State of Bengals roster battles

The Bengals are heading into week two of the preseason with the Titans heading to Paul Brown Stadium for a matchup on Saturday night. Marvin Lewis recently said he could cut the team down to  sixty players, but that was before Cincinnati's 34-10 performance against the talented Falcons. The Bengals have a lot to look forward to in 2013, but the fringe players on the roster are going to have to make a difference for this team to win in the double digits out of their sixteen games. These are some of the roster battles that will take the next few weeks to discover who comes out on top.

Josh Johnson vs. John Skelton-Both backup quarterback candidates performed extremely well in the first preseason game. The Bengals' decision will have to come down to explosiveness versus consistency. Johnson has a chance to do well against first stringers on NFL defenses with his athletic skills and improvisational plays. Skelton doesn't do anything flashy, but he has won games with the Cardinals in the recent past and has a strong arm and the physical stature to earn supporters.

Daniel Herron vs. Rex Burkhead-As long as Burkhead continues to run hard in preseason games, the third down back spot will be his job for the 2013 season. Burkhead is Brian Leonard with more upside and better between the tackles explosiveness. Burkhead ran nine times for fifty-two yards against Atlanta while Herron rushed for less than four yards per carry. Herron can't make much of a difference in the offense, but his special teams skills will make him difficult to cut. Herron blocked two punts for the Bengals against Dallas and Philadelphia last season. Both Herron and Burkhead are tough minded football players that were stars of the Big Ten in the last few years.

Orson Charles vs. John Conner-Do the Bengals want a pass catcher or a blocker at the fullback spot?It depends on how much the team is really going to go with two tight ends in the offense. Charles is a good receiver but the experiment to use him as a lead blocker could end up haunting the team. Conner is nicknamed "the terminator" for a reason. He does a great job of punishing defenders between the tackles to open up holes. Conner is the safer option until Chris Pressley is healthy. Both players should make the team. Charles has the ability move back to tight end so Conner can take over as the primary lead blocker.

Sean Porter vs. Jayson DiManche and J.K. Schaffer-Everyone is on the Schaffer bandwagon after his play in the run game against the Falcons. Schaffer led the Bengals with six tackles against Atlanta. As good as Schaffer was in the game, his pass coverage was a little suspect and it seemed like he did miss a couple plays late in the game alongside the backups. Those miscues might not have been Schaffer's fault, however. DiManche is the most prominent UDFA the team brought in this year. The rookie had a sack and almost stripped the ball against Atlanta, but looks similar to James Harrison as he is primarily a pass rusher. It will be tough for DiManche to make the roster, but the Bengals would be glad to have him on the practice squad. Porter is probably the favorite to stick because of his draft position in the fourth round for the Bengals. He will have to make plays in the final three preseason games to beat out Schaffer though. Porter is pretty solid at everything but is not spectacular at anything, which might end up hurting him in the long run. 

Rich Hidy 

Cincy Sports Spot

Bengals roll in Atlanta

The Bengals second and third stringers put on a show in Atlanta on Thursday night by defeating the NFC runner up Falcons 34-10 in the opening game of the season. The Bengals' starters left the contest with a 3-0 deficit, but the team gained all of the momentum shortly after the start of the second quarter. Dominant offensive line play and outstanding plays by skill players allowed the Bengals to build up their lead, enough so to feature the victory formation at the end of the game.

-The starters on defense looked solid with the exception of one play. The Bengals showed blitz and Matt Ryan capitalized with a forty-two yard screen pass to Harry Douglas. Other than that, the secondary, linebackers, and defensive line held the Atlanta offense to quick passes and average runs. Geno Atkins and James Harrison both showed their supreme strength with tackles of Stephen Jackson for losses. Offensively, the Bengals were shaky with their starters. Andy Dalton couldn't get into a rhythm with Brandon Tate and Ryan Whalen. The Bengals desperately need AJ Green and Marvin Jones to return to the receiving corps. The Bengals also didn't show enough of their two tight end sets on passing downs. Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert both can't be covered when they are on the field at the same time. Passing to the two tight ends should be the Bengals' bread and butter.

