Paul Guenther "Expected" to Replace Jeff
Fitzgerald as LB Coach

The other day, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis hinted at the fact that there could be another opening aside from the one left by Kevin Coyle. In case you haven't heard, Coyle is was named defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins earlier today. With Lewis' comments, people began speculating that he was referring to linebackers coach, Jeff Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald joined the team in 2008, but his contract had expired and with many in Bengaldom not liking the progression of Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers, it has become increasingly apparent that Fitzgerald won't be retained.

Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer has a thought on who will be replacing Fitzgerald in that capacity.

That means there are two openings on the Bengals staff, with the team going for an outside hire to fill Coyle’s spot. Assistant special teams and defensive backs coach Paul Guenther is expected to become the linebackers coach, replacing Jeff FitzGerald who is not being retained. Guenther assisted with the linebackers from 2006-10.

The move makes sense for a couple of reasons. First, the Bengals like to promote coaches from within and with Guenther being with the team for eight years now, they probably felt like he was suited for this position. Secondly, as the assistant special teams coach, Guenther likely works with a lot of the linebackers on the coverage team already.

Bengals fans can only hope that this works out better than the disaster in Philadelphia last year. If you remember, Eagles head coach Andy Reid named his offensive line coach, Juan Castillo, as his 2011 defensive coordinator. That situation didn't end well at all, as both Reid and Castillo caught a lot of criticism about the defense's performance. This isn't as drastic of a move as that one, but there is a transition that will have to take place.

Again, nothing is official yet with Fitzgerald or Guenther, so we'll be sure to keep you posted once something official takes place. However, if Guenther is the guy that the team hires, let's hope he can mold the group into a dominant one.

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Jim Harbaugh's 'Equity' And 49ers Free Agents

NFL Free Agency gets going in approximately six weeks. Until then, teams will have an exclusive negotiating window to get deals done. The 49ers have plenty of their own free agents to consider before they move on to consider outside options in free agency and the draft.

When Coach Harbaugh wrapped up the season at his press conference on Monday, he twice mentioned how players had built up equity with the team. He was asked first about the idea of players coming off this great year but still ending up somewhere else:

You've talked throughout the year you like this team. Obviously there's going to be turnover. How difficult is that going to be when that process comes to see some of the guys who were contributors on this team go other places?

"Well, I think a couple things there. If a player could just make significantly more money going to another team than we would be willing or able to pay them, then I would be happy for those players. But, we're going to compete. We're going to compete for the guys that played 16 games, who were consummate team guys. That's what I've told them and that's what we'll do. The grass isn't always greener. And our players have built up a lot of equity here. With me, with our coaches, with our organization and then people, they're going to make the best decisions for their family, themselves, and that'll be life happening. But, hopefully they've enjoyed their season here and being a part of this team, and we'll see how it shakes out."

He was later asked about how much better he feels he knows the team as compared to last offseason:

How much better positioned are you this offseason to evaluate your team based on that you coached them all year, as opposed to last year, you came in and probably had to study the tape. How much more confident do you feel knowing the team?

"Significantly, and that's obvious. Do I know them? Yeah, I'm around them every day. Significantly more. There's equity built up in that."

The 49ers are in an interesting position given how this season went. They had a very solid year built around a cohesive unit. The team seemed to develop an atmosphere where most people were happy and enjoyed the situation. There were some instances of displeasure at times, but for the most part, everybody seemed to love Coach Harbaugh and the 49ers experience in 2011.

We've heard Carlos Rogers indicate he would consider a team discount given the situation. That does not mean everybody will take a little less to stick around, but it will make for an interesting February and March. Equity on one side of the equation does not guarantee sufficient equity on the other side.

Once some of these guys hit the open market, how easily does that equity get forgotten? Will we get to see some of Coach Harbaugh's college recruiting skills come into play?

