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Bengals want Leonard Fournette, per NFL Network


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It now looks like LSU running back Leonard Fournette is in play for the Bengals in this year’s NFL Draft.

According to NFL Network reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala, the Bengals are strongly considering Fournette with the No. 9 pick.

 

“They are going very very heavy at running back,” Kinkhabwala said Thursday on an NFL Network segment. “And I can tell you this: If Leonard Fournette is available at 9, I was told in no uncertain terms, ‘we want him.’”

 

Kinkhabwala also added that the team isn’t happy with Jeremy Hill, and that’s why the Bengals will be going hard at running back in this draft. This isn’t the first time there’s been reports of the team being unhappy with Hill, but this is the first concrete report that they’ll strongly consider Fournette with the No. 9 pick.

 

http://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/3/2/14796008/bengals-want-leonard-fournette-nfl-network

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Interesting, and could be true.  But there are two things I always consider when someone comes out with a "Bengals want this guy" rumour:

1) The Bengals telegraph their wants like nobody else, and the media has been right on many times with predicting who the Bengals "want".  Hence, quite possible.

2) Teams (and agents) use and abuse the Bengals to play psychological games with the rest of the league all the time, probably because they're too lazy/idealistic to refute anything.  So this could be, say, the Panthers spreading a rumour because they want to trade down.  Or, it could be Fournette's agent trying ensure his player makes the top 10.

Considering this Kinkybaba guy used such an absolute term like "oh they said 'we want him'", it sounds like BS to me.  Ergo, I'm going with door number 2 on this one.

We shall see.

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8 minutes ago, HavePityPlease said:

Interesting, and could be true.  But there are two things I always consider when someone comes out with a "Bengals want this guy" rumour:

1) The Bengals telegraph their wants like nobody else, and the media has been right on many times with predicting who the Bengals "want".  Hence, quite possible.

2) Teams (and agents) use and abuse the Bengals to play psychological games with the rest of the league all the time, probably because they're too lazy/idealistic to refute anything.  So this could be, say, the Panthers spreading a rumour because they want to trade down.  Or, it could be Fournette's agent trying ensure his player makes the top 10.

Considering this Kinkybaba guy used such an absolute term like "oh they said 'we want him'", it sounds like BS to me.  Ergo, I'm going with door number 2 on this one.

We shall see.

Aditi is a female. 

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The scouts at NFL.com like him a lot...

Quote

 

NFL COMPARISON

 Bo Jackson

BOTTOM LINE

 High-end talent with rare blend of size, speed and power. Comparisons to Adrian Peterson feel lofty, but from a physical standpoint, he's there. Fournette doesn't have the wiggle to make defenders miss and his vision can be iffy. However, if your run fits and tackling aren't sound, he can take it the distance in an instant. May have durability concerns due to physical running style, but has All-Pro potential.

 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profiles/leonard-fournette?id=2557973

Bo muthafunkin Jackson mitches....sign me up for some of that.

A backfield of Fournette and Hill would be awesome, if they can find someone to block for them...lol. 

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2 minutes ago, PatternMaster said:

A backfield of Fournette and Hill would be awesome, if they can find someone to block for them...lol. 

if they did get Fournette I can't imagine they'd keep Hill....I'd say they'd look to trade him and if they couldn't get any takers, he'd get cut.

Hill seems like the kind of kid that would sulk if they brought in somebody like that, I don't think they'd wanna deal with that. 

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17 minutes ago, PatternMaster said:

Aditi is a female. 

Ok.  *shrug*

 

5 minutes ago, spicoli said:

if they did get Fournette I can't imagine they'd keep Hill....I'd say they'd look to trade him and if they couldn't get any takers, he'd get cut.

Hill seems like the kind of kid that would sulk if they brought in somebody like that, I don't think they'd wanna deal with that. 

I disagree, I think they'd keep Hill, let Burkhead walk, keep Peerman, and sic Hobson on us with stories of the remarkable healing powers of the Bengals medical staff, who will have Gio ready for camp (then preseason, then week 1, then after PUP, then maybe late season playoff push, then meh).  This would mean we have Fournette, Hill and Peerman, with the potential of Gio coming back at some point and forcing one of them out.

