Sign Benson to be the bruiser and then go out and sign J.J. Arrington RB from Arizona.  He's got his best football ahead of him, gamebreaking speed, good hands and could help the return game.  With Hightower emerging as the future for Arizona, Arrington could be signed at a resaonable price and would be a good complement to Bensons running style.  Then in draft focus more on O-line and defense.

I don't think this is a bad idea at all, although you and I would probably be in the minority here. That could be a very effective backfield and a cost-effective one as well. With Benson/JJ in the backfield and a revamped O-Line, I would feel very good going into '09.

GhettoGator wrote: I don't think this is a bad idea at all, although you and I would probably be in the minority here. That could be a very effective backfield and a cost-effective one as well. With Benson/JJ in the backfield and a revamped O-Line, I would feel very good going into '09.

Add to that the most important factor: A freakin' OC who knows how to utilize a 2nd back. Arrington would look like a chump here if we persist with the 3rd and long sweep run/shuttle pass.......

Christ, even Barry Sanders would look mortal with Brat's play calling

GhettoGator wrote: I don't think this is a bad idea at all, although you and I would probably be in the minority here. That could be a very effective backfield and a cost-effective one as well. With Benson/JJ in the backfield and a revamped O-Line, I would feel very good going into '09.

I think it could be effective on the field but I disagree with the 'cost-effectiveness'.  This will require the Bengals to sign 2 young unrestricted FAs.  Both guys will want to cash in during FA.  Why do you think they can get both on the cheap?

I think a more-realistic (Bengal / Mike Brown) option would be to re-sign Benson and look for a change-of-pace or 3rd down back in the draft (3rd-5th round).  Benson alone is going to went at least $3 million per year...probably more like $4 million plus per season. 

Don't get me wrong, I would not mind seeing this work out.  However, given the decline in merchandise sales, public backlash with regard to tickets, overall economic condition in country/midwest, and uncertainty with the uncapped year in 2010, I don't see the Bengals signing two young FA RBs.  I hope to hell I'm wrong.

I support the thought, GG, but I think the chances of Mike Brown being this aggressive/creative are very slim.

Both guys will want to cash in during FA.  Why do you think they can get both on the cheap?

LOL...because they both suck. Dude, why do you keep going on about Cedric Benson brining down the big dollars in free agency?!?

$4 million per year?!? Are you nuts?!?

JJ Arrington is crap too. Kenny Watson is way better than he is and he's already a Bengal. Benson and Arrington combined won't bring in $4 million during free agency.

This would be a perfect example of a typical Bengals move. Sign two Tier 3 RBs instead of actually addressing the position with a real answer.

Later,
BFITO

Kenny Watson is not better than J.J. Arrington, even when Kenny was doing well the year before last.  Don't get me wrong K. Watson had his moments but, to say he's better than J.J. based on this past year alone would be ridiculous.  You can keep Watson and Perry.  I would take Benson, Arrington, and J. Johnson or a rookie RB.

ThaGoldenChild wrote: Kenny Watson is not better than J.J. Arrington, even when Kenny was doing well the year before last.  Don't get me wrong K. Watson had his moments but, to say he's better than J.J. based on this past year alone would be ridiculous.  You can keep Watson and Perry.  I would take Benson, Arrington, and J. Johnson or a rookie RB.

I looked at the game logs of Arrington for his carrer and he's never had a breakout game in 4 years......
When the Bengals had to put Watson to use he delivered more than a few times.
I dont see the comparison... I do see a contrast..
One has been productive ...the other hasnt....

As far as Benson in concerned......
Outside of rushing for allmost 300 yards agasint the Chiefs and Browns in the final two games what did he do??? Look at his totals agasint the Steelers and Ravens..
He still didnt average 4 yards per carry even with the inflated rushing totals to end the season...

I dont know the answer for running back just yet...
In my mind I would use Kenny Watson, Chris Perry and a rook for now.....
Unless of course they decide to go for Knowshon Moreno or Chris Wells in round one and use Watson and Perry as complimentary backs..

Knowing this team they'll sink alot of dough into Benson and he'll show why the Bears were glad to dispose of him...

Kenny Watson is not better than J.J. Arrington, even when Kenny was doing well the year before last.

