When Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco Johnson both moved on from Cincinnati heading into 2011 it looked like the Bengals could be in for another long season. But then a strange thing happened: Andy Dalton started finding AJ Green on a regular basis, the defense occasionally stepped up and suddenly this once-moribund franchise was being competitive every week.

There are still holes on this roster. But the Dalton-to-Green combination has Bengals fans and observers as optimistic as they’ve been in years. So how do the Bengals keep moving forward and avoid taking another step back? Josh Kirkendall, senior editor for the Cincy Jungle, gave us his thoughts.

Zoneblitz: Will Andy Dalton and AJ Green repeat the success of their rookie years?

Josh Kirkendall: One can only hope that they’ll avoid the sophomore slump, but the fact that offensive coordinator Jay Gruden declined head coaching jobs, only bodes well for that cohesiveness and familiarity for both second-year players. But the Bengals still need to develop around them, picking up a new “X” receiver opposite of A.J. Green that can relieve some of the defensive pressure while giving Dalton another option on the outside.

Zoneblitz: Cedric Benson is adequate but not spectacular. Do you expect him back as the main back?

Kirkendall: No. It’s widely expected that Benson and the Bengals are mutually going their separate ways this offseason, leaving the team’s running back position vacant. At the same time Benson wasn’t 100 percent the problem with the Bengals less-than-impressive rushing offense due to an offensive line that struggled during their run blocks in 2011.

Zoneblitz: Besides Dalton and Green, what was different between 2010 and 2011 that allowed Cincinnati to have such a positive turnaround so quickly?

Kirkendall: The truth is that this team simply didn’t know any better. Like Dalton and Green, the core players on this roster are young and they simply didn’t know that they were supposed to lose. Additionally the player-only workouts during the NFL lockout last year went a long way to develop chemistry and a sense of camaraderie. Something that the Bengals have lacked for some time.

Zoneblitz: There have been rumors of a possible move toward Pittsburgh’s Mike Wallace. What do you think of that possibility and do you think the team needs another receiver opposite Green?

Kirkendall: They’re rumors that we highly doubt the team will exercise. I can’t see a scenario that the Bengals would give Pittsburgh, one of the team’s biggest intra-divisional rivals, a first-round pick, along with the money to sign Wallace to a long-term deal. That being said the Bengals need someone opposite of Green on the outside, helping stretch the field and limit the over-coverage on Green. Don’t be surprised if the Bengals are aggressive in free agency for a veteran wide receiver like Mario Manningham or Robert Meachem.

Zoneblitz: It looks like there could be some turnover in the defensive backfield. What is your assessment of the team’s strengths and needs there?

Kirkendall: For the lack of a better description, Cincinnati’s secondary is on life support. Reggie Nelson, Adam Jones, Kelly Jennings, players with significant snaps in 2011, are entering free agency. Chris Crocker’s overall talents have diminished while Taylor Mays and Robert Sands are in an unproven developmental phase. And the lack of depth behind Leon Hall and Nate Clements at cornerback is a major concern.

Additionally we’re not even sure if Hall will be fully rehabilitated for the 2012 regular season opener after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury last year. It’s a mess.

Zoneblitz: Rey Maualuga picked up his game in 2011, but he also has had several legal issues. What is your comfort level with him?

Kirkendall: There is none. Maualuga is, at best, an above average middle linebacker. He tends to over-pursue, shows hesitancy shooting running lanes and like most average linebackers, when a lineman gets his hands on him, it’s over. The legal issues and his drinking are concerns sure, but the greater concern is his production. Based on his performances in three seasons (two as a SAM linebacker), he’s very replaceable. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, I’m not confident that the team will give him an extension without seeing major improvements in 2012 (if he’s not suspended).

Zoneblitz: What impact, if any, will adding Hue Jackson to the staff have on the Bengals going forward?

Kirkendall: He’ll be an assistant coach with the secondary and special teams, so I imagine it’ll be limited in that capacity due to his relative inexperience coaching those positions (never coached defensive backs and last coach special teams in 1991 with the London Monarchs). But Jackson is a personality in which most of his players gravitate to (not as a head coach), so I imagine he’ll relate to the players in that regard as a roaming coach so to speak.

Zoneblitz: The Bengals made the playoffs but got bounced early. How far away is Cincinnati from meeting and/or passing Baltimore and Pittsburgh and making a deep run in the postseason?

Kirkendall: It’s such a year-to-year thing in the AFC North. Every time we feel that the Bengals have surpassed both teams, the next year the Bengals implode and those teams end up battling each other. The foundation that this team is currently building is far more long-term than they’ve had in the past, with less selfishness and more cohesiveness that could give the Bengals a sense of long-term viability.

Zoneblitz: What would you like to see the Bengals do in free agency and, particularly with the addition of an extra first from the Palmer trade, the draft?

Kirkendall: Cincinnati has a desperate need for offensive guards. We’d love to get Carl Nicks from the Saints and even draft Stanford’s David DeCastro, though a scenario to acquire both guards seems like a long-shot at best. We’d also like the team to address cornerback, drafting someone that could finally be that Johnathan Joseph replacement, as well as a veteran to help rebuild the team’s depth. The safety position needs just as much attention as well.

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