In all seriousness though, I really do believe that's how it would go down.  Marvin likes guys to be pushed (Fournette pushes Hill, not so much anyone else, at least based on 'type'), Mike and Katey are great at letting good backup/complimentary players go (Burkhead), and frankly they wouldn't know if Fournette can perform or not until he actually plays (making it wise to keep Hill until they know one way or the other).

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12 minutes ago, HavePityPlease said:

I disagree, I think they'd keep Hill, let Burkhead walk

I think they'd let both of them walk in all honesty.

with 11 draft picks they can easily double dip at RB.....say Fournette at 9 and James Conner (or whoever) with one of their 4th round picks to go along with Gio and Ced.

RB is the one spot on the field that doesn't really require a lot of experience.....they're pretty much plug and play. 

 

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55 minutes ago, spicoli said:

I think they'd let both of them walk in all honesty.

with 11 draft picks they can easily double dip at RB.....say Fournette at 9 and James Conner (or whoever) with one of their 4th round picks to go along with Gio and Ced.

RB is the one spot on the field that doesn't really require a lot of experience.....they're pretty much plug and play. 

 

Hill isn't a FA though and he has a salary of less than $900k for 2017. There's no real reason to cut him. Especially with Gio questionable for Week 1. Even if you are down on Hill, he is still cheap depth. 

This rumor about the Bengals possibly targeting Fournette at 9 does make some sense IMO. Late in the year you had Lapham really torching Hill for his running style, toughness, etc. (especially on the goal line against the Stealers). Hobson was initially talking about how Hill was on the outs. Then all of a sudden in the lead up to the draft, you have these quotes from Marvin and others about how much they love Hill. Seems a little fishy and could be their half-hearted attempt at a smokescreen. 

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15 minutes ago, happyrid said:

Hill isn't a FA though and he has a salary of less than $900k for 2017. There's no real reason to cut him. Especially with Gio questionable for Week 1. Even if you are down on Hill, he is still cheap depth. 

I hear ya but i really think he'd sulk and I can't see them wanting to deal with that, I think they'd just move on instead.....just my opinion. 

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God, I hope we don't take Fournette with the 9th pick. He's a rich man's Trent Richardson, good size and strength but not many moves. Dalvin Cook will be a better NFL running back than Fournette but we shouldn't take him either. This is a deep RB class. We could get a good one in the 3rd, say Dionte Foreman. Joe Mixon and James Conner will be available on day 3. 

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No way the Bengals go into the season without a new RB.  Hill just doesn't seem to be getting it.  Bernard is questionable for the entire season.  You can't count on the guy being ready after that injury in November.  Fournette makes sense.  He's the Bengals kind of back.  Big.  I don't think they would cut Hill.  He would get his carries early in the year.  If he does well he'll keep getting them.  If he looks like he has over the past couple seasons he would be phased out when Bernard was back.  

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17 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

God, I hope we don't take Fournette with the 9th pick. He's a rich man's Trent Richardson, good size and strength but not many moves. Dalvin Cook will be a better NFL running back than Fournette but we shouldn't take him either. This is a deep RB class. We could get a good one in the 3rd, say Dionte Foreman. Joe Mixon and James Conner will be available on day 3. 

Richardson was always ripped up and stiff though whereas Fournette is fluid in everything he does.

Fournette actually reminds me of a bigger, faster Cory Dillon.

I doubt he's there, but I'm not sure it would be too wise to pass on a freakish talent like that if he is. 

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I think Fournette's just a little stiff. Not great at changing directions but not awful at it or anything.

He's definitely not Trent Richardson. He's probably going to run a 4.45 or something at 240 pounds. He's a freakish size/speed athlete whereas Richardson was always a 4.6 or 4.7 guy.

Fournette definitely wouldn't be my pick, but he'll be a good player for a long time.

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A guy who can cut 60 degrees and keep 85% of his speed? That's insane.

