NFL Nation: Terence Newman

Free-agent cornerback Terence Newman posted on Twitter that he chose the Bengals over the Raiders because of loyalty. Newman made sure everyone knew the Raiders were offering more money.

Newman
Newman
“I came in with [Bengals defensive coordinator] Mike Zimmer and feel it’s only right that I leave as him coaching me," Newman tweeted.

Zimmer, who was Newman’s defensive coordinator from 2003-06 with the Cowboys, pushed for the Bengals to sign Newman last season and it paid off for Cincinnati. First-round pick Dre Kirkpatrick was never healthy, and Newman ended up starting 15 games. Newman led the Bengals with 14 passes defenses and finished second among defensive backs with 75 tackles.

Still, how much loyalty will the Bengals show Newman? He turns 35 just before the season, and the team probably wants Kirkpatrick to get into the starting lineup this year, based on the recent history of Cincinnati cornerbacks.

When Johnathan Joseph was drafted in the first round in 2006, he was a full-time starter for the Bengals by Week 11 of his rookie season. When Leon Hall was selected in the first round in 2007, he was a full-time starter by Week 10 as a rookie.

The Bengals, who officially announced the re-signing of Newman on Monday, may move him to nickel back either during training camp or some time in 2013, although they've learned not to take anything for granted with Kirkpatrick. Last season, Kirkpatrick didn't instill confidence after a preseason fracture in his knee and Week 13 concussion essentially led to a redshirt season. That's why the Bengals paid for an insurance policy. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Bengals are spending $3 million on Newman this year.

“Terence has always had great talent, and he’s become a smarter player every year of his career,” Zimmer said in a statement. “He sees things well and he challenges receivers. He’s tough. He takes care of his body and doesn’t miss reps. He’s the kind of guy we want back as we work to keep our defense together.”
It's 18 days into NFL free agency, and there's only five players on the AFC North top 20 list who remain unsigned. As always, click here for ESPN.com's free-agent tracker which will keep you up-to-date with all the moves from around the league.

Here is the rankings and where the players stand now (* -- unsigned):

1. Joe Flacco, Ravens QB: Signed a six-year, $120.6 million contract with the Ravens. The NFL-record deal includes $52 million guaranteed and a $29 million signing bonus.

2. Mike Wallace, ex-Steelers WR: Signed a five-year, $60 million contract with the Dolphins. The deal includes $30 million guaranteed and an $11 million signing bonus.

3. Ed Reed, ex-Ravens FS: Signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Texans. The deal includes $6 million guaranteed and a $2 million signing bonus.

*4. Andre Smith, Bengals OT: Unsigned. Smith remains a priority for the Bengals. He has surprisingly drawn little interest in free agency.

5. Michael Johnson, Bengals DE: Signed a one-year, $11.2 million franchise tag with the Bengals.

6. Dannell Ellerbe, ex-Ravens ILB: Signed a five-year, $34.75 million contract with the Dolphins. The deal includes $14 million guaranteed and a $7 million signing bonus.

7. Paul Kruger, ex-Ravens OLB: Signed a five-year, $40.5 million contract with the Browns. The deal includes $20 million guaranteed and a $6 million signing bonus.

8. Phil Dawson, ex-Browns K: Signed a one-year, $2.35 million contract with the 49ers. The deal includes a $1 million signing bonus.

9. Dennis Pitta, Ravens TE: Restricted free agent received second-round tender ($2.023 million).

*10. James Harrison, Steelers OLB: Unsigned. Harrison has to be rethinking his decision not to take a pay cut with the Steelers. He's only taken one visit, and the Ravens signed Elvis Dumervil during it. Could he end up in Arizona like so many other ex-Steelers?

*11. Josh Cribbs, Browns WR-PR: Unsigned. The Cardinals are waiting until Cribbs is fully recovered from meniscus surgery before signing him.

12. Bernard Pollard, ex-Ravens safety: Signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Titans. The deal includes a $500,000 signing bonus.

13. Keenan Lewis, ex-Steelers CB: Signed a five-year, $25.5 million contract with the Saints. The deal includes $10.5 million guaranteed and a $6 million signing bonus.

14. Cary Williams, ex-Ravens CB: Signed a three-year, $17 million contract with the Eagles. The deal includes $10.5 million guaranteed and a $5 million signing bonus.

