03-01-2017, 10:57 AM
(02-28-2017, 11:52 PM)JumboTron Wrote: Nailed it.
I'm the furthest thing from a Brown apologist but the Bengals, for the most part, have done what they had to do when they had to do it in terms of locking down key guys. I am of the belief that off-season roster management is one of this organization's greatest strengths. Has that resulted in wins when it mattered most? Nope, but that lays squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff. The powers that be in the department of talent retention and acquisition over the last six years have done their jobs.
For the most part I agree...but want to extend this thought.
The 5 years we made the playoffs in a row were our peak years. Teams typically don't have a run like that.
Some of those years we rolled over a lot of cap space. One has to wonder, if maybe signing a veteran LB like Darryl Smith who could cover a TE when we sorely needed that or a Center who would have been an upgrade as opposed to starting a 4th Round pick would have yielded a playoff win.
The Bengals don't start 1st Round picks in Year 1 and drafted a Center in the 4th Round in Bodine and handed him the starting spot with little competition. What if they brought in a free agent?
Then, the coaching staff comparisons that have been brought up are valid...although Gruden and Zimmer were pretty Top notch assistants. People bash Marvin for play calls...but the coordinators are the ones making the plays.
