Top Bengals Stories Of 2011: No. 10 Johnathan Joseph Signs With Houston

by Jason Garrison on Dec 28, 2011 12:01 PM EST

[Editor's Note: We are counting down to the 2012 year by going through the top ten stories of 2011, starting with No. 10. We'll post two today, two on Thursday, three on Friday and the final three on New Years Eve]

Before the 2011 NFL season went into lockout mode, every Bengals fan and their brothers knew that the most important thing for the team to do was re-sign Johnathan Joseph. He and Leon Hall had solidified the team's secondary and allowed Mike Zimmer to get creative with the front seven since he didn't have to worry about them much.

When the lockout ended, Bengals fans sat and waiting for the news that the team would be re-signing Joseph but instead came the news that Joseph would be leaving the Bengals for the Houston Texans.

The Texans offered Joseph more than the Bengals did and Joseph jumped to a different team that he felt gave him a better chance at heading to the playoffs. Ironically, the Bengals have been good this season but so have the Texans and you have to wonder what they could do if they still had Matt Schaub.

In response to Joseph leaving, the Bengals signed cornerback Nate Clements to play opposite of Hall. Clements has played good so far this season but is an obviously a step down in coverage. When Hall went down in Week 10 with a torn achilles, it left the Bengals with Clements, Adam Jones and Kelly Jennings. Had Joseph still been here, things would have been better but without him and Hall, the Bengals secondary fell out of the top five down to No. 12, which still isn't bad considering Jones and Clements are starting.

The Bengals will have to address the position early in the draft in 2012 to help solidify it in the future but if they had spent the necessary money to keep Joseph in Cincinnati, they could have freed up one of their two first-round picks for something else.

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It makes me so mad to think how good this team would be with JJo...

I’d say he would have given us wins in the Denver and Houston games, easy. Probably one more – that’s a 3 game swing and we’re possibly talking about a 1 or 2 seed going into this week. Now THAT would have been a turnaround.

by eric nyc on Dec 28, 2011 12:04 PM EST reply actions

Revisionist history is always based on some element or conjecture

While I agree that JJoe is a great player, no one can CONCLUSIVELY say that his presence alone would have resulted in (x) amount of more wins. It is simply and unequivocally conjecture. Also, football is not like baseball with the “wins above replacement” (“WAR”) statistic.

Moreover, a very strong argument can be made that WITHOUT Nate Clements, thd Bengals do NOT beat the Tennessee Titans. His forced fumble late in the fourth quarter was a game-changing play that directly contributed to the win that day. I don’t know if JJoe has ever forced a fumble in his bow 6 year career, whereas Nate Clements has averaged close to 3 forced fumbles over his 11 year career.

Bottom line, and as some have mentioned, JJoe was just determined to leave, and simply saying that JJoe would have led to 2-3 mores wins is pure conjecture. Again, without Nate, the Bengals have a hard time beating the Titans.

by The_Black_Stripes on Dec 28, 2011 2:40 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

The headline underneath that picture says J Jo

was acquired from the Chicago Bears.

by occams_tiger_teeth on Dec 28, 2011 12:06 PM EST reply actions

hahha

i love it

by Jordan G on Dec 28, 2011 12:07 PM EST up reply actions

iirc

there was another picture from that same presser that included another db who was acquired from the Bears. That caption had the two player names right but the old teams were transposed.

... I still say it was a touchdown, got tammit.

by supergrover on Dec 28, 2011 12:16 PM EST up reply actions

RE:

Yea, the default captions are messed up.

Managing Editor at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 28, 2011 12:20 PM EST up reply actions

I don't know how quickly you are planning on posting this top ten list...

…however I hope the final entry is “Bengals Make Playoffs”

by goffchile on Dec 28, 2011 12:21 PM EST reply actions

Item number 0?

Suprise zero-based counting is usually nice, right?

by Boomer Lion on Dec 28, 2011 6:58 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

The one positive

this year….no lockout madness to deal with…..we know exactly what we have….Free agency will be before the draft so we can draft properly this year…….I think Zimm will fill these holes…..sounded like he didnt expect J.Jo to leave

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 28, 2011 12:28 PM EST reply actions

+ 1

FA will be huge for this team. The draft is great but with FA you ultimately know what your getting. I hate that they let JJ go but I think they did a good job trying to fill the hole.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 28, 2011 12:45 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Gotta Get Adam Jones Back

and hope L Hall can make it back. J Joe is probably better than Hall – but Cincy did Ok spreading his $$ around – probably ended up being the right move.

by TX Bengal on Dec 28, 2011 1:10 PM EST up reply actions

I agree

I thought that Nate Clements was the best available option out there…(at the time)….and Nate has been a HUGE veteran presence after losing Hall. Artrell Hawkins was talking about how people dont realize how much of a calming force that Nate is out there…..I think we keep Nate and Jones and build on these 3…Nate doesnt have too many years left…..

