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NFL: Breaking down the 2015 Cincinnati Bengals

By Andrew Garda

Oct 20, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; A detailed view of Cincinnati Bengals helmet before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; A detailed view of Cincinnati Bengals helmet before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 26, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict (55) tackles Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett (29) during the third quarter at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 26, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict (55) tackles Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett (29) during the third quarter at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

Linebackers

Starters: Vontaze Burfict, Rey Maualuga, Emmanuel Lamur

Backups: Vincent Rey, Paul Dawson [R], A.J. Hawk, Marquise Flowers, Jayson DiManche, Sean Porter, Jayson DiManche, Nico Johnson, Vincent Rey, Chris Carter

Remember when Vontaze Burfict went undrafted in 2012 and everyone nodded sagely? Idiots, all of us.

Last season was a shakier one than his rookie year, as injuries threw him off. It appears as if he is still healing (per ESPN.com) and he could end up as a member of the PUP to start the season, a blow to the Bengals defense for sure. Ultimately you have to think the team feels fine with the health of his knee (and some concussion issues) as they made no real effort to replace him. If he’s back and healthy, we expect a return to rookie form.

Rey Maualuga signed a three-year contract this offseason, keeping their defensive captain and a solid run-stopper in house. Maualuga has never lived up to the hype he had coming out of USC, but what he does, he does very well and he should help shore up the middle of the field.

Emmanuel Lamur is a so-so SAM linebacker, and he could cede some time the players behind him, but the Bengals didn’t bring in much. AJ Hawk could play anywhere along the line, but he has been decidedly average for long stretches since entering the league.

Rookie Paul Dawson could be a threat to someone on the line. Dawson was a monster at TCU, generating a sick amount of tackles and getting named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in his final season there. He had a reputation as being a bit lax when it came to work ethic and he isn’t much of an athlete (forget dropping into coverage), but if the Bengals can teach him up, he could be a really solid rotational player.

Overall, this is a bit of a shaky unit. Between Burfict’s health issues, Maualuga’s average play and Lamur’s underwhelming work, the linebackers aren’t exciting. The backups have some potential but there is a lot of ‘just OK’ players sitting there. Can someone surprise us? The Bengals are hoping so.

Next: Secondary

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