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2012 Senior Bowl: Five Players Who Hurt Their
Draft Stock

Now that the full week of practices at the 2012 Senior Bowl have been completed and the vast majority of the NFL scouts and decision makers have left Mobile, Ala. it's time too look at who hurt themselves the most this week. Some players enter Senior Bowl week with a lot of hype and buzz, but just fail to do anything noticeable and sometimes look just down right awful.

Here are five players who really hurt themselves during the week:

Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M: Fuller had a lot of hype surrounding him entering the 2011 NCAA football season but wound up disappointing and disappearing in some games. He did no different at the Senior Bowl, struggling to get off the line of scrimmage against small corners playing press coverage and he simply just couldn't catch. Whatever draft stock Fuller had entering the week, he likely destroyed it.

Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina: Jones was talked about prior to the week as potentially being the second or third wide receiver drafted, but after his lackadaisical week in Mobile, he might be the sixth or seventh taken. Jones has the size and overall ability that scouts will look for, but his effort just wasn't there. As one NFL scout said who was standing next to me, "He's just going through the motions."

Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State: Sanders just had an awful week going up against a slew of very good pass rushers on the South team. He was beaten up badly by Quinton Coples and Melvin Ingram day after day and even struggled handling a bull rush and some of the more powerful defensive ends.

Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State: Many had concerns with Kellen Moore's arm strength and height prior to the Senior Bowl, but after the weigh-in and the first day of practice his lack of size was painfully obvious. Not only did Moore look like a high school player on the field, but his arm just wasn't good enough to get the football where it needed to be. He did hit some nicer deep throws, but the ball took quite a while to get there and were simple in one-on-one drills without a safety.

Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama: While Upshaw is physically impressive and imposing, after his first day of practice his performance kind of fell off. He showed the ability to rush the passer with his hand on the ground, but more often than not he was washed out of running plays and lacks real explosiveness and quickness. He looks like his best fit will be on the inside in a 3-4 defense, letting him play down hill and be a "thumper".

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Around the AFC North: Cameron Stays With Ravens,
Childress Joins Browns

Even though it is the offseason for all four of the AFC North squads, they are still busy making changes to their respective staffs and scouting players at the Senior Bowl.

Let's take a spin around the division to see what has been happening with the Browns, Ravens and Steelers the last few days.

The Cleveland Browns:

• According to Mary Kay Cabot of the The Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Cleveland Browns have decided to hire former Vikings head coach Brad Childress as their new offensive coordinator.
• Speaking of assistant coach hires by the Browns, SBN's Dawgs By Nature website notes that the team has signed Tim Hauck to be their defensive backs coach.
• Dawgs By Nature also has an early version of their Browns mock draft, including picks from their trade last year with the Falcons.

The Baltimore Ravens:

• The Ravens have decided to retain offensive coordinator Cam Cameron for 2012.
• After losing Chuck Pagano to the Colts as their new head coach, the Ravens have decided to promote Dean Pees as their new defensive coordinator.
• SBN's Baltimore Beat Down examines the value of Ray Lewis to the team entering his 17th season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers

• SBN's Behind the Steel Curtain gives an homage to longtime nose tackle Chris Hoke who is retiring.
• Steelers safety Ryan Clark will be going to the Pro Bowl after Ed Reed backed out.
• Recently retired offensive coordinator Bruce Arians hints at the fact that his retirement was only after a new contract wasn't offered.

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Downfall of the Colts Means Opportunity for Mike
Mularkey

In 2003, Jack Del Rio was hired as the head coach of the Jaguars, serving eight full seasons before being fired during his ninth season in 2011. Through those eight full seasons he coached the Jaguars, he never once lead his team into the playoffs as the AFC South division champions.

Also in 2003, Peyton Manning earned his first ever AP All-Pro and won the 2003 NFL AP MVP award after leading the Colts to a 12-4 record. Between 2003-2009, the Colts had seven consecutive seasons with 12 or more wins and won the AFC South in every year during that span with the exception of the 2008 season in which they were dethroned by the 13-3 Tennessee Titans.

