Bengal Graphs 2016 Part 4

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows the different Cincinnati Bengals autographs he has gotten throughout the 2016 NFL season.

The Pacman Problem

Just when you thought a rough year for the Cincinnati Bengals could not get any worse, it did. On January 3, 2017, Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones was arrested after being accused of disorderly conduct and assaulting a security employee at a hotel in Cincinnati. Officials said that Jones was pounding on hotel room doors and when hotel security arrived to investigate, Jones got into an altercation with an employee by pushing the employee and poking him in the eye. According to court documents, the police were called and while Jones was being arrested, he was “head-butting” and “kicking” at officers. He was then taken to the county jail where things got much worse.

While sitting in the back of the police car, Jones can be seen on camera saying a lot of derogatory things to the officer that I have no desire of typing out in this post. If you want to see the video of Jones in the police car, click here. In the video, Jones repeatedly calls the officer a racially insensitive word, swears at the officer multiple times, kicks the door of the car, and says that he hopes the officer dies. Once inside the jail, Jones was allegedly combative and had to be placed in a restraint chair. According to court documents, Jones also spat on a female nurse when she tried to examine him. That action led to a felony charge of harassment with a bodily substance in addition to the multiple misdemeanor charges Jones is currently facing.

The video of Jones in the police car went viral on January 23, and a tidal wave of criticism and outrage came crashing down on Jones and the Bengals. The Bengals issued an apology to its fans as well as the city of Cincinnati, and Jones’ attorneys issued an apology to the officers, the Bengals organization, and fans of the team. At the time that this post was written, the NFL has yet to impose any kind of punishment on Jones.

Jones has been a tremendous asset to the defense during his time with the team, and he earned himself a hefty contract following a standout 2015 season. He seemingly turned his act around after years of off the field trouble. I went to an episode of “Beyond the Stripes” during the 2016 season in which Jones was the guest player. He was the best guest the show had all year, and he had nothing but good things to say about the Bengals franchise, the city of Cincinnati, and Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. He credited Lewis with saving his life. The Adam Jones I saw that night made the one from years past seem nonexistent. Unfortunately that is no longer the case as the work Jones did to rebuild his life and reputation has taken a huge hit due to his actions on January 3^rd.

Needless to say, the Bengals are in a tough situation. The charges alone Jones is facing are enough for the Bengals to cut the cornerback. Add in the video of Jones reverting to his past self in the back of the police car, and it is almost a forgone conclusion that Jones will not be with the team next season. He is a representation of the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that was once known for its players getting into trouble with the law. After essentially hitting the reset button and attaining the reputation of a model franchise in the NFL, it would make no sense for the Bengals to keep Jones. I love the Bengals, and I am a fan of Jones as a player. As a person though, Jones has proven that he has some work to do. I hope that Jones apologizes for his actions himself and takes the necessary steps to correct his behavior.

Here’s hoping to hear nothing but good news about the Bengals the rest of the offseason! Who Dey!

Autograph Page Update

#Autograph Page Update @ https://t.co/ULDHSOUCJg With New #Bengals Autographs#whodey #letsroar #NFL #MNF #TNF #football #CINvsHOU #sports pic.twitter.com/IMVmzk3gey

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) December 21, 2016

Photo Page Update

Photo Page Update @ https://t.co/JzwEdxiFEu With New #Bengals Pics#WhoDey #LetsRoar #CINvsHOU #MNF #TNF #NFL #BeyondTheStripes #football pic.twitter.com/UGFYrTeuxL

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) December 21, 2016

Photo Page Update

Photo Page Update @ https://t.co/JzwEdxiFEu With New #Bengals Pics#WhoDey #LetsRoar #DENvsCIN #BeyondTheStripes pic.twitter.com/PmxmfNxYjI

