Somebody help me understand

[*SHRacerX*]

(01-10-2021, 02:18 AM)J24 Wrote: We gave up 35+ points in 4 of our six division games, were dead last in sacks,  bottom 5 in QB pressures,  dead last in TFLs, and  26th in redzone defense. On top of that our Top CB and Top Edge Rusher are both free agents.

To be fair, a number of those games the defense started out doing pretty well.  The defense yielded 6 points in the steelers first four drives in their first matchup.  A couple of those drives came with really good field position due to turnovers.  One of the statistical issues with the defense was an offense that couldn't sustain drives.  

To me, it all comes down to the defensive line.  Our LBs have improved with Wilson, Pratt, and ADG.  Wilson and ADG got a lot of valuable experience their rookie season.  Pratty stayed healthy and got a lot of time in his second year as well.   None of the LBs looked spectacular because of the horrible defensive line play, specifically in the middle.  LBs will "rate" much better when there is good defensive line play, as will the secondary.  Getting Reader back will go a long way toward addressing that, and I liked what I saw out of Hunt as a rotational piece inside.  But this position needs to be our "double dip" in the draft.  Getting players like Barmore and Twyman would go a long way to addressing a position group of weakness in to one of strength, and competition, with Wren and Tupou also returning.  I don't want the Bengals to rely on any one of those guys because if they come in out of shape and didn't condition as they needed to, we will be right back where we started.  Those two young studs will push the veterans to either be better or out the door.  Competition always improves the breed and addressing the defensive line in Rds 2 and 3 will go a long way toward improving the overall performance of the defense. 

Of course, I hope they sign Lawson and a FA for the LG position next to Jonah.  If they end up not getting Sewell, but Chase in Rd 1, I could see them getting Faalele in Rd 2 and then DT in Rd 3.  

For me, protecting and surrounding Burrow with weapons is job 1.  Job 2 is to address the interior of the defensive line and add an edge presence.  I still wonder why they haven't given ADG a better look as an edge rusher.  That was his strength coming out of college.