Hard Knocks observations

Doesn't the opening episode of Hard Knocks bring excitement and anticipation for the football season? Last night's debut of the 2013 edition of the show featuring the Cincinnati Bengals packed a great deal of insights into the team and training camp in Cincinnati right from the get go. Training camp has only been occurring for a couple of weeks now, yet it seems like so much has happened with the team. The first show with the Bengals was probably better than any of the Dolphins Hard Knocks episodes last season. Everyone on this year's Bengals team seems unified and determined to reach the goals set forth by the coaching staff. The players seem to be bonding along the way, and their enthusiasm for the game is evident while watching.

-Hue Jackson is an extremely involved Associate Head Coach. His experience with the Raiders in the top job gives him credibility to influence the team almost as much as Marvin Lewis. The players genuinely like and respect Jackson, even jawing with him throughout practice. Jackson has the perspective of working with both the offense and defensive sides of the ball, and he has relationships with each of the Bengals' players. The show reveals Giovani Bernard as Jackson's golden child, and he rightly wants to keep his rookie playmaker healthy. Jackson is a charismatic speech maker and is now on the short list of assistants to watch for in interviews for potential head coaching positions at the end of the year. 

-Watch out for Jermaine Gresham. Not only did Gresham dominate the Oklahoma drill by pancaking star defensive tackle Geno Atkins, but his overall attitude this season seems to be me against the world. I don't care if Gresham may have jumped off the line early in that drill. Taking Geno Atkins to the ground is no small feat. The Bengals are expecting a great deal out of Gresham, who is getting less attention than Tyler Eifert in a contract year. Gresham is determined to rebound after a tough playoff game in 2012 and has a chance to break out as a top five tight end. 

-Gio Bernard is getting a lot of attention. Especially from his teammates on defense, who have seemed to target the diminutive running back in practices. Vontaze Burfict even joked that Bernard is like a tackling dummy. The Bengals have a fierce defense that is not afraid to bring the hammer, so Bernard is getting a crash course in the physicality of the NFL every day in practice. This is the best way for the rookie running back to develop an AFC North running style. Bernard seems like a genuinely nice person who is a great addition to the locker room. 

-The pursuit of excellence. I thought that was the best line of the entire show last night. Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer made it known to his defense that this team has expectations to win the Super Bowl. Jay Gruden said the same thing to his offense. The return of most of the successful players from last year along with an in tact coaching staff makes that dream a possibility. Zimmer's defense may have to carry the Bengals early on with new weapons impacting the lineup on offense such as Bernard, Tyler Eifert, and Orson Charles, but the team on paper is one of the three most talented rosters in football. 

-The emotions of the NFL were shown in the grimmest of ways towards the end of the episode with the season ending knee and ankle injuries of Larry Black. Black, according to Jay Hayes, had the potential to become a solid NFL nose tackle, and now he might not be back on the field for a year. The Bengals placed Black on the waived/IR list, but he will have an opportunity to rejoin the club and rehab for the future. The raw disappointment on Black's face was evident in the trainer's room during Hard Knocks. Black was sobbing after calling his parents to let them know about his injury. The NFL is a cutthroat business, and Black is smart enough to realize this might have been his only shot at the league. Black's teammates are behind him as Domata Peko spoke for everyone by saying Black is part of the Bengals family. Hopefully Black can successfully heal and reach his dream of playing in NFL games. 

Rich Hidy 

Cincy Sports Spot

Depth chart released--Insights on the defense

The Bengals' defense is largely expected to take that next step into the NFL elite this season after retaining every key player on the unit and keeping underrated Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer. The offseason has been reasonably quiet in terms of positioning battles with the defense, so when the depth chart was released, a scan of the starting lineup looks similar to last season at each position group. There can still be movement and spots on the team up for grabs especially at the backup units on the defensive side of the ball, however.

