04-26-2017, 01:55 PM
(04-26-2017, 01:32 PM)depthchart Wrote: As much as we have went at it recently, I am still on board with a lot of what you say.
The Mike and Marvin Front Office is Cementing their legacy and as you say there are plenty of Playoff losses and ZERO Playoff wins. They have had a Ceiling on their Competence level.
As you also mention, they have lost some solid talent since 2015.
It is up to them to Improve their Reputation and they may not be able to.
Ultimately it is on them Forever if they Fail.
During the 90's and even 2000's I used to be on message boards talking about how the Bengals just had bad luck with draft picks, etc. I'd make every excuse in the book.
Then at some point I saw it clearly as a management and organizational culture issue.
I see teams like the Steelers do what it takes to win. I see teams get creative with the cap to bring in players. I see teams waive underperforming players. I see teams get rid of coaches for lack of playoff success.
The Bengals had a solid roster for about 5 years...and they'd go into each season with excess cap space to be used at some future date. Rosters don't always get better. Guys get injured. Guys leave in free agency.
The time to spend that cap space on that 1 or 2 proven starters was when we had a really good roster.
I agree that a team can't be built primarily in free agency. You have to draft well...but I also believe that you have to address areas of need in free agency.
