2012 NFL Free Agency: Bengals Free Agents Graded

The Bengals' season is over. Even though the playoffs are still in full swing and free agency has yet to begin, we can of course form a wish list of sorts of players that we would like to have in stripes in 2012, but before we start deciding who we would like to bring to Cincinnati, let's take a look at everybody that was already wearing stripes in 2011.

Thanks to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy, we have an unofficial list of the Bengals free agents and thanks to ProFootballFocus.com, we have those players' grades.

So let's get to it.

Exclusive Rights Free Agents:

RB Cedric Peerman -- Overall Rating: 0.4, Special Teams Rating: 3.9

• Peerman didn't play very much in 2011. He only carried the ball three times in 2011 but his special teams play was very good.

LB Vincent Rey -- Overall Rating :0.0, Special Teams Rating: 1.0

• Like Peerman, Rey barely played in 2011. He took some snaps on special teams, though.

Restricted Free Agents:

LS Clark Harris -- Overall Rating: 0.0

• Harris came to Cincinnati to replace Brad St. Louis as the team's long snapper. He's done a good job.

DT Nick Hayden -- Overall Rating: 0.6

• Hayden played 33 snaps in Weeks 14 and 15. He was better against the run than at rushing the passer in that short period of time and made two stops.

FB Chris Pressley -- Overall Rating: 3.7

• Pressley played in 15 of the team's regular season games and in their wildcard game. He received a grade of 1.0 for pass blocking and a grade of 0.7 for run blocking. He also received a rating of 1.0 for his receiving ability. When it comes to fullbacks, he is rated as the eighth best in the league by PFF.

LB Dan Skuta -- Overall Rating: 2.5, Special Teams: 1.0

• Skuta played in 13 of the team's 16 regular season games and in the wildcard game. He started in Week 6, 8 and 9 as Rey Maualuga's replacement when the starting middle linebacker was injured. According to PFF, Skuta excelled in pass rushing and run defense but struggled in pass coverage.

Unrestricted Free Agents:

RB Cedric Benson -- Overall Rating: 3.6

• Benson struggled in 2011. While the offensive line wasn't spectacular, Benson struggled to make plays on his own. He was largely unable to break tackles, he was terrible when it came to catching passes out of the backfield and he was worst at picking up third- or fourth-and-short yardage. Furthermore is attitude seemed to be a detriment to the team. Most expect the Bengals not to re-sign Benson even though he had more than 1,000 yards for the third season in a row in 2011.

WR Andre Caldwell -- Overall Rating: -11.4

• Caldwell was expected to step up after Jordan Shipley went on IR early in the season. Unfortunately, he was terrible inconsistent and was unable to help the offense much at all. He only received a positive grade in three games in 2011 and never a grade over 0.7.

OT Anthony Collins -- Overall Rating: 4.3

• Collins only played in five games this season and only twice as the team's starting right tackle. According to PFF, he excelled in pass protection but was not quite as good in run blocking. Many want Collins to be re-signed in 2011.

DE Jonathan Fanene -- Overall Rating: 0.5

• Fanene had 6.5 sacks in 2011 as one of the team's rotating defensive linemen. According to PFF, though, he was actually much better at run defense. He earned a run defense score of 4.6 and a pass rush score of -2.0. He was an important part of the Bengals defensive line, which was the strength of the team through most of the season.

CB Kelly Jennings -- Overall Rating: -5.2

• Jennings was originally signed to play the nickel position but he struggled. Many hoped Adam Jones would take his spot when he was able to, but after Leon Hall's season-ending injury, he was forced into a much larger role than many felt comfortable with him in. He had a -6.6 rating in pass coverage.

LB Brandon Johnson -- Overall Rating: 0.5

• Johnson didn't start any games in 2011 but had a fairly large role in some games as a backup and in pass coverage situations. According to PFF he was better against the run, earning a rush defense score of 2.9, and earned a pass coverage score of -2.8.

CB Adam Jones -- Overall Rating: -2.4

• Jones started in eight of the Bengals games in 2011, opposite of Nate Clements, taking over for Hall after his season-ending injury. Unfortunately, he didn't play nearly as well as Hall could have. PFF game him a pass coverage score of 0.3 and a run defense score of -1.7.

LB Manny Lawson -- Overall Rating: 10.6

• With Maualuga's move to middle linebacker and Keith Rivers' injury, the Bengals signed Lawson and Thomas Howard. Lawson earned a pass defense score of -0.6 but was graded highly against the run with a score of 8.1.

TE Donald Lee -- Overall Rating: -2.9

• The Bengals brought Lee to Cincinnati after Bo Scaife went on IR in the preseason. He had a score of 2.6 as a receiver but struggled in blocking when he was in with a score of -3.7.

OG Nate Livings -- Overall Rating: -13.

• Livings struggled all season, especially in run blocking. He earned a pass blocking grade of 0.4 but his pass blocking was -9.1. The Bengals entire offense struggled due to the poor play of the guards, especially later in the season.

OG Mike McGlynn -- Overall Rating: -9.0

• McGlynn came in during the third and fourth game of the season to start in Clint Boling's place and then came back into the starting lineup when Bobbie Williams was place on IR. He struggled almost equally in run and pass blocking earning a score of -3.8 in pass blocking and a score of -4.1 in run blocking.

S Reggie Nelson -- Overall Rating: -3.1

• Nelson had his moments in 2011. He's a hard hitter and he can be good against the pass at times. Unfortunately, when he hit hard, he was flagged, but that didn't stop him. According to PFF, his run defense grade was -3.8 and his pass defense grade was 1.5.

K Mike Nugent -- Overall Score: 27.0

• Nugent was automatic through the majority of the season. There was a small stretch after the middle of the season where he missed a few field goals, but he bounced back. Nugent has been a good addition to the Bengals.

OT Dennis Roland -- Overall Score: -1.2

• Roland played at times in every game of the season except for one. He was graded better as a pass protector than a run blocker with a pass blocking score of 1.4 and a run blocking score of -2.7.

DE Frostee Rucker -- Overall Score: 4.0

• Rucker was another important part of the team's defensive line. He graded highly in run defense, with a score of 9.5, but had a pass rush score of -7.1.

TE Bo Scaife -- Overall Score: 0.0

• Scaife was placed on IR before the season began. He didn't accumulate any stats.

WR Jerome Simpson -- Overall Score: -12.2

• Simpson is capable of flipping in the air over a defender in one game and then disappearing in the next. He's just as physically gifted as A.J. Green, but unlike Green, he seemed incapable of showing up when the team needed him. He had a grade of -5.7 when it came to receiving and -4.1 in run blocking.

DT Pat Sims -- Overall Score: -4.1

• Sims was placed on IR after the team's Week 12 game against the Browns. His presence on the line, especially when it came to stopping the run was missed. He had a run defense grade of 0.1 and a pass rush grade of -4.5.

G Bobbie Williams -- Overall Score: 1.9

• Williams was sorely missed during his four-game suspension in the beginning of the season and after he went on IR in Week 14. He had a pass protection grade of 0.9 and a run blocking grade of 1.8. His veteran leadership on and off the field was sorely missed as well.

So, now that you've seen all the Bengals free agents and their PFF grades, which ones would you like to see re-signed by the Bengals for the 2012 season and beyond?