With a nucleus of talented players that include the likes of Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco, they have been viewed in the NFL as a contender that continuously fails to produce. Some blame the coaching, others blame the defense, but in my opinion, the problems the Bengals have been experiencing are rooted way deeper than on-field experiences.
If you don't recall, the problems originated in the 2006 season, when numerous members of the team (eight to be exact), were in some sort of legal trouble. The Bengals' upper management almost completely disregarded their not-so-clean track records, and decided to offer contracts to these players strictly because of their talent. Year in and year out, they continued to appear as a strong team, that ultimately faded at some point during the season. A team's character says a lot about a team, and the Cincinnati Bengals' teams from the previous five seasons can be summed up in one word. Trouble.
Fast forward to the start of the 2010 football season, and the Bengals seem to fit the cliche that history repeats itself. The draft process is long and drawn out for about three months, as each team can address it's own needs throughout the offseason, and they'll rate players depending upon how their scouts view a particular player. Different strategies are used throughout the draft, but typically players with the most upside seem to be taken the earliest.
Enter Carlos Dunlap, a 21-year old terrific defensive end from the University of Florida, and someone who has the raw talent and ability to succeed at the next level. The only problem, is Dunlap has a track record that includes comments from coaches about a poor work ethic, as well as a DUI four days before the 2009 SEC Championship Game. His stock immediately dropped from that point on, as he sat on the sideline and watched his formerly #1 ranked Gators get trampled by long-time rival Alabama. After deciding to leave school and enter the draft, Dunlap knew he'd be drafted, but not nearly as high as he was originally projected.
As the first round drew to a close, Dunlap had to wait until the next day to hear his name called. As the Cincinnati Bengals geared up for their second round pick at number 54 overall, it appeared the talented but troubled defensive end was about to find his new home. And oh, what a fitting home it would be. The franchise that was notorious for signing troubled players and offering them second chances, decided to offer this young man another chance. Will it pay off? Only time will tell, but just like in the past, the Bengals' upper management abandoned the character issue and went with the player they felt had the most upside.
Dating back about a week or two, the Bengals had supposedly been communicating with Adam 'Pacman' Jones, about a possible comeback. When I first saw the article, I didn't event think twice about it, considering it would probably happen because it's happened so many times before. And then, just a few days ago, they offered Jones a two-year contract. To think, is this really a guy you want as a mentor for your already troubled team, that only seems to gain more troubled players? Sure, he's talented, but he's been in a number of situations with different teams, and all haven't worked out. With each NFL team having 53 players on their squad, as well as a couple dozen others they can put on their practice squad, talent can be found in a variety of places. Character cannot.
Just like the Carlos Dunlap situation, it will take time to determine how the Adam Jones situation will unfold. Yet, just like history has repeated itself with the Cincinnati Bengals' selection process, the future doesn't look too bright for their talented, but problematic players.
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