15. Manny Lawson, ex-Bengals OLB: Signed a four-year, $12 million contract with the Bills. The deal includes a $3 million signing bonus.

*16. Terence Newman, Bengals CB: Unsigned. Newman was expected to choose between the Bengals and Raiders last week, but according to his Twitter account, he has had trouble reaching his agent.

*17. Emmanuel Sanders, Steelers WR: Restricted free agent visited the Patriots but has yet to sign an offer sheet. The Steelers have first right of refusal and would receive a third-round pick as compensation if they didn't match the offer.

18. Rey Maualuga, Bengals LB: Signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Bengals. The deal includes a $2.5 million signing bonus.

19. Adam Jones, Bengals CB: Signed a three-year contract with the Bengals that pays him $3.3 million in base salaries.

20. Benjamin Watson, ex-Browns TE: Signed a three-year, $4.95 million contract with the Saints. The deal includes a $1.2 million signing bonus.
The Oakland Raiders’ interest in cornerbacks continues.

According to an NFL source, the Raiders, who are in need of two starting cornerbacks, are showing interest in Denver cornerback Tracy Porter. Oakland has also shown interest in cornerbacks Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins. Newman is expected to choose between Cincinnati and Oakland soon.

Porter is also getting interest from his original team, New Orleans. He could be a backup plan there should Nnamdi Asomugha not sign with the Saints.

Oakland’s interest in Porter is not surprising, as coach Dennis Allen was his position coach in New Orleans. Porter signed a one-year deal with Denver last year. He started the season as a starter but he fell out of favor with the team after he dealt with the affects of a seizure suffered in the summer. He never regained playing time once he was healthy.

In another AFC West note:

ESPN.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha thinks Elvis Dumervil made a mistake by leaving the Broncos and signing with the Ravens.
Mike Jenkins is a player in need of a fresh start and perhaps he will be provided one in Oakland.

ESPN Dallas reports that the Oakland Raiders have interest in the cornerback from Dallas. Jenkins, a first-round draft pick in 2008, fell out of favor in Dallas and he played little last season. Still, Jenkins, 28, may benefit from a change of scenery.

There’s little doubt he’d be Oakland’s best cornerback if signed. The cornerback market has dried up and Jenkins has garnered little interest. Perhaps teams are scared off by his lost playing time in Dallas.

The Raiders have two openings at the position, but they have not addressed the position since free agency began. Oakland has signed six players from other teams -- three linebackers and three defensive linemen. The Raiders have hosted Cincinnati’s Terence Newman. He is reportedly deciding between the Bengals and the Raiders. Oakland also could draft Alabama’s Dee Milliner with the No. 3 overall pick.

In other AFC West news:

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Ropati Pitoitua has reportedly visited the Jets and the Titans.
The Denver Broncos are a candidate to host the NFL season opener Sept. 5 against the World Champion Baltimore Ravens.

Traditionally, the Super Bowl champion hosts the season opener on a week night to celebrate the start of the season. But the Ravens had a scheduling conflict with baseball’s Baltimore Orioles (the two stadiums share a parking lot) and the Ravens will now start the season on the road.

The Ravens are scheduled to visit Denver, and many people think the AFC divisional playoff rematch -- Baltimore won in double overtime -- is a possibility.

In other AFC West news:

New San Diego coach Mike McCoy explains how he plans to get quarterback Philip Rivers out of a two-year funk. My suggestion: Surround him with some good players.

Cornerback Terence Newman said he has yet to make a decision. He said it is coming soon. He is expected to decide between playing for the Raiders or staying in Cincinnati.
As expected, Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Branden Albert has signed his franchise tag, and the team can now trade him.

There have been some talks, as the Chiefs would like to recoup the second-round pick lost in the Alex Smith trade. The team may draft Texas A&M left tackle Luke Joeckel with the No. 1 overall pick if Albert is traded or not. If Albert is retained, Joeckel would play right tackle.

In an interview with USA Today, Albert seemed ready to handle whatever happens next.

In other AFC West notes:

Cincinnati has re-signed cornerback Adam Jones, a move that could effect Terence Newman’s decision to choose between the Bengals and the Raiders.

The Houston Chronicle reports it expects the Texans to sign Oakland punter Shane Lechler. The Texas native is visiting Houston on Thursday.

