09-17-2017, 11:40 AM
(09-17-2017, 11:23 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Obviously a lot of talk about the oline and everyone can see it is a work in progress. However, the one constant comment I see that doesn't seem to be based on reality is that the Bengals didn't "address" the oline.
In 2015 we realized that Whit was getting a little long in the tooth and Andre Smith was on the final year of his contract. So we draft 2 OTs in each of the first 2 rounds of the draft. Despite the amateur experts in this forum both were considered high draft choices and great prospects. Both were All Americans their final year (Walter Camp/Football writers).
The plan was perfect. Give Ced a "red shirt" year to heal while we didn't need him and let Jake get experience all along the oline. Andre leaves in 2016 and Ced is ready to get his feet wet at RT. He's not ready and gets benched. Understanding that their top prospect may not be ready for primetime they offer a 35 year old Whit a lucrative 1 year deal; unfortunately, LA was willing to employ him until he was 38. The Bengals could not wait that long to try and get return on their investments.
Will Ced and Jake work out? Who knows. But sometimes you have to crack a couple eggs to make an omelet.
I keep reading on these boards how the draft is a crapshoot. I've read that 50% of 1st Round picks don't work out.
So the Bengals decided to replace 2 good to great tackles with draft picks...AND HAVE NO BACKUP PLAN IF ONE FAILED. Furthermore, saving all that money on tackles, they decided to let our best Guard go.
Then, they realized Ced wasn't the answer, so they walked around the combine telling people that Whitworth was coming back...and took it for granted that he was...and he signed with the Rams.
Then, with $18.6 million in cap space...and knowing that Ced wasn't the answer...what do they do? They bring Andre Smith back to compete for a spot at Guard.
Their refusal to use free agency to address needs keeps hurting us over and over and over. All for comp picks!
