Cincinnati Bengals: Latest Combine News and Rumors
Duke Tobin, the Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel, and his staff will keep a watchful eye on the events in Indianapolis this week.
As more than 330 prospects descend upon Lucas Oil Stadium for the NFL Scouting Combine, it is Tobin, Marvin Lewis and others who must collect raw data and measurements, mash them with film and interviews and come away with a draft board in order to reload the roster with young talent in pursuit of a fifth consecutive playoff appearance.
The task is more difficult than it sounds, but for outside observers, the needs along the roster are hiding in plain sight.
Within, let's break down the most notable rumors, news and nuggets from around the globe concerning the organization and what Tobin and Co. may be looking for in Indianapolis this week.
Overarching Combine Plans
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The Cincinnati Bengals and Duke Tobin do not hide how they approach the event.
As The Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Dehner Jr. captures, Tobin and his staff look to verify their tape findings with raw data provided by the testing in Indianapolis:
"It's important to start to get the know the guys from a personality standpoint. I think it's important to verify measurables. He looks fast; is he fast? He looks like he can run; is that the case? Sometimes you will see something there that will make you go back and make sure you have seen it correctly on tape.
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It's an interesting revelation and nugget for onlookers who want a peek at the process.
As most teams surely do, the scouting combine comes with a grain of salt. The pressure is immense, that being in a controlled environment against the best of the best in the biggest interview of the prospects' lives.
This explains why Tobin stresses it is important to parlay the performance and numbers with actual in-game film.
"I don't get into the drill work," Tobin said. "If a guy has a bad day catching the ball, but I think he has good hands based on what I've seen, I will stay with that."
In other words, if fans have a certain prospect in mind, understand that a poor showing at the combine is not the end of the world. In fact, the decrease in value may mean the team keeps an eye on said prospect as a bargain on draft day.
Nobody said the combine, one small part of an overarching puzzle, is simple.
Tight End Insurance
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The consensus seems to be that the Cincinnati Bengals will allow tight end Jermaine Gresham to hit the open market this offseason and go from there.
Either Gresham is back on a team-friendly deal or takes more money elsewhere. New offensive coordinator Hue Jackson made it pretty clear in last year's season opener that Tyler Eifert was a much, much bigger part of the offense until the Notre Dame product went down with a season-ending injury.
As ESPN.com's Coley Harvey points out in a reader mailbag session, the team likes Ryan Hewitt but will potentially look to the draft to fill the void left by Gresham:
"As for the Ryan Hewitt question, technically he's always been a tight end, they just liked what he gave them as a blocking H-back. My thought is that he'll remain in that role because he did so well with it. That means no fullback gets drafted, and it means that if Jermaine Gresham isn't re-signed next month, Cincinnati will have to look in free agency or the draft for another pass-catching tight end to pair with Tyler Eifert.
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This doesn't mean the Bengals will keep a close eye on potential first-round target Maxx Williams out of Minnesota, but keep in mind potential mid-round players such as Florida State's Nick O'Leary, Ohio State's Jeff Heuerman and Oklahoma's Blake Bell.
It will take a while before Gresham's future becomes clearer, but rest assured the staff in Indianapolis will perform its due diligence regardless.
The Linebacker Lowdown
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It would be best to stop the thoughts of an early-round linebacker right now.
The Cincinnati Bengals just don't do it, mostly because Marvin Lewis doesn't do it.
As Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com notes, the team wants Rey Maualuga back, too:
"If Maualuga isn’t back here, he could always end up in Minnesota with Mike Zimmer. But I think he’ll be back. They want him back. They covet his physicality and if there is one thing this team needs to do it is keep cultivating its physicality, so they need him. And I think it cuts both ways. He’s extremely comfortable in this defense and with the guys around him and it would be a plus for him to be back.
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If Maualuga returns, that shores up two of the three starting linebacker gigs provided a clean bill of health for Vontaze Burfict.
The team also has a few names it likes in the third slot, although Emmanuel Lamur and Jayson DiManche need to stay healthy for it to work out.
So while it is interesting to think about an inside thumper such as Mississippi State's Benardrick McKinney or Miami's Denzel Perryman, the most likely outcome is that the majority of time spent on linebackers in Indianapolis is a formality on the slim chance they allow Maualuga to walk.
Knowing the Bengals, the guys to watch are those who may wind up undrafted.
Wideouts Galore
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It seems a given that the Cincinnati Bengals will grab a wideout at some point in the 2015 draft, especially if impending free agents Brandon Tate and Dane Sanzenbacher do not return after a trip to free agency.
As Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com points out, all indications are that a wideout is in the offseason blueprint:
"One thing the stretch showed them last year is how thin they were at receiver. They know it and like I said earlier, I think they go for a receiver as high as the third and they may draft another later. You know the Bengals. They want both size and speed. In this century they’ve drafted two wide receivers shorter than 6-0, Peter Warrick and Jordan Shipley. They want the height.
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This opens a ton of doors for the Bengals at the combine.
Spending too much time on a DeVante Parker or other first-round prospects seems a waste given the presence of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu behind A.J. Green, but crunching numbers on second- to third-round prospects such as Auburn's Sammie Coates and Ohio State's Devin Smith makes sense.
Some may scoff at taking a receiver so high, but feel free to flick on the film from this year's postseason loss as all of Andy Dalton's targets failed to create any significant separation and the offense stalled time after time.
Wideouts will be perhaps the most interesting thing to take note of as it pertains to the Bengals this week.
Reinforcements in the Trenches
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The final facet of the scouting combine to monitor when it comes to the Cincinnati Bengals is the offensive line.
In a perfect world, the team will find a way to bring back surprising late-season addition Eric Winston. Even that, though, should not prohibit the team from thinking about the future in the offensive trenches.
The Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Dehner Jr. suggests the team will do just that at the combine and brings forth a few other names to consider besides Stanford's Andrus Peat:
"The Bengals will be taking a closer look at all the possible first-round tackles and Peat stands among them. Toss in La'el Collins of LSU and T.J. Clemmings of Pittsburgh as well. Whatever these players do in their interviews and workouts will be closely monitored as Cincinnati plots the future of offensive tackle and present of backup swing tackle.
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ESPN.com's Coley Harvey suggests much of the same, especially regarding La'el Collins, while detailing Cincinnati's extensive LSU pipeline.
An offensive lineman selection in the first or second round can bore fans. Even more boring is their drills at the combine.
Entertainment is not the factor for the Bengals in Indianapolis this week, though. Making the postseason next season and down the road is, so expect a heavy dose of offensive line talk in the coming week and beyond.
Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com as of Feb. 15 at 9 p.m. ET. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.
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