-The story of the night was Josh Johnson. Johnson looked to put a stronghold on the backup quarterback job, as he looked much better than Andy Dalton throughout the night. Johnson had one hundred yards throwing and a touchdown, and also rushed for 64 yards, including a scamper of 43 yards. Johnson has noticeable arm strength and has an ability to throw the ball on the run. At this point, Johnson looks like a clear upgrade over Bruce Gradkowski and should confuse defenses with his duel threat quarterback style.

-The running backs showed up big time. The Bengals offensive line consistently was able to get a push on the Atlanta defensive line. The second group led by Trevor Robinson and Tanner Hawkinson was rock solid. Hawkinson is looking like a true value pick by the Bengals, so hopefully the ankle injury he sustained will only keep him out next week. Rex Burkhead rushed for fifty-two yards on nine carries. Burkhead is a running back that has the opportunity to unseat Boom Herron and Ced Peerman on the depth chart because of his do it all nature. Burkhead is a tough runner, a solid pass catcher, and a  consistent pass blocker. Peerman and Herron both averaged just below four yards per carry, but both did have a couple of nice runs. Giovani Bernard had a rough first game in the pros. He rushed ten times for 28 yards and scored a touchdown, but he slipped on a catch that would have been a first down and had trouble eluding NFL tacklers. Bernard's nerves certainly played a role in his performance on Thursday.

-Everyone, including Brad Keselowski, was talking about Dane Sanzenbacher last night. Sanzenbacher scored twice, once catching the ball and also on a punt return. Sanzenbacher's 71 yard return looked very smooth as he showed some serious quickness. Sanzenbacher has an evident second gear at the receiver position that fools defenders. He may have earned himself some slot play with the first team unit next week. Sanzenbacher's thirty-six yard touchdown was the textbook play that the Bengals want to see from a slot receiver. John Skelton, who rose to Johnson's competition level with a 4/5 night with 72 yards and a touchdown, also did a nice job of fitting the ball in on the play.

-Dre Kirkpatrick and Rey Maualuga stood out on the Bengals' defense. Kirkpatrick locked down the Atlanta receivers he defended and almost came up with an acrobatic interception. Kirkpatrick is such a tall corner that he can compete for the ball on longer routes. Maualuga looks considerably more motivated and disciplined as a linebacker at this early stage. Maualuga had a nice coverage play against Chase Coffman and was able to chase down ball carriers with much more ease. Maualuga has definitely lost weight and has begun to resurrect his 2012 campaign with better play.

-The only true disappointment last night in my book was Margus Hunt. Hunt looked a little lost during most plays yesterday, standing straight up and even finding himself stationary and just staring at the quarterback. Hunt is currently just relying on brute strength and size, which won't get it done in the NFL. Hunt needs to develop a technique with a lower pad level to beat these offensive linemen. Hunt has the ability to improve over the next few weeks, but right now, he looks no better than almost sure cut Dontay Moch.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Sanzenbacher sets sights on slot

Injuries play a large role in earning regular season opportunities for players in football. The Packers won the Super Bowl with fifteen players on IR back in 2011. Lesser known players had to step up that year and fit into the winning ways of the team. The 2013 Bengals would prefer to keep everyone healthy heading into opening day of the football season in September, but the reality is they probably will be without at the very least third year receiver Andrew Hawkins for a number of weeks. Hawkins is a candidate to start the year on the IR-designated to return list, much like Kyle Cook last season when he was able to step into the rotation halfway through the year. The Bengals were certainly relying on Hawkins to progress from his fifty catch season in the slot last year. The explosive Hawkins is an electrifying route runner who relies on his speed to fool defenders, so the ankle injury he suffered will have to completely heal before he steps back on the field.

Into the fray steps Dane Sanzenbacher, one of the most celebrated wideouts in the Jim Tressel era at Ohio State. The 5'11 Sanzenbacher is just twenty-four years old and signed with the Bengals at the end of last season after he was cut by Chicago. He is the ideal slot receiver for a team that has thrived with Hawkins and Jordan Shipley in the recent past. Ryan Whalen will also get a shot to earn snaps with the three wideout first team sets, but Sanzenbacher has proven to be a savvy competitor with an attitude of always defying the odds.

