John Ross

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(02-25-2018, 04:15 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I get that every situation is unique, but I still think that taking Ross was a gamble.  When you step back, and look at the entire pool of early picks from the past 5 years, you notice a trend of them not producing in year 1.  I think the general opinion is that your 1st round pick should be able to give significant production in his 1st year.

That is completely accurate, but even with hindsight...who should they have selected?  Our offense still had the same issues, if not worse.  They needed a weapon that could take advantages of matchups provided by AJ, and they got Mixon and Ross.  I love the young pass rushers they got.  They drafted great athletes with the later picks, hoping they could convert some of that athleticism to the field.  

Maybe they just had too much faith in Paul Alexander.  He finally had the whole offseason with guys healthy and they were a disaster.  Maybe they should have traded up to get a tackle in the draft, but they were still trying to see if they could get anything out of their earlier first (Ced) and second (Fish).  

In the end, it seems as though they really just whiffed with those selections.  My guess is that the Bengals might try Boling at LT, Westerman at LG (since they seem against providing any challenger to Bodine), and Redmond at RG with Fish and a draft pick battling it out at RT.  They will likely give Ogbuehi every shot at LT again, and then turn to Boling when it isn't working (again) but hopefully they don't wait until their season is over.  I hate to say it, but maybe the kid deserves the shot with whatever blocking scheme the new oline coach and OC are instituting.  

I hate to pin so much on Ross, but the Bengals offense will go as he goes in 2018.  They aren't suddenly going to get Lafell to be a faster weapon, and I doubt they resign Eifert.  No offensive draft pick will come in and light up our team since most of our rookies get eased in to the game.  I would imagine you will see a third RB (Is Tra Carson still on PS?) and a lot or RPO.  It is a copycat league.  Hopefully, Ross does what I think he can....not to vindicate the pick, but to get the offense back to respectability.