Coming out of HS, at 6-1 224, dude ran a 4.35 40. At 240, he's still expected to run under 4.4 at the combine. You're talking about a dude with Hill's size and Gio's agility and speed.

IMHO - Fournette is going to blow up after the combine. He's going to put up numbers that make teams salivate. I don't think he makes it out of the top 5.

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It's a virtual lock that either Dalvin Cook or Leonard Fournette is going to be there at 9. I'd put the odds at about 75% that both of them are available.

The only team in front of the Bengals that would even consider a running back is the Panthers.

There's a lot of Carolina fans that want Fournette, but that team's got a lot of holes to fill.


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2 minutes ago, Big Alice said:

It's a virtual lock that either Dalvin Cook or Leonard Fournette is going to be there at 9. I'd put the odds at about 75% that both of them are available.

The only team in front of the Bengals that would even consider a running back is the Panthers.

There's a lot of Carolina fans that want Fournette, but that team's got a lot of holes to fill.


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The Jags and Jets are both potential candidates. 

With the way the Panthers have been talking, Fournette will be their pick at #8 no matter what. They may have a lot of holes to fill, but Elliott made a depleted Cowboy's roster with a Rookie QB look darn respectable. RB's may have lost their luster, but 4 yards and a cloud is still the lynchpin of NFL offensive strategy.

A big question would be if the Jags take Cook at #4, there's a good chance that the Je's take Fournette at #6, and almost a dead lock that Carolina will take him at #8. Would you try to make a trade with Tennessee to move up to 5? Do you offer the Jets Jeremy Hill and a late rounder to move up?

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If true, I would be on board.  Fournette is a physical freak and has dominated when healthy.  Our situation at RB is fairly unsettled.  Hill is a disappointment, Gio is rehabbing an ACL, and Burkhead is a free agent.  I do think good running backs would be available later in the draft, but I won't quibble with landing an elite player.  

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29 minutes ago, Big Alice said:

It's a virtual lock that either Dalvin Cook or Leonard Fournette is going to be there at 9. I'd put the odds at about 75% that both of them are available.

The only team in front of the Bengals that would even consider a running back is the Panthers.

There's a lot of Carolina fans that want Fournette, but that team's got a lot of holes to fill.


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if I had to bet on it I'd say the Jets take Fournette and the Panthers take Cook.

that's great for us though, hopefully a couple QB's get up there too.  

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46 minutes ago, happyrid said:

I think Fournette's just a little stiff. Not great at changing directions but not awful at it or anything.

oh I don't see any stiffness in Fournettes game at all, I just think he's so big and fast his moves are a little deceiving....he reminds me of Cory Dillon in that way, a quick sidestep here, a perfectly timed lift of the leg there to make guys miss, it's just kind of subtle but it's definitely there.

kid is just a monster....which is why he'll never be there at 9.

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God, I hope we don't take Fournette with the 9th pick. He's a rich man's Trent Richardson, good size and strength but not many moves. Dalvin Cook will be a better NFL running back than Fournette but we shouldn't take him either. This is a deep RB class. We could get a good one in the 3rd, say Dionte Foreman. Joe Mixon and James Conner will be available on day 3. 

Exactly! Watch this video if ur a fan of mixon. He knows his shit a lot and is a huge fournette fan, but calls mixon the best pure runner in the draft.

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God, I hope we don't take Fournette with the 9th pick. He's a rich man's Trent Richardson, good size and strength but not many moves. Dalvin Cook will be a better NFL running back than Fournette but we shouldn't take him either. This is a deep RB class. We could get a good one in the 3rd, say Dionte Foreman. Joe Mixon and James Conner will be available on day 3. 



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It's a virtual lock that either Dalvin Cook or Leonard Fournette is going to be there at 9. I'd put the odds at about 75% that both of them are available.

The only team in front of the Bengals that would even consider a running back is the Panthers.

There's a lot of Carolina fans that want Fournette, but that team's got a lot of holes to fill.


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Jets and jaguars would as well.

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