Cincinnati Bengals 2020 Team Set Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a 2020 team set of Cincinnati Bengals cards. 

Cincinnati Bengals 2020 Season Outlook

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone previews the 2020 Cincinnati Bengals' season.

Bengals Recap 2019

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone recaps the Cincinnati Bengals' 2019 season. 

Football Frustration

The Cincinnati Bengals are beyond a shadow of a doubt the most frustrating team to be a fan of in the Queen City. The team is often regarded as stale, stubborn, and behind the times. Last Tuesday showcased that sentiment in spades.

With the NFL trade deadline approaching at 4PM on 10/29, the only news to break from the Bengals front office was that quarterback Andy Dalton would be benched after the bye week in favor of starting rookie Ryan Finley who was taken in the fourth round of the draft. I support the move. Dalton is essentially a lame duck quarterback at this point and the Bengals need to see what they have in Finley before the 2020 NFL draft. Unfortunately, that was the only move the Bengals made.

Reports were swirling that other teams had reached out to the Bengals regarding Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins, Dre Kirkpatrick, Tyler Eifert, and A.J. Green. Some serious draft picks could've been acquired in exchange for any of the guys listed and yet the Bengals did not pull the trigger on a single trade. Green alone could have garnered a first round pick and considering how he can walk away at the end of the season, it is baffling that this team did not move him as there is no guarantee he will sign another Bengals contract.

Coach Zac Taylor was heard multiple times throughout the week leading up to the trade deadline that they want to evaluate the current roster. I really hope somebody was telling him to say that, as bad as that sounds. When your team is 0-8, what is there to evaluate? The Bengals suck this season. That is your evaluation. Expecting something different with the same aging cast of characters next season? That's insanity. What's more insane than that? Being a Bengals fan.

Despite all the frustration the Bengals give me every week and the absolute incompetence demonstrated by the ownership and front office, I am still a fan. For some stupid reason, I am still invested in this franchise and want to see them succeed. That is why it is beyond infuriating to watch this franchise do nothing at the trade deadline. Instead of trading away players to gather draft picks that can help rebuild the franchise, the Bengals stayed stagnant and appear consent with the way things are.

Obviously, the fans are not content. The city of Cincinnati is not content. There needs to be a big change or shakeup within the Bengals organization. Something that would revitalize the fanbase and take this team to the next level is desperately needed. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen. As for now, expect more of the same old, incompetent Bengals.

Who Dey...

Bengals Training Camp 2019

With the Cincinnati Reds and FC Cincinnati dominating the Cincinnati summer sports scene, it is easy to become mesmerized by the action that unfolds on the diamond and on the pitch. Soon though, Cincinnati sports fans will be able to take in the action of the gridiron as the Bengals officially start their 2019 training camp.

Training camp starts on Saturday, July 27, in Dayton. It will then move to Cincinnati on Sunday, July 28, and last until Monday August 12. Gates will open 30 minutes before practice starts with most practices starting at 3 p.m. The only exception is when practice starts at 2:30 p.m. on July 27 in which case gates will open at 1:30 p.m. The Family DEY practice on August 3 will also have an earlier entrance time beginning at 2:00 p.m.

Practices are held on the practice field right next to Paul Brown Stadium. The only practices not held on the practice field will be the one in Dayton and the Family Day event on August 3. The Family Day practice will be held inside Paul Brown Stadium and will feature a lot of activities and a giveaway for kids. If you are an autograph hunter like me, the family day practice is the best training camp session to attend as every player is available for autographs once practice concludes.

The Cincinnati Bengals training camp is a great way to check out the team up close and personal. It is really cool to witness the current players mix it up the rookie draft picks and see how well they mesh together. It is also a great opportunity to get some autographs from your favorite Bengals players! Attending training camp is something that I highly recommend as every true Bengals fan needs to experience it before the season starts.

Who Dey!

A.J. Green Flathlete Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Bengals A.J. Green flathlete. 

Bengals Recap 2018

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone recaps the 2018 season of the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Cincinnati Bengals 2018 Season Outlook

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone previews the 2018 season of the Cincinnati Bengals. Please note that this was filmed a few weeks before the start of the regular season. Anything said in this video might have changed by the first game.

