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Bengals have a few top free agents in the NFL this off-season. Could Miami's hiring of Kevin Coyle bring them to South Florida?

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Grant Halverson - Getty ImagesMore photos »4 months ago: JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 09: Reggie Nelson #20 of the Cincinnati Bengals reacts at the end of his team's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on October 9, 2011 in Jacksonville, Florida. Cincinnati won 30-20. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

It is a common circumstance in the NFL when a coach leaves for another team, he is a draw for said coaches former team's free agents the following year (see: Hue Jackson, Carson Palmer, and T.J. Houshmanzadeh as one example of many). It is not necessarily a bad thing, especially in the case of Jackson and Palmer, but sometimes it can be the worst.

In a recent article by Dolphins beat writer Armando Salguero, he expounds on the Dolphins needs and how they could fill them in free agency and not have to put so much stress on the front office on draft day. Among the Dolphins main needs, including a quarterback, no. 2 wide receiver, and offensive linemen, Salguero notes that they need a lot of help on the defensive side of the ball. If you gave Salguero one free agent acquisition, who would it be?

Mario Williams, whose resume includes 48.5 sacks in the past 66 games, is my guy. That's the guy I team with Cameron Wake and turn the Miami pass-rush into a balanced nightmare.

Of course, who wouldn't want Williams to be the driving force behind their defense? But this is not the most eye-catching statement Salguero makes; he notes that a few of the Bengals top free agents would be perfect fits in Miami because of the influence on them of their newly acquired defensive coordinator, Kevin Coyle.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2012/02/1-mario-williams-de-houston-texans-the-texans-used-him-as-a-3-4-rush-outside-linebacker-last-year-but-i-think-his.

Reggie Nelson, S, Cincinnati Bengals: The Dolphins just hired Kevin Coyle as their defensive coordinator after he served as the Bengals secondary coach fpr [sic] nearly a decade. That means he knows a little something about the Bengals secondary. And he somehow got Nelson, an early-round draft bust in Jacksonville, to play well in Cincinnati. Maybe Nelson might be the answer to getting some plays out of the Miami free safety spot.

Pat Sims DT, Cincinnati Bengals: Read the above and understand that Coyle saw Sims in practice every day. He has started 23 games in four seasons for the Bengals. He is mostly an anchor inside against the run. He is another, cheaper option to Paul Soliai. In fact, he's a cheaper option to both Soliai and Bunkley and he's only 26. Sims is from Fort Lauderdale so maybe he'd like to come home.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2012/02/1-mario-williams-de-houston-texans-the-texans-used-him-as-a-3-4-rush-outside-linebacker-last-year-but-i-think-his.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2012/02/1-mario-williams-de-houston-texans-the-texans-used-him-as-a-3-4-rush-outside-linebacker-last-year-but-i-think-his.

A recurring point that Salguero makes in both player profiles is the presence of Coyle in Miami and his insider knowledge on both players. Both Nelson and Sims are must-sign free agents for the Bengals if they want to keep the no. 7 ranked defense in the NFL. The damage it would cause to the defense, especially the loss of Nelson, would be comparable to losing Jonathon Joseph last off-season.

It is highly unlikely that Coyle will bring both Nelson and Sims to Miami next season, but it is very likely that one of the two will leave Cincinnati. Sims would be the likely choice to leave because Miami would be willing to pay him a bit more than Cincinnati because he would have a starting role there, while in Cincy he is a rotation man. Sims would also be the likely one to leave because Nelson isn't going anywhere. Nelson is the Bengals top free agent and re-signing him is one of their main priorities this off-season. Even though Sims is the likelier to leave, the draw of Coyle in Miami pales in comparison to the draw of Mike Zimmer in Cincinnati. Even though Coyle is an up-and-coming coach in the league, Zimmer is a fan and player favorite in the locker room and that, the desire to build a better defense this off-season through free agency and the draft, and the massive amount of cap room should be enough to keep Sims and Nelson in Cincinnati for next year.