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) September 21, 2016

Top Five Bengals Free Agents

Now that I have had some time to pick up the pieces of my broken heart that shattered when my Cincinnati Bengals proved to be their own worst enemy during their 2015 playoff loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers, I believe it is time to put that horrendous night in the rearview mirror and look ahead to the 2016 season. There is no doubt that this team will indeed look different next year. A few coaches such as Hue Jackson and Vance Joseph have left the Bengals to take coaching positions with other teams, and 15 players are now free agents. These players are cornerback Leon Hall, tackle Andre Smith, safety Reggie Nelson, linebacker Vinny Rey, cornerback Adam Jones, linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, defensive end Wallace Gilberry, wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, safety George Iloka, tackle Eric Winston, defensive tackle Brandon Thompson, wide receiver Marvin Jones, wide receiver Brandon Tate, defensive tackle Pat Sims, and center T.J. Johnson. In a perfect world, the Bengals would bring back every player (yes, even Adam Jones). Unfortunately, salary cap restrictions and high contract offers from other teams pretty much guarantee that some of these free agents will end up somewhere else. So who should the Bengals offer new contracts to out of these 15 players? Keep reading to see who I think are the top five players that need to be brought back.

Marvin Jones is a no brainer. If there is a must have player on this list, it is number 82 for the Bengals. Jones is a fantastic wide receiver and made some incredible catches and plays this season. He bounced back nicely after injuries put him on the bench for all of 2014, and he proved that his breakout 2013 campaign was no fluke. The Bengals need to bring him back and keep their triple threat of wide receivers together. The triple threat I am referring to is A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, and Mohamed Sanu. Speaking of Sanu…

…the Bengals need to bring him back as well. Sanu has proven to be the most versatile player on the team. He hauls in touchdown passes and has even thrown a touchdown pass to A.J. Green. In fact, he has a perfect passer rating! Aside from catching and throwing touchdowns, he has also rushed for a few and has become a man of all trades for this team. The Bengals need to bring him back as his versatility on the field is something that the offense has used time and time again to its advantage.

George Iloka is another player I would love to see back as a Bengal. He has had a solid four years as a Bengals safety and is a guy that I definitely see becoming a leader of the defense. He may not have as many picks as Reggie Nelson, but he has something that Nelson does not have: youth. Iloka is only 25 years old while Nelson is at the age of 32. Plus, Iloka will be cheaper than Nelson as Nelson is sure to garner a huge contract in the offseason. So when it comes to Iloka, I would definitely bring him back. He is a leader in the making, a solid safety, and a much more affordable option for the Bengals.

I would also bring back linebacker Vinny Rey. Not only is he one of the best linebackers on the team, but he is also the smartest linebacker on the team. He routinely makes excellent plays, he knows how to control his emotions, and he has come through in the clutch on multiple occasions. Just look at his game clinching interception against the San Diego Chargers. With Vontaze Burfict being suspended for the first three games of the 2016 season, the Bengals need somebody to fill the void. Rey has filled that void before, and I know he is more than capable of filling it again.

The last player I would bring back is Wallace Gilberry. The man is an intelligent football player who is also a beast on the defensive line. He along with Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, and Domata Peko were monsters for opposing offensive lines for most of the season. Like Iloka, I also see him beginning to emerge as a leader on the defensive side of the ball. He is a really good player and one that I believe can keep the other defensive players in check.

Those are my top five Bengals free agents that I would bring back. Obviously I would love it if the Bengals could bring them all back, but everybody knows that is virtually impossible. Guys will want more money and the Bengals can only offer so much. Football, like every other professional sport, is all about the “Benjamins” and hopefully the Bengals offer money to the right players.

Who Dey!

Bengal Graphs 2015 Part 2

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows the Cincinnati Bengals autographs he has gotten over the course of the season.

Collection Additions

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows what he added to his sports memorabilia collection.

Photos Page Update

PHOTO PAGE UPDATE @ http://t.co/yzF6TznxxM WITH #BENGALS SHOWS PICS #BeyondTheStripes #WhoDey #LetsRoar #CINvsBUF pic.twitter.com/1roc4CTdPj

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) October 15, 2015

Autograph Page Update

#AUTOGRAPH PAGE UPDATE @ http://t.co/oiRAWLpVYr WITH ADAM JONES SIGNATURE #Bengals #WhoDey #LetsRoar #CINvsBUF #NFL pic.twitter.com/UHXj8Kpjfb

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) October 14, 2015