-After receiving his forty plus million dollar extension, it seems Carlos Dunlap has finally been inserted into the starting lineup. Dunlap suffered a concussion in practice, but that won't keep him out more than a week. Dunlap and Michael Johnson on the other side of the defensive line can generated over twenty sacks in 2013. Domata Peko and Geno Atkins start at the inside spots on the defensive line, but expect Devon Still to get plenty of action next to Atkins this season.

-The linebacking starters have been known since James Harrison signed with the Bengals this offseason. Harrison, Rey Maualuga, and Vontaze Burfict can punish players with the ball, so expect some forced fumbles to show up on the stat sheet this season from that position group. Emmanuel Lamur is the fourth linebacker on the team and will be in on third down and longs over the course of the year. He is one of the best young prospects on the Bengals. Sean Porter is the only other linebacker on the roster who can earn snaps with the starters. Aaron Maybin and Vinny Rey have been in the NFL for a few seasons now and it is time for them to step up.

-Dre Kirkpatrick is somehow behind Brandon Ghee on the depth chart at this stage, but that could very well be for motivational purposes. Kirkpatrick has flashed ball skills during training camp and has provided a blanket of coverage that has to be recognized by the coaches. He is beginning to flash his first round potential. The cornerback position looks like it is pretty solid heading into 2013.

-Reggie Nelson is the consistent starter at the free safety spot, but the news of the day is George Iloka getting the nod at strong safety. He is the right pick based on his coverage skills, which are better than the competition right now. Iloka has learned how to read the quarterback from Chris Crocker, who stepped in out of nowhere and played well in 2012. Iloka was one of the greatest defenders in Boise State history, and his rangy athleticism could hold off Shawn Williams and Taylor Mays until the start of the season, although I'm still not convinced the Bengals won't make a call to Crocker at some point.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Top 10 Bengals veterans to make an impact: Part 1

The Bengals start training camp in just under two weeks. Expectations are extremely high this season in a championship or bust year for a team that is looking to bounce back from consecutive playoff losses. There are plenty of standouts on the 2013 Bengals roster, and many of the Bengals are at the top of the league at their respective positions. These are the top ten non-rookies who are the best of the best on one of the AFC's most talented teams.

10. Kevin Zeitler-Zeitler was the definition of a plug-and-play acquisition that the Bengals envisioned him to be when they selected him with their second pick in the first round in 2012. Zeitler handled all of his responsibilities at the right guard spot masterfully in his rookie season by starting every game and earning a grade of +13.3 by Pro Football Focus. Zeitler will only continue to improve and will ultimately take over the leadership role on the offensive line from Andrew Whitworth in a few years. This season, Zeitler can become the best interior offensive lineman the Bengals have had since Eric Steinbach.

9. James Harrison-Harrison was the biggest acquisition the Bengals made in the offseason when he signed a two year deal to become the starting "SAM" linebacker for Cincinnati. Harrison will certainly be counted on to have an impact year for the Bengals with a lot of pass rushing attention focused on Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap, and Michael Johnson. Harrison had six sacks and two forced fumbles on a less talented pass rushing Steelers defense last season. No doubt Harrison can still play at a high level at 35 years old and the Bengals might catch lightning in a bottle and see Harrison take his game back to the 2008-10 stretch when he had 36.5 sacks.

8. Vontaze Burfict-If it wasn't for Cincinnati native and St. Xavier High School product Luke Kuechly taking up all the attention, Burfict would have easily been considered the top young linebacker prospect in the NFL after joining the Bengals from the ranks of the undrafted. Burfict was a great hitter at Arizona State, but his decision making was suspect in college and when he got his life on track as a professional, Burfict became a consistent force in passing and run defense. Burfict was a tackling machine last season with 127 and also had two fumble recoveries. Burfict will once again be counted on as a solid presence on the Bengals' defense, and there's no reason to believe he won't improve.

7. Mohamed Sanu-People may think Sanu is being overvalued in the seventh spot out of all of the Bengals' veteran players, but Sanu's ability to catch almost every ball thrown his way is right there with AJ Green's. Sanu played in nine games last season and only started a few, but he caught four touchdowns in those starts and helped guide the offense into a high octane, scoring machine. Sanu finished with sixteen catches for 154 yards before he went down with a season ending injury, but he has responded well this offseason and looked like a mismatch for defenses once again in workouts. A healthy Sanu on the field means a better Andy Dalton and a better AJ Green.

