Optimism Is the Talk As Bengals Mini-Camp Nears

After the first week of free agency the Bengals had lost arguably their best player in WR TJ Houshmandzadeh along with (overrated) RT Stacy Andrews and the here we go again negativity was in vogue. Fast forward 3 1/2 months and the negativity has been replaced with genuine optimism not seen since the team's playoff season. It's gotten so good the "Ocho Cinco" even showed up for an OTA or two (ok let's not get ahead of ourselves).So why has the vibe changed so drastically in such a short time:1. No arrests or player outbursts in the media has left the focus on the field. It's early but the lack of distractions can only help.2. A draft to get excited about. You can debate an individual selection or two from the team's draft but in general the team filled its top needs on draft day with top talents with upside (and risk). MLB Rey Maualuga was a gift in round 2 but the key will be how well the team develops RT Andre Smith, DE Michael Johnson and C Jonathan Luigs each of whom plays a position of need. 3. An active off-season. The team moved quickly to sign WR Laveranues Coles to replace TJ Houshmandazadeh and give the team a solid veteran possession receiver. They followed up the signing with two bargain basement additions in low risk high reward guys S Roy Williams and DT Tank Johnson. One tidbit you probably don't know is that the Bengals are still poised to receive compensation picks for TJ and Stacy Andrews because all three players the team signed were cut by their former team's meaning they won't count against the Bengals in the formula used to determine comp picks. 4. Carson appears to be healthy and has shown signs of seizing a leadership role. His calling out of Chad Ocho Cinco was politically correct but long overdue. 5. The Ocho actually appeared at an OTA practice. Stories to Watch At Mini-Camp: 1. The play of the restructured offensive line: Will Nate Livings and Kyle Cook maintain their starting gigs or will Anthony Collins and Jonathan Luigs close the gap. Say what you want about the offensive line's top end talent but the competition and depth is better than it has been in recent years. 2. How the talented wide receiver unit shakes out. Even without the Ocho the Bengals receivers were a talented lot. Is Coles a good fit for the scheme? Has Chris Henry really re-dedicated himself to the game? Can 2008 draftees Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson find a way to contribute and live up to their draft status? Does the Ocho still have it? 3. Can we get a read on the running back situation behind Cedric Benson. Beyond Benson there is an aging Kenny Watson and a lot of question marks. Don't forget Benson is far from a sure thing himself. 4. Do the Bengals have the players they need to improve an anemic pass rush? Antwan Odom has supposedly put on a lot of weight (not necessarily a good thing) and Robert Geathers' micro-fracture is the biggest story no one is talking about. Even at 100% this duo of high priced talent is a question mark. The depth behind them is a combination of raw but talented (Michael Johnson), hard working but injury prone (Jonathan Fanene) and on the verge of bust status (Frostee Rucker). Mike Zimmer made major strides with a patchwork defense last year but it is hard to believe the defense will be able to take the next step without being able to turn up the heat on opposing passers. 5. Where and how soon does Rey Maualuga break into the starting lineup? 6. Is there any depth at cornerback? 7. How does Roy Williams fit into the team's plans at safety?