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The Cincinnati Bengals went into this offseason looking for depth at different positions. One of those positions was middle linebacker. To help, they ended up signing A.J. Hawk and bringing him back to his home state.
With Hawk going to the Bengals, there won’t be as nearly as much pressure on him as there was when he was with the Green Bay Packers. Drafted fifth overall in the 2006 draft, there was extreme pressure on him to be one of the best linebackers in the NFL. Hawk had some really impressive years and had a good career with the Packers, but he never really lived up to the expectations. So what kind of player can the Bengals expect to get?
Hawk isn’t afraid to hit someone and stick his nose in a scrum, but he may need some help bringing down the ball carrier. He also struggled a bit in coverage, so the Bengals will have to be careful so opponents don’t exploit that matchup. Hawk does provide good depth for the Bengals, as Rey Maualuga has missed some time these past two seasons because of injury.
Hawk is coming from a 3-4 defense with the Packers and switching to a 4-3 defense. That shouldn’t be a worry for the Bengals though, because when he first started playing with the Packers in a 4-3 defense. Hawk may lack some of his physical skills, but he makes up for it with intelligence and work ethic.
As long as the Bengals don’t have to count on Hawk being a difference-maker in their defense, he is in an ideal situation at this point in his career.
