Mike Florio is Our Friend

The Bengals have apparently brought in Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno to Paul Brown Stadium and he is believed to be very high on their list.  One man, one glorious media outlet, has finally said what WDR wanted to hear.  This is a bad idea.  The Bengals need an OT in the first round.  They have a healthy Carson Palmer, they re-signed Cedric Benson, now they need to block.  Open up holes, create a running game again, punish your opponents.  If you can get Moreno in round 2, that would be a steal, but in round 1, they NEED a tackle.

As Mike Florio of Profootballtalk.com states,

"Our take on running backs (as if anyone cares) is that we’d use a first-round pick on a ball carrier only if we were convinced that the guy was going to be Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Adrian Peterson, or some combination thereof.  With so many capable running backs emerging from the college game to the pro ranks every year, it makes much more sense to snag a guy who slides to round three or four, block for him, and teach him how to not fumble.

Put simply, there are too many guys who can move the chains if they get a crease.  So the only reason, in our view, to burn a first-round pick on a tailback would be to get a guy who has a real chance of becoming truly special."

I, as an avid college football watcher, think Moreno will have a very good career in the NFL, maybe great, and I would love to see him tag team the AFC North with Ced Benson, but if the Bengals want to win this year, and compete with the Steelers and ravens, they need BLOCKING.

Why do we need blocking? Remember this photo? (sorry Carson)

What if they trade down you say?  Good question.  As Mike Florio also states in his article, "Meanwhile, we continue to believe, for no specific reason, that the Bengals are targeting Alabama tackle Andre Smith."  If the Bengals can trade down (A LOT) to the middle/bottom of the first round and get extra valuable picks, I think that is when you contemplate drafting "Man Boobs" Smith.  He is still very talented and could be an anchor on the Bengals offensive line, it is just a giant leap to take him at #6.

Draft Jason Smith (who will be gone) at 6, draft Eugene Monroe (who will be gone) at 6, if B.J Raji turns out to be clean (who knows if he failed the test or not) draft at 6,  DO NOT draft a WR, RB, or "Man Boobs" Smith.

Viva la Revolucion.

Comments

[Matt]

I hear what you guys are saying but Man Boobs isn't going to last much past six. This guy was the top tackle before 2 point stance Smith said and did all the right things at the combine. Monroe had to get his knee reattached two seasons ago. All of these OT prospects have their flaws. At the end of the season you guys were crying because the bengals were going to win too many games and not get Oher. Now Oher is being called a late first round prospect. The Bengals need to put these guys in order and take the best one left, because if they trade much further back then twelve all four will be gone. That being said, I think Smith would turn the Bengals run game around this year. Also some one needs to really decide can Whitworth play OT? From what I've seen NO. But the spinster Hobson and others believe he can.

[themask]

I think they're in a quandary and will likely end up making a pick we don't like. The top 2 guys will be gone, Oher would be a reach at this point; Smith could be an immediate help but then we'd never hear the end of "hurr Bengals sign malcontent lol" jokes (plus I really am concerned where the heck this guy's head is at).

Raji I'd be fine with; we'd actually have a pretty good (on paper) defensive line for the first time in I don't know how long. If Odom could stay healthy (didn't he still lead the team in sacks last year despite playing like half the season) and Geathers can show he wasn't a fluke (he is) then there's no reason we shouldn't have a Top 10 defense this upcoming season. I'd prefer an OT but I'd be fine with Raji. If I thought they had a plan to get another OT through free agency I'd be okay with them drafting Moreno, too but since they don't...just save the RB selections for Day 2.

But if both of the top OTs are gone AND Raji, too? Yeah we're getting an RB.

[Fielding Mellish]

I think we also have to see how Chad-gate plays out. If Chad is traded for a second round pick (which is what the rumor mill is anticipating the asking price is) we may very well see Crabtree or Maclin with the first round pick and an OT with the second round pick. Either way it makes my head hurt almost as much as Carson's will after he regains consciousness after being sacked for the 100th time.

[RickReillyisaTool]

Now that we have almost completed the "Redeem Team" Part II in signing "Frank The Tank" Johnson (only missing Pacman & Vick -- I can't wait), I think we (seriously) HAVE TO draft a OT before Raji at #6 (unless, as many people have pointed out, we trade OchoCrapo for some combination of later 1st round picks) no matter who else is there at that spot. That means Monroe, Jason Smith, Andre Smith or even Oher have to be considered above all else. I just believe that an OT a) has a longer shelf life and b) will allow CP9 to be upright and run a hopefully functional offense for years to come.

[Mockenrue]

That is, Rick, the OT will allow CP9 to be upright until he gets paid.

Here's to you, Levi.

[Danimal]

I still maintain that we should have traded Ocho Cinco last year for the two first rounders Washington offered us. Cause then we could have drafted a RB/WR with the 6 and taken Man Boobs with Washington's pick. Seeing that we're at 6, that leaves Oher and Man Boobs on my board. Either are a reach, but both would still be smarter than drafting a WR or a RB. I think we should trade down(as either Smith or Oher will probably still be available) and snag another 2nd round pick. Then we use one of our second rounders to get a decent center. And the other one for a DT, regardless of whether or not we sign Tank Johnson. Well, according to NFL.com, we did sign Tank.

[Showtime]

Nice point Matt, and I don't think enough people are talking about it. Andrew Whitworth is NOT an NFL left tackle, and is nowhere close. I don't care what Baghdad Hob or any other Bengals bloggers say, the guy simply does not have the athletic ability to play LT in the NFL. Decent enough player at guard, but putting him at LT is asking for trouble. Can he be your backup? Ehh, maybe. I wouldn't like it, but it's not like any NFL team has a top flight backup LT.

[Artist formerly known as Section101]

is tank johnson clean? we're setting up for an offensive skill player at #6. boo boo boo boo

[bengalssocal]

Andre Smith would be a great choice at #6. The "brain trust" is reaching a consensus that this is the right pick unless the other two tackles drop.