Uhhh...yes he is. JJ Arrington is a career 3.6 YPC RB with 5 career TDs. There is absolutely nothing that supports your belief that Arrington is the better player. Watson is better in virtually very category and already knows the Bengals system.

Watson is also a much better blocker.

To top it off JJ Arrington is known as a dumbass. The Bengals play book is apparently complex. Do we really need another moron trying to learn it?!?

Arrington is nothing but a bust boys...sorry to burst your bubble.

Later,
BFITO

I've had the (dis)pleasure of watching most of the Cardinals' games the last few years and Arrington is the last RB this team needs.  He has absolutely no vision and consistently runs into the back of his blockers and falls over for no gain.  Combine that with the Bengals' inability to block anyone and he would be a travesty here.

That being said, expect the Bengals to offer him a big contract so Hobson can spin him to be a combination of Barry Sanders and Walter Payton.

BengalFanInTO wrote:
LOL...because they both suck. Dude, why do you keep going on about Cedric Benson brining down the big dollars in free agency?!?

$4 million per year?!? Are you nuts?!?

JJ Arrington is crap too. Kenny Watson is way better than he is and he's already a Bengal. Benson and Arrington combined won't bring in $4 million during free agency.

This would be a perfect example of a typical Bengals move. Sign two Tier 3 RBs instead of actually addressing the position with a real answer.

Later,
BFITO

Hey...we'll find out in a few months.  Maybe I'm wrong.  I think he has his sights set on at least $3 million per season.  Behind an abysmal O line and on an offense ranked #32 in the league, he put up pretty good stats in the second half of the season.  He's young, has a good college pedigree, and I'm sure he has a high opinion of himself.  Add it all up and I think some team will pony up cash for him. 

Maybe I'll be wrong.  I hope he's available for much less because I think for the right amount of money, he would be ok as the RB for the next 4-5 years.

Claptonrocks wrote:

ThaGoldenChild wrote: Kenny Watson is not better than J.J. Arrington, even when Kenny was doing well the year before last.  Don't get me wrong K. Watson had his moments but, to say he's better than J.J. based on this past year alone would be ridiculous.  You can keep Watson and Perry.  I would take Benson, Arrington, and J. Johnson or a rookie RB.

I looked at the game logs of Arrington for his carrer and he's never had a breakout game in 4 years......
When the Bengals had to put Watson to use he delivered more than a few times.
I dont see the comparison... I do see a contrast..
One has been productive ...the other hasnt....

As far as Benson in concerned......
Outside of rushing for allmost 300 yards agasint the Chiefs and Browns in the final two games what did he do??? Look at his totals agasint the Steelers and Ravens..
He still didnt average 4 yards per carry even with the inflated rushing totals to end the season...

I dont know the answer for running back just yet...
In my mind I would use Kenny Watson, Chris Perry and a rook for now.....
Unless of course they decide to go for Knowshon Moreno or Chris Wells in round one and use Watson and Perry as complimentary backs..

Knowing this team they'll sink alot of dough into Benson and he'll show why the Bears were glad to dispose of him...

According to Lost, you can't use that logic.  A lot of RBs had to play the Browns and Chiefs so their numbers are also padded.  Thats his logic that a lot of really good teams helped their #s by playing the Chiefs and Browns, so it evens out and those games cannot be excluded from consideration. 

That was in a response he had to the Bengals defense jumping 9 spots after the Chiefs game.  Now, lets say Benson went from the lower half of the league in terms of RB rankings to the upper half after the Chiefs game, then is he also TRULY an upper echelon RB?  I think we all could see that Benson isn't.  And applying that logic to the Bengals D - we can see that we are still a 21st randed Defense.

Go after Jacobs or Derrick Ward - the Giants are unlikely to sign both, and either one is 10 times better than Benson, Arrington or a lot of the other guys on the free agent list.

About time the Bengals got into the top tier of free agency rather than chase down scrubs.

Arrington was handed the starting job at Arizona behind a half-way decent offensive line with coaches who actually commit to the run and he blew it. Why would we want him here to play behind this offensive line with an OC who tends to go away from the running game whenever they aren't ahead by 21 points?