Studying defenses the likes of the Bears' and Colts' and comparing them to the Bengals, one major point stands out: The Bengals do not have a difference maker that offenses have to account for on every play.

 

There's no Brian Urlacher, the Bears middle linebacker. There's not even any Bob Sanders, Indianapolis' hard-hitting safety.

 

So the question becomes do the Bengals re-sign free agent defensive end Justin Smith? Why? They haven't done much with him in six seasons, one playoff game, one playoff loss, a defense that could never match its No. 9 ranking of Smith's rookie season in 2001.

 

So you look around at defensive free agents the likes of Bears outside linebacker Lance Briggs, Baltimore free agent end/linebacker Adalius Thomas or New England cornerback Asanti Samuel. Samuel might be the single best player in free agency this year. He doesn't want to re-sign with the Patriots. He could come in and fit any system. The Bengals might want to consider breaking the bank to sign the best cornerback of this class.

 

Never mind the excuses leaking out of the Bengals' front office onto various Web sites that they don't have the money or salary cap space to re-sign Smith or go after an A-list free agent. They have plenty of both. What might be lacking is the will. I get a message through the Bengals PR staff once in a while that the front office is unhappy with and thinks my analysis of their cap room is inaccurate. Yet they are reluctant to offer any proof that I can print.

 

The Bengals could do whatever they want to financially. If I were a fan of the Bengals, I wouldn't be happy with their efforts in free agency. They keep signing players who have little impact or are four, five or six years past the point when they could have made a big difference.

 

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis likes to talk about how a defense plays with 11 players. OK. So did the Baltimore defenses he coordinated. But he had 11 great players when the Ravens won the Super Bowl, including safety Rod Woodson, a younger and more mobile Sam Adams at defensive tackle and Ray Lewis in his prime as an inside linebacker.

 

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals/2007/01/bengals-defense-vs-bears-colts.asp#comments

I didn't know that Samuel didn't want to resign with the Patriots. If we could just get one of those guys Samuel, Briggs, Thomas, or even the guy you mentioned before in the buffalo corner (who I cant think of his name for whatever reason). Then I would be happy with anyone of those guys...

Gotta agree with that.

The Bengals have struggled defensively no doubt.

 

In years past, they have tried to sign the big names-Troy Vincent, Warren Sapp, Jamie Sharper among others.

 

Tory James did go to a Pro Bowl; John Thornton has started almost every game since he was acquired; Dexter Jackson started all the games when he was healthy. They have gotten production from free agent signings.

 

The salary cap is a barrier; no team can go out and sign a bunch of big name free agents.

 

The way Curnutte makes it sound, the Bengals have enough money to sign Smith, Steinback, & Thomas or Samuel.

 

They aren't considering the restricted free agents that the Bengals will sign to play special teams and the rookie class (from the '07 upcoming draft); it does take a TEAM to win the Super Bowl; one player can't do it alone; the minute the Bengals signed a big name and the special teams suffered, the negative Cincy media would be all over the Bengals for that too.

 

I don't believe for one second that the Bengals wouldn't sign all those players if they could; history has shown that especially since Marvin has been there that the Bengals have spent up to the salary cap.

 

Plus the number that Curnutte claims the Bengals have is fluid; they just re-signed Koostria so it has already changed. He is just following the typically negative line of the Cincy media. None of them like Marvin's responses to questions in press conferences (they haven't figured out how to ask questions that he will answer-Belechick like!)

 

The Cincinnati media is very, very poor.

The Bengals have struggled defensively no doubt.

 

In years past, they have tried to sign the big names-Troy Vincent, Warren Sapp, Jamie Sharper among others.

 

Tory James did go to a Pro Bowl; John Thornton has started almost every game since he was acquired; Dexter Jackson started all the games when he was healthy. They have gotten production from free agent signings.

 

The salary cap is a barrier; no team can go out and sign a bunch of big name free agents.

 

The way Curnutte makes it sound, the Bengals have enough money to sign Smith, Steinback, & Thomas or Samuel.

 

They aren't considering the restricted free agents that the Bengals will sign to play special teams and the rookie class (from the '07 upcoming draft); it does take a TEAM to win the Super Bowl; one player can't do it alone; the minute the Bengals signed a big name and the special teams suffered, the negative Cincy media would be all over the Bengals for that too.

