The Bengals early moves may not seem very important Dre Kirkpatrick Jersey , but they will affect how the team looks at the draft."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections #BITESIZEFilm RoomRoster Transactions and ContractsOrange & Black InsiderSalary Cap And CBANFL Free AgencyAnalysisBengals Free Agency 2019How free agency may impact the Bengals’ draft plansNew,8commentsThe Bengals early moves may not seem very important, but they will affect how the team looks at the draft.EDTShareTweetShareShareHow free agency may impact the Bengals’ draft plansDenny Medley-USA TODAY Sports“This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.”T.S. Eliot died in 1965, three years before the Bengals franchise was founded, so it is pretty clear he wasn’t talking about the Bengals when he wrote these words in his poem The Hollow Men. But hey, he could have been. Despite their former hashtag slogan, the Bengals never seem to roar into anything, especially not free agency. While other teams have used the legal tampering period to make huge offers to big-name free agents like linebackers Kwon Alexander, C.J. Mosley, offensive tackle Trent Brown and safety Landon Collins, the Bengals were working on bringing their own players back on deals which range from okay to infuriating.These moves could play an important role how the team looks at the draft. Re-signing Bobby HartThe Bengals brought in Bobby Hart on a one-year deal last offseason and after a being the weakest link on the offensive line it seemed obvious that the Bengals should move on. Unfortunately, there is no obvious when it comes to the Bengals. The contract may not be as bad as it was reported initially, but the fact that they prioritized bring him back is a major concern. Re-signing Hart most likely means that the Bengals will not be taking an offensive tackle at 11. This is bad news as there are a hand full of offensive tackles in this years draft, including Florida’s Jawaan Taylor, who could have been excellent options at that spot. The offensive tackle position is so front loaded with talent in this draft class, that it made a good default for the Bengals. Meaning that it would be more than reasonable to say that they should draft Devin White, Ed Oliver, or the best tackle available. Odds are there is going to be a good one there. At least better than... well you know.The point is that the Bengals seem to be comfortable with Hart moving forward. With Hart signed through 2021 and Cordy Glenn signed through 2020, the team likely thinks they have their bookend tackles for at least the next two seasons. In short, don’t get your hopes up for an offensive tackle at the 11th overall pick.Signing John MillerThe Bengals seem comfortable with the status quo at right tackle, but did look to upgrade the right guard position bringing in (surprise surprise) former Buffalo Bills guard John Miller. The Bengals moved to bring back Trey Hopkins and Alex Redmond. When you add in Clint Boling, Christian Westerman, and 2018 first round pick Billy Price, you have a complete two-deep on the interior line. For that reason, it is highly unlikely that the Bengals draft a guard at all. The position has depth and if Miller and Price can step up, they will have a talented group of starters,Re-signing C.J. Uzomah and Tyler EifertThe Bengals’ top three tight ends all had contracts expiringthis year. The Bengals resigned C.J. Uzomah and the injury-prone Tyler Eifert, while Tyler Kroft will be heading to Buffalo Jordan Evans Jersey ,While Uzomah was not able to bring the same spark to the offense that Eifert did, he is a good player who can be effective as long as he is not called on to be a top contributor. If the John Ross can take a step forward, then the trip of Ross, A.J. Green, and Tyler Boyd hopefully combined with effective use of Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard will be the driving force in the passing game. Uzomah does not have to be a star. He is a good receiver who can line up spread, tight, or in the backfield and is an adequate blocker. Eifert is a wild card. His injury history means he cannot be counted on to make it through an entire season. If he can stay healthy and productive, he will certainly add something to the offense, but they must remain flexible. Signing Uzomah and Eifert should not have an impact on what the Bengals do with the position in the draft. Although they gave Uzomah a contract that indicates he is the starter, Iowa tight ends Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson should still be under consideration at 11. They may look to add another player to the position and if it is not in the first round, adding a player like Texas A&M’s Jace Sternberger in the third round would be a great move. Re-signing Preston BrownPreston Brown came to the Bengals in 2018 after an impressive stint with the Buffalo Bills. He was known as a run stopper, but played fairly well in the passing game before injury shut him down for the season after seven games. Brown was not great, but he was the best linebacker in a poor group. Retaining him and hoping he stays healthy and returns to form under better coaching was a good move as long as they don’t feel it is the only move they need to make at the position, Brown is a good player, but if they are relying on him as a key pass defender, they could be in trouble. Ideally, he should be the guy coming off the field in nickel (or more accurately to today’s NFL the guy going on the field when it is not nickel) but his contract seems to indicate that they expect more of him.It is promising that the Bengals cut Vontaze Burfict because it shows that they understand the position needs to be overhauled. The Bengals needed more than just one player at this position, so re-signing Brown should have little to no impact on how they see the draft.Brown is a pure MIKE linebacker, so they may look to avoid this type, but that is a positive since outside backers are often better pass defenders. LSU linebacker Devin White should still be one of the top candidates at 11. He played middle linebacker, but has the athletic ability to play outside