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      2009 NFL Preview: #28 Cincinnati Bengals

      September 1, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Roy Williams (S); Laveranues Coles (WR); Abram Elam (S); Tank Johnson (DT); George Foster (OT).

      Offseason Losses: T.J. Houshmandzadeh (WR); Stacy Andrews (OT); Eric Ghiaciu (C); Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB).

      Player to Watch: Keith Rivers, LB.
      If it weren’t for Hines Ward’s jaw-breaking crackback block that prematurely ended his ’08 season, Rivers would have probably led the Bengals in tackles last year. Rivers has fully recovered from the jaw injury, as well as offseason arthroscopic ankle surgery, and should emerge as Cincinnati’s best defender this season. He was one of the few bright spots on the Bengals’ defense last year and with the offseason additions of Roy Williams, Abram Elam, Tank Johnson, Rey Maualuga and Michael Johnson, Rivers should be freed up to make plenty of plays in ’09.

      Team Strength: In Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall, the Bengals have two young playmakers at the cornerback position. Joseph says he’s 100% healthy after missing half of the ‘08 season with a foot injury and is looking to build off the success he had last year before being placed on IR. After being burned repeatedly in his rookie season in ‘07, Hall emerged as the Bengals’ best pass defender in ’08 and could play his way into receiving a contact extension at the end of the year. As long as these two stay healthy, the Bengals have a nice young corner tandem heading into the season.

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      NFL

      Reassessing the T-Wolves’ draft night

      September 1, 2009 /

      Given the news that Ricky Rubio plans to stay in Spain for two more years, TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott looks back at the 2009 NBA Draft to try to make sense of it all. Minnesota GM David Kahn is being criticized for taking Rubio when it was somewhat of a long shot that he’d be suiting up for the T-Wolves in 2009. Even so, drafting two point guards (Rubio and Jonny Flynn) back-to-back was…um…unorthodox, to say the least.

      The truth, to me, is — in that scenario Kahn’s draft night is being judged short-term while it is really a long-term plan. (Not to mention, have you heard David Kahn talk? He is not dumb. Anyone could tell you that.)

      But mainly my point is: If you are arguing he should not have taken Rubio, you need to also argue who he should have taken instead. Stephen Curry? Maybe, but you still have the two point guard problem. The same goes for Brandon Jennings. On the wing, where the Wolves have real need, some people love Demar DeRozan, I guess, or Gerald Henderson.

      There is no way the Timberwolves needed another non-center big man like Jordan Hill to sit behind Kevin Love and Al Jefferson.

      The point: It was tricky. There was no low-risk proposition. You either take Rubio, widely considered to be one of the two or three best prospects in the draft, or you take … someone with a higher probability of reporting to camp, but a lower ceiling as a player.

      And close your eyes a moment and imagine Ricky Rubio, NBA All-Star. If ever that happens, people will then reverse engineer how he got there, and make somebody look like a genius. They don’t hand out the rights to all-stars for free, though. What they do hand out for free, however, on draft night, are the rights to players who have chances at becoming All-Stars.

      I don’t agree that Stephen Curry would create a two point guard problem, not in the way that a Rubio/Flynn backcourt does. Curry is a shooter first. I think he can probably play the point, but he’s better suited off the ball in a situation where his lack of height doesn’t hurt him on the other end of the court.

      If Rubio does one day become and All-Star, Kahn will be lauded for this pick, but if Rubio does not play for the T-Wolves, it is imperative that Kahn get something for the young Spaniard that will make the T-Wolves better.

      It’s definitely a long-term play, but the NBA is typically a short-term business.

      NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      2009 NFL Preview: #29 Kansas City Chiefs

      September 1, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Matt Cassel (QB); Mike Vrabel (LB); Mike Brown (S); Mike Goff (G); Bobby Engram (WR); Zach Thomas (LB); Eric Ghiaciuc (C); Rudy Niswanger (C), Ashley Lelie (WR); Ikechuku Ndukwe (G); Andy Alleman (G).

      Offseason Losses: Tony Gonzalez (TE); Adrian Jones (G); Pat Thomas (LB).