Chicago signed Kansas City tight end Steve Maneri, who is a good blocker.

Tennessee has visited with Kansas City defensive end Ropati Pitoitua.
The once-stout cornerback market is beginning to dry up.

The Oakland Raiders have two openings at the position, but they have not addressed the position since free agency began. Oakland has signed six players from other teams -- three linebackers and three defensive linemen.

The Raiders have hosted Cincinnati’s Terence Newman. He is reportedly deciding between the Bengals and the Raiders.

There are some good players still on the market, but things are slowing down. Among the best cornerbacks available are Brent Grimes, Mike Jenkins, former Raiders Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall, Antoine Winfield and San Diego’s Quentin Jammer. At this point, all of those players will likely be fairly affordable.

Oakland could also draft Alabama’s Dee Milliner with the No. 3 overall pick.

But I’m sure the Raiders will want to grab at least one cornerback in this year’s solid free-agent class. The three other AFC West teams have each added a highly regarded corner: Denver signed Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Kansas City signed Sean Smith and San Diego inked Derek Cox.
I updated the top 20 free-agent list in the division that reflects the release of Steelers linebacker James Harrison and safety Bernard Pollard. There are eight unsigned free agents remaining on the list. Here is the rankings and where the players stand now (* -- unsigned):

1. Joe Flacco, Ravens QB: Signed a six-year, $120.6 million contract with the Ravens. The NFL-record deal includes $52 million guaranteed and a $29 million signing bonus.

2. Mike Wallace, ex-Steelers WR: Signed a five-year, $60 million contract with the Dolphins. The deal includes $30 million guaranteed and an $11 million signing bonus.

*3. Ed Reed, Ravens FS: Unsigned. Reed took a two-day visit to Houston but left without a deal. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome expects Reed to make a decision this week.

*4. Andre Smith, Bengals OT: Unsigned. Smith remains a priority for the Bengals. He has surprisingly drawn little interest in free agency.

5. Michael Johnson, Bengals DE: Signed a one-year, $11.2 million franchise tag with the Bengals.

6. Dannell Ellerbe, ex-Ravens ILB: Signed a five-year, $34.75 million contract with the Dolphins. The deal includes $14 million guaranteed and a $7 million signing bonus.

7. Paul Kruger, ex-Ravens OLB: Signed a five-year, $40.5 million contract with the Browns. The deal includes $20 million guaranteed and a $6 million signing bonus.

*8. Phil Dawson, Browns K: Unsigned. Not expected to return to the Browns.

9. Dennis Pitta, Ravens TE: Restricted free agent received second-round tender ($2.023 million).

*10. James Harrison, Steelers OLB: Unsigned. Harrison refused a pay cut, but he's drawing very little interest. The Ravens reportedly have talked to him, but there have been no contract negotiations.

*11. Josh Cribbs, Browns WR-PR: Unsigned. Cribbs reportedly visited the Cardinals and took a physical Monday.

*12. Bernard Pollard, Ravens safety: Unsigned. Pollard has had one visit (the Titans) since being released by the Ravens last week.

13. Keenan Lewis, ex-Steelers CB: Signed a five-year, $25.5 million contract with the Saints. The deal includes $10.5 million guaranteed and a $6 million signing bonus.

14. Cary Williams, ex-Ravens CB: Signed a three-year, $17 million contract with the Eagles. The deal includes $10.5 million guaranteed and a $5 million signing bonus.

15. Manny Lawson, ex-Bengals OLB: Signed a four-year, $12 million contract with the Bills. The deal includes a $3 million signing bonus.

*16. Terence Newman, Bengals CB: Unsigned. Newman is expected to choose between the Bengals and Raiders this week.

17. Emmanuel Sanders, Steelers WR: Restricted free agent visited the Patriots last week but has yet to sign an offer sheet. The Steelers have first right of refusal and would receive a third-round pick as compensation if they didn't match the offer.

18. Rey Maualuga, Bengals LB: Signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Bengals. The deal includes a $2.5 million signing bonus.

*19. Adam Jones, Bengals CB: Unsigned. The Bengals are reportedly close to re-signing Jones.

20. Benjamin Watson, ex-Browns TE: Signed a three-year deal with the Saints.
Elvis Dumervil’s new agent, Tom Condon, and the Denver Broncos lost an appeal to get the verbal agreement honored by the NFL. The agreement was turned in after the league's deadline on Friday.

It was considered a longshot, anyway because had the NFL honored the deal the rest of the league would have been upset.

The Denver Post reports that the Baltimore Ravens are currently negotiating with Dumervil. The Broncos want Dumervil back and he wants to return, but there are salary issues.

The Denver Post reports the Broncos' first choice to replace Dumervil, 29, if he signs elsewhere will be former Atlanta pass-rusher John Abraham. He was productive last season, but he will turn 35 in May.

In other AFC West notes:

Cornerback Terence Newman tweeted he may make his decision on a team later in the week, choosing between the Bengals and Raiders.

The Baltimore Sun reports former Oakland safety Michael Huff, who was cut last week, is receiving interest from Baltimore, Green Bay, Dallas and Tennessee.

Dallas reportedly is talking to Jets guard Matt Slauson. He reportedly received interest from Oakland early in free agency.

Raiders linebacker Nick Roach got a four-year with $5 million in guaranteed money.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said receiver Wes Welker signed with Denver for less than what New England offered him. Welker signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Broncos.

The Boston Globe reports the Patriots have shown some interest in right tackle Eric Winston, who was cut by the Chiefs. Winston has also visited with the Chargers.

Former San Diego pass-rusher Antwan Barnes has signed with the Jets on a three-year contract.

Raiders lose TE Brandon Myers

March, 16, 2013
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The reality of the Oakland Raiders’ salary-cap issues struck again Saturday when tight end Brandon Myers signed with the New York Giants.

The Raiders have seen several good, young players leave the team during free agency. Myers had 79 catches and was the favorite target of quarterback Carson Palmer last year. Myers is a poor blocker and has some limitations in the receiving game. But he is a good player and the bottom line is Oakland needs all the good players it can get.

Tight end may be another hole. The team has young players David Ausberry and Richard Gordon at the position, but neither player is proven. Oakland will need to bring in a tight end in some form. Versatile fullback Marcel Reece can play in some tight end formations.

Oakland has been concentrating on adding defensive players in free agency. The Raiders have several free agents remaining, including punter Shane Lechler. The punter market has been slow. Lechler has been connected to Houston, but there have been reports the Texans may look elsewhere.

Meanwhile, cornerback Terence Newman has tweeted that he will make his decision on where to play in the coming days. Newman, who will be 35 in September, visited Oakland recently. He’d be a starter there.

In the Elvis Dumervil saga in Denver, USA Today reports Dumervil has interest from at least four teams, but he wants to return to Denver. That is believable since he did agree to a pay cut. The issue is whether the Broncos can figure a way to make it work.

The Denver Post is reporting Dumervil is close to hiring the powerful Tom Condon as his new agent. Condon is Peyton Manning’s agent. Condon clearly has a successful relationship with Denver’s brass. That may be another sign of Dumervil wanting to stay.
The cornerback market began to dry up over the past couple of days when the likes of Sean Smith (Kansas City), Chris Houston (Detroit), Keenan Lewis (New Orleans), Cary Williams (Philadelphia) and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Denver) all signed.

This should catch the attention of the Browns and Bengals, the two AFC North teams who are most likely to add a cornerback in free agency. The Browns need someone to start opposite Joe Haden, because they're not expected to re-sign Sheldon Brown. The Bengals are looking to bolster their depth at that position, especially if Terence Newman and Adam Jones go elsewhere in free agency.

The top cornerbacks available are: the Falcons' Brent Grimes, the Patriots' Aqib Talib, the Eagles' Nnamdi Asomugha and the Vikings' Antoine Winfield. But it doesn't look like these cornerbacks will be around too long. Grimes could go to the Buccaneers (if they can't trade for Darrelle Revis) or return to the Falcons. Talib is expected to go back to New England. Asomugha is in serious talks with the 49ers. And Winfield has drawn some interest from the Redskins.

Where does this leave the Browns and Bengals? Cleveland's best bet will be either San Diego's Antoine Cason or Carolina's Captain Munnerlyn. Cason is a three-year starter who made eight interceptions and broke up 45 passes during that span. Munnerlyn, who started the past two seasons for the Panthers, has a familiarity with Browns coach Rob Chudzinski, the former offensive coordinator in Carolina.

The Bengals, whose focus has been to keep their own free agents, want to keep Newman. But Newman has decided to test the market, making a visit to Oakland on Thursday. He is considered the Bengals' second-highest priority behind right tackle Andre Smith. If Newman signs with the Raiders, that would shift Cincinnati's focus to Jones.
Injuries will force the Bengals to go with three cornerbacks Sunday at Jacksonville.

Four cornerbacks -- Leon Hall (hamstring), Nate Clements (calf), Jason Allen (thigh) and Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) -- are among the seven inactives. That means the Bengals will go with Terence Newman and Adam Jones as the starting cornerbacks. Chris Lewis-Harris, who was signed from the practice squad, is the third corner. Cincinnati could go with recently re-signed safety Chris Crocker as the nickel corner.

The banged-up Cincinnati secondary faces Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who ranks 30th in the league with 468 yards passing. His 5.9 yards per attempt is 31st.

Here are the Bengals' inactives: CB Leon Hall, CB Nate Clements, CB Jason Allen, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, RB Bernard Scott, LB Roddrick Muckelroy and WR Ryan Whalen.
Leon Hall, the Cincinnati Bengals' top cornerback, is inactive for today's game at the Washington Redskins with a calf injury. He was listed as questionable.

Hall will be replaced by Terence Newman, the former Cowboys defensive back who has nine career interceptions against the Redskins.

Defensive end Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati's best edge pass rusher, is active but won't start. Robert Geathers will start in place of Dunlap, who missed the first two games with a knee injury.

While the Bengals will be without Hall, the Redskins will also not have wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who is inactive. Leonard Hankerson will start in place of Garcon.

Here's the full inactive report:

Bengals: CB Leon Hall, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, DT Brandon Thompson, WR Marvin Jones, TE Donald Lee, WR Ryan Whalen and TE Richard Quinn.

Redskins: WR Pierre Garcon, QB Rex Grossman, S Brandon Meriweather, S Jordan Pugh, G Josh LeRibeus, G Adam Gettis and DE Doug Worthington.

Bengals' corners face another young QB

September, 21, 2012
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A week after giving up 322 yards passing to Cleveland's Brandon Weeden, the Bengals' cornerbacks face another rookie first-round quarterback in Robert Griffin III on Sunday.

Two games into the regular season, Leon Hall hasn't looked the same since injuring his Achilles last year, and Nate Clements (32 years old) and Terence Newman (34) have looked old. The Bengals' defense ranks 29th in completion percentage (71 percent), 29th in passing yards allowed (308.5), and 30th in passing first downs (31).

Last season, Cincinnati allowed only one team -- Seattle -- to throw for 300 yards. This season, both opponents (the Ravens and Browns) have topped that mark.

"It's just doing our jobs, being where we need to [be] all the time, being consistent," coach Marvin Lewis said. "We're pressing a little bit, and it showed."

Big plays allowed have always been a problem for the Bengals, and it's something that Lewis has tried to stress to his defense. The Bengals have given up 11 pass plays of more than 20 yards. Only the Saints, Bears and Buccaneers have allowed more.

The Bengals have to be wary of RG3's arm. His 9.6 yards per attempt leads the NFL.

Cincinnati's pass defense will get a boost if Carlos Dunlap returns after missing the first two games with a knee injury. He has 14 sacks in 24 career games.
Joe Flacco and A.J. Green Getty ImagesBaltimore's Joe Flacco, left, and Cincinnati's A.J. Green could hold the keys to victory Monday.
Thanks to Marvin Lewis, the Cincinnati Bengals match up pretty well against the Baltimore Ravens.

Even though the Ravens have been a perennial playoff team, Lewis, the Ravens’ defensive coordinator from 1996-2001, builds his Bengals roster to counter his division rival. Because he helped hand-pick several of the top defensive players who have helped make the Ravens one of the best defenses in the league, the Bengals usually know they can give the Ravens a game.

Since 2006, this competitive series has had only two games in which the margin of difference was bigger than 10 points. In fact, Lewis has a 10-8 lifetime record against the Ravens. Since John Harbaugh arrived in Baltimore in 2008, he’s won five out of eight against the Bengals.

Here’s what to watch for in this competitive Monday night game:

Baltimore Ravens

1. Will the Ravens have a pass-rush? The loss of linebacker Terrell Suggs was huge for the Ravens. His Achilles tendon injury has created an Achilles’ heel for their defense. They need a pass-rush. This goes beyond replacing Suggs’ 14 sacks. During the preseason, the Ravens didn’t show they were consistently getting to the quarterback. Second-round linebacker Courtney Upshaw is still getting his feel for the NFL and might offer some hope. The pressure will fall on Paul Kruger, who takes over Suggs’ spot. The Ravens are blessed with good coverage cornerbacks, which might allow them to try some blitzes.

2. More will fall on the arm of Joe Flacco: Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron plans to let Flacco take more leadership on the field and let him use more no-huddle. Though the Ravens don’t plan to abandon the run, they will be running an offense with a quicker tempo. Normally, the Bengals play the Ravens to low-scoring games in which both teams often end up scoring in the teens. Last season, offense became more of a factor. The Ravens won, 31-24, and 24-16. Flacco would love to get three or four touchdown drives against the Bengals.

3. More speed at wide receiver: One of the reasons the Bengals and Lewis keep the scores low against the Ravens is because the Bengals use plenty of man-to-man schemes. In the past, the Ravens didn’t have a lot of speed at wide receiver. This year they have speed. Torrey Smith, in his second season, is now a complete receiver with speed instead of only being a deep threat in his rookie year. Jacoby Jones adds a sub-4.4 threat. LaQuan Williams is fast. Watch to see if the Ravens receivers can win the battle against the Bengals cornerbacks.

4. Are the Ravens solid up front? The Ravens are fielding one of the oldest offensive lines in football. Left tackle Bryant McKinnie is 32. Guard Bobbie Williams is 35. Center Matt Birk is 36. One of the keys to the running game is how Williams and Birk do against defensive tackle Geno Atkins. If Atkins’ quickness beats the aging legs of Birk and Williams, the Ravens might have trouble running the football up the middle. They might also be vulnerable to inside blitzes.

5. Will Ray Rice’s role change? Rice has carried the Ravens offense for years, but the subtle changes in this year’s offense could adjust his role. First, will the no-huddle limit some of the runs Rice could make? Second, if the Ravens have problems in the middle of the line, will he have to bounce more plays to the outside? Rice is a threat running and receiving, but the new emphasis on throwing the ball could make him more of a threat through the air.

Cincinnati Bengals:

1. Problems in the middle of the Bengals offensive line: The Bengals lost guard Travelle Wharton and center Kyle Cook for the season, and they have to make do with Clint Boling at left guard and Jeff Faine at center. Faine is an established NFL veteran, but he sometimes has trouble against big 3-4 defensive tackles. How he handles Terrence Cody, Haloti Ngata and Ma'ake Kemoeatu could be the key to the game for the Bengals. If the pocket collapses in the middle of the field, it could be a tough day for quarterback Andy Dalton.

2. Establishing the man-to-man matchups: Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is a master of matching up his cornerbacks against receivers. He has plenty of options. Nate Clements and Leon Hall are the starters, but at his disposal is longtime Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman, Adam “PacMan” Jones, and Jason Allen.

3. Making sure Taylor Mays has a good game: Taylor Mays won the strong safety job, so this will be his most extensive playing time as he enters his third year in the league. Mays has cornerback speed and is a big hitter, but he is still raw at the position. The Ravens will try to challenge him by sending tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta in his direction. Flacco will also try to get him out of position with play-action fakes that could free up Torrey Smith for some deep completions.

4. Establishing a running game: The Bengals had a solid running back with Cedric Benson. Now, the BenJarvus Green-Ellis era begins. Green-Ellis is a smart player who doesn’t fumble, but he has yet to prove he can be an every-down back week in, week out. The Bengals still have a young quarterback in Dalton, so it would be nice if he could count on Green-Ellis getting 16 to 18 carries a week.

5. Sorting out the receiving corps: Everyone knows A.J. Green has established himself as one of the best young receivers in football. Tight end Jermaine Gresham is a big-play tight end. But the Bengals have revamped everything behind him. Andrew Hawkins takes over as the slot receiver. Brandon Tate is the starter at wide receiver for now, but third-round pick Mohamed Sanu is an intriguing prospect. With defenses figuring to double Green, Dalton has to see who can establish themselves as dependable pass-catching options.
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