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 28, 2011 1:12 PM EST up reply actions

Next years lineup could be huge

Say we get a great corner in the draft, that will leave a great dilemma of who plays nickel. You gotta think that Clemens will but if Hall doesn’t recover to his past level then he could play that spot. That still leaves Jones and Jennings. It just feels good to think we might have the problem of who goes where in our secondary.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 28, 2011 1:41 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

that is a great problem to have

too many good corners…..I will take that problem…..

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 28, 2011 1:51 PM EST up reply actions

Hope we keep both Jones and Clements too......

gotta have Jones back due to much needed depth……Clements would make a good safety late in his career. Hard hitter, great in run support.

by The Van Buren Boys on Dec 28, 2011 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

I think he signed for 2yrs

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 28, 2011 2:22 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Convert Clements to a S so he can still provide leadership on the field?

by Unbeliever on Dec 28, 2011 2:29 PM EST up reply actions

+ 1

Clemens could definitely play safety in dime and quarter packages. Put him in place of Crocker.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 28, 2011 2:34 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Yes, he did. Good move by Cincy, great leader on the field.

by The Van Buren Boys on Dec 28, 2011 2:57 PM EST up reply actions

All I know...

Is that I am excited as hell about this off season. Been a long time since I have been excited about it. Draft and Free agency should be a great ride for Bengals and their fans.

Who Dey aint tryin to see central bookins!

by NCWhoDey1987 on Dec 28, 2011 2:32 PM EST up reply actions

Get the bad memories out of the way early

Do the Carson Palmer trade demand next. That story is just like a bandaid – you gotta rip that one off quick.

by Animal_Like_Football on Dec 28, 2011 12:43 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Let us all not forget, JJO has to live out his contract for us to really know how bad we would have missed him

Im sure he will continue to do well, but he continue to miss a lot of games throught the rest of his career. So far he has been healty this year, but his track record shows that he will miss a lot more games to come. IMO

AMAS

by AMAS85 on Dec 28, 2011 12:53 PM EST reply actions

Fair point

I agree with you that JJO has a track record for injuries. However, I want to bring up the turnover of the Bengals medical staff. This has been a concern of mine. I don’t think the Bengals medical staff up until this year has been great. This year they have turned over their staff to new physicians but I still don’t have faith. I think Houston might have a better medical staff and trainers in place to keep their players consistently healthy.

by sgiridharan1982 on Dec 28, 2011 1:02 PM EST up reply actions

He was on the Injury Report

for last week….

by Unbeliever on Dec 28, 2011 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

Losing JJoe was pre-ordained

according to the Texans. He had been telling at least one future team-mate he was leaving Cincinnati while the lockout was in full swing. I don’t think there was much Mike Brown could have done short of paying him Namdi money.

Luckily for the Bengals they have a good CB draft ahead of them with two first round picks. They should be able to draft a starting guy next April.

JJoe’s other public comments that the organization was in disorder, CP9 mess almost seem ancient history. Mike Brown has a track record of hiring some good coaches of late. Gruden(I thought was a crazy pick) was good, Zimmer and even Marvin Lewis(who I hoped would have been fired after last season). Mike saw the wisdom of getting rid of Bratkowski, who I guess was a family friend. Maybe Brown has turned a corner too and has seen his own limitations as a football guy? Even the draft picks of late don’t seem like Brownie picks, they are definitely good picks, not what we’ve seen from Mike Brown.

by BENGALS69 on Dec 28, 2011 1:23 PM EST reply actions

Everything you just gave Mike Brown credit for is undeserved

All those things would be Marvin moves and JJ leaving was Mike Browns fault

by Diesel2405 on Dec 28, 2011 1:28 PM EST up reply actions

I agree with this. MB (allegedly) yielding to Jay Gruden with the Dalton pick (apparently MV wanted Mallett) is a sign that "football people" ate making football decisions

If this story is indeed true (and I hope it is), this is a GREAT sign foe this organization

by The_Black_Stripes on Dec 28, 2011 2:49 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

+1

by Unbeliever on Dec 28, 2011 2:54 PM EST up reply actions

+1. I heard that too

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 2:55 PM EST up reply actions

That has been the story........

with two competent coordinators now (I’m sure eveyrone knows who I’m referring to) seemingly having more say so in personnel/draft decisions, this draft is huge for us.

by The Van Buren Boys on Dec 28, 2011 2:59 PM EST up reply actions

Not just this draft...