      Player to Watch: Matt Cassel, QB.
      Following an offseason trade that brought him over from New England, all eyes will be on Cassel this season. He gets to run new head coach Todd Haley’s pass-happy offense and he should team up with young receiver Dwayne Bowe to form a nice duo. Unfortunately, Cassel suffered a MCL sprain in the Chiefs’ third preseason game and he’s expected to miss KC’s season opener. Once he’s healthy, it’ll be interesting to see how he fares outside of the Patriots’ offense.

      Team Strength: The Chiefs have a nice offensive trio in Cassel, Bowe and running back Larry Johnson, who reportedly is leaner and in the best shape of his life. While questions remain about whether or not Cassel can succeed outside of the Patriots’ system, Bowe and Johnson should help take the pressure off him in his first year as a Chief. Bowe has a terrific blend of size and speed and has emerged as a legitimate deep threat in the passing game. Johnson is coming off a rough ’08 campaign, but is rejuvenated and ready to rebound. Also, with the offseason additions of Mike Goff and Ikechuku Ndukwe – as well as the continued development of 2008 first round pick Branden Albert – the offensive line should be improved this year.

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      NFL

      2009 NFL Preview: #30 Oakland Raiders

      September 1, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Greg Ellis (DE); Jeff Garcia (QB); Khalif Barnes, Lorenzo Neal (FB); Erik Pears (OT); Keith Davis (S).

      Offseason Losses: Gibril Wilson (S); Jake Grove (C); Justin Griffith (FB); Ronald Curry (WR).

      Player to Watch: Darren McFadden, RB.
      A turf toe injury limited McFadden to only 499 yards on 113 carries and four touchdowns in his rookie season. But McFadden is completely healthy and is on the verge of leapfrogging Justin Fargas on the Raiders’ depth chart. Even though Oakland’s offensive line is a potential weakness, McFadden will get the opportunity to shine this year as the Raiders want to get him involved as both a runner and receiver. As long as he can stay healthy, the former Arkansas product could have a breakout season.

      Team Strength: Can potential be deemed a strength? Quarterback JaMarcus Russell still has a long way to go in his development as a passer, but he certainly has enough weapons around him in McFadden, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Chaz Schilens. Of course, Heyward-Bey is a rookie, McFadden has to stay healthy and Schilens (an emerging No. 1 receiver) has to bounce back from the foot injury he suffered in practice a few weeks ago. But again, these players have potential and if they develop together, the Raiders will have a solid offensive corps for years to come. (But that’s a big “if.”)

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      NFL

      Rubio plans to stay in Spain for two more years

      September 1, 2009 /

      Minnesota GM David Kahn said that there was an agreement in place to bring Ricky Rubio to the NBA this season, but in the end, the young Spaniard decided that he’d rather play in his home country for two more seasons.

      Yet just as the team appeared to be putting the finishing touches on a deal to bring Rubio to the NBA, Rubio came to Kahn with second thoughts.

      “This morning I met with Ricky and his parents and told them that I understood Ricky’s decision,” Kahn said in a statement. “It was clear to me yesterday and in this morning’s meeting that the pressure surrounding Ricky and his family to remain in Spain for at least two more years had only intensified as the summer wore on and was weighing heavily on them.”

      Shortly after Rubio was drafted, there was talk that he and his agent preferred him to play in a larger market to better take advantage of endorsement opportunities that would help offset the costs of the buyout.

      In a statement issued by the Timberwolves, Rubio said he has every intention of coming to Minnesota in two years. The Wolves retain Rubio’s draft rights for one year after his contractual obligation to Barcelona ends.

      I don’t really blame Rubio here. Have you seen Barcelona? It’s far more beautiful and vibrant than the Twin Cities, especially from November to March, when the NBA season is in full swing. I’m sure that the option to stay close to home and play in a comfortable situation for two more seasons was an appealing choice, especially since Rubio is still only 18 years old.

      As for the T-Wolves, they will still hold his NBA rights for a year after his contract with his Barcelona team is complete. There’s no huge rush to get him to the NBA, though I’m guessing that if David Kahn could do it all over again, he might take Stephen Curry instead.

      NBA, NBA Draft, News, Rumors & Gossip

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