The Oline - where is it really ?

[*SHRacerX*]

(02-16-2020, 12:41 PM)t3r3e3 Wrote: Trouble is the front office does not value guards.  The good ones they do draft are allowed to walk in FA.  Rarely do they draft guards in the first 2 rounds, Steinbach and Zietler being exceptions.  The sad part is all of the best Bengals teams in franchise history had a common thread:  Top 5 o lines.  The line will continue to suck until ownership changes their tactics and improves their drafting acumen.

I am not going to excuse their current lack of success in the draft, but they aren't going to draft a guard in Rd 2 if there isn't a rd 2 talent there.  They have actually drafted guards fairly well with Steinbach and Zeitler, as you mentioned...and Price was a first round pick (so was Zeitler).  It isn't that they always let them walk in FA, either.  Had they paid Zeitler the 12 million per year that he got from the Browns, it would have been more stupid than letting him go in the first place.  He was not an elite guard and I don't see it as much as they would let them walk, but that they thought the dropoff would not be as extreme and allow them to sign the likes of their core players.  

You are absolutely right, however, in terms of their history of top 5 lines.  They have had several massive whiffs in a row:  Og, Fish, and Price.  I hear that Price has always had numerous injuries that hampered his performance, but he has been a huge disappointment any way you slice it.

Fast forward to last year:  They drafted Williams, and he is still an unknown.  They got Miller in FA, who has been average at best.  They picked up Fred Johnson, who played admirably thrust in to the LT role and could push Hart at RT (along with a likely draft pick).  They drafted Michael Jordan, who struggled, but started as a fourth round pick and seemed to improve as the season progressed.  They made the call to put Hopkins at Center, and he turned out to be a gem, and allowed them to bench former first rounder, Price.  Let's face it:  that never happens under Marv...some progress there.   And remember Westerman?  The guy we all thought would be a beast at RG?  He retires?  And Clint Boling retired due to blood clots.  Cordy Glenn, if we are honest, has no interest in playing football...he just wants a contract.  Some of this is not the Bengal's fault.  They had to scramble when they lost Boling and Westerman.  But they did make moves and drafted help to the offensive line.  

What should have been a starting line of:  Williams-Glenn-Hopkins-Miller-Hart ended up being:  Warm body-rookie-Hopkins-Miller-Hart.

This year, we should see Williams starting at LT (even though it will be his first action of his NFL career, I see him as a massive upgrade over what we had in 2019).  They will either have Jordan at LG or maybe a FA (please Whit!) or draft pick.  Center position is set.  They will probably be drafting a RG as their M.O. is usually to draft a replacement before the contract expires.  There are some really good choices out there in this year's draft...a few maulers which is what you need at RG.  And then the competition of Hart and Johnson at RT.

In summary, heading in to 2020:  

LT- Massive improvement with Williams
LG- Jordan in year 2 or a FA(should make a significant leap in year two and he did get a lot of experience.  Didn't help that he had some turnstiles at LT next to him).
C- Set with Hopkins, Price as backup
RG- Miller in year 2 with the team...should have to compete with draft pick, potential upgrade.
RT- Hart or Johnson, Hart will have to improve to hold off Johnson, potential upgrade.

They may not look like huge changes, but there were a couple massive holes last year and the entire line suffered.  That being said, they did improve as the season wore on, especially in the running game.  

Here's to a road grader of a RG in the draft and a FA LG to really solidify the middle of the line.