08-09-2021, 10:21 AM
Here's my thing, like, does it matter if it's Jackson Carman today and D'Ante Smith develops over time? Or, if it's D'Ante Smith today while Jackson Carman develops over time? To me, NO, if doesn't matter. I think results from the draft as a whole are what matters and these guys deserve more time than 2 weeks of a camp to develop before being hammered with questions of "What's wrong".
Giving the Bengals veteran linemen like Billy Price, XSF, or Spain... hell, even Michael Jordan at this point a big pass while sitting here demanding Jackson Carman or D'Ante Smith be ready to start at RG week 2 makes little sense to me. I think it is reasonable to give these rookies a full TC, a full 3 Preseason games, and even some games into the season before we, as fans, expect them to be big time contributors. REGARDLESS OF WHAT ROUND THEY WERE CHOSEN IN.
Carman was a 2nd rounder? So was XSF and he is only 30. I think a 30 year old vet who is being paid very well should have the bigger expectations. It's weird to me to see those expectations just tossed onto the next guy because he just showed up to the league.
If Smith or Carman beat out XSF, awesome! But, that says more (or less) about XSF and the money allocated to him than it does the draft picks. To me, the line is about the signing of XSF and 3rd year development of Jordan.... not the drafting and immediate starting if Smith, Hill, or Jackson. Those guys DESERVE time to develop and learn new positions and the Vets OWE it to the Bengals, who are paying them well, to perform at least to the level of "Better than rookie learning a new position".
BTW, Andrew Whitworth only started 12 games as a rookie. These guys need time... and they deserve to be given time by the coaches, the vets (who need to give rookies time by doing their job), and by the fans.
Giving the Bengals veteran linemen like Billy Price, XSF, or Spain... hell, even Michael Jordan at this point a big pass while sitting here demanding Jackson Carman or D'Ante Smith be ready to start at RG week 2 makes little sense to me. I think it is reasonable to give these rookies a full TC, a full 3 Preseason games, and even some games into the season before we, as fans, expect them to be big time contributors. REGARDLESS OF WHAT ROUND THEY WERE CHOSEN IN.
Carman was a 2nd rounder? So was XSF and he is only 30. I think a 30 year old vet who is being paid very well should have the bigger expectations. It's weird to me to see those expectations just tossed onto the next guy because he just showed up to the league.
If Smith or Carman beat out XSF, awesome! But, that says more (or less) about XSF and the money allocated to him than it does the draft picks. To me, the line is about the signing of XSF and 3rd year development of Jordan.... not the drafting and immediate starting if Smith, Hill, or Jackson. Those guys DESERVE time to develop and learn new positions and the Vets OWE it to the Bengals, who are paying them well, to perform at least to the level of "Better than rookie learning a new position".
BTW, Andrew Whitworth only started 12 games as a rookie. These guys need time... and they deserve to be given time by the coaches, the vets (who need to give rookies time by doing their job), and by the fans.