Teams have always questioned Sanzenbacher's physical stature throughout his NFL career. Nobody can question Sanzenbacher's ability to make tight catches and his toughness to be able to stick to his routes. Those traits make up the undervalued duties of a slot man. Sanzenbacher survived final cuts in 2011 after signing with the Bears as an undrafted free agent, and went on to become a valuable weapon for Jay Cutler, playing in all sixteen games and catching twenty-seven balls for almost three hundred yards and three touchdowns. All that production came after a senior season at Ohio State in which Sanzenbacher has 948 yards, thirteen touchdowns, and 17.2 yards per catch. Sanzenbacher finished his Ohio State career eleventh in school history in terms of receiving behind the likes of Joey Galloway, Santonio Holmes, and 2013 Hall of Fame inductee Cris Carter.

Sanzenbacher has had a relatively quiet training camp, but since the Hawkins injury, reports have come from Bengals reporters that say Sanzenbacher has been beating coverages and consistently providing a stable weapon. Sanzenbacher apparently played well in the two practices against the Falcons. Andy Dalton doesn't need many big yardage plays from the slot receiver. AJ Green and Marvin Jones will be the primary deep threats and the receivers that have the ability to squeeze by potential tacklers. Green and Mohamed Sanu also will be rotated into the slot position along with tight end Tyler Eifert.

Sanzenbacher is looking at a two man battle for a roster spot with Ryan Whalen. Give Sanzenbacher the edge with his innate traits for the slot position. Whalen fits more on the outside where he has played in a few games with the Bengals. Green, Sanu, Brandon Tate, and Marvin Jones are locks to make the team with Hawkins on the shelf. Cobi Hamilton will most likely beat the final cuts with an intriguing potential to develop later in the year and into the future. Sanzenbacher and Whalen will separate themselves based on positive preseason snaps with both the first and second team units starting Thursday night in Atlanta. The Falcons have one of the most experienced teams in the NFC, so they will provide a test for the young receivers to try to excel with quarterbacks Andy Dalton and Josh Johnson in the West Coast Offense.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Depth chart released--Insights on the offense

The Bengals released their first depth chart of the 2013 season this morning, and at first glance, it doesn't look like the listings of the starters on the chart will change too much from now until the first game of the season in September. There were a few surprises on the first depth chart, but nothing majorly out of the blue and nothing that couldn't be anticipated based on noting the happenings of training camp at this early juncture.

-Josh Johnson is the backup quarterback as things start to take shape. The man Jay Gruden specifically targeted to assist with the West Coast system this offseason has taken noticeably more snaps than John Skelton, and can open up specifically designed read option possibilities with the first team unit. Expect Skelton and Zac Robinson to get cut before the season begins.

-Even though Giovani Bernard is listed as the second string running back, he will almost assuredly pass Benjarvus Green-Ellis in carries as the season gets underway. Green-Ellis will take back the role he played so well in New England by fighting for tough yardage on second and third downs and serving as the primary goal line back. Bernard is the more electrifying of the two quality players, although he needs to work on breaking tackles and staying on his feet while being hit.

-The biggest surprise on the offensive side of the ball comes at fullback with Orson Charles grabbing the role as the starter. Charles is not a great blocker but can present blatant mismatches to defenses with his catching aptitude and H-back ment
ality. The Bengals may keep two fullbacks this season with Chris Pressley returning at some point. John Conner will need to develop a hard nosed edge in the preseason and retain the run blocking presence he showed with the Jets his rookie season.

-The offensive line features the same lineup as last season even with Andre Smith getting off to a slow start, and the tight end group has Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert as the first and second options. Richard Quinn and Alex Smith will probably fight for a spot on the team. Quinn has the edge on the depth chart right now but Smith is the more versatile option because he can be a red zone target for Andy Dalton. Quinn has below average receiving skills but a superb blocking ability.