 

I don't believe for one second that the Bengals wouldn't sign all those players if they could; history has shown that especially since Marvin has been there that the Bengals have spent up to the salary cap.

 

Plus the number that Curnutte claims the Bengals have is fluid; they just re-signed Koostria so it has already changed. He is just following the typically negative line of the Cincy media. None of them like Marvin's responses to questions in press conferences (they haven't figured out how to ask questions that he will answer-Belechick like!)

 

The Cincinnati media is very, very poor.

 

Wow did you actually read the article, or do you just not like how people critize the Bengals on how they haven't really signed any big name free agent to try to help out the part of the team that is keeping the Bengals from being a great team. He never once said that the bengals could sign smith, steinbach and still get the free agents. What he said was that the Bengals have enough money to EITHER sign Smith back or go get A big name free agent. Rather you want to believe it or not, there has been people who actually do know the salary cap and do take into account having to sign restricted free agents, and draft picks, and the fact remains the Bengals DO have enough money where they probably could either sign smith back or go after one big name in free agency this year...

Wow did you actually read the article, or do you just not like how people critize the Bengals on how they haven't really signed any big name free agent to try to help out the part of the team that is keeping the Bengals from being a great team. He never once said that the bengals could sign smith, steinbach and still get the free agents. What he said was that the Bengals have enough money to EITHER sign Smith back or go get A big name free agent. Rather you want to believe it or not, there has been people who actually do know the salary cap and do take into account having to sign restricted free agents, and draft picks, and the fact remains the Bengals DO have enough money where they probably could either sign smith back or go after one big name in free agency this year...

 

 

I indeed read the article, but he makes it sound as if the Bengals have all this money, and he has ABSOLUTELY NOT considered their own free agents and rookies.

 

He is not even close. He says, "What has Smith done?" Only lead the d-line in tackles every year he has been here. I'm not a huge proponent of Smith, but Curnutte like the rest of the media doesn't deal in facts or reality.

 

No, the Bengals do not have all the money that Curnutte makes them out.

 

He also ignores the fact that the Bengals have been right to the cap since Marvin has been here.

 

Why would he say either Smith or a big name free agent? Smith is not going to command the money of Thomas or Samuel; it makes no sense!

 

He deals in guesswork.

I indeed read the article, but he makes it sound as if the Bengals have all this money, and he has ABSOLUTELY NOT considered their own free agents and rookies.

 

He is not even close. He says, "What has Smith done?" Only lead the d-line in tackles every year he has been here. I'm not a huge proponent of Smith, but Curnutte like the rest of the media doesn't deal in facts or reality.

 

No, the Bengals do not have all the money that Curnutte makes them out.

 

He also ignores the fact that the Bengals have been right to the cap since Marvin has been here.

 

Why would he say either Smith or a big name free agent? Smith is not going to command the money of Thomas or Samuel; it makes no sense!

 

He deals in guesswork.

 

Once again how do you know he hasn't considered their own restricted free agents and rookies. As I just said before, not just him but other people who actually know alot about salary caps have counted that kind of stuff into it, and yes they all say we would have room for one big name free agent if we wanted to get it. Also Smith is going to demand the type of money that double digit sack leaders get, and Smith has NEVER gotten singal double digit sack season in his career. So why would the Bengals want to match other teams offers for him when Smith has not gotten us a single double digit sack season ever, and all his tackles from the D-line still has not got our rush defense any better. Once again you said you read the article, but do you not get what it was talking about or something. It talks about how alot of these defenses have atleast one stand out player on their defense that makes that defense go. Well Smith is not that player for us, out of all his years here we still have been usually one of the worst defenses in the league. So if we let him go, we would have the money that we would have to use to sign him back to use actually on a big name free agent. Yeah one of those free agents might cost a LITTLE bit more than Smith, but the money that Smith is looking for wouldn't be much less than what we could sign one of these other big names that could actually help out defense out anymore. Like it or not we do have enough money to either sign Smith back or get one of these big name free agents that could help this team. It is just a matter if the Bengals decide to do it or not...

