Three reasons Dre Kirkpatrick has to be the starter for Cincinnati in 2013

Let's break down three reasons Dre Kirkpatrick has to be the starter for Cincinnati in 2013.

Paper-Thin Depth

Outside of Hall the Bengals don't have a lot of starter-caliber players. Kirkpatrick has the potential, but behind him it's a bit of a mess.

Cincinnati does have Adam Jones, a man who stepped up in Hall's absence a few years ago when he tore his Achilles, but with his recent legal troubles once again and nagging injuries it's hard to figure out if and how long he'll be able to contribute.

Brandon Ghee continues to impress in practices, but that's been the story the last few years before he succumbs to injury. Second-year player Shaun Prater has some nice qualities but is going to need more time to develop. Veteran Terence Newman is slowing down thanks to his age as we have seen over the past few years with his coverage issues.

This is why Kirkpatrick's contributions in 2013 are so important. The depth simply isn't there. It looks much better than it is on paper but the experience and injury reliability is an issue.

Critical Game Experience

Kirkpatrick has to see the field in order to gain serious experience as there is only so much that can be accomplished in practice and drills.

There is plenty veterans like Hall and Newman can teach Kirkpatrick but until he gets out there on his own and is isolated with a top-tier NFL receiver he is going to be at a disadvantage.

Yes, the preseason will allow Kirkpatrick to do some of this. Also, he did play in the closest thing to the pros in the SEC while at Alabama, but until he experiences NFL speed at full blast his adjustment period will continue to move at a snail's pace.

Affordable Risk

It's no secret year in and out the Bengals have an elite defensive unit overall thanks to the mastermind that is Zimmer.

With that in mind it's a safe bet Zimmer will schematically find a way to protect Kirkpatrick if he is struggling to adapt. Zimmer is the guy who over the years has taken scrap-heap players and meshed them into an elite caliber unit.

We know the defensive line will be fine. Linebacker seems to be in good hands with James Harrison and Vontaze Burfict assumingly protecting Rey Maualuga in the middle. Corner is fine with Hall on the outside and Jones in the slot. Safety has an elite player in Reggie Nelson and either an effective rookie in Shawn Williams or potentially a seasoned vet in Newman.

If Kirkpatrick is the only weak link on the unit while he adapts and hones his skills the unit overall will be just fine. You can do much worse than a first-round talent out of Alabama who is struggling with his transition but who can still thrive on his exceptional athleticism.

There's really no reason for Kirkpatrick to not start in 2013. He's been soaking up as much knowledge as possible from veterans while recovering from injuries.

It's time for Kirkpatrick to assume his starting role.

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It appears the Cincinnati Bengals are your 2013 Hard Knocks team

The Cincinnati Bengals will appear on the 2013 edition of HBO's Hard Knocks according to various reports. Cincinnati is no stranger to HBO's series having appeared on the show once before back in 2009, but are the Bengals making a mistake appearing on it again?
The news was first broke by Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer, and since then the fans appear to be split on the issue. Of course every Bengals fan is excited to see unlimited access to their favorite team, but some don't think the show will cause any issues while others are worried the young team could become distracted.
Some camps will point out that the last time the Bengals appeared on the show the team swept the AFC North en route to the playoffs. However, this doesn't feel like a fair comparison when looking at the 2009 and 2013 units. The 2009 team wasn't necessarily expected to do much after a disappointing campaign the year before. The 2013 edition of the Bengals is poised to take the next step after back to back playoff appearances.
Just how will the young Bengals handle the pressure of the show? There's no question head coach Marvin Lewis and Co. have assembled a very mature cast of characters (a far cry from the roster in 2009 in some aspects) despite their collective ages, but one has to wonder how it could impact the team.
The Bengals may be a mature roster but this is the team over the past few years that failed to impress when it mattered most. Primetime games have not been kind to the revamped roster despite the renaissance and the team has failed to do much of anything in the postseason two years in a row.
Will practicing in front of Hard Knocks cameras change that?
Perhaps. Maybe that's the thought process behind saying yes to the show if you're the coaching staff, at least to an extent. Players have a tendency to get inspired in front of cameras whether it's practice or a game situation. However, there's also a chance the camera does more harm than good.
While the rights and wrongs of the decision could be discussed for days, there are certainly a plethora of storylines fans are already foaming at the mouth to see when the cameras start rolling.
For one, you have And Dalton's development. There's also a major contract extension to watch for with Geno Atkins. To a lesser extent there may also be some negotiations to watch with Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson.
There's position battles too. Will Rey Maualuga find redemption? What about Vontaze Burfict inheriting the position at middle linebacker? Where do rookies Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard fit in at their respective spots? Will strong safety see a rookie in Shawn Williams take over?
Of course, there will also be intriguing things to watch for, such as the curious case of Andre Smith, who has missed all offseason activities to date for personal reasons. Adam Jones is in trouble with the law again. James Harrison will have a major impact on the young roster while looking to get back at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Alright, maybe the Bengals were the perfect team for Hard Knocks. Literally.
That still doesn't mean it was the right decision and it's certainly one that will be over analyzed when the dust settles on the 2013 season.
It appears the Cincinnati Bengals are your 2013 Hard Knocks team. Sit back and enjoy the show as it has the makings of one of the best seasons to date, but if you're a Bengals fan, watch with bated breath. Right now the repercussions of appearing on the show are hard to decipher.
What side of the fence do you fall on at this point? Is appearing on the show bad for the team, or will it have no impact?
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Bengals OL Whitworth says he'd rather quit than play in London

The Cincinnati Bengals aren't moving to London, but if they did, offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth wouldn't be going with them because he'd quit the team -- at least that's what he says.

"I would hope that I was financially able to quit," Whitworth said of being on a London-based team, via Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "That's what I would hope. ... My papers would be the first one in."

Whitworth thinks other players feel that way, too. "I don't see that a lot of guys would want to do that," he said. "I don't see any players that would enjoy that. Sure, you may find a handful of guys that would say, 'Oh hey, that'd be cool,' but the rest of them wouldn't."

If Whitworth doesn't want to end up in England, he'd better keep his fingers crossed that the Bengals don't trade him to Jacksonville. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora wrote on Wednesday that the Jaguars seem like the best fit for England.

As the Jaguars team website pointed out, Jacksonville could be playing two games a season in London as soon as next year. The two games would include one home game and potentially one away game.

If Whitworth -- the Bengals NFLPA rep -- doesn't want to go to England, he'd better start working the phones now. The Bengals are scheduled to play Jacksonville in 2014. On the other hand, if the Bengals play in London in 2014, maybe Whitworth will really like it and change his tune. But probably not.