-Brandon Tate is ahead of Ryan Whalen and Cobi Hamilton on the depth chart right now. Hamilton may just be one of Marvin Lewis' typical late round rookies that is expected to prove his acumen for the game on the field. Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones were low on last season's depth chart at the beginning of the year, but they flashed brilliance in the preseason and quickly found the field. Tate may be the first string return man, but Hamilton will probably be the fifth receiver on the team.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Best training camp position battles

The Bengals have just announced the starting date of the 2013 training camp inside Paul Brown Stadium. Training camp starts in just over two weeks on July 26 and lasts until August 15. This season's practices will be all the more interesting because of the Hard Knocks crew filming the players in action and entertaining audiences on HBO. There are still many questions that loom over the roster, and the only way personnel moves will be hashed out is through reps in the practices. Here are some of the top position battles to look out for this season at the Bengals' facility.

1. Backup Quarterback-Bruce Gradkowski adopted the role of Andy Dalton's backup over the last two seasons, but now he is gone after signing with Pittsburgh to become Ben Roethlisberger's backup. The Bengals brought in a couple veterans as potential replacements for Gradkowski. Josh Johnson has experience in the West Coast system, but hasn't taken an NFL snap since 2011. The 6'3 former fifth round pick is athletic enough to have some packages with the first stringers to throw off defenses with his duel threat ability. John Skelton is probably the most logical choice for the job. Skelton has one some big games as the starter with the Cardinals in part time capacity since his rookie 2010 season. Skelton can manage the game for a team and threw for almost 2,000 yards and eleven touchdowns in 2011.

2. Strong safety-The most up in the air battle of camp is for a starting spot at an extremely important position. The Bengals will send out three young players to compete for the position. George Iloka, Taylor Mays, and Shawn Williams will each have an equal chance to earn the gig, as Iloka and Mays have lined up as the starter at different points in offseason workouts. Williams was the highest draft pick spent on a safety since Madieu Williams, and certainly brings talent and leadership skills to the table. Expect this position to be sorted out late in the preseason.

3. Center-This starting spot is also up for grabs at the start of training camp, but I fully expect Kyle Cook to earn back the job after being outplayed by Trevor Robinson last year. Cook was never healthy last season after suffering an ankle injury, yet the Bengals threw him in the games for the last few weeks of the season and in the playoffs. Robinson is certainly a valuable young player who can back up both the guard and center positions, but the Bengals need a savvy vet like Cook to anchor an offensive line that is pretty unproven at the two guard spots.

4. Second Cornerback-Leon Hall is a lock to match up against the best opposing receiver, but the corner on the other side still has to be figured out this summer. Dre Kirkpatrick bounced on and off the inactive list last season, playing in five games, including on defense against the Chiefs. Kirkpatrick has the size and coverage skills to be a prototypical corner, but can his knee hold up? The first round pick out of Alabama in 2012 needs to show the toughness he played with in the National Championship season. The Bengals struck lightning in a bottle with the signing of Terence Newman. He was very consistent over the last half of last season with two interceptions while holding quarterbacks to a rating under eighty. Newman is 34 years old, and the Bengals would prefer to pass the torch and use Newman for depth purposes.

5. Fullback-There's a debate going on in Bengals circles as to whether the team will even keep a fullback this season. The last time the Bengals went without one was in 2010, and it was a disaster as the run game stalled and Cedric Benson returned to his mediocre yards per carry average after a superb 2009. The Bengals need to hold on to at least one fullback in 2013, whether that be John Conner, Chris Pressley, or a converted Orson Charles. Pressley is still rehabbing from a knee injury that forced the team to sign Conner last season. Pressley may not be ready when training camp opens, and is a candidate for the PUP list. Conner was supposed to be the best young fullback in the league coming out of Kentucky in 2010 when he was selected by the Jets, but it hasn't quite worked out for him since that rookie season. Conner still may have a bright future in the NFL if he can regain his physicality in run blocking. Don't count out the West Chester native from stealing the starting gig from Pressley. Charles is more of a Jay Gruden experiment that could result in some passing formations with the 2012 fourth round pick in the backfield, but nothing from last year says that he could take on the blocking responsibilities of a fullback. Charles is a useful weapon to have with his playmaking ability, but look for Conner or Pressley to earn the job as a traditional fullback.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot