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Dispatch

NFL notebook
Bengals hire Zimmer to shore up defense

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 3:15 AM



From staff and wire reports
Veteran NFL coach Mike Zimmer is the latest man hired to fix the Bengals defense, a feat that has eluded the franchise for most of its existence. He arrives with plenty of experience under his belt and plenty of room for improvement on the field.

The Bengals ranked 27th of 32 teams in yards allowed and 24th in points allowed in 2007. They have ranked among the bottom half of the league in yards allowed in 20 of the past 23 years.
Zimmer was unavailable for comment yesterday. He will be introduced as the team's new defensive coordinator during a news conference today in Paul Brown Stadium.

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Story about Zimmer from the official team site.

No one hopes more than Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis that the third time is the charm.

"I haven't gotten this right once before," Lewis said Wednesday when he introduced Mike Zimmer as his third defensive coordinator. "We needed to make a change. We needed to have some fresh life, some new life. I think that's important."

Lewis is asking the 51-year-old Zimmer, a 15-year NFL veteran to give the defense what apparently he didn't get from Leslie Frazier in 2003-2004 and Chuck Bresnahan the past three seasons.

"An identity for our defensive football team," Lewis said.
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LINK
 
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Dispatch

Bengals
A familiar spot for Zimmer
Coordinator made Cowboys defense shine without stars
Thursday, January 17, 2008 3:14 AM
By Scott Priestle


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
zim17_01-17-08_C5_I19353U.jpg
Al BehrmanAssociated Press
Mike Zimmer likely will have to improve the Bengals defense without adding any major players to it.



CINCINNATI -- In 2001, Mike Zimmer developed a reputation as a bright defensive mind by building a stout defense out of players largely lacking reputations. Those Dallas Cowboys featured Darren Woodson, Dat Nguyen, Dexter Coakley and assorted spare parts, but they finished fourth in the NFL in yards allowed.

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More Defensive Hires, Will Thurman See The Field Next Year?

Another hire by the Benagls on the coaching staff - Linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald lured way from the Ravens.

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Jeff FitzGerald was hired by the Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday as linebackers coach, a role he held at Baltimore the last three seasons.
FitzGerald follows former Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to the Bengals as coach Marvin Lewis works on a struggling defense. The Bengals missed the playoffs the last two seasons.

Four Ravens linebackers -- Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Terrell Suggs and Adalius Thomas -- were chosen for the 2006 Pro Bowl and the Ravens have been among the NFL leaders on defense throughout the decade. Last season, the defense ranked second against the run (79.3 yards per game) and sixth overall (301.6 yards per game).
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Perhaps FitzGerald's first project is keeping Odell Thurman's noze clean (and to the grindstone).
Light at the end of the tunnel of NFL Purgatory for Odell Thurman?

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The NFL cleared linebacker Odell Thurman to resume working out with the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, a step toward reinstatement from his two-year suspension.
Thurman will be allowed to work out with the training staff at Paul Brown Stadium. He's hoping for full reinstatement before the team's minicamp in April.

"We see it as a positive," agent Safarrah Lawson said Saturday in a phone interview. "It's an opportunity to get reacclimated with the team, to work with the strength and conditioning staff in preparation, hopefully, for minicamp and training camp."
Lawson said Thurman has to continue meeting guidelines from the league to get reinstated. He thinks that working out with the Bengals staff will help Thurman, who wasn't allowed to be with the team.
"It will mean a lot to him to be in an environment with teammates and the supervision of the coaches," Lawson said. "It will give him more structure. It helps with his recovery."
A second-round draft pick in 2005, Thurman showed immense promise as a rookie. He started 15 games at middle linebacker, led the team in tackles and tied the team rookie record with five interceptions.
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TraderLee;1078586; said:
I will be shocked if the first two or even three picks are not defensive players. The offense is good enough (though I admit a good all around TE would be nice), they just need to stop people.
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Agreed...we have pissed away too many picks the last couple of years. I would love to see us trade with St. Louis to try and get Glen Dorsey. We need serious help at DT and we have never tried to seriously address it, yet we wonder why our defense sucks? You don't a good D unless you have some solid to great DT's. Sedrick Ellis would be great as well if we can get him...if by some chance those 2 aren't available, then a DE like Gholston, Harvery, or Long would be great. Thurman getting cleared to play would help a ton and we could draft an OLB with the second pick. Ideally I want to see us take this approach:
1st pick: DT (Ellis or Dorsey if we trade down)
2nd pick: OLB (we are really thin at LB...maybe Curtis Lofton, Highsmith, or Jerrod Mayo)
3rd pick: DE ( I like Chris Ellis from Va. Tech or maybe another DT pick here if Fluellen from Fl. State is available)
4th pick: TE (Maybe Keller from Purdue is available?)
5th pick: RB (maybe Rafael Little or Choice if they fall down that far)
6th pick: CB (your guess is as good as mine)
7th pick: DT/DE/LB (again, no clue)
 
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Unfortunately, since my last statement, Ellis had an incredible Senior Bowl and moved into the top 4-5 picks of the draft. So, here is what I would love to see-

1st round: Trade up into the top 4 to get Ellis or Dorsey, or trade down to 20-24, add another second and fifth round pick, and pick Kentwan Balmer (DT) from UNC. If Ellis and Dorsey are gone, I just don't feel there is anyone who is valuable enough to us at 9. I feel like Philly would move up to get Clady/Baker and Tennessee would move up to get Kelly/Jackson.

2nd round: Personally, I feel like our LB corp, if Odell returns to form and we can stay somewhat healthy, isn't our biggest weakness. I would push for a pure-pass rush DE, like Lawrence Jackson, Derrick Harvey, Chris Ellis, or perhaps if Calais Campbell drops to the top of the 2nd round package some picks to move up and grab him. This would significantly help out our pass defense and in particular our young talented CBs.

3rd round: Linebacker like Tavarres Gooden if he is still available here, Beau Bell, or Jonathon Goff

4th round: OT if Richardson or Barton fall that far, or TE like Keller, Finley, or Cottam. I also really like Jamaal Charles if he is still available here.

5th round: Whatever of OT/TE we didn't take in 4.

6th round: Safety like Joiner from UF or Williams from OU, or if a decent LB is still available. I really like Dizon and Leman and would love to steal one this late if he is still available, I don't care if their size doesn't project well they both just scream football player to me, kind of prospect I want.

7th round: LB or Safety.


I would really be happy if 6/7 picks were on D. Our offense will be better next year if Henry can stay out of trouble, he is one of the 4 or 5 most physically talented recievers in the league and when he plays to his potential is a beast. Our D needs help bad, both starters and backups. Give me a DT, DE, and LB in the first three rounds and I will be extremely happy.
 
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Cincy

Lines are top priority
Bengals notebook
BY MARK CURNUTTE | [email protected]


The Bengals have their plan for free agency and the NFL Draft, and head coach Marvin Lewis called the defensive and offensive lines - in that order - the team's top areas of need in the offseason.
"We want to address the front defensively, first of all, both through free agency and the draft," Lewis said.
The Bengals had just 22 sacks in 2007 and were last in the NFL in sacks per pass play.
We have to take a hard look at rushers on defense," Lewis said. "That has to be a priority."
The Bengals also will give running back some attention.
"We will take a hard look at our running back position," Lewis said. "Rudi J. (Johnson) will be energized and excited to come back (from a hamstring injury that slowed him in 2007). ... Hopefully we'll have the presence of Chris Perry (who missed the 2007 season as he recovered from ankle and lower leg injuries)."

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Dispatch

Lineman Andrews given franchise tag

Tuesday, February 19, 2008 3:06 AM
By Scottt Priestle


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The Cincinnati Bengals took a significant step toward solidifying their offensive line yesterday, and at a significant cost. They designated Stacy Andrews their franchise player and tendered him a one-year contract worth at least $7.455 million while continuing to negotiate a long-term deal.
"This move helps us keep our core players together," coach Marvin Lewis said in a statement released by the team.
Andrews, 26, is eligible to become a free agent Feb. 29, but by using their franchise tag on him the Bengals virtually assure that he will remain with them in 2008. They have the right to match any offer from another team, and if they decide not to match it, the signing club must give the Bengals their first-round pick in the 2008 and '09 drafts.

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Cincy

Andrews' tag may be end for Smith
BY MARK CURNUTTE | [email protected]

The announcement Monday that the Bengals are using their franchise tag designation on offensive lineman Stacy Andrews could spell the end of Justin Smith's time in Cincinnati.
The offseason decisions to retool a roster do not happen in a vacuum. They are related. Unable to reach a multi-year deal with Smith, the Bengals removed the tie that bound him last season and placed it on Andrews this year.
By choosing to place the franchise designation - which severely limits an unrestricted free agent's ability to move to another team - on Andrews, the Bengals appear to be dropping a major clue that they are moving to a three-lineman defensive scheme and are worried about the health of offensive right tackle Willie Anderson.

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