While the Jaguars certainly weren't world-beaters any time during that era of Colts dominance, each year they were given very little chance at winning the AFC South title. But with the absolute implosion that was the Colts in 2011, the future for Mike Mularkey's Jaguars isn't so daunting.

The Colts appear to be inching closer towards releasing the man that made it all work, Peyton Manning. After multiple neck surgeries kept him out for all of the 2011 season, Jim Irsay and the Colts have fired just about everyone who is anyone in the organization and is prepared to start over with Stanford QB Andrew Luck. Manning, who is 14-5 all-time against the Jaguars in the regular season, is soon to be the next victim of the purge.

Yes, the Texans are a good football team, but they are not even close to the same level of scary that the Colts were on. For one, their quarterback, Matt Schaub, is already 30 years old as the team is just now reaching a playoff quality of play and he has a had a history of injuries, including a foot injury that sent him to injured reserve in 2011 and essentially cost the team a chance at a Super Bowl run.

What Mularkey will have is an opportunity that is much larger and easier to obtain than Del Rio ever had during his tenure in Jacksonville.

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2012 Senior Bowl: NFP Picks Two Top-10 Recruits
As Good Fit For Bengals

The 2012 Senior Bowl, a game between NCAA football senior all stars organized into north and south teams, is just a day away, which means we get to sit back and watch some players that could very well end up in Bengals uniform. National Football Post's Wes Bunting recently picked his top-10 Senior Bowl players and picked NFL teams that would be a good fit for them. Two of those top-10 players are picked to be good fits for the Bengals.

The fourth-ranked prospect on the list is North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who Bunting believes would be the best fit for the Bengals, Lions or Patriots.

He was simply the most impressive cover man down here this week. Jenkins displays natural fluidity when asked to turn and run, stays low out of his breaks and is a bear to separate from on all levels of the field. Looks like an NFL starter early on in the NFL.

There's no question that Jenkins has great talent and there's also no question that the Bengals need help at the cornerback position, however, Jenkins' off-field troubles are a big red flag. I think I'd rather have a slightly less talented cornerback that wasn't quite as big of a risk.

The other player is the ninth-ranked prospect, Boise State running back Doug Martin, who Bunting believes would be a good fit for the Bengals, Buccaneers or Jets.

Martin isn't a dynamic size/speed guy, but there aren't many negatives to his game. He plays fast, runs low, is natural through the line of scrimmage and has a skill set somewhat similar to former Alabama RB Mark Ingram. He might fall a bit because he doesn't run overly well, but he has the skill set to start in the league.

Actually, the more I hear about Martin, the more I like him. He doesn't seem to have Trent Richardson talent but he seems to be somewhat of a Ray Rice carbon copy and we've all seen what Rice has been able to do in the NFL with the Ravens. The Bengals were unable to effectively run the ball in 2011 and they need a set of fresh legs at the running back position. However, it's my belief that the Bengals also need to draft offensive linemen to help the run game. A player like Martin could possibly fall to the second round which would give the Bengals the time in the first round to find a guard.

What do you think about Bunting's players that could be good fits for the Bengals? Are there any other players on his list you'd rather see in stripes?

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NFL Mock Draft 2012: Kendall Wright, Anybody

Late yesterday, Don Banks of SI.com joined the growing ranks of media posting their first mock drafts of the 2012 draft season. Banks went through the first round and has the San Francisco 49ers selecting Baylor WR Kendall Wright. I haven't put together our mock draft database yet (that'll happen this weekend), but wide receiver is striking me as the most popular position of choice for the 49ers.

While poking around some mock drafts, it seems like it would be a bit of a surprise at this point if Wright fell to the 49ers at No. 30. Much can and will change between now and April, but for now Wright is mocking out a bit more in the 17-26 range. That would seem to be within any margin of error for a mock draft. Of course, when you're talking about the back end of the first round, the margin of error grows dramatically as compared to the top of the draft.