Training Camp 2018

With the Cincinnati Reds and FC Cincinnati dominating the Cincinnati summer sports scene, it is easy to become mesmerized by the action that unfolds on the diamond and on the pitch. Soon though, Cincinnati sports fans will be able to take in the action of the gridiron as the Bengals officially start their 2018 training camp.

Training camp starts on Thursday July 26 and goes until Saturday August 11. Gates will open 30 minutes before practice starts with most practices starting at 3 p.m. The only exceptions are when practice starts at 6 p.m. on Friday August 3, and 1 p.m. on Saturday August 4.

Practices are also held on the practice field right next to Paul Brown Stadium. The only practice not held on the practice field will be the Family Day event on August 4. The Family Day practice will be held inside Paul Brown Stadium and will feature a lot of activities and a giveaway for kids. If you are an autograph hunter like me, the family day practice is the best training camp session to attend as every player is available for autographs once practice concludes.

The Cincinnati Bengals training camp is a great way to check out the team up close and personal. It is really cool to witness the current players mix it up the rookie draft picks and see how well they mesh together. It is also a great opportunity to get some autographs from your favorite Bengals players! Attending training camp is something that I highly recommend as every true Bengals fan needs to experience it before the season starts.

Who Dey!

Who Dey Draft 2018

The 2018 NFL Draft has come and gone, and it was a chance for my beloved Cincinnati Bengals to address some of the issues that plagued this team the past two seasons. The biggest of these problems was the offensive line. For the last two years, Andy Dalton was seemingly running for his life every other play. That is why many NFL Draft experts predicted that the Bengals would select an offensive lineman in the first round.

Despite rumors that the Bengals would take quarterback Lamar Jackson out of the University of Louisville, the franchise selected center Billy Price out of Ohio State University. Price replaces center Russell Bodine who signed with the Buffalo Bills in free agency. Hopefully he can prove to be a better center than Bodine and provide adequate blocking for Dalton.

In the second round, the Bengals selected safety Jessie Bates III out of Wake Forest. The Bengals are hoping he can help cover slots and and allow them to stay in base defense. In the third round, the team took defensive end Sam Hubbard out of Ohio State. Hopefully he can help strengthen the pass rush. They also selected Malik Jefferson. He is a linebacker out of Texas. With Vontaze Burfict facing a suspension to start the season as well as his injury history, I feel like the Jefferson’s selection is self explanatory.

The Bengals had one selection in the fourth round, and the chose Miami Hurricane running back Mark Walton. With Jeremy Hill joing former Bengals running back Rex Burkhead in New England, the Bengals were down to Joe Mixon and Gio Bernard. Walton will probably be the new third string back as well as contribute on special teams.

In the fifth round, the Bengals had three picks. First they selected cornerback Davontae Harris out of Illinois State. With Adam Jones currently a free agent, Harris adds some depth to the cornerback position. The Bengals then selected Andrew Brown. The former Virginia Cavalier defensive tackle will most likely see some time on the field behind Geno Atkins. Their final fifth round pick was Darius Phillips out Western Michigan. He is a cornerback who could also be used as a returner.

The Bengals had no six round picks, but did make three selections in the seventh round. First was Toledo Rockets quarterback Logan Woodside. He will most likely be competing for a backup role or might even be the practice squad quarterback. Next was Rod Taylor, an offensive lineman out of the University of Mississippi. The Bengals have stated that they believe he can play either guard or tackle, and they are hoping his versatility can help bolster the offensive line. The final draft pick made by the Bengals in 2018 was wide receiver Auden Tate from Florida State University. He will compete for one of the receiver spots on the team as the Bengals have stated that they believe he can be a major target for Dalton.

Those are all of the 2018 draft picks of the Bengals. They addressed some of their offensive line needs, strengthened the defense, and hopefully picked up a few players that can help them win a Super Bowl Championship. On paper, I’d say that they had a good draft. Of course, we won’t really know how the draft picks pan out until the season starts.

Who Dey!

