Cincinnati Bengals
Lewis says new coordinators spur another reboot

MOBILE, Ala. — It was 11 years ago at this game that Marvin Lewis became head coach of the Bengals and as he wrapped up his scouting trip to the Senior Bowl Wednesday he pledged the third reboot of his tenure.

The first one was spurred by his hire. The drafting of perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green and quarterback Andy Dalton three years ago marked the next one and led to three straight postseason berths. Now he says the hiring of two coordinators, Hue Jackson on offense and Paul Guenther on defense, have sparked "a re-re-reboot" in pursuit of that elusive playoff success.

"We have to start again. We have to start fresh. The past is the past three years. It's gone. We have to start new," Lewis said. "We're starting new with new coordinators and coaches … I think all the guys we brought in in new spots are going to energize us. They're all excited and good, that's great."

Lewis is particularly emboldened by the selections of Vance Joseph as a secondary coach in a double team with incumbent Mark Carrier and the hire of Matt Burke as linebackers coach. Lewis likes the fact that Burke, a disciple of Lewis disciple Jim Schwartz, is apparently a clone of Schwartz. And Lewis says there is "no more revered secondary coach in the NFL" than Joseph.

“Jimmy has spoken real highly of him. As I went thought it with Jimmy, he described the same things with Matt, which is all I needed to hear,” said Lewis, who has yet to hand out titles or responsibilities in the secondary.

“I’ll handle that. Vance was trained from the bottom up as a coach. Mark is a former player and has certain qualities that way. This is the most position we have that way and it is also the quickest way to lose a football game. We had to make sure we have two real good and qualified people.”

Also Wednesday, Lewis, a member of the NFL competition committee, said he's against the proposal to ban the extra point ("It's part of the game") and that he is not sure yet if Andrew Whitworth is going to play left tackle or left guard.

Lewis also reiterated Andy Dalton is his quarterback but that the Bengals will look at drafting any position if it's a right fit.

"If you talk to any coach or personnel person they know what a great start to his career that Andy Dalton has had,” Lewis said. "You always have that in any position in the league. It has to be right timing, fit and person. Is the right person there when it is our time to stand up and pick a guy?”

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