Bengals: Akili Smith/David Klingler Anyone?

Posted by Dan on Apr 17, 2003 @ 5:04 PM
Bengals Open Negotiations With Leftwich -
5:01 PT: The Cincinnati Enquirer reports the Cincinnati Bengals have opened contract negotiations with Marshall QB Byron Leftwich.

While I think Leftwich has a lot of qualities to be an NFL caliber QB, his durability is in question. The Bengal have the uncanny knack to be able use their first round draft pick on injury prone players or players who turn out to be total busts. It appears they may be reaching in their bags of tricks again to waste another overall first pick.

I think the Bengals would be much better off trading down and drafting Leftwich—if he's the guy they really want he should be available later on. Heck, some moch drafts have him going as late as the nuber 27 pick (Steelers.)

If I were Mike Brown, I'd trade down and let someone draft my QB for me—by taking the best available QB at that spot. Brown's shown he has no ability to draft at the #1 spot. I've said it before and I'll probably say it again. I think the Bengal should just trade any top 10 pick for proven players and draft later on. Bengals scouting has proven track record of first round busts. As a matter of fact, "Bengals scouting" may be an oxymoron.

I'm a Steelers fan through and through, but you just can't help feeling for those Bengal fans out there.

Categories: Sports

2 Comments

  • Are you kidding? The Bengals strategy is pure genius! How many teams do you know who've managed to stay at the top of the first round draft pick line for almost 15yrs?

    Your foolish Steelers have lost sight of their priorities...Winning divisional championships year after year while the Bengals stealthily slip to the bottom of the league and the top of the list in draft choices for their next winless season.
  • Yeah, I think I have been blindsided by this ingenius strategy. I guess I keep forgetting that the Bengals were the best in the 90s--at losing.

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