Once again how do you know he hasn't considered their own restricted free agents and rookies. As I just said before, not just him but other people who actually know alot about salary caps have counted that kind of stuff into it, and yes they all say we would have room for one big name free agent if we wanted to get it. Also Smith is going to demand the type of money that double digit sack leaders get, and Smith has NEVER gotten singal double digit sack season in his career. So why would the Bengals want to match other teams offers for him when Smith has not gotten us a single double digit sack season ever, and all his tackles from the D-line still has not got our rush defense any better. Once again you said you read the article, but do you not get what it was talking about or something. It talks about how alot of these defenses have atleast one stand out player on their defense that makes that defense go. Well Smith is not that player for us, out of all his years here we still have been usually one of the worst defenses in the league. So if we let him go, we would have the money that we would have to use to sign him back to use actually on a big name free agent. Yeah one of those free agents might cost a LITTLE bit more than Smith, but the money that Smith is looking for wouldn't be much less than what we could sign one of these other big names that could actually help out defense out anymore. Like it or not we do have enough money to either sign Smith back or get one of these big name free agents that could help this team. It is just a matter if the Bengals decide to do it or not...

 

I already said I am not a huge proponent of Smith.

 

Why would the Bengals not go after big time free agents, they always have since Marvin has been here; they haven't always gotten them, but they have indeed pursued them.

 

Curnutte does not deal in reality or facts- only NEGATIVITY which is my point; his claims do no speak the truth, only speculation and overgeneralizations!

How can you defend the Bengals on this one, they've been below poor in the FA market, 2nd tier guys have been the staple of their signings, I wan't to see a "difference" maker, bring on AT, now that's a difference maker.

I already said I am not a huge proponent of Smith.

 

Why would the Bengals not go after big time free agents, they always have since Marvin has been here; they haven't always gotten them, but they have indeed pursued them.

 

Curnutte does not deal in reality or facts- only NEGATIVITY which is my point; his claims do no speak the truth, only speculation and overgeneralizations!

 

Maybe you are right that usually he doesn't go with facts, but in this case he does. As I have said a few times now, not to just him, but also people who do understand how the salary cap works with everything, also say that the bengals will have enough cap room to go after a least one big name free agent if they choose not to sign smith back...And what big name free agents has he went after since he been here. He has gone after veterans who are good role players for a team but no really goes who will have a huge impact that might help get the defense over the hump. The only real big name he went after was Warren Sapp and then we decided not to sign him at the last minute. Instead we have went after guys who were cheaper and not as good but were able to get 2 or 3 players instead of one. Which I admit in some cases that is a good thing, but it is time to get a guy who can have a big impact on this defense, and this is the year to do it, because WE DO have enough cap room to sign one big name this year...As Neerfan just said I really dont know what you are trying to defend here because it doesn't make much sense...

Maybe you are right that usually he doesn't go with facts, but in this case he does. As I have said a few times now, not to just him, but also people who do understand how the salary cap works with everything, also say that the bengals will have enough cap room to go after a least one big name free agent if they choose not to sign smith back...And what big name free agents has he went after since he been here. He has gone after veterans who are good role players for a team but no really goes who will have a huge impact that might help get the defense over the hump. The only real big name he went after was Warren Sapp and then we decided not to sign him at the last minute. Instead we have went after guys who were cheaper and not as good but were able to get 2 or 3 players instead of one. Which I admit in some cases that is a good thing, but it is time to get a guy who can have a big impact on this defense, and this is the year to do it, because WE DO have enough cap room to sign one big name this year...As Neerfan just said I really dont know what you are trying to defend here because it doesn't make much sense...

In locking up Carson, Chad, TJ, Rudi, Jeremi, Levi, Willie and Bobbie there was a lot of fantastic cap work. Now that they have the core covered it's time for an impact signing at a defensive position of need. CB, MLB, OLB, DT, DE, FS, SS I don't care.

Maybe if they get one "difference maker" we'll see if it is just a poor scheme. I know one thing, I'm waiting for a pass rush, when I watch good defenses pressure the QB into submission I wish for the same.

We won't sign any of them. I would like us to but I highly doubt that we do. Marvin has said he wants to build through the draft, not free agency...

We won't sign any of them. I would like us to but I highly doubt that we do. Marvin has said he wants to build through the draft, not free agency...

Surely he sees you have to do both.

Build through the draft and fill in those holes you have with a stud FA, it's just common sense. Why wait a year to get that next guy in the draft. Pony up the cash Mr. Brown and let's win the stinking Super Bowl, heck, let's just get there again.