Bengals Recap 2017

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone recaps the 2017 season of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Bengal Graphs 2017 Part 2

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows the different autographs he has gotten throughout the 2017 season of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Honoring the Legends

With the Cincinnati Bengals celebrating their 50^th anniversary, the team will be honoring some of the legends that helped make the franchise what it is today. There will be halftime ceremonies during the first two games of the year, and the list of former Bengals being honored is quite impressive.

Players being honored at the home opener against the Baltimore Ravens on September 10 include Ken Anderson, Isaac Curtis, Ken Riley, Lemar Parrish, Louis Breeden, Mike Reid, Ross Browner, Ken Avery, Al Beauchamp, Solomon Brannan, Gary Burley, Turk Schonert, and John Stofa. The next ceremony will take place four days later during the Septpember 14 Thursday night game against the Houston Texans. Players being honored include Chad Johnson, Cris Collinsworth, Max Montoya, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Bill Bergey, Rich Braham, Ken Blackman, Neal Craig, Jonathan Fanene, Corey Mays, and Shaun Smith.

This is the first time that the Bengals are really acknowledging the past and thanking the players of yesteryear. I grew up watching guys like Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and it is awesome that they will be honored by the Bengals. Hopefully the team takes the next step by creating a team hall of fame or a ring of honor so that the contributions these players made to the franchise will never be forgotten.

Who Dey!

Cincinnati Bengals 2017 Season Outlook

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone previews the 2017 season of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Training Camp 2017

With the Cincinnati Reds and FC Cincinnati dominating the Cincinnati summer sports scene, it is easy to become mesmerized by the action that unfolds on the diamond and on the pitch. Soon though, Cincinnati sports fans will be able to take in the action of the gridiron as the Bengals officially start their 2017 training camp.

Training camp starts on Friday July 28 and goes until Thursday August 10. Gates will open 30 minutes before practice starts with most practices starting at 3 p.m. The only exceptions are when practice starts at 6 p.m. on Friday August 4, 1 p.m. on Saturday August 5, 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday August 9, and 10:30 a.m. on Thursday August 11.

Practices are also held on the practice field right next to Paul Brown Stadium. The only practice not held on the practice field will be the Family Day event on August 5. The Family Day practice will be held inside Paul Brown Stadium and will feature a lot of activities and a giveaway for kids. If you are an autograph hunter like me, the family day practice is the best training camp session to attend as every player is available for autographs once practice concludes.

The Cincinnati Bengals training camp is a great way to check out the team up close and personal. It is really cool to witness the current players mix it up the rookie draft picks and see how well they mesh together. It is also a great opportunity to get some autographs from your favorite Bengals players! Attending training camp is something that I highly recommend as every true Bengals fan needs to experience it before the season starts.

Who Dey!

Who Dey Draft 2017

The NFL Draft has come and gone and for the most part, the Cincinnati Bengals did a pretty good job with who they selected from the college game to join their team. In this post, I will list who the Bengals drafted and share my thoughts on the role each pick will have with the team.

The first pick was Washington wide receiver John Ross. The guy has electrifying speed and along side A.J. Green, the Bengals passing attack should be a force to be reckoned with in the NFL.

Second was running back Joe Mixon out of the University of Oklahoma. On the field, Mixon could be one of the best running backs in the league and should help the ground game immensely. Off the field is another story. His incident in which he punched a woman in the face has followed him from college to the NFL, and it will be up to him to change how people perceive him.

Third was defensive end Jordan Willis. He played college football for Kansas State. Hopefully Willis can complement Carlos Dunlap and boost the pass rich for the defense.

The fourth pick was Carl Lawson out of Auburn. Like Willis, Lawson is a defensive end. I could see Lawson and Willis being used in a platoon like system on the defensive line to give them both some playing time and experience.

Fifth was wide receiver Josh Malone. The former Tennessee Volunteer should help bolster the offense as he has a combination of both size and speed. With Green now entering his seventh season in the league, Malone and Ross along with Tyler Boyd could be considered the next generation of bengals receivers.

Sixth was Ryan Glasgow, a defensive tackle out of Michigan. Glasgow is a key building block for the defensive line as he can both rush the passer and stop the run. Like Lawson and Willis, I can see Glasgow being rotated in and out of the defensive line.

Seventh was Memphis kicker Jake Elliott. Last year the Bengals had Mike Nugent. Need I say more?