by Mike Fightmaster on Feb 14, 2012 11:17 AM EST up reply actions Doubt we'll keep Sims He?s already said he?s going to test FA waters.

by Oregonbengalsfan on Feb 14, 2012 11:58 AM EST up reply actions Have a good yr and the vultures try and pick us apart I?m starting to think that Miami didn?t hire Zim because they knew they could get Coyle. Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free. Doesn?t Miami play a 3-4? I guess Simms would fit in but I don?t see Nelson going anywhere.

by whodeycommish14 on Feb 14, 2012 11:18 AM EST up reply actions wish i were as optimistic as you i fear another team will offer nelson 4.5+ million a year for a 2-4 year deal, while brown offers something far south of that. while all the cincy fans are left with another free agency deja vu pit in their stomach and on the field in a new secondary hole.

by palewook on Feb 14, 2012 11:46 AM EST up reply actions Reverse impact Following this same line of thinking, who might Mark Carrier look to bring over from either the Jets or Ravens?

by palewook on Feb 14, 2012 11:48 AM EST up reply actions FA is going to be wild isn't it? But the Bengals will always have the advantage given their large cap space and the fact these two players became successful under Zim and Lewis. If they get market pay, why would they leave?

by AMAS85 on Feb 14, 2012 11:55 AM EST up reply actions "because Neslon isn't going anywhere" Just because he?s our top priority doesn?t mean he?s going to stick around. JJoe was our top priority last year too.

by AMAS85 on Feb 14, 2012 1:00 PM EST up reply actions lol u guys crack me up Yall seriously gonna say losing Nelson would have impact as with Joseph? Nelson was the best secondary player on his team, Joseph was one of best in NFL. I like ballhawks in secondary, Nelson doesn?t fit that. Being honest that was also Joseph #1 problem here he couldn?t catch a cold. It?s a lil different though because Joseph still shut his man down, Nelson job is to play centerfeild and be a playmaker. Nelson drops too many int and has a lot of blown coverages. He?s best plays are hitting the receiver once he already catches ball are coming in gang tackling when back already picked up 7-8 yds or 1st down. Name 1 HUGE play u can remember Nelson making all year?

by Hoke Hogan on Feb 14, 2012 2:05 PM EST via mobile up reply actions The INT in the Seattle game. INT vs. Seattle. INT vs. Houston. Get out of here.

by Cry on Feb 14, 2012 2:52 PM EST up reply actions U get out of here? Them was balls that was thrown right to him? Now let me ask u this ? how many HUGE int did he drop?

by Bigcatdaddy on Feb 14, 2012 5:31 PM EST via Android app up reply actions No I see Reed running off his man to make a play on someone?s else guy. Nelson is dinner than box a rocks. Great athlete but don?t have brains to play safety. What instincts do he have? Nelson is 5th best safety in our division. Ward, Clark, Troy, Reed all are ahead of him right now.

by pray4gm11 on Feb 14, 2012 5:38 PM EST via mobile up reply actions he is my point our defense got better when joseph left, so that kind of points out we didn?t necessarly need him. Don?t get me wrong, I wished he stayed.

But I would be willing to bet, if Nelson leaves, you know the FS that has excelled under Zimmers system, our defense would probably dip in overall rankings. I never seen a physical FS like him come up and stop the run like he can. And he has progressively gotten better in the passing game since he has been here. Nelson is on the verge of greatness.

Stat wise it got better. Let?s be honest that the weakest schedule we?ve had in a very long time. And so your telling me you?ve never seen Troy or Gholdson play? We got a little better in defending te/rb in coverage but that had more to do with Lawson/_Howard than anybody else.

I think with how our D is set up, we really don?t really rely on our corners to be elite. Our corners just need to be declipline and have good technique. Our Dline controls the line of scrimmage and we need our LBs and safties fill in the holes. Which Nelson is a beast at. But as far as the passing game goes, I felt Crocker was a liability and Nelson didn?t get the freedom that Troy gets on his defense. So if we can resign Nelson and get him some help, kinda like what Troy and Clark do on the steelers, Nelson would defenately get more attetion because he will be able to get those sexy stats.

