Marvin Lewis has become an expert builder. A rebuilder. Open-minded enough to apply evolving philosophies over time, incorporating personnel on the roster while silently rebuilding with an eye towards tomorrow, Lewis was the head coach that Cincinnati needed to repair nearly two decades of futility. For the first time during his tenure, and the first time in 30 years for the Bengals, Cincinnati reached the postseason in consecutive seasons. Actually it's the first time that Lewis' Bengals posted consecutive winning seasons.
It's perhaps his best roster yet, but it wasn't his first roster building project.
When Marvin Lewis was announced as the team's head coach on January 14, 2003, the former Redskins and Ravens defensive coordinator inherited a team that finished 2-14 in 2002. Along with revamping the coaching staff grandfathered into his regime, Lewis clearly set out to accomplish two things. Sign veterans to help rebuild the roster and draft for two needs -- now, and tomorrow. By March the Bengals applied the Transition Tag on Takeo Spikes and began free agency with a focus on veteran leadership by signing defensive tackle John Thornton and tight end Reggie Kelly. The Bengals also signed cornerback Tory James, who would start 64 games, pick off 21 passes for the Bengals and play in the 2004 Pro Bowl.
The focus eventually shifted to the NFL draft, finding their franchise quarterback in Carson Palmer, along with offensive guard Eric Steinbach and fullback Jeremi Johnson. Richie Braham, who entered free agency in March, returned days after the draft concluded. Cincinnati needed a kicker. They acquired Shayne Graham in September, waived by the Carolina Panthers. Graham would later become the franchise's most efficient place-kicker, converting 86.8 percent of his field goals -- the second-highest percentage is held by Doug Pelfrey at 77.3 percent (so it's not even close).
Within seven months, Lewis acquired eight players that would eventually make numerous starts on the 2003 Cincinnati Bengals that played with another team (NFL or college) in 2002.
Starting lineup comparison from 2002 to 2003 (note: players with the most starters at their respective position):
* denotes new acquisition
2002 | 2003 | |
QUARTERBACK | Jon Kitna | Jon Kitna |
RUNNING BACKS | Corey Dillon | Rudi Johnson |
FULL BACK | Lorenzo Neal | Jeremi Johnson * |
WIDE RECEIVERS | Chad Johnson | Chad Johnson |
Peter Warrick | Peter Warrick | |
TIGHT END | Matt Schobel | Reggie Kelly * |
LEFT TACKLE | Levi Jones | Levi Jones |
LEFT GUARD | Matt O'Dwyer | Eric Steinbach * |
CENTER | Rich Braham | Rich Braham |
RIGHT GUARD | Mike Goff | Mike Goff |
RIGHT TACKLE | Willie Anderson | Willie Anderson |
LEFT DEFENSIVE END | Bernard Whittington | Duane Clemons * |
LEFT DEFENSIVE TACKLE | Oliver Gibson | John Thornton * |
RIGHT DEFENSIVE TACKLE | Tony Williams | Tony Williams |
RIGHT DEFENSIVE END | Justin Smith | Justin Smith |
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER | Canute Curtis | Adrian Ross |
MIDDLE LINEBACKER | Brian Simmons | Kevin Hardy * |
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER | Takeo Spikes | Brian Simmons |
CORNERBACK | Jeff Burris | Artrell Hawkins |
Artrell Hawkins | Tony James * | |
SAFETY | JoJuan Armour | Rogers Beckett * |
Cory Hall | Mark Roman |
Despite opening the season losing three of the first four heading into the week five bye in 2003, the Bengals would recover by winning six of their next seven games to enter week 16 at 8-6. Losses to the St. Louis Rams and Cleveland Browns -- with one lucky fan receiving Corey Dillon's entire uniform -- left Cincinnati at .500. An impressive six-game improvement from 2002 -- though a trend of late-season declines that would prove unfortunate over time.
ACQUIRING PICKS FOR MORE TALENT
The rebuilding project continued into 2004, adding an additional four starters starting with offensive guard Bobbie Williams, who would go on to start 118 games for Cincinnati. But it's the trades of 2004 that helped rebuild the team's roster that year.
However it was a series of trades that helped boost the team's roster. An upset Corey Dillon was sent packing to New England in exchange for a second-round selection. An unhappy Deltha O'Neal demanded a trade out of Denver. They accepted. Along with sending O'Neal to Cincinnati, the Bengals and Broncos swapped first-round picks and Denver gave Cincinnati their fourth-round pick (No. 117 overall). Cincinnati would later swap first-round picks with St. Louis, who also gave Cincinnati their fourth-round pick.
