Cincinnati Bengals 2007 Draft Preview

Football Betting Lines

04/02/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cincinnati had its problems defensively last season, then lost reliable players like linebacker Brian Simmons (released) and safety Kevin Kaesviharn (free agent to Saints) in the offseason. The Bengals need to get younger and find a playmaker or two in the secondary, and could use a sturdy run-stopping type at linebacker. The offense lost Kelley Washington to free agency and has a potential suspension for fellow wideout Chris Henry hanging over its head, so a new receiver could join the mix. But Cincinnati, a team that received a total of 35 catches and two touchdowns from its tight ends last year, could add a different offensive dimension by selecting a player like Miami-Florida's Greg Olsen at No. 18, perhaps mitigating the effect of the potential absence of Henry.

2006 Record: 8-8

First Pick: No. 18

Number of Selections: 7 (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7)

RECENT FIRST ROUND HISTORY: 2006 - Johnathan Joseph (CB, South Carolina); 2005 - David Pollack (OLB, Georgia); 2004 - Chris Perry (RB, Michigan); 2003 - Carson Palmer (QB, Southern Cal); 2002 - Levi Jones (OT, Arizona State); 2001 - Justin Smith (DE, Missouri); 2000 - Peter Warrick (WR, Florida State); 1999 - Akili Smith (QB, Oregon); 1998 - Takeo Spikes (LB, Auburn), Brian Simmons (LB, North Carolina); 1997 - Reinard Wilson (DE, Florida State); 1996 - Willie Anderson (OT, Auburn); 1995 - Ki-Jana Carter (RB, Penn State); 1994 - Dan Wilkinson (DT, Ohio State); 1993 - John Copeland (DE, Alabama); 1992 - David Klingler (QB, Houston), Darryl Williams (S, Miami); 1991 - Alfred Williams (LB, Colorado); 1990 - James Francis (LB, Baylor).

Cbssportslone Football Betting News

<< Kansas City Chiefs 2007 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Though defensive-minded head coach Herm Edwards would probably rather shore up his area of expertise, there is no disputing that Kansas City has more significant needs on offense. The Chiefs have long lacked a first-rate No.

<< Miami Dolphins 2007 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The million dollar question for the Dolphins involves the quarterback position. Joey Harrington was released, Daunte Culpepper cannot realistically be viewed as a reliable option, and Dan Marino does not appear ready to come

<< New York Jets 2007 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Jets could use some assistance in the secondary, where safety Kerry Rhodes is the only player that warrants special notation in the opposing scouting report. New York added a wealth of players to the front seven via free

<< New England Patriots 2007 Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Patriots have endured perpetual health problems in the secondary, particularly at safety, where Rodney Harrison has missed most of the last two years due to injury. If New England doesn't target secondary help with one of

<< Baltimore Ravens 2007 NFL Draft Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ravens filled their most pressing offseason need by trading for running back Willis McGahee on March 8th, but following the defections of right tackle Tony Pashos (Jaguars), guard Edwin Mulitalo (released) and fullback Ov

Oakland Raiders 2007 Draft Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Draftniks everywhere are sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what the Raiders will do with the No. 1 pick. Conventional wisdom says that offensively-challenged will select strong-armed LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell,

Jacksonville Jaguars 2007 Draft Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Jaguars were done in last season largely due to injury problems on defense, so enhancing their base of talent on that side of the football will likely be the franchise's top draft-day goal. High-priced defensive end Reggi

San Diego Chargers 2007 Draft Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chargers could end up with as many as six first-day picks, as the team would add a first- and third-rounder if another club signs away restricted free agent running back Michael Turner. The possibility of six more ready-t

Cleveland Browns 2007 Draft Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Like the Dolphins, the Browns are a team with a draft status that will be impacted by what it chooses to do at the quarterback position in the coming weeks. Conventional wisdom suggests that Cleveland will add a veteran QB su

Denver Broncos 2007 Draft Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Broncos are likely to be in the market for linebacker help, since middle man Al Wilson is being shopped in a trade and is set to be released if he is not dealt. After releasing the disappointing Courtney Brown, some assis

SPORTS BETTING: NFL Football Sportsbook Betting

NFL owners, already life's biggest winners, want to try their luck with the lottery.


