Cincinnati Bengals: Final 53-man roster cut predictions for 2018
By Kenn Korb
Linebackers
* = starters; + = make roster; x = suspended
+Brandon Bell, *Preston Brown, x Vontaze Burfict, *Jordan Evans, +Malik Jefferson, Junior Joseph, +Hardy Nickerson, Vincent Rey, *Nick Vigil, Chris Worley
If the defense has a weakness, it is this group. The other two areas are jam-packed with exciting young talents who could quickly become dominators at their position (if they aren’t already). Here, it is more about holding out hope that there is more competency — and much improved health luck — than the unit came away with in 2017.
As with last season, the team must begin the year without the leader of this group, as Burfict is facing suspension. This time will be four games rather than three though, so it is even more imperative that whoever is called upon in his absence to prove capable of playing positive, impactful football until he can return to the field.
In the middle, offseason pickup Brown is a new veteran who can hopefully be a sound presence in the middle the team lacked previously. He could be a target for offenses in coverage, but his run defense could be a strength to build with. Joining him in the starting lineup while Burfict is out should be Vigil and Evans. Neither has done much in games that matter to inspire much confidence right now, but each seems to have the confidence of their coaches and some level of potential ingrained in them.
The depth chart doesn’t have many potential answers, but there is one intriguing name in the mix who may become something more in Jefferson. His physical traits point to him as a possible starter should he develop properly and have his strengths played to by his coaches (attacking = yes; processing + reacting = no).
We come to an interesting question from here: should the team continue going young, or hold onto a longtime Bengal who might be past his usefulness and hope he has another good year in him? Or to put it another way: keep both Bell and Nickerson, or only keep one of them while keeping Rey?
As recently as two seasons ago, Rey was a quality starter for the team. As he turned 30 though, he fell off entirely while surprisingly getting relegated to a reserve role for much of the year. If that is a one-year blip, trusting a 31 year old to become useful again would be fine, but he’s not been consistently above average. Rey may have more total success to bank on in his career, but the aging linebacker has never exactly been as great of an option as one might think — and could just be starting a clear decline on top of that.
With the team already showing a willingness to cut veterans for more unproven young talent elsewhere on the roster, it isn’t a stretch to think they could do so again here by choosing Nickerson and Bell over Rey.