When was the last time...

[SunsetBengal]

(01-17-2018, 08:34 PM)jowczarski Wrote: Not sure where you would see that since it's not really a thing. 

The only thing Marvin Lewis noted re: free agency was not "more activity" or even "spending more" but it's about finding better players from other teams. That's a fair point to make when you look at Hawk-Dansby-LaFell-Minter not really tearing things up. 

TBCH, that comment was meant to be tongue in cheek.  I guess I could have done a better job showing the sarcasm. 

I, as well as several others on here, have a moderate to fair understanding of how volatile over spending in free agency can be.  The last few times that it appeared that the Bengals went big on a particular player, it didn't really pan out.  I completely understand the Management's philosophy of building primarily through the draft, keeping the best homegrown players that they can, and supplementing efficiently through free agency.

When Marvin commented on doing better in free agency (along those lines), I might have taken that as a hope that they might be a little more active, or go after some of the higher quality players on the market.  As an avid fan, I see the needs on this team to be more than one draft alone can remedy.  Sure, all of the positional needs can be addressed, but the chances of all players drafted being ready to be competent starters on day one is pretty slim.  This is where free agency should come in.

For example, I see the need for 2, possibly 3 starting quality additions on the OL, in order for Andy and the skill players to have a legitimate shot at competing for a championship.  I can't imagine the odds of landing 3 starting quality OL in the same draft, so they need to add competent starting quality through free agency.  Starting quality doesn't typically come cheap.  So, in order for free agency to land higher quality players than they have in recent years, they will have to bid on those players services a little more competitively.