That was the news out of their meetings last week, where team bosses voted unanimously to allow stamping state and local lottery tickets with franchise logos, if, ahem, any governments wanted to do a deal.

A shocker: Within days the Pats announced they'd be sponsoring the Massachusetts state lottery, the Skins said they'd slap their sticker on Virginia scratch-offs and the Ravens admitted they were talking to Maryland lottery bosses. In all likelihood, it won't be long before every team is a presenting sponsor of scratch-offs or just plain old pick fives. "The change in policy was approved 32-0," said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. "So you can expect to see more deals soon."

It's a branding opportunity too big for the owners to ignore, and one a couple of dozen baseball franchises have enjoyed for years. The fact the NFL has been slower to act than those slack-brained Seligites is indicative of its complicated relationship with all forms of gambling. Consider this: Last Thursday, as the Pats and the Redskins finalized their new lottery deals, a lawyer representing the NFL argued before Delaware's Supreme Court that the state's newly signed sports betting law should be repealed.

The NFL betting is the face of opposition to sports gambling . And as much as it would like to share that responsibility with other leagues, that's not going to happen as long as more than 40% of all money legally wagered on games is bet on football. That's why the Brewers can do a multi-million dollar deal with a local casino, or the Celtics can make their own pact with the Mass lottery, and the response is, "Sweet, let's play." But when the NFL does it the stakes are higher, and everyone from NPR's Frank Deford to the Associated Press to the guys blogging at Deadspin will line up to play gotcha.

So I asked Aiello, who surely knew there'd be piling on, how the league can rail against being bait for sports bettors, then allow its franchises to be just that for lotteries, the most insidious and addictive form of gambling around. He emailed me this response: "We are not moral crusaders. NFL personnel are permitted to engage in legal forms of gambling, except for betting on NFL games. We are making a distinction here between the spread of gambling on the outcome of our games and supporting state lottery scratch-off games, that have nothing to do with the outcome of our games."

Here's where I should rip him. But, the thing is, he's right. Not to get Obama on you, but this is a complicated, nuanced issue. As much as lotteries are considered a tax on the poor, the NFL isn't a socially obligated government program -- it's just a business. Scratch-off's help the bottom line, sports betting doesn't. Now, it's okay to call the league hypocritical when it releases injury reports, which players have told me only helps bettors … But when it supports other forms of gaming? Big Deal.

Now, it's okay to call the league hypocritical when it releases injury reports, which players have told me only helps bettors. And it's okay to mutter something obscene when the league pretends gambling doesn't help drive TV ratings and fan interest and put money in owners' pockets. But when it supports other forms of gaming? Big Deal. The Bears should put an orange "C" on every deck of cards dealt at Harrah's in Joliet; the Eagles should slap their logo on roulette wheels at the Borgata in Atlantic City; the Dolphins should hold training camp at the El San Juan in Puerto Rico.

Seriously.

The NFL's problem, when it comes to the gambling world, isn't hypocrisy, it's worse: The bosses lack vision. That's why the league is picking unwinnable fights in Delaware and taking pot shots from critics after making smart sponsorship deals. Roger Goodell and his gang are acting and thinking locally rather than globally, which is rare for them, especially compared to their professional (and amateur) counterparts.

The NBA held its All Star game in Las Vegas and David Stern's kingdom didn't crumble (although the town did bring plenty of players to their knees.) I'd say it's 6 to 5 and pick 'em that Lebron will make a road swing through Sin City before his career is over.

Even the NCAA College Football Betting is more progressive on this issue than the NFL. Several years ago Rachel Newman Baker, college sports' gambling czar, opened a dialogue with Vegas bookmakers to learn about how they do business. She's visited Nevada sports books, studied their operations and listened to how they regulate action. Now she knows she can expect a call from bookmakers, who lose money when sports are fixed, if they think something sketchy is going on in NCAA games. She's not in favor of sports betting, but, as she once told me, "I know it's not going away, either."

The NFL can't seem to accept that. And until it can find peace with the idea, it'll get flack, even when it's right.

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