02-17-2017, 05:17 PM
(02-17-2017, 04:47 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Zeitler is the Top ranked Guard in free agency.
Westerman hasn't played a single down as a starting Guard. If you think there won't be a falloff...
As far as paying a Guard $10+ million a year...it's not like the Bengals are going to shift that money to another Top Tier free agent.
It amazes me how fans won't spend money on Player A...because it's too much. Well DeCastro is a comparable player to Zeitler and the Steelers game him that much. It's how much top Guards cost.
Sure the Bengals have a clean salary cap. But they also haven't won a playoff game in 26+ years. We're supposed to be following the Steelers model. The gave a Guard $10+ million a year.
I like Zeitler, but it's easier to let him walk and spend money else where if he's looking for 11-12 mil. TBH I would rather spend that kind of money at a premium position not the guard position.
If you look at the oline, the most important positions are the tackles and the center. If can be expected that Westerman comes in and plays at a lesser level than Zeitler to start out since he hasn't taken a snap, but it's not like it's impossible for him to come in and play well either. I would rather beef up our T and C positions than our G positions. Boling played injured all season, if we resign Whit and Boling gets back to full health than we have to figure out the other side of the line.
And looking at the right side of the line along with C, would you rather dump a bunch of money into RG and allow your C and RT position to continue to be weak or would you rather upgrade your C and RT position and allow them to mask any short comings at RG which would be much easier than picking up the slack for a bad RT or C.
If they resign Zeitler great! If they bring a guy like Leary in great! Personally I want to see Westerman get a shot, he didn't play this year because there was no where for him to play, but I guess only time will tell what the organization plans on doing this season.
In regards to this:
Sure the Bengals have a clean salary cap. But they also haven't won a playoff game in 26+ years. We're supposed to be following the Steelers model. The gave a Guard $10+ million a year.
We should never follow the Steelers model lol.
