The Importance of Depth

Depth is often an afterthought in NFL conversations. The hype and attention falls mostly on the stars, as they are the ones making the biggest impact. When talking about the 2009 season for the Bengals, most of us will discuss Carson Palmer's health and Chad Johnson's (or Ochocinco's or Ocho Cinco's or Ocho y Cinco's or Ocho del Cinco's (just kidding, I know the right one)) contentedness with his situation, and it's easy to see why. These are the guys that get paid the most to produce the most, and are the so-called "leaders" of the team; they're treated as such by all of us.

But even though these stars are often vital to a team's success, there's much more to an NFL team than them.

Consider the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East. Both clubs have great talent -- Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Terrance Newman and DeMarcus Ware for Dallas, Clinton Portis, Santana Moss and a bunch of high-priced defenders for DC-- but failed to reach the playoffs last season. Most mainstream analysts lazily assumed the teams' failure came to be as a result of too many distractions and poor chemistry, but the real reason? Depth

While only having slightly more injuries than the average team, as measured by Football Outsider's Adjusted Games Lost, the injuries suffered meant more to both teams because of the severe drop-offs at certain positions, such as cornerback and quarterback for the Cowboys. If competent back-ups were in place, the 'Boys most likely would have won at least one or two more games, putting them into the postseason. Ideally no injuries would occur to either team and the bench players wouldn't be needed, but in such a physical game, this is unrealistic.

It's also something Mike Brown fails to understand. Yes, the Bengals had a ridiculous quantity of players go down last season (last in AGL), and that number is sure to regress this year. But while Mike "gets" that part of the game, he doesn't seem to know that injuries will occur, particularly in such a hard-hitting division as the AFC North and with the league's worst training staff (as judged by FO's Almanac and injury-guru Will Carroll), unless a great deal of luck happens to occur.

Teams should never be dependent on luck, but the Bengals might be this upcoming season on offense due to numerous depth issues. The key to getting depth is to draft well, not just in the first round but in all rounds*. Second-round picks are a valuable commodity, not something to be thrown away on a project from Coastal Carolina (I don't care if Jerome Simpson plays well in 2010, it's still not a good pick).

*Is anyone besides me noticing that the two teams I mentioned above (Washington and Dallas) both have a great deal of influence from their owners in personnel decisions?

Look at the Patriots and, sadly, Steelers. Both understand the sheer importance of depth and the value of draft picks, and rarely waste them as such. You would think that Mikey Boy could grasp this concept after watching Pittsburgh win two Super Bowls, but with only one scout and a will to make money, this hasn't and almost definitely will not ever happen.

So with this in mind, let's look at the offensive depth Mike put together this season (Defensively, with so many draft picks spent on fixing it, the depth isn't great in some parts but is solid overall). Remember to keep in mind that even though it's possible for no one to get hurt, it's very likely that at least a few starters do sit out for extended time, and teams should be prepared for it.

Quarterback: 2- JT O'Sullivan 3- Jordan Palmer
"Quarterbacks are like queen bees."- Mike Brown.

This says it all. Carson Palmer has to be looked at as a fragile player by now, not because he has a weak body, but simply because of his potentially damaged arm and knee. But since he may be threatened by someone not awful backing him up, Mikey Boy put his terrible brother and, literally, the worst QB in the NFL to qualify on the team. O'Sullivan finished dead last in Football Outsider's DYAR statistic (a counting stat based off of his play-by-play performance) at -414. This means that JT was worse that a replacement-level QB last season, and should probably be out of the league or certainly relegated to a third-team position by now (why oh why did we sign him? Oh yeah, because the front office was probably fooled by a few high-yard games compiled because of an easy opponent and Mike Martz's offense). If Carson goes down, be prepared for extreme ugliness.

Running Back: 2- Kenny Watson 3- Brian Leonard 4- DeDe Dorsey/Bernard Scott/James Johnson
During this upcoming season, there's a decent chance Cedric Benson will miss at least a game due to his physical running style. I like Watson in limited action, but he's 31 and not durable. There's little chance Leonard or Dorsey are able to do much. Scott has potential; will he ever get on the field though? Overall, the depth from top to bottom truly sucks here. Signing Derrick Ward or even JJ Arrington would have been nice to do.

Wide Receiver: 3- Chris Henry 4- Andre Caldwell 5- Antonio Chatman 6- Jerome Simpson
This group is more potential and less dependability. With two starters in their thirties and in Bob Bratkowski's pass-heavy offense requiring lots of three-wide sets, all four of these players are fairly important. Henry has never played a full season; Caldwell and Simpson still haven't proven anything; Chatman is 30, coming off a major injury and may have to return punts again. Wouldn't it be just swell to have someone other than Simpson who, you know, produced at a major school and could play right away? I guess that's not what second round picks are for- oh wait, I just explained that they are.

Offensive Line: RT- Anthony Collins RG- Scott Kooistra C- Dan Santucci/Jonathan Luigs(?) LG- Evan Mathis LT- Dennis Roland
There are plenty of bodies on this rebuilding offensive line's bench, but not much talent that we know of. If Andre Smith cannot start at the beginning of the regular season because of a holdout, then the line's depth becomes even worse.

So in conclusion, the Bengals don't have a very strong offensive bench. Many of these players will make their way into the starting lineup because of hurt players. Just blaming injuries for a team's failure and then wishing they'll eventually go away is asinine and a pathetic approach to making a football team so, naturally, Mike does it. Drafting players to provide dependable bench-support is a must, but the Bengals are either unable of unwilling to do it.  I know it's cliche, but expect the unexpected. I for one do not want to listen to Mike Brown talk about how injuries ruined the 2009 Cincinnati Bengals, which featured an offensive unit that would have done well. Unfortunately this, just like expecting a clean sixteen-game season, is entirely unrealistic. 

Comments

[Wyatt]

Dude, I like the insight, but please, do me a favor - PROOFREAD YOUR WORK. "Payed" isn't a word. Other than that, I tend to agree with you; however, other than quarterback, I think our depth is actually BETTER than it has been in years past. Watson isn't a premier running back by any stretch of the imagination, but he's solid, and has flashed some brilliance. The second-year wide receiving duo of Caldwell and Simpson could be busts, but they could be the next coming of TJ and Chad. I've always subscribed to the motto "hope for the best; prepare for the worst", so I haven't hung my hopes on a 10-win season (or even a .500 one), but I'm willing to wait until the losses start piling up to go into full-blown panic mode. I guess what I'm saying is that Watson is better than the oft-injured Perry; Henry, Caldwell, Chatman, and Simpson are better than a suspended Henry, Kelley Washington, and Antonio Chatman (who was legitimately considered a third wide receiver option last season); and the potential of the young guys on the line is better than an injured Willie and a lazy Levi, along with the inverse pancake machine. Basically, I think last season was hitting rock-bottom in terms of o-line play, so we can only go up.

[CurseofBoJackson]

I PAID attention in high school english. haha, you're a nerd Wyatt, but alas, I am a grammar and spelling guy too, so good catch. I agree with Wyatt's agreement, but have this to add, Caldwell and Simpson possibly being the next Chad and TJ (no sir) is not a reason to think that we have depth at WR. Henry (who I think is poised to absolutely blow up) still has to keep hiis helmet on for sixteen games, and Chatman is Chatman, so, no I do not feel that great about WR's. I like the RB situation though, Watson is a serviceable backup who I believe can be a bell cow for two or three games if necessary. Yes Scott has potential, a world of it, and honestly, although DeDe has an issue with injuries, he has flashed wickedly in the past too, and I also believe Leonard can be a serviceable backup RB. So yes I amd concerned about depth at WR and QB, also with the oline, Like Collins, Like Whit, Like what I've heard of Cook, Love Bobbie, and don't have an opinion of livings to speak of. But then what? Smith, and Luigs, and Kooistra (who for the record I like too)? Scary man.

[Competitiveness]

1- I'm sorry about the payed and paid thing, that's embarrassing

2- That was my point, Bo Jackson. The WR's have potential, but we just don't know how good they really are.

[Ben]

Ha I'm guessing you left out talking about TE because it appears to be the one position on offense where we might have some semblance of depth, with Ben Utecht (if you believe the Baghdad Hob spin that last year was a flukey bad season for him), an exciting rookie in Chase Coffman, and Daniel "I am not a FB" Coats... which is good because I'm reading reports that Reggie Kelly just suffered a serious Achilles injury in camp.

[Wyatt]

Just to clarify - I wasn't saying that Simpson and Caldwell would be Chad and TJ THIS year, just that the potential was there. And I'm much more content that they have that potential on their bench instead of a group of wash-outs and never-was's like they've had the past few years. Look at the only season the Bengals enjoyed any kind of real success, 2005 - beyond Chad, TJ, and a rookie Chris Henry, who was there? Maybe it's my unflagging optimism (that's sarcasm, for the record), but I actually prefer guys who MIGHT be good as opposed to guys we KNOW aren't. Could that backfire on me? Yeah, and it probably will, but I'm not going to work myself into a lather about depth a month before the season actually starts when the IR/PUP is the lowest it's been since Marvin Lewis took over the team.

[Competitiveness]

Actually Ben, for some reason my section about tight ends was cut out out the transfer from saved the live post. My mistake. It basically admitted the good depth at the position

[fashion coat]

You let me roll, I rolled `you to ask me to come back, to sorry, I rolled far the human who and loved to quarrel, delivered at heart the words with the stranger. Listens to the sad song, watches the happy play.

[Moncler jackets]

Next time I'll put on some lederhose and sing "Adelvice". That should shatter the Captain Von Trapp illusions most thoroughly..