05-26-2021, 12:50 PM
(05-25-2021, 08:43 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: After a mini overhaul last offseason, the 2020 Bengals defense suffered an abysmal season, riddled with injuries and some player discontent.
Move forward to now, the Bengals completed another mini overhaul to the defensive roster, and for at least this Bengal fan, the spirits and expectations are high. (I mean, the defense has nowhere to go but up from last year, right?)
With players like Reader and Waynes set to return from injury, the addition of Trey Hendrickson and Larry Ogunjobi should bolster what was a weak and feeble DL last year. The drafting of players like Sample, Shelvin and Ossai should provide good depth to work into the rotation. The addition of an assassin like Mike Hilton at Slot Corner, paired with Bates and Bell at Safety, I feel like TEs and RBs are finally going to struggle catching the ball in the middle of the field and in the flats. The Boundary CBs will be a bit of a question, until they get settled in. I feel like if he's back to full health, Waynes will make people forget about Jackson. Phillips is continuing to develop into a quality corner, Chidobe and Apple should provide quality depth, as they are adept in the zone coverage that Anarumo likes to run.
People essentially think Hendrickson is a scrub who was only relevant due to talent around him, so I expect him to be a pleasant "surprise" for some.
Hilton was an underrated signing. We really didn't have Reader or Waynes last year, and they were the 2 biggest FA signings.
Ogunjobi is also being slept on. Reminds me of when we signed Wallace Gilberry back in the day, and people thought he was roster fluff.
All these players will make an impact. I just have my doubts about Lou. I do know one thing, no excuses moving forward. They've bent over backwards to reshape this roster for both Zac and Lou.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