The Bengals draft order before and after those trades:
ROUND | PRE-TRADES | POST-TRADES |
1st | No. 17 | No. 26 |
2nd | No. 49 | No. 49 |
No. 56 | ||
3rd | No. 80 | No. 80 |
No. 96 (Compensatory) | No. 96 (Compensatory) | |
4th | No. 114 | No. 114 |
No. 117 (from Denver) | ||
No. 123 (from St. Louis) | ||
5th | No. 149 | No. 149 |
6th | No. 183 | No. 183 |
7th | No. 218 | No. 218 |
The Bengals acquired three additional draft picks within the first 123 picks, using those selections to grab safety Madieu Williams (No. 56), defensive end Robert Geathers (No. 117) and offensive lineman Stacy Andrews (No. 123). Those three players would start a combined 181 games for the Bengals during their duration -- Geathers remains with the team today. Linebacker Landon Johnson, selected in the third round, would also become a significant contributor from that draft class.
Now the roster was developing.
2003 | 2004 | |
QUARTERBACK | Jon Kitna | Carson Palmer |
RUNNING BACKS | Rudi Johnson | Rudi Johnson |
FULL BACK | Jeremi Johnson | Jeremi Johnson |
WIDE RECEIVERS | Chad Johnson | Chad Johnson |
Peter Warrick | T.J. Houshmandzadeh | |
TIGHT END | Reggie Kelly | Reggie Kelly |
LEFT TACKLE | Levi Jones | Levi Jones |
LEFT GUARD | Eric Steinbach | Eric Steinbach |
CENTER | Rich Braham | Rich Braham |
RIGHT GUARD | Mike Goff | Bobbie Williams * |
RIGHT TACKLE | Willie Anderson | Willie Anderson |
LEFT DEFENSIVE END | Duane Clemons | Duane Clemons |
LEFT DEFENSIVE TACKLE | John Thornton | John Thornton |
RIGHT DEFENSIVE TACKLE | Tony Williams | Tony Williams |
RIGHT DEFENSIVE END | Justin Smith | Justin Smith |
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER | Adrian Ross | Kevin Hardy |
MIDDLE LINEBACKER | Kevin Hardy | Landon Johnson * |
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER | Brian Simmons | Brian Simmons |
CORNERBACK | Artrell Hawkins | Tory James |
Tony James | Deltha O'Neal * | |
SAFETY | Rogers Beckett | Madieu Williams * |
Mark Roman | Kim Herring * |
And within three years, Marvin Lewis replaced 14 starters from the 2002 squad, giving him a roster that would become the base of his 2005 squad that would make the postseason for the first time in 15 years.
2002 | 2005 | |
QUARTERBACK | Jon Kitna | Carson Palmer * |
RUNNING BACKS | Corey Dillon | Rudi Johnson |
FULL BACK | Lorenzo Neal | Jeremi Johnson * |
WIDE RECEIVERS | Chad Johnson | Chad Johnson |
Peter Warrick | T.J. Houshmandzadeh | |
TIGHT END | Matt Schobel | Reggie Kelly * |
LEFT TACKLE | Levi Jones | Levi Jones |
LEFT GUARD | Matt O'Dwyer | Eric Steinbach * |
CENTER | Rich Braham | Rich Braham |
RIGHT GUARD | Mike Goff | Bobbie Williams * |
RIGHT TACKLE | Willie Anderson | Willie Anderson |
LEFT DEFENSIVE END | Bernard Whittington | Robert Geathers * |
LEFT DEFENSIVE TACKLE | Oliver Gibson | John Thornton * |
RIGHT DEFENSIVE TACKLE | Tony Williams | Bryan Robinson * |
RIGHT DEFENSIVE END | Justin Smith | Justin Smith |
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER | Canute Curtis | Landon Johnson * |
MIDDLE LINEBACKER | Brian Simmons | Odell Thurman * |
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER | Takeo Spikes | Brian Simmons |
CORNERBACK | Jeff Burris | Tory James * |
Artrell Hawkins | Deltha O'Neal * | |
SAFETY | JoJuan Armour | Madieu Williams * |
Cory Hall | Kevin Kaesviharn * |