Ranking the 2015 Impact of the Cincinnati Bengals' Free-Agent Signings So Far
On paper, the Cincinnati Bengals used 2015 NFL free agency to improve.
Sure, it took an unconventional manner and not bringing on many new faces, but Marvin Lewis and the front office can now throw their full attention toward the draft.
While not the flashy trip to the market some may have hoped for in comparison to some of this year's big spenders, the Bengals used a roundabout way to shore up complementary needs and head to the first round with unlimited options.
As far as impact goes, just one new face cracks the list of players who will make the biggest impact right away and into the future. Again, unconventional, but the approach has worked so far thanks to strong drafting.
Within, let's take a look at the front office's biggest transactions this offseason and rank them based on impact, meaning how an addition opens up the draft and affects play on the field.
Honorable Mentions
1 of 6
The transactions lost in the spotlight of bigger names still make a large impact.
For example, the team extending offers to restricted names such as corner Chris Lewis-Harris and linebacker Emmanuel Lamur shore up two critical areas.
The team thought enough of the latter to slap him with a second-round tender, as ESPN's Coley Harvey notes:
"#Bengals announce that they have tendered OLB Emmanuel Lamur as second-rd RFA and CB Chris Lewis-Harris as an exclusive-rights player
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) March 10, 2015"
Lamur may still be a contender to start, so it makes sense. Lewis-Harris is a promising, young piece of depth with experience in the system.
Other notable adds? Kicker Mike Nugent will stick around, negating a need to search for a replacement. Devon Still is back in the fold, too, meaning the team won't need to search for a rotational piece.
Again, these are not major deals, but call them important spring cleaning to keep a strong core in place.
5. Eric Winston, OT
2 of 6
It sounds minor, but bringing back Eric Winston, the NFL Players Association president, is a big deal for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Winston, 31, turned out to be a key contributor for the Bengals down the stretch last season after injuries barraged the offensive trenches. Both sides seemed happy with the results, and Winston broke the news of a reunion himself:
"Excited to say I'm headed back to the Bengals! #whodey
— Eric Winston (@ericwinston) March 10, 2015"
This is important for several reasons.
For one, it eliminates the need for a swing tackle. One on the open market might have been expensive, and a reunion with former swing tackle Anthony Collins—who proved a major bust in Tampa Bay and was cut—would be too risky.
Two, it opens up the first round of the draft in a big way. The Bengals figure to add a tackle to groom for the future at some point, but now they won't feel pressure to do so in the first round.
Best of all, Winston is a quality player who can fill in if Andrew Whitworth gets hurt. Keep in mind right tackle Andre Smith is on his way back from a season-ending injury, too.
4. Rey Maualuga, LB
3 of 6
It's all about continuity in Cincinnati, something the Bengals feel Rey Maualuga brings to the table in droves.
The Bengals re-upped with the former USC star on a front-loaded deal to have as much cap space as possible to re-sign other players in future offseasons.
On the field, Maualuga returns after the best season of his career, ranking as the 27th inside linebacker in the league at Pro Football Focus. Considering how hobbled linebacker has been over the course of the past few seasons, it was important for the coaching staff to get bodies familiar with the system back in the fold.
Off the field, Maualuga's return means the Bengals can perform as they always do when it comes to linebackers in the draft—ignoring it, of course.
Maualuga is one piece of a bigger puzzle in the unit. So long as he stays healthy, he'll provide a similar impact to last season in a two-down, run-stuffing sense.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
3. Clint Boling, OG
4 of 6
While most perhaps didn't realize it at the time, the Cincinnati Bengals' ability to bring back offensive guard Clint Boling was a huge win for the organization.
Boling, a key part of a strong Cincinnati offensive line, is just 25 years old and ranked as the No. 19 guard in the league last year at PFF.
As Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press noted at the time, Minnesota was one of many teams on the hunt for Boling's services:
"I'm told Vikings are making a strong push for free-agent guard Clint Boling. He played the past 4 years for Cincinnati, 3 with Zimmer there.
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) March 9, 2015"
Other teams figured to be in the running for one of the market's top guards, and one with perhaps the most upside at such a young age, too.
Instead, Boling is back with the Bengals and will resume his role at left guard, hitting the continuity nail on the head.
It won't go down as a highlight of the offseason, but Boling's deal eliminated a major need, came at a favorable price and will help the line to remain as productive as ever next season and beyond.
2. A.J. Hawk, LB
5 of 6
A.J. Hawk seems a bit polarizing.
The Cincinnati Bengals entered the offseason with a need at linebacker and elected to double dip with Rey Maualuga and Hawk.
Hawk seems a strange addition at first. He's 31 years old and struggled to stand out last season, ranking as the No. 52 inside linebacker at PFF on a list grading 60 players.
Alas, Hawk is a member of his hometown Bengals and happy about it, as Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer captures:
"Also, A.J. Hawk called playing for the #Bengals 'a dream' and '100 percent' his first choice: http://t.co/GMaTprTDfj
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) March 12, 2015"
The addition does a couple of things for the Bengals.
As mentioned regarding Maualuga, the team doesn't need to think about the position much on draft day. Most important, though, is his track record—Hawk has missed just two games over the course of his nine-year career.
For a position marred by injuries, such potential consistency is key. It also helps to mention Hawk is an upgrade against the run, something the unit struggled with last season.
Hawk's impact might not be apparent, but it figures to do the dirty work that's not often on the receiving end of lofty praise, anyway.
1. Michael Johnson, DE
6 of 6
Now for the unconventional aspect of the Cincinnati Bengals' trip to free agency.
Michael Johnson reunites with the Bengals after leaving for Tampa Bay last offseason, where he spent most of the campaign hobbled with an injury before being cut by the Buccaneers.
Cincinnati was quick to bring Johnson in for a visit after he spent some time with Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, who acted as his defensive coordinator with the Bengals.
As ESPN's Adam Schefter notes, Johnson is quite the rare case:
"Bengals gave Michael Johnson a 4-yr, $20 million deal that pays him $6 million this year. With Bucs' $7 million, Johnson makes $13M in 2015.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2015"
The Bengals missed Johnson in a big way last season, recording 20 sacks and struggling against the run as a platoon in his former spot didn't work out.
Now Johnson is back to act as an every-down starter. Provided he's healthy, the Bengals get an upgrade against the run and a better rush off the edge.
Johnson also opens up the draft in the biggest way possible. Before his re-addition, it seemed impossible the Bengals do anything but add a rusher in the first round. They might still, but now the team can go whichever route it desires in the opening round and beyond without worry.
The Bengals got one of their own back a year later, and in an odd sort of way, Johnson figures to be the biggest difference-maker of the team's free-agency period.
Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com as of March 22 at 9 p.m. ET. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