6. Jermaine Gresham-Gresham's final game of the season against the Texans may put a damper in the minds of some fans in regards to his receiving ability, but Gresham really had a fantastic year for the Bengals at the tight end spot. People tend to forget some of the tight ends before Gresham who had no  impact in the receiving game. Gresham blocks well and is too big for a cornerback to cover and too quick for a linebacker to cover. He needs to be much more consistent when the ball is thrown his way, but Gresham is just twenty-five years old and should continue to work on his craft and get better. Gresham finished last season as a Pro Bowler with 737 yards and five touchdowns. The 6'5 target will also benefit from two tight end sets that will leave him in favorable coverage match ups because of the addition of rookie Tyler Eifert.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

State of the franchise: Linebackers

The Bengals enter the 2013 season with a top 10 defensive unit. The team excels under Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer year after year. However, the linebacker position is in a state of flux and is by far the Bengals' weakest position group. With the exception of Vontaze Burfict, the unit heavily underperformed last year and is looking for a massive rebounding campaign. Here is a look at what the position group looks like from top to bottom in 2013:

Starters:
SAM: James Harrison-Harrison will certainly be relied on to upgrade the position from Manny Lawson last season. Harrison is coming off of a 6 sack season with Pittsburgh. He is capable of getting many more sacks this year pass rushing behind a dominant defensive line with Geno Atkins, Michael Johnson, and Carlos Dunlap. Harrison won't be asked to cover as much as he did with the Steelers, but his rushing and leadership abilities will help the unit.

MLB: Rey Maualuga-Mauluga was quite frankly awful last season in the middle. He was second on the team in tackles, but couldn't cover the tight end position at all. He looked slow and out of shape for much of the year, and one could question his hustle on the field. The Bengals re-signed Maualuga to a two year deal, thinking he has a lot to prove this season. He'd better do just that, or the Bengals won't hesitate to move Burfict inside.

WILL: Vontaze Burfict-Burfict was fabulous after being a UDFA last year. He led the team in tackles with 127, and consistently showed up week after week with standout games. Burfict is the most talented player in the group and can be a game changer. He might be the second best young linebacker in the game behind Cincinnati native Luke Kuechly.

Backups: Emmanuel Lamur-Lamur could easily step into a starter role this year. He was another UDFA out of Kansas State, and possesses unbelievable athletic ability. Lamur will see plenty of time on the field this year, especially on 3rd downs. He is so athletic with his 6'4, 240 pound frame, that he is the best coverage backer the Bengals have on their roster. Lamur has bulked up this offseason and could be primed for a breakout year.

Vinny Rey-Rey is a solid special teams man for the Bengals. He is one of the leaders on the special teams unit, and will make the team for that reason. He is a consistent backup linebacker who saw some time on the field last year, even earning a sack.

On the bubble: Jayson DiManche, Brandon Joiner, Aaron Maybin, Dontay Moch, and Sean Porter. These 5 players will likely compete for 2 spots on the team. Sean Porter will probably make it. He was a talented player for Texas A&M and was the team's 4th round pick. Porter has some upside as a potential future WILL starter. I think Moch and Maybin have an outside chance of making the Bengals as backups to Harrison. Maybin was a 1st round pick and has bounced around the league with the Bills and Jets. He has the talent to be a contributor to the team this year after he had a 6 sack season 2 years ago. Moch was a 3rd round pick by the Bengals a couple years ago. He has all the speed in the world to win one on one match ups, but lacks the ability to stay healthy. DiManche and Joiner are 2 other UDFA's with a lot of talent. Joiner has a great success story as a player to overcome a jail sentence and reform to compete for a spot in the NFL. DiManche could be this year's Burfict if he adjusts to the NFL level well.