Stat of the Jay: Who Are the Bengals Career Stat Leaders Among Those Who Were Drafted by a Different Team?

CINCINNATI – With free agency right around the corner, why don’t we take a look at the various all-time franchise leaders in Cincinnati Bengals history who were drafted by a different team.

These lists do not include guys who were undrafted, but it still will be worth mentioning those players who rank high in a given category.

Games played

Clark Harris, 202

A sixth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2007, the long snapper is fourth on the Bengals' all-time list behind Ken Huber (216), Ken Riley (207) and Reggie Williams (206).

He's not just the Bengals career leader in games played by someone who was drafted by a different team. Harris ranks ninth in NFL history in that category.

Brett Favre, Packers (Falcons) 255

Eli Manning, Giants (Chargers) 236

John Elway, Broncos (Colts) 234

Drew Brees, Saints (Chargers) 228

John Kasay, Panthers (Seahawks) 221

Matt Stover, Ravens (Giants) 207

Steve Wisniewski, Raiders (Cowboys) 206

Dave Butz, Redskins (Cardinals) 203

Clark Harris, Bengals (Packers) 202

Passing yards

Jeff Blake, 15,134

A 1992 sixth-round pick of the New York Jets, Blake ranks sixth on the franchise’s career list behind homegrown quarterbacks Ken Anderson (32,838), Andy Dalton (31,594), Boomer Esiason (27,149), Carson Palmer (22,694) and Joe Burrow (19,001).

Passing touchdowns

Blake, 93

He’s sixth behind Dalton (204), Anderson (197), Esiason (187), Palmer (154) and Burrow (140).

Passer rating

Neil O’Donnell, 90.2

It might surprise you to know O’Donnell ranks fourth on the franchise’s all-time list behind Burrow (101.2), Jake Browning (98.4) and A.J. McCarron (93.2) among passers with at least 100 attempts.

Obviously Browning wasn’t drafted by the Bengals either, but he wasn’t drafted by anyone. And these lists are just looking at Cincinnati leaders who were drafted by a different franchise.

Rushing yards

James Brooks, 6,447

This would be the easiest one to guess if you were being quizzed.

A first-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1981 – the year they met the Bengals in the Freezer Bowl – Brooks arrived in Cincinnati not via free agency, but rather by trade.

Getting Brooks for Pete Johnson in 1984 is hands down the best trade in franchise history.

Brooks is second on the franchise’s all-time list behind Corey Dillon (8,061).

Rushing TDs

James Brooks, 37

He’s fifth in franchise history behind Johnson (64), Joe Mixon (49), Rudi Johnson (48) and Dillon (45).

Receiving yards

Chip Myers, 3,079

Here’s your bar bet winner. Myers was a 10th round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1967 and landed in Cincinnati in 1969 a year after playing for the Alabama Hawks of the Continental Football League.

He played eight seasons for the Bengals before retiring.

His 3,079 receiving yards rank 17th on the franchise’s all-time list, just 67 ahead of Brooks.

Receptions

James Brooks, 297

Thirty-one of the top 33 players in this category were drafted by the Bengals.

Brooks ranks 16th, and Myers is 22nd.

Ja’Marr Chase (395) already is eighth and easily should move into sixth next year, trailing Isaac Curtis by 21 catches and Cris Collinsworth by 22.

Receiving touchdowns

Brooks, 27

That total is good for 14th on the team’s all-time list.

Sacks

Trey Hendrickson, 57

A third-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2017, Hendrickson trails only Carlos Dunlap (82.5) and Geno Atkins (75.5) on the list since stats became an official category in 1982.

The Bengals list Eddie Edwards as the franchise leader with 83.5 after going through play-by-play data prior to 1982.

Interceptions

Reggie Nelson, 23

A first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2007, Nelson came to Cincinnati just days before the 2010 season began.

He played six seasons with the Bengals, and his 23 interceptions rank sixth in franchise history.

Fumble recoveries

Vonn Bell, 5

A second-round pick of the Saints in 2016, Bell is tied for seventh on Cincinnati’s career list despite playing only four seasons with the team.

Fumbles forced

Trey Hendrickson, 11

No surprise here given how many times he’s hit the quarterback.

Hendrickson ranks third in Bengals history, just one behind Brian Simmons.

Dunlap is the career leader with 20.

Field goals made

Jim Breech, 225

Many think of Breech as a Bengals lifer, but he was drafted in the eighth round of the 1978 draft by the Detroit Lions and kicked for the Oakland Raiders in 1979 before coming to Cincinnati.

He has the most field goals of any player in Bengals history, with Shayne Graham sitting a distant second with 177.

Field goal percentage

Randy Bullock, 84.9

A fifth-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2012, Bullock was 90 for 106 during his five seasons in Cincinnati.

Bullock is the second most accurate kicker in team history among those with at least 20 attempts, trailing Graham (177 for 204, 86.8 percent).

If we lower the threshold for number of field goals made, Josh Brown would be the leader at 91.7 percent. He went 11 of 12 in relief in eight games in 2012 after Mike Nugent got hurt.

Punt average

Dave Lewis, 43.7

Drafted as a quarterback/punter out of Stanford in 1967, Lewis was a fifth-round pick of the Giants.

He didn’t make his NFL debut until 1970 with the Bengals, when he led the league with a 46.2-yard average.

In 1971, he led the league again with a 44.8-yard mark.

Lewis ranks fourth on Cincinnati’s all-time list (minimum 50 attempts) behind Ryan Rehkow (49.1), Huber (45.3) and Brad Robbins (44.3).

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!