The eighth pick of the draft was J.J. Dielman. He is a center out of Utah. The offensive line sucked last year and with both Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler departing the team via free agency, Dielman could see a lot of playing time on the line outside of the center position.

Ninth was Jordan Evans. He was a linebacker for the Oklahoma Sooners. With Rey Maulauga being released by Bengals in the offseason, Evans could be groomed to take his spot.

Brandon Wilson was selected tenth by the Bengals. He played cornerback at Houston. With Adam Jones in legal trouble and William Jackson III and Darqueze Dennard having a history of injuries, Wilson might get to showcase his coverage abilities this season.

The last pick for the Bengals was tight end Mason Schreck out of Buffalo. Tyler Eifert is notorious for his battles with the injury bug so Schreck might be able to compete for a backup tight end spot should Eifert get hurt again.

Those are the 2017 Cincinnati Bengals draft picks. Hopefully they can help the Bengals have a bounce back year in 2017 after the disappointing 2016 campaign. Maybe some of these players are the key pieces needed to finally give the Be gals a playoff win.

Who Dey!

Bobblehead Collection 2016

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows his entire bobblehead collection.

Bengals Recap 2016

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone recaps the 2016 season of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Taken for Granted

Being a Cincinnati Bengals fan is not always the easiest thing. Aside from having to deal with the constant reminder that the Bengals have not won a playoff game since 1990, you also have to deal with internal conflicts and wars of words amongst fellow members of Who Dey Nation. There are constant debates of whether or not Marvin Lewis should be fired or if AJ McCarron should be the starting quarterback over Andy Dalton. While these internal arguments seemed to decrease within the last five years, the 2016 season has seen a resurgence of these debates. The conflicts are again raging on with the topic of whether or not Ken Zampese should remain offensive coordinator being thrown into the mix. But why are these arguments once again the main focus of Bengals fans? It is because the team will not make the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season.

After a very disappointing 2010 campaign in which the team finished with an abysmal 4-12 record, the franchise was essentially forced to hit the reset button. Star quarterback Carson Palmer refused to come back to the team, and the question of who would be behind center for the Bengals was a topic hot discussion during the offseason. In response to Palmer’s poor display of team leadership, the Bengals drafted Texas Christian University quarterback Andy Dalton in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. Dalton was paired with Bengals first round draft pick A.J. Green, a wide receiver out of the University of Georgia. Together the duo helped lead the Bengals to a 6-2 record through the first nine weeks of the 2011 season which prompted the team to trade Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for two future draft picks. The 2011 Bengals finished the season with a record of 9-7 and qualified for the playoffs as a wildcard team.

2011 marked the first of five consecutive years in which the Bengals qualified for the playoffs. They qualified as a wildcard team in 2011, 2012, and in 2014 and qualified as division champs in 2013 and in 2015. Bengals fans began to expect the team to become a yearly contender. Instead of hoping for the team to make the playoffs, fans began to hope that the team would find postseason success. Questioning if the team would make the playoffs became laughable. This state of mind was shared by nearly every member of Who Dey Nation including me.

I had no doubt that the team would once again reach the playoffs at the end of the 2016 season. In my Bengals 2016 season preview video, I predicted that the team would reach the postseason and win in the first round. That will not happen. I, like so many other Bengals fans, took playoff qualification for granted. What us fans have to realize is that making the playoffs is not a guarantee. Each game during the NFL season has huge consequences when it comes to the playoffs, and members of Who Dey Nation are getting an unpleasant reminder of those consequences this year.

I have come to terms with the fact that the Bengals will not be playing for a chance to win the Super Bowl this season. I have also realized that the opportunity to play for a Super Bowl title is not a guarantee. The 2016 season has proved that playoff qualification should not be taken for granted and that the five-year stretch of success the Bengals had could be difficult to duplicate in the future. I have learned my lesson, and I hope all Bengals fans as well as the entire Bengals franchise has learned their lesson as well. Hopefully 2017 will be a rebound year that will include a valuable trip to the playoffs.

Who Dey!

Bengal Graphs 2016

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows off the different autographs he has gotten through the first four weeks of the 2016 NFL season.