Last year we got Gresham, Dunlap and Atkins…

by Unbeliever on Dec 28, 2011 3:06 PM EST up reply actions

Andre Smith

is the worst pick in the last 10 years as far as I’m concerned. I can’t believe Marvin Lewis would have picked him given the obvious red flags flying around that guy. I wonder if that was the pick that changed the Bengals front office?

by BENGALS69 on Dec 28, 2011 4:21 PM EST up reply actions

??

not sure what you mean by thise because Andre has definately been tearing it up this year. As far as biggest bust, Chris perry or Pollack would have been my biggest bust drafted high.

AMAS

by AMAS85 on Dec 28, 2011 4:29 PM EST up reply actions

you can't count injured players as busts

that’s just not fair, disappointing? yes, but, bust…harsh

by joeb69 on Dec 28, 2011 4:31 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Rivers is fast approaching bust zone.

Andre is a very capable player and hasn’t hurt the team. Rivers can’t stop getting hurt and when he was out there, wasn’t up the level of expectations that a top ten pick brings.

by KSE on Dec 28, 2011 6:04 PM EST up reply actions

Chris Perry was injury prone

and didn’t play all that great anyway, hence bust.
Pollack was a fluke, hence not a bust.
Rivers is not an impact player and he’s injury prone, hence bust.

Worse picks of the last decade were 2nd round picks:

Lamont Thompson: a nobody
Keiwan Ratliff: couldn’t win a job, stunk when he played
Madieu Williams: regressed after his rookie season
Odell Thurman: couldn’t stay off the police blotter
Jerome Simpson: 66 catches after 4 years. That’s what Green has this year, approximately.
Rey Maualuga: every time I tune in he’s running through the wrong gap and out of the play.

by occams_tiger_teeth on Dec 28, 2011 6:15 PM EST up reply actions

Mikeys not gonna spend any money on FA

Whose the best corner out there in the up comin draft rite now?

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 1:26 PM EST reply actions

Isiah Pead

by Diesel2405 on Dec 28, 2011 1:28 PM EST up reply actions

From where?

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 1:29 PM EST up reply actions

HAHA

He is the bearcats running back. I want him to be a Bengal

by Diesel2405 on Dec 28, 2011 1:36 PM EST up reply actions

+1

by Cincinnati222 on Dec 28, 2011 1:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

dude got hands too! which would be a big upgrade from benson.

AMAS

by AMAS85 on Dec 28, 2011 3:17 PM EST up reply actions

Pead.

Isn’t be a running back.

by Cincinnati222 on Dec 28, 2011 1:37 PM EST via mobile reply actions

He-

Isn’t he a running back.
iPhone __

by Cincinnati222 on Dec 28, 2011 1:38 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

A nice rb and a shut down corner would be lovely 4 our first 2 picks

I can’t stand benson anymore

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 1:43 PM EST reply actions

a shut down corner huh

uhh yeah…that would be beyond nice….I just have the image of the draft where the Jets jumped us and took Revis…………….damn you Jets

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 28, 2011 1:52 PM EST up reply actions

I was just thinking that

I have an old mock draft mag that has Revis coming to us. That would’ve been huge.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 28, 2011 1:55 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

lol

I thought he was coming here too……Kimo and this…………….ahhhh what could have been

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 28, 2011 1:57 PM EST up reply actions

So whose the best corner in the draft

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 1:58 PM EST up reply actions

man I havent even looked at the draft yet

which is a good thing……..normally this time of the year, all bengals fans are doing mock drafts and talking about players in bowl games…………………..

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 28, 2011 1:59 PM EST up reply actions

Ur rite. Not too many holes. Except ol rb and corner.

I want to c what Whalen can do

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 2:08 PM EST up reply actions

2012 draft

Mo Claiborne from LSU will be the first CB taken, but probably top 5,

The next few best CBs are Dre Kirkpatrick from Bama, Chase Minnifield from Va, and Janoris Jenkins, they guy who got kicked off Florida’s team for smoking weed, now plays for North Alabama.