Wright had to withdraw from the Senior Bowl with an ankle injury, so you won't get a chance to see him tomorrow afternoon in Mobile. Wright has been dealing with nagging injuries all season, but he still managed to put together an impressive season of 108 receptions, 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Wright is not a big guy, listed by some at 5'10, 190 pounds, but he bring some serious speed and acceleration, which is something the 49ers could use in their wide receiver corps. Dan Kadar put together a midseason scouting report, while our old friend Matt Miller put together a scouting report a couple weeks ago that looks at Wright's complete game.

The 49ers will be looking for some wide receiver options this offseason, but it will be interesting to see if they go for a high profile guy in free agency or the draft, or if they go for some more under-the-radar options like we saw them do in free agency this past year. 2011 was not a normal year given the lockout, so it is hard to tell if we have determined a specific pattern to the 49ers personnel decisions. Add in the fact that other teams might look to copy the 49ers 2011 free agency strategy, and it creates all sorts of questions.

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Falcons Looking At Jacksonville O-Line Coach Andy
Heck

Get the anti-Jacksonville invective out now, please. I'll wait.

For those who aren't familiar with Andy Heck, he's been the Jaguars' offensive line coach for the better part of the last seven years. By and large, he's done a fairly good job, though this last year was a disaster thanks to both personnel and the impossibility of protecting a quarterback who holds on to the ball as if it were a childhood teddy bear I think he's a good choice for the Falcons, who reportedly have interest.

What's more interesting about Heck, if you're willing to dive into his background, is his status as a former first round pick. He was selected 15th overall back in 1989, starting 164 games over a 12 year career. He never quite became an elite lineman, but he was good enough to start for 11 of those years. That's an impressive achievement, and it tells you that Heck should know how to connect with linemen.

He's the first name I've heard connected to the Falcons' offensive line coaching job, but stay tuned for more.

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Jaguars Announce Their Strength Coaches

The Jacksonville Jaguars finished out their staff this week. The team officially announced today that Tom Myslinski will be their new strength and conditioning coach while Patrick Mularkey will be the assistant strength coach.

Myslinski played nine seasons as an offensive lineman in the NFL, with his year in Jacksonville being his fourth pro season, and served three seasons as strength and conditioning coach for the Cleveland Browns. He spent the last two seasons on the collegiate level, as strength and conditioning coach for football at North Carolina in 2011 and Memphis in 2010.

Myslinski previously served as the Browns' head strength and conditioning coach from 2007-09. He was the Browns' assistant strength and conditioning coach in 2004 and also worked for the team on a part-time basis in 2003. He spent two seasons (2005-06) as head strength and conditioning coach at Robert Morris in Pittsburgh.

Patrick Mularkey spent the last two seasons as an assistant scout for general manager Gene Smith.

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Jim Irsay And Peyton Manning Issue Joint
Statement, Stop Acting Lke Idiots

In case you've been recovering from too many Whip-Its the last few two days, Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay have kind of been acting like idiots, using the Indianapolis Star's Bob Kravitz as a carrier pigeon to toss public pot shots at one another. Today, both men did what they should have done in the first place: Talked face-to-face and then issued a joint statement through the team's website.

JOINT STATEMENT FROM PEYTON MANNING AND JIM IRSAY*

We would like to dispel any misperception that there might be any hard feelings between us.

Since 1998, we have enjoyed a great relationship, based upon mutual respect and trust. We have always been able to talk and address matters we’ve faced over the years, not just as owner and player, but as friends. We had a long talk today and we want to assure Colts fans everywhere that we are both committed to maintaining our close relationship and to working together through any challenges the future may bring.

Just an observation guys: If you have a relationship based on mutual respect and trust, you don't need to communicate to each other through Bob friggin Kravitz. Glad you've talked the issues out, but come on. If I wanted this kind of drama, I'd start rooting for the Jets.

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