
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nick asaaap 5 months ago
Definatley draft Beainie Wells. He's amazing!!! Screw Cedric Benson, Chris Wells 4 the Future
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Rob Stumbo 5 months ago
Stupid to take wells. We need some DT, DE's, MLB, and an o lineman or two. Why chase after wells when you know he is no Adrian Peterson! Why not take, say Ray Mauluga first, then address the RB late in the draft. We don't need a franchise back, instead let's go with the two back system and play benson or kenny watson with a quick rookie. I like the RB from Iowa, and we can get him in the later rounds. RB is just to loaded in the draft to take a risk on wells. I am tired of us losing!! Let's develop an explosive D(which marvin was supposed to be known for) and get this team winning some ballgames!! Chris Wells is not a solution to anything, he really will just add to the problem!!
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Rob Stumbo 5 months ago
Dumb to take Wells. Why waste a pick on a guy that is no adrian peterson. Why not take a proven defensive leader such as Ray Mauluga! He could turn our D around with one pick. Wells will not be able to do that. Do you think that wells will help us compete against the likes of the Ravens, and Steelers D. I think not!! Our O-line isn't the best, but there is talent there. Our D-line is also not producing any type of pass rush. A defensive end/OLB would also be a good fit. We can draft a talented back in later rounds and incorporate the split backs with benson sharing the workload. We could have an explosive D(which we all know wins ballgames) instead of praying everything just happens to fall into place perfectly with the offense this offseason. If we draft Wells with our first pick I truly believe I will have to find a new team until we hirer a REAL GM!!
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Kyle Strittholt 5 months ago
Defense is not a big problem this season. The defese has played outstanding this year. Why did the defense screw up in so many games? Because this is a offense that wants to run the ball but it's not working to well with a couple of crapbacks. So the offense has 3 and outs and the defense just gets rested and has to go back out.
Why was this team good a couple years ago? Because the offense carried them all season. The only thing the defense did that year is turnovers and our current defense is doing that just fine.
Passing teams can be good and hard to defend, but what happens when it's rainy or windy like it so often is in cincinnati. They need a guy to grind it out. They got rid of Rudi which was a big mistake they need to make up for it by drafting Wells.
This is a big defensive division. Their offenses aren't so hot. Big Ben isn't good unless the back is good, neither is flacco, and the browns are worst than the bengals. The best defense can only hold the best offense for a while, but when that defense gets tired the offense that can grind the ball game out and keep the defense off the feild will win the ball game.
I STICK BY MY ANSWER... TO GET WELL SOON, THE BENGALS NEED TO GET WELLS SOON!!!!
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Rob Stumbo 5 months ago
Sorry, didn't realize my first post went through!!
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Bennett Kaplan 5 months ago
Im fed up with all these Ohio State fans lobbying for the draft of Chris Wells. We have Cedric Benson, and Kenny Watson, and not to mention DeDe Dorsey. Our main needs are an offensive line that can keep Carson Palmer of the DL and a defensive line that can pressure an opposing quarterback. The Bengals also do not need a wide reciever, especially Crabtree, because we drafted two wide recievers last year, Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson, who will fit in with Chris Henry, who can have a breakout year.
but the last thing we need is Chris Wells. Thank you.
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Kyle Strittholt 5 months ago
Yeah what has Kenny Watson and Cedric Benson done? NOTHING when they've been the main backs we've had losing seasons. Cedric Benson gets a couple good games against two bad teams DeDe Dorsey hasn't done anything either.... Chris Henry has more chances of getting arrested again than having a "breakout" season i'm not saying get crabtree i'm saying chris henry is the worst thing to happen to the bengals in the last 18 seasons.
I'm sayin this for the first pick. It's a seven round draft we can get DL OL whatever other rounds.
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Bennett Kaplan 5 months ago
Your saying we should waste a pick on a position that we get decent production from, rather than a position where we have not gotten production from at all? The offensive line has not done much over the past few years, and the same can be said about the defense. With Carson Palmer being able to throw the ball, it will open up running lanes for whoever is going to play Running Back.
For now, the Bengals need to draft an OT, or a DT. Maybe take a running back or WR in some of the later rounds, but the Bengals need to focus on the O-Line, and the defensive front.
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Kyle Strittholt 5 months ago
I wouldn't have wrote the article if i thought the Bengals should pick anyone else. We drafted a good tackle last year in the draft, all these 300+ pound men need to learn to do their jobs. This offense relies on a running game. You see them run four times in a row. Houston is a better team because they got Slaton, Falcons got Turner, The Vikings were a completley different team with Adrian Peterson. The Bengals have no play makers anymore. Chad isn't doing anything, T.J.'s probably gone, Chris Henry is a worse butter fingers than Chad, and our backs can't get a solid hundred yards against anyone.
If we got Wells Benson and Watson would still be there to take a couple snaps. Chris Wells carried Ohio State to a national championship last year he's been a phenominal player and I think he's a perfect pick for the bengals.
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Bennett Kaplan 5 months ago
You are wrong. The offense of the Bengals does not rely on the running game by any means. It relys on the passing game, and maybe Chris Henry drops a few balls here or there, but he can make the deep play. Plus, we have our receivers in line, because of the two we drafted last year. The difference between us and the texans and the vikings, is we have a solid quarterback. Houston and Minnesota did not.
If the 300+ pound lineman are not doing there jobs, then we need to give them somebody who can do their job, and that is why we should draft a lineman, or a linebacker.
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Kyle Strittholt 5 months ago
If this Bengals team does not rely on the run then why do they run it 3 times in a row? why do they run it so much when it hasn't worked? They are trying to establish the running game. For that you need a back.
We got Andrew Whitwerth in the second round and he's doing fine. Plus the Bengals are trying to power run the ball with smaller guys. Chris Wells has the size of Jamal Lewis and speed to go with it.
We used last years first round pick on a linebacker so it would be stupid to pick another one first round this year unless Zimmer wanted to go to a 3-4 defense.
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