That being said, it’s never too early to start considering the odds.  The position with arguably the most talent and the least vacancies is linebacker, which ironically was often touted as one of the largest areas of need for the Bengals during the off season.  Over the past three seasons, Cincinnati has taken 6 or 7 linebackers onto the final 53-man roster; a bit heavy for a team that ran more than 50% of its defensive snaps from a nickel package last season.  Undrafted rookie phenomenon, Vontaze Burfict is all but a lock to make the roster, and with the signing of James Harrison and the re-signing of Rey Maualuga, two more names seem obvious to pencil in as well.  That leaves reserve, developmental talent, or specialty package players with which to slate the remaining roster positions.

December 9, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Emmanuel Lamur (59) tackles Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin (19) at Paul Brown Stadium. Dallas won the game 20-19. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

Emmanuel Lamur is the most likely of the remaining candidates to pick up a slot, but in no regards is that guaranteed.  The undrafted converted safety-to-linebacker was one of the first of his kind to make it onto a Pro roster before such a conversion became vogue and seemingly a prerequisite for linebackers during this year’s NFL Draft, but his single-year familiarity with Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer’s defensive schemes may still get out-weighed by some of the other talent behind him, despite seeing time in almost half the Bengals games last season.  Let’s not leave Vincent Rey out of this pool either.  The 3^rd year player from Duke still has a year left on his contract. 

Aug 23, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Nate Clements (22) and offensive coordinator Mike Zimmer shake hands before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

Call me crazy, but I’m starting to look at defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer in the same way a parent looks at their child before they leave home for college. You don’t want to see them go, but you know they have to leave in order to move on up in the world and in their career field, and Zimmer is facing the same issue. He’s been an integral part in helping the Bengals get to the playoffs in three of the past four seasons, and losing him could be devastating to the future success of a franchise that’s made the postseason just four times in the past two decades.

But he deserves as much as anyone currently associated with the NFL to become a head coach. Yet year after year, he’s been passed over and denied his dream of being the head honcho of an NFL club.

Sep 17, 2011; Ruston, LA, USA; Houston Cougars defensive back D.J. Hayden (2) during the second half in the game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Joe Aillet Stadium. Houston won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

Cornerback won’t be high on the list of needs for the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2013 NFL Draft, but that doesn’t mean they’ll try to find good value in the later rounds, and they may already have someone in mind.

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King wrote in his Monday Morning QB Column , while also conducting a mock draft, that the Bengals have been showing significant interest in Houston Cougars cornerback D.J. Hayden:

Cincinnati (21) likes Alec Ogletree and Eddie Lacy — and a strange one for this high: Houston cornerback D.J. Hayden, who had a risky heart-valve problem in 2011 but now checks out OK. Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has spent loads of time investigating Hayden

Hayden missed the last month of the 2012 season after doctors diagnosed a tear of the inferior vena cava (IVC), or the largest vein in the body that is responsible for bringing blood from the lower half of the body back to the heart.

In the nine games he did start in 2012, he had four interceptions and eight pass breakups. Hayden was considered a top 100 player prior to the injury, but the heart condition will likely to move him down to the fifth or sixth round. If his heart condition checks out though and he’s given a clean bill of health, there’s buzz going around Hayden could go as early as the mid-late third round. 

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