With all that said, If Nelson were to leave, we would be essentially taking to two steps back. And when Jospeh left, we didn?t lose a step. We actually got better as a unit.

Don?t know if ur talking bout the Bengals? But I do know that the bengals just had 2cb that were the best tandem in NFL so don?t know where u get we don?t rely on cb to be elite. Seriously dude that?s how our defense was set up for our cb to play on a island for we can be aggressive. And u don?t have Kobe, Lebron, D rose on same team and they avg 30. So what I?m saying is of course u have good stats on poor team but when u put a group of stars on same team stats go down because I don?t need that one player to do much. Please stop putting Nelson and Troy in same class.

by pray4gm11 on Feb 14, 2012 5:29 PM EST via mobile up reply actions Don?t know if ur talking bout the Bengals? But I do know that the bengals just had 2cb that were the best tandem in NFL so don?t know where u get we don?t rely on cb to be elite. Seriously dude that?s how our defense was set up for our cb to play on a island for we can be aggressive. And u don?t have Kobe, Lebron, D rose on same team and they avg 30. So what I?m saying is of course u have good stats on poor team but when u put a group of stars on same team stats go down because I don?t need that one player to do much. Please stop putting Nelson and Troy in same class.

Decent stats? I really don?t believe in stats so when I toss numbers around 85% of time I?m being sarcastic!!! Don?t get me wrong I love Nelson did since his Florida days, but he?

by AMAS85 on Feb 14, 2012 6:54 PM EST up reply actions And we didn?t lose a step without Joseph???? Hahahaha we sure didn?t gain any steps? #1 priority this off season is find not 1 but 2-3 cb. We lost out going without Jones and Joseph this year.

we only need two, one FA whether its Jones or Jennings or FA outside the bengals organization. And we will definately draft a CB in the first.

We still need to re sign Nelson but he?s not a difference maker on a GREAT defense. Everybody overlooks the teams we played last year weren?t great. How many pro bowl qbs we played against last year? The one we did play against pick us apart. Our defense outside of depth of d line and Lawson was HORRIBLE last year.

I would agree on Nelson While I think the Bengals need to sign Nelson, he isnt a top 10 safety and end all be all a lot of people on here think. Yes he could improve even more next year but if he happened to leave he would be easier to replace than Joesph was.

by AMAS85 on Feb 14, 2012 4:12 PM EST up reply actions Its just my opinion but im sorry I just dont see. If we didnt resign him and used that money on a Tyvon Branch the production would be similar if not better, imo. With that being said, I do hope we resign because as of right now, the Bengals have nothing better.

But Overall I say if Nelson left the only reason it would leave a bigger void than Joesph because their isnt anything behind Nelson on the depth chart. Joesph is more of an impact player.

No there are not only career high was in assisted tackles and sacks. U never seen.him play probably before he came here. He was a beast his 1st year in Jax. He got hurt never was unproductive.

Like I said it was already pointed out to you in a previous post by several people and you refuse to acknowledge it. I?ve seen him play plenty before he came here. Football isn?t just Bengals to me. Yes he was beast in his rookie year. After that, they were calling him bust. And now they are calling him a good safety and our top priority.

Bengal fans SETTLE for ANYTHING!!! We have 1player on defense that u couldn?t find a replacement for in draft or free agency this year?. And Nelson ain?

by Oregonbengalsfan on Feb 14, 2012 6:09 PM EST up reply actions I think Mark Carrier can take Reggie's game to the next level. I hope we?re able to keep him.

by shibacle on Feb 14, 2012 8:54 PM EST reply actions this how is see it when it comes to reggie.... how many games did you watch last year and thank the football gods we had reggie on our team?

I think for me, there as a least one moment in the game where I was relieved that we had him. What particular impresses me about reggie is his body control when he lays the wood. He uses prefect technique and doesn?t lead with his head or any of that.

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