10-16-2017, 10:48 PM
(10-16-2017, 08:18 PM)Synric Wrote: The Front office have made their share of mistakes but I just disagree with some of the unrealistic FA expectations and things like if the first round draft doesn't play their first season its a failure by the front office. As for the team I think Mike Brown, Marvin Lewis, and Duke Tobin have really built a solid competitive football team in the Andy Dalton Era.
During this time the defense has been the most consistent part averaging in the top of the league. Even though we can argue who is the best player on defense Geno or Burfict its the secondary thats really held the unit together. Starting with Mike Zimmer and his veterans: Leon Hall, Reggie Nelson, Terrance Newman, Adam Jones, and Chris Crocker. They drafted and developed and impressive amount of young defensive backs Dre Kirkpatrick, George Iloka, Shawn Williams, Chris Lewis-Harris, Darqueze Dennard, Josh Shaw, and William Jackson III.
The ugly thing about the defense is the wasted amount of draft picks on players in the front 7 that didnt develop during that same time frame: Devon Still, Brandon Thompson, Dontay Moch, Sean Porter, Margus Hunt, Marcus Hardison, Will Clarke, Paul Dawson. They tried to address the front 7 its just never worked out. PG did get a new defensive line coach and we have seen a change in the attitude toward the lineman.
The offense has been up and down mostly due to injuries. Im gonna pass over any Andy Dalton discussion and just say Andy has been and is their choice at QB day one since he was drafted and played most of his career without injury. The offensive line and the inline TE were a veteran group which was good for Dalton early but they also had some injuries there like Andre Smith and Kyle cook. They drafted well on offense early in Dalton's career: AJ Green, Clint Boiling, Kevin Zeitler, Mohammed Sanu, Marvin Jones, Giovani Bernard. Then there's what could have been with Tyler Eifert was he a bad pick? Because the injuries maybe but you also have to think of the flashes of greatness he did show.
After picking Eifert and Jay Gruden leaving the offensive drafting went downhill: Jeremy Hill, Cedric Ogbeuhi, Russell Bodine, Jake Fisher, Tyler Kroft, Tyler Boyd, Cody Core. No one can say that the staff didnt see the need for Offensive Tackles because they did draft two with high picks. The issue is that those tackles havent worked out...so far (got to have a little hope I am a fan lol). I also think they should have brought in any interior offensive lineman (Draft or FA) over Winston the last what 3 years hes been here? to compete with Bodine and maybe back up Zeitler when he left.
Even if this season is 6-10 or 8-8 I still think this is a well put together football team with a bright future going into the off season.
No matter who the head coach is....lol.
You just perfectly illustrated Shake's post.
Some fans will think we have a contender no matter what. Like you said if we go 6-10 you'll think we're going to be a contender next year. And you know what? In the NFL, 23 teams have played in a Super Bowl since we last did. So most teams do go to the Super Bowl.
And some of the positive things you noted were warranted...but this is a team that let it's 2 best offensive lineman leave in free agency without replacing them with a viable replacement(s).
Just imagine 2 years ago when we had a 12-4 team if before the season the Bengals signed a quality Center in free agency.
That's my biggest gripe with the team. They drafted a good young team and had a few weaknesses that they chose not to address.
Well, free agency has ripped the core apart. Yeah Geno is here. Dunlap. Green. Dalton. But we've lost a lot of quality players.
You can't replace the guys you lose with drafting alone because in a draft you never know which players you pick will pan out. It's a crap shoot.
