Hobsons choice: no need to invest more in the offensive line?

[Bengalstripes9]

I just read the latest hobsons choice and he’s saying they dont need to invest more in the offensive line. This concerns me. I would like to see a stud guard or tackle added to bolster depth and upgrade the starting lineup. He’s saying to let the young guys continue developing—pointing to the late season emergence of a running game and jonah williams coming on as the starting left tackle.

Does this concern anyone? I dont want to see Burrow get killed. Our line got beat like a drum almost every play last year. I feel like we keep falling victim to this stubborn belief that we should invest in skill players and just roll with who we got on the offensive line.

I like what he says about drafting defense; but am I wrong in thinking we need to upgrade the line with another player or two?

[Essex Johnson]

I read it also.. he never said not look at a line addition but he for sure said what I agree with the Defense sucked more than the Offense... got to fix Defense plus we really have a 1st round pick on the offense line when you consider Williams never played last year...

[grampahol]

Sometimes I think Hobson is just trying to get fired, but then I realize he works for Mike Brown which makes getting fired for incompetence impossible. I knew I should have sent my resume to the team years ago. Qualifications: Absolutely nothing AND incompetent at it! I'd be a multi-millionaire by now.
On the other hand there are times I enjoy reading his schtick when he's not pretending to be strategizing for readers or getting on his holier than thou schtick, but I really try hard to take anything he writes with a grain of salt.

[grampahol]

(02-07-2020, 01:22 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: I read it also.. he never said not look at a line addition but he for sure said what I agree with the Defense sucked more than the Offense... got to fix Defense plus we really have a 1st round pick on the offense line when you consider Williams never played last year...

At least one really good receiver would go a long way considering AJ just ain't gonna go back in time to be younger any time soon., but yeah, the D really needs shored up as does the Oline.

[Murdock2420]

This shouldn't surprise anyone at all. I think Hobson actually has a good idea of what is coming, and he is basically tossing this out there to prepare the fanbase for the reality of life.

The team will sit out of FA, draft Burrow, and neglect the O-line and call it job well done.

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(02-07-2020, 01:11 AM)Bengalstripes18 Wrote: I just read the latest hobsons choice and he’s saying they dont need to invest more in the offensive line. This concerns me. I would like to see a stud guard or tackle added to bolster depth and upgrade the starting lineup. He’s saying to let the young guys continue developing—pointing to the late season emergence of a running game and jonah williams coming on as the starting left tackle.

Does this concern anyone? I dont want to see Burrow get killed. Our line got beat like a drum almost every play last year. I feel like we keep falling victim to this stubborn belief that we should invest in skill players and just roll with who we got on the offensive line.

I like what he says about drafting defense; but am I wrong in thinking we need to upgrade the line with another player or two?

That’s because the front office is a bunch of morons led by a moron who hasn’t managed to win one playoff game during an entire generation.

[*SHRacerX*]

(02-07-2020, 02:18 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: This shouldn't surprise anyone at all. I think Hobson actually has a good idea of what is coming, and he is basically tossing this out there to prepare the fanbase for the reality of life.

The team will sit out of FA, draft Burrow, and neglect the O-line and call it job well done.

I don't know...they may not do FA for the offensive line, but I would not say they will neglect the offensive line class.  I could see them drafting a guard in the first three rounds (solid class) and focusing FA on the defensive side of the ball.  

[Bengalpool]

Hob (like Lap) usually seems to have some insight on what goes on behind the curtain. I don't see us honestly going o-line until round 5.

[Benton]

The line was getting better. And depending on how they feel Jonah is looking.

I'm in the minority, but I'd be super happy if we skip the line on the first four rounds and look at the BPA from QB (Burrow, duh), WR, LB and DL. Those are our biggest needs of upgrades or most immediate need.

[*Nately120*]

Ignoring our o-line issues will piss off Burrow and that will make him play better.

