The "What if" thread

[FootballGod]

OK guys it is clear that the top 3 players in the draft are Bowers, Fairley, and Green. What happens if all three of these guys are gone when we pick at #4? I can see Carolina taking Bowers or Green. Denver is looking for D-line help so Fairley or Bowers could be gone. I honestly don't think that there is a franchise QB in this class since Luck is not coming out so does Buffalo go BPA?

I think that the Bengals need to get lucky and have Denver pick Patrick Peterson or have Buffalo fall in love with Cam Newton, Mallet, or Gabbert if we are going to get a Bowers, Fairley, or Green.

It could be a nightmare scenario if all three of those guys are gone when we pick at #4. I am not a huge PP fan at #4. No safety or CB will ever live up to a #4 pick unless you are Ed Reed, Revis, or Palomaulu (sp?) in their prime. I just can't project that for PP at this point in time.

What are you guys doing if the Big 3 are gone? I think I have to pick Patrick Peterson but I would try like heck to trade back even if we didn't get fair market value in the trade back. Let me know what you think.

[Pat Sims 90]

I would go with PP if Joseph leaves he can replace him or move him to safety if Joseph stays. PP is also a very dangerous Punt Returner and the Bengals have never had a returner like him. I think Julio Jones could be a option depending on how Workouts go for him. If they want to draft for the Future they could take one of the QBs.

[crites09]

PP in a heart beat

[StripedWalrus]

PP in a heart beat

PP is my number 1

[derza222]

Nice thing about PP is he has really good potential at corner and at safety, so if you try him out at one and it doesn't work out perfectly you can always see what he does at another. Plus as mentioned above he can make a big impact on specials. I think he's the next best player in the draft so he'd make a lot of sense. Robert Quinn's also really good and I think would have been in the discussion if he'd played this year. Newton could be interesting if they want to go QB as well but I don't think that's likely.

[hobbes2053]

If we draft Cam Newton, I'd be hard-pressed to ever watch the Bengals again.

[Pat Sims 90]

If we take Cam Newton it will be a bigger mistake then taking Akili Smith.

[derza222]

To be clear I don't think taking Newton would be a good move (I think the pick should be one of Green, Bowers, Fairley, and Peterson), but I'm not sure it can be ruled out either. How would you guys stack up those top 3 guys in terms of who makes the most sense in Cincy?

[hobbes2053]

1a. Green
1b. Peterson
2. Fairley
3. Bowers

IMO

[themaninblack]

To me you just cant pass on AJ if he's there. I know I'm a UGA homer but hes about as cant miss as you can get and I think he would fit with Palmer very well with his innate ability to go up and get the ball. I think if we were to go into next season with AJ and Simpson as our top two WR's we'd be set for a very long time. And really AJ wouldnt have a TON of pressure to be the #1 guy right away with the other passing targets we've got.

From there I'd probably go Nick Fairley but him and PP are pretty interchangeable in my mind, both extremely talented defensive players who would fill a need. While I absolutely love Geno IDK if he's ever going to be a full time starting DT alongside Peko. PP probably fills a bigger need as he can either be our new starting CB if JJ were to leave(PLZGAWDNO!!!) or a starting Safety with the ability to move around the field at different spots while giving us a GREAT punt returner(even though we probably have 2 really good ones and a potential great one in Pacman). I dont really think we even need to draft a DE at all given the way Carlos and MJ played down the stretch, plus we've still got Geathers and Odom.

So for me:
1. Green
2. Peterson
3. Fairley
4. Bowers

[Bengalsrocket]

I could live with Cam newton. I think it's a little overboard to say you would be "hard pressed" to watch the Bengals ever again.

Certainly I like Palmer. I would much rather see Palmer succeed in Cincinnati than any other QB we could sign, trade for or draft. However, He's had a lot of chances to do something with this team and yet he hasn't done anything.

There's two sides to every coin, I know. Palmer was injured in the '05 play offs and all of the '08 season. And he was forced to sit in 2003 (I don't believe Lewis would have made him the starter for any reason). However, eventually we have to stop making excuses for him and realize that during his entire tenure here in Cincinnati he's never won us a play off game.

It's not all on him but eventually if you can't get it done, then maybe it's time to give someone else a shot. I don't want Newton more than any other QB in this draft, I just want someone who gives me hope and Palmer isn't that guy right now.