linebacker. After an impressive combine, Michigan’s Devin Bush could also be an option in the first round. It is highly likely that one of these two is the pick at 11. Alabama’s Mack Wilson could also be a great addition if he is available in the second round. He has a knack for making plays in the pass game, which is something that the Bengals are lacking overall at the position. The Bengals should be looking to double down at the position and will hopefully add someone like Washington’s Ben Burr-Kirven, North Carolina State’s Germaine Pratt, or Akron’s Ulysses Gilbert in the middle of the draft. Maybe the public address announcer at NFL stadiums is a job for Michael Buffer these days. You know: ”Let’s get ready to rumble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Unfortunately, what goes on inside the boxing ring might be safer than what we saw the last few weeks on the football field. Brawls. Dirty hits.Malicious moves . Targeting. Launching . Nauseating. ”The unnecessary stuff is over the top,” says Broncos linebacker Shaq Barrett, who was not involved in any of the incidents and, presumably Preston Brown Jersey , is a neutral observer. ”We should try to get that out of the game.” Leagues at all levels have spent more than a decade seeking enhanced player safety. Most of the time, those initiatives involved rules changes. In the NFL, mostly they have worked. Not so much lately. Troy Vincent, a terrific defensive back in his playing days and now the overseer of football operations for the league, promises that the NFL will look at any adjustments that will diminish the awfulness seen in recent weeks. ”We have had clear directives from the competition committee,” Vincent says. ”They asked us and the players to remove some of the helmet-to-helmet hits that we have seen, as well of some of the blindside blocks and other types of disparaging techniques and behaviors on the field. We have clear directive that this is not something that should be progressive, but that we strongly consider removing a player that is using these techniques that we want out of our game immediately.” Yet the prohibited keeps happening and, it seems, to a higher degree. ”You’re always talking about keeping the poise and understanding the big picture is winning the game,” Saints coach Sean Payton says. ”Part of that is mental toughness. You don’t have to respond and be macho. So many times I hear, `I’m not going to be punked,’ and I get that. And yet, listen, there’s a discipline element that you’re preaching as coaches. You’re trying to make them understand the big picture, which is winning, and all these side things that can take you down a path contrary to the goal.” While fans of specific teams will take umbrage at one of their guys getting suspended – that’s a basic principle of fandom, that your team can’t be wrong – more objective observers recognize the danger zone these incidents occur in. Two of the most insightful voices in this area, former NFL executive Pat Kirwan and former pro quarterback Jim Miller, discussed the ugliness of what we just saw during their SiriusXM NFL Radio program this week. They brought up a point worth pondering: Why aren’t players being tossed when they go so far across the line of fair play? Miller: ”When are the officials going to be willing to eject players?” Kirwan: ”They should have by now. They think throwing flags is going to stop it. I quote Ray Lewis, we are talking about a receiver coming over the middle and he did a number on the guy. I asked Ray: `What was going through your mind?’ `Look, I’ve got the middle in our zone drop. Anyone who is coming in there, here comes the receiver, at no time in my life did I ever think of the rule book and let him in there with the ball.”’ Miller: ”I go back to that (2015 Steelers-Bengals) playoff game, that’s what lit the fuse, that’s what got the party started. And it was payback (Monday night). The Bengals felt they were wronged by the officials. (They think) if they are not going to police it, boys, we are going to police it. They got one of ours, we’re going to get one of theirs. ”At what point will the officials eject? Kirwan: ”As soon as the head of officials tells them if you don’t eject Ryan Glasgow Jersey , we are going to suspend (an official). You’ve got to get this under control. Or the league office stops the game like they should, and say `He’s out now.’ Why can’t they eject from New York?’ ”You’ve got to control it.” Kirwan makes an excellent point that rules on paper mean nothing unless they are enforced, and there are consequences – not only for rules breakers, but for those charged with upholding the rules. ”Stop writing rules and start throwing guys out that you, in your mind, ref, you know intentionally tried to hurt someone,” he says. ”Just throw him out of the game.” Vincent notes that players, fans, coaches, general managers and owners don’t want to see ejections. ”There are only 17 weeks and the philosophy is, if it gets out of control, we ask the referees to maintain control of the game, give them that flexibility,” Vincent says. ”They have that flexibility, but we really emphasize let the players play, but if things begin to get out of control, you must maintain control of the game during that window.” In an odd way, maybe pro players need to look back at the grass roots of the game, where USA Football’s initiatives are designed to promote safety and proper tackling techniques – and are working. ”My sense of it as coaches and maybe parents and players see those things,” says USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck, ”they’re fully aware of Heads Up Football and shoulder tackling. The common denominator is, this is the right way to teach it and it is happening across the board. ”In the past, a kid might be taught differently at the youth level than at the high school level, now it is consistent. The majorities of youth and high school football now follow shoulder tackling. It’s been really comprehensive, we are seeing a great improvement, and coaches are telling us they are seeing a great improvement in overall tackling.” Too bad it’s not always apparent in the NFL. —