10-07-2019, 04:33 PM
(10-07-2019, 04:28 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: I wish it were that easy. We are talking about a team that is fairly passive during the draft process and when they do make trades during the draft, they sell low and buy high. Most perennial good teams have a franchise QB. I would normally agree start with the trenches first. But the Bengals historical under value O-Line prospects. I thought this was Paul Alexander problem but evidently it goes deeper...
If the Bengals go 2-14 this year, they need to select that Franchise QB. Now if they can get Thomas or Simmons by trading back and somehow get Burrow or Tua than fine. I think Tua will win the Heisman and will be the first QB off the boards. I think Burrow will go 2nd. Makes me think They need to pull the trigger early. If the Bengals can tank again next year and get Lawrence than fine. But he is not as accurate as I thought thus far.
I'm telling you how you build a winning team today, not back in 1990. You add the QB last because you need a rookie deal for your QB to pay what should be the big pieces around them. If you add the QB first, by the time you get the pieces around them they are trending towards their big pay day and you start losing the pieces around them. This is how Steelers did it with Ben, How 49ers did it with Kap, how the Eagles won a SB (I know wentz was hurt for playoffs), how LA got to the SB, how Seattle won a super bowl, this is how Carolina made a SB, and so on. Unless you draft a sure fire hall of famer who is elite out the gate, which this class doesn't have, then you need to have most the team set when the QB gets there otherwise you have to really get creative with cap management, and that ain't us either.
The easy route you discuss is going QB first because that is the easiest for fans to stomach. Recent history shows us that isn't how you build a contender today. Hell you cold argue Cleveland did it right getting the core in place then bringing Baker in and finishing it off with vets.
