Curse of the Bengals #1 Picks continues....

[Bengal Mania]

Chris Perry, RB, #1 pick from 2004, is on IR w/ broken leg.

Missed first season w/ injury

Last season was very good, injured late.

This season, missed first six on PUP, has been coming back. Now breaks leg, done.

 

This guy was quite a weapon on third down, and very adequate if Rudi ever missed time. Shame.

 

David Pollack, LB, #1 pick from 2005, has been on IR since week 2 w/ broken neck.

Holdout and minor injuries limited in 2005, but was best player on defense at end of season.

If broken neck doesn't heal right, career is over. Even if it heals right, career may very well be much less, or still over if he doesn't want to risk coming back.

 

Carson Palmer had a career-ending type of injury scare, but clearly he has recovered from that.

 

The most famous career changing injury in Bengals lore, of course is KiJana Carter, the #1 overall pick back in the dark years. Many of you have labelled him as a bust, and the Bengals as bozos for picking him, because you choose to forget that EVERY SINGLE TEAM IN THE NFL WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIM FIRST. But he got his knee wrecked in his second play in the first preseason game, and that was back when blown knees ended the chance of productive careers for everyone. IMO, the label "bust" is for people who fail to perform given their draft status (like many other Bengals #1 picks during the dark years). It does not apply to a dude who got his knee wrecked. Hell, Gale Sayers was a "bust" late in his career, right? But I digress...

 

The Bengals have mostly been without these two guys for their short careers, but it just makes you wonder if either or both had had the impact that their 1st round status would hope for.....

 

Edit to add: boy, that sounds whiny! They both still could be huge contributors, just a comment that so far they've got almost nothin' out of their previous two #1 picks.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Bengal Mania