2013 Bengals Season Awards: The Unsung Hero Of The Year

We roll on with the Bengals 2013 season awards and I'll admit that this one is a personal favorite. Why? Well, that's because it's a piece that I write up weekly for Cincy Jungle after every game, win or lose. We have magnified the award to season-long status, and the CJ writers feel as if they have come up with some deserving candidates.

Once again to clarify, this award honors a player whose contributions may have been overlooked throughout the course of the year. They may have been thrust into some unexpected playing time because of injury, but the team hardly missed a beat. Basically, it honors the player(s) who puts their head down and quietly does their job with great effectiveness.

Josh Kirkendall: I have to go with linebacker, Vincent Rey. After Emmanuel Lamur and Taylor Mays went down, Rey had to do more than just play special teams. He did it well and was one of the most important rotational players of the year.

willPOWER (William Newell): I'm going with safety Reggie Nelson. He has been one of the most under appreciated Bengals players since he came here in 2010.

Mickey Mentzer: Vinny Rey gets my vote as well. He finished third on the team in sacks with four and tied for second in interceptions with two. All as a guy who shuffled in and out of the lineup.

Mojokong: I'm looking at a bit of a different player and am going with defensive lineman, Wallace Gilberry. He was another rotational guy who was tied for the team lead in sacks with 7.5 this year.

Anthony Cosenza: I almost went with Vinny Rey as well, but decided to go with Anthony Collins instead. He played incredibly well at left tackle for a good chunk of the year because of injuries to a variety of different offensive lineman. He started six games at left tackle and didn't allow a sack against some of the NFL's best pass-rushers.

Andrew Miller: I, too, am going with Vinny Rey for this award.

Mike Townsend: I'm going to agree with Mojo and say Wallace Gilberry as well.

Nick Seuberling: I'm with Andrew, Mickey and Josh. Vincent Rey gets my vote for the Unsung Hero of the Year.