Jenkins is probably the best cover corner, and would easily go top 10, if not for the off the field issues.

Kirkpatrick has the size and speed for sure, but as someone who watches every bama game, he doesn’t deserve to go round 1, he has gotten smoked many times this season one on one.

Mo would be awesome, but as I mentioned, will go top 5. He is like a Mini-Patrick Peterson

by Joe27 on Dec 28, 2011 2:10 PM EST up reply actions

Hey Joe Is that red bank regional?

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 2:13 PM EST up reply actions

Kirkpatrick...

Minnifield, Jenkins, Dennard, Hosley are the top guys after Claiborne (who’ll go top 10, easy). Outside of Kirkpatrick and Dennard, the other guys could be taken with the 2nd selection in the first round. So, if a better OL option is had with the Oakland pick…they can afford to pass on the CB because it’s a deeper field.

by KSE on Dec 28, 2011 6:06 PM EST up reply actions

Good point

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

A nice rb and a shut down corner would be lovely 4 our first 2 picks

I can’t stand benson anymore

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 1:44 PM EST reply actions

I agree

I am pretty much done with Benson…..Unless he comes out there like Walter Payton on this last game……I am done……5 fumbles in 2 weeks……see Chris Perry example…………………

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 28, 2011 2:07 PM EST up reply actions

Perry was a monster his first couple years. Damn shame. Leornard is the man Great hands

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

I dont know if Perry was ever a monster...but he was ok

i am a little biased on Perry because we passed up Steven Jackson……………………….jus sayin

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 28, 2011 2:16 PM EST up reply actions

Perry was really good on screens

He was a good change of pace back from Rudi. He wasn’t a #1 and not even close to a Jackson. Alot of teams kicked themselves for passing S Jax the guy has been huge.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 28, 2011 2:20 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

+1

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 2:29 PM EST up reply actions

Speak of the devil

I just heard that Leonard is practicing and he looks to be a go Sunday. Barring no setbacks.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 28, 2011 2:17 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Monster as in helping us out in 3rd downs

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 2:18 PM EST up reply actions

Awesome, we could definitely use him!

by Unbeliever on Dec 28, 2011 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

Perry never really was a monster. He only played in 2 games his rookie season

having sports hernia (I believe, but I could be wrong), and he was a good option out of the backfield, but he never really scared teams with his physical presence. He scared Bengals fans with his tendency to fumble, I will give you that. Still remember the game against the Ravens where he fumbled the opening kickoff, and then on our next possession, Palmer throws an INT and just like that, we are down 14-0.

by Unbeliever on Dec 28, 2011 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

Ya I remember that

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 2:22 PM EST up reply actions

The Bengals might just be able to knock him out in the first round.

Then Chad in the second round, then Carson in the third.

by sexsalad on Dec 28, 2011 2:19 PM EST reply actions

That's my dream scenario

All of them bowing out to the team they left. Sorry guys to late to come back lol.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 28, 2011 2:25 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

I would love that....

by Unbeliever on Dec 28, 2011 2:31 PM EST up reply actions

What do u mean?

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

Beating JJ in the 1st rnd, Chad in the 2nd, and Carson in the AFC championship game. It could play out that way. More than likely tge Raiders won’t make it that far.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 28, 2011 2:32 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Ohhhh Ha. Yea that would be pretty nice

by njbengalstat on Dec 28, 2011 2:46 PM EST up reply actions

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/39018/poll-who-wins-ravens-bengals-game

get your ass out there and pop em in the mouth, and if that don't work knee em in the nuts

by joeb69 on Dec 28, 2011 2:38 PM EST reply actions

Also, another thing to point out

we get a 3rd round pick for losing Joseph, so depending what that pick brings to the table for the bengals will determine how much the lose really hurt us. Like if we get another Atkins or Peko player, to me it would be well worth it because CB isn’t our biggest weakness.

AMAS

by AMAS85 on Dec 28, 2011 3:20 PM EST reply actions

I forgot about this pick

that is sweet…

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 28, 2011 3:54 PM EST up reply actions

If the Bengals get lucky they might be able

To have 5 or 6 picks in the first 3 rounds by trading down in the first round. Not sure about getting a 3rd pick for JJoe. Nate Clements offsets the loss some, no? But the Pro Bowl pick for JJoe might make you right. Regardless they are in a commanding position heading into the draft.

by BENGALS69 on Dec 28, 2011 4:25 PM EST up reply actions