[Au165]

I mentioned this in the draft thread, I don't think the team sees the issues the same way we do. The big reason is Williams will fix the LT issue and Fred Johnson played well enough to get a shot at RT at the end of the year. Hopkins is the guy at Center and Miller was average but I think they will stay with him another year based on his contract. That really just leaves LG open and I believe they see Jordan as getting better throughout the year. I know the PFF grades by the way, just saying O line is a place coaches all over the league and PFF often disagree. Now say Lewis from LSU is there to start day 3 I don't think that precludes them from using a mid round pick on a value at guard ( or similarly tackle), however I don't think it'll be big assets.

[grampahol]

When you think on the subject of whether player A is good enough vs reality they're probably pretty darn good, but the problem is another team may just find someone who is that much better meaning the absolute best players don't just grow on trees. They're kind of difficult to find for everyone. It's not as if any team can just go to the local tavern on any given night to field the greatest team of all time. They have to go far and afield to find even lousy players much less great ones. How many Cincinnati born and breed guys play for the bengals? Not many so they have to weed through thousands of college players from all over the nation to find just a few every year and the same is true for every team. I suspect the problem is much worse for colleges. Not every college has the recruiting money OSU has so sometimes their football team is made up of whoever just happens to try out in the offseason and probably not doing all that great academically.
it's kind of like the difference between life expectancy vs life spans. There's a vast difference in them. Life spans are how long individuals actually lived. Life expectancy are averages. Example: A set of twins..One dies at birth while the other lives to 100. Together their life expectancy is 50 which tells you nothing of the twins other than their average so...the moral of the story is (yes, there is a moral to the story here which accounts for moral victories...I guess) while most players are probably much better than just rounding up guys in the local bar they're nowhere near as good at the greatest players of all time.

[jj22]

The Oline did get better and I'm sure they took notice.

I'd trust Hobspin this time of the year, he is just preparing us and setting the tone for free agency.

Next story will be about the cap space we see as 60+ million with the possibility of cuts reaching 80m being sold to us as 15m.

And this is why we'll hear the Bengals be slammed (and the attempts to save Burrow's career by calling for the pick to be traded) the next couple months.

Burrow has won America's heart and no one wants to see him fail.

[grampahol]

Just as I was about to make an additional comment about some other nonsense then from out of nowhere the power here went out again..Luckily I have the power to utilize space age technology in the form of a battery operated cell phone to inform you all of this recent development of biblical and monumental proportions.. Look it up..it says "Thy power shalt go out at an inopertune time whence thee shalt be wasting time.."Proverbials 12:973 1/2

Oh yeah..we also have an Echo Flow power battery backup dohicky thingamajigie that's supposed to provide up to 24 hours of uninterrupted electrical power. And to make you all green with envy here's a picture of the fabled Echo Flow in action. It looks like a cooler, but it actually does work and we have fresh coffee with no power in the electrical grid of the house. (Fresh coffee of course eminently more important than any other single issue anyone could possibly discuss in these trying times) 

Thrilled yet or should I continue with my pointless description of the most horrible conditions anyone could possibly endure short of death and taxes? 

[jj22]

and that 15m...…..

Will no doubt be spent on Dennard and Billings.

Which leaves no starting level/difference making FA signings.

[Hoofhearted]

Does anyone else feel like the same ol, same ol will continue this offseason? I had hopes that this year would really make them take off the blinders and evolve. Now I'm starting to feel like that's fools gold.

[J24]

We need a RT more than anything else; anyways if you say the oline improved at the end of the season then you can say the same thing about the defense. So both should have the same priority.

[Gdale_Bengal]

Dont be surprised if the only lineman we add to the roster comes late day 2 or 3 of the draft if throckmorton is there guy.

Dont be shocked if they just take BPA at the top of 2 every day n if it doesnt fit a direct need.

[fredtoast]

(02-07-2020, 08:33 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I don't know...they may not do FA for the offensive line, but I would not say they will neglect the offensive line class.  I could see them drafting a guard in the first three rounds (solid class) and focusing FA on the defensive side of the ball.  

This is exactly what I was thinking.

Plus the big thing to remember is that Hobson is making these commenst based on the assumption that we keep Glenn.

If Cordy gets released then we may use that money to sign an O-lineman in free agency.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

Is this the part where I should be shocked?