Anyways, back to the actual thread at hand here, I think we need Peterson the most out of the guys listed. I'm not saying he's the most value for where we're picking; clearly I think that's Green. However, with our current set of offensive weapons I don't think he's the highest need.

Defensive line is a close 2nd, but who knows what we have with Dunlap and Michael Johnson right now. It's possible those two could be great starters for us in which case Bowers would be less valuable to us. Also I like Fairley a lot, but I think he might be even less valuable than even Bowers because he would be harder to rotate in with Peko, Sims & Atkins already here (unless you believe either Fairley or one of those other guys is versatile enough to fit in at defensive end sometimes).

[StripedWalrus]

If we get rid of Owens and Ocho I think Carson will have a turnaround season.

[rickscott]

If Bowers and Fairley and Green are gone, I would be OK with Darius at #4. He is a Top 10 pick and fills a big need for us.

[Pat Sims 90]

If Bowers and Fairley and Green are gone, I would be OK with Darius at #4. He is a Top 10 pick and fills a big need for us.

A 3-4 DE fills a need???

[Bengalsrocket]

If we get rid of Owens and Ocho I think Carson will have a turnaround season.

I could agree with this too. But at the same time I could myself sitting here next year saying that I think Carson will have a turn around season the following year as well.

I have nothing against Carson and I want to see him succeed. But I'm also not against drafting a QB as well. If nothing else, maybe it'll send a message to Palmer so that he knows he's not the only one in town who Marvin is willing to put under center.

[BengalsPwn]

A 3-4 DE fills a need???

Hes also a penetrating 4-3 UT perfect alongside Peko. I wouldn't mind Darius but my hopes lie in AJ. I think hes the only can't bust prospect with PP a close second. I wonder how PP would feel if he were drafted as a safety. The pay scale for a CB and S are way different and he might not be as welcoming to a switch in position. I wouldn't mind moving Leon to safety either though.

1. Aj Green
2. Patrick Peterson
3. Nick Fairley
4. Marcel Darius

[derza222]

Green definitely seems like a pretty safe prospect. With Palmer probably sticking around and TO and Ocho looking like they might be on the way out, he could be a really helpful piece for the offense both in the long and short term. Peterson I have the same questions of fit that BengalsPwn brings up, though he's a tremendous athlete. Also nice that he brings some versatility and elite physical ability. Unless he plays safety or JJ leaves, not sure if he fits as big a need as the others. Bowers depends a lot on whether they view Johnson as a DE or SLB in the longer term, I know he's played both. If they want Johnson to play SLB, with Odom's health questions, Bowers could make sense. He and Dunlap would be scary, scary bookends, and drafting pass rushers who can move around a little bit is always good. Fairley's an absolute monster, wonder about him just having one huge season but still he was so good this year.

Do you guys think DE or DT is a bigger need?

[SC Igniter]

If the question is soley DE vs DT, my vote would be DE. I have given up on Gaithers and Odom so adding a DE makes better sense to me.

Even if JJ stays next year and with a healthy pacman return, I still think our biggest need remains our secondary. Priority need is a SS whether this occurs in the draft or FA. Plus if we go PP, he can be our insurance option at CB since I am unsure if we can pull off signing both JJ and Hall to long term contracts over the next two years.

[AkiliSmith]

I'll be in the minority and say I don't want Peterson with the 4th pick no matter who goes in the top 3.

I don't think corners or safeties are worth top 5 picks. Letting Joseph go and replacing him with a rookie in the top 5 is an insane move. Especially Peterson who is just about all potential at this point. The Bengals have no track record of developing potential.

We know how good our team is with two good corners. It's not very good. Build the d-line to be dominating. One of Fairley, Bowers or Quinn will be there with the 4th pick. Take them.

[StripedWalrus]

I'll be in the minority and say I don't want Peterson with the 4th pick no matter who goes in the top 3.

I don't think corners or safeties are worth top 5 picks. Letting Joseph go and replacing him with a rookie in the top 5 is an insane move. Especially Peterson who is just about all potential at this point. The Bengals have no track record of developing potential.

We know how good our team is with two good corners. It's not very good. Build the d-line to be dominating. One of Fairley, Bowers or Quinn will be there with the 4th pick. Take them.

I think most people would tag or resign Joseph and draft Peterson to play S. I wouldnt want to let Joseph go and sign Peterson to play CB.