Jay Gruden Will Stay with Bengals, Andy Dalton; Shows Wisdom and Vision

Jay Gruden has withdrawn his name from consideration as an NFL head coaching candidate and will stay with the Cincinnati Bengals in his current capacity as offensive coordinator for at least another year. 

This decision by Gruden shows wisdom and vision far beyond what I would normally expect from a young, up-and-coming coach in the NFL.

Look at guys like Mike Martz, Norv Turner, Jason Garrett, Rex Ryan, Mike Nolan, etc. These men are all phenomenal coaches that just so happen to be experts in specific areas. All of them have failed as head coaches. 

They all bit at the first opportunity they had and went charging ahead. Gruden, on the other hand, has decided to take the long view with his career, and his surprising decision will serve him well in the future. 

Yesterday, I wrote a post in which I said the Bengals should leverage their two first-round draft picks to move up and select Trent Richardson. Whether or not they actually follow my advice matters not. No matter what course of action Mike Brown decides to take, the Bengals are in prime position to make some major improvements through the 2012 NFL draft.

We all saw the fatal flaw with the Bengals right now in their wild-card loss in Houston. They couldn't run the ball. It was embarrassing. Besides an upgrade at the running back position, there is a desperate need for at least one more interior lineman of quality.

Gruden was the driving force behind the Bengals' decision to pick Dalton at the top of the second round (35th overall) in the 2011 NFL draft, and he has been pleased with Dalton's progression throughout the season, saying,

"

Having to start a guy in his first year, we though his composure and poise and know knowledge of football in general made him the right fit. So far, so good. He's made a few mistakes here and there, but over the course of the game he doesn't make many. He seldom makes the same mistakes twice.

"

I believe Gruden is salivating at the opportunity to spend an entire offseason working with Dalton, and they will correct some of the rookie mistakes Dalton made towards the end of the year. They will also somehow address the need at running back and bolster the offensive line, giving Dalton the running game he lacked in 2011. 

Gruden can build a legend of his own with the centerpieces of Dalton, A.J. Green, Jermaine Gresham and a gigantic offensive line coupled with the running back of the future, whoever he may be.

So in conclusion, I salute Gruden's decision to build a lasting legacy with the team that gave him his first chance at coordinating an offense in the NFL. 

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