03-28-2020, 03:06 PM
(03-28-2020, 05:36 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: We had a historically bad defense the last couple seasons (and no it was not just the LBers), so we go out and replace a bunch of them with better players from actual good teams, and yet there’s still people crying over not getting the exact guys they wanted.
Vigil was terrible, I’m ecstatic he’s gone. Addition by subtraction. Dennard was decent, but he rivaled Eifert and AJ in how injury prone he was. Reader over Billings was a huge upgrade, and if a team like Pittsburgh or Dallas made that signing the media would be heaping praise all over it. Vonn Bell might be one of the most underrated signings of this FA. He’s in his prime and we locked him up for 3 years. Same with Reader. And both those guys had multiple other teams going after them.
You’re out of your mind if you’re not encouraged by all this. But I disagree with J24 about 99% of the time, so this really doesn’t surprise me all that much.
1.) who's arguing that the defense wasn't bad for the past couple of seasons?
2.) Yes it was the LB play that was the main reason for the downfall of the defense. Just like the Offensive line is the main problem with the offense. Is it any coincidence that our defense improved dramatically once Pratt was put it the lineup ?Seriously look at the Defense week 11 on compared to weeks 2-10.
3.) Vigil isn't that bad as everyone makes him out to be but he wasn't a superstar either. What he is was a guy who could play all three downs which we don't currently have at that position (maybe Pratt). Bynes is the typical Bengals LB signing one down run stuffing LB who is a liability in pass coverage. Yes I know what PFF says about his pass coverage but those stats don't tell the whole story because the Ravens hid him in passing situations. Hopefully Lou does the same thing as the Ravens instead of making him a starter in nickel like we did with Brown last season.
4.) Yeah I like the reader signing but to say that the Nose Tackle position was a big need for this team is an absolute joke. Billings and Topu we're good players for us last season it's not like they were garbage at all.
5.) Bell, Alexander, and Wayne's are solid players but so are Williams, Kirkpatrick, and Dennard. I don't think we drastically improved those positions at all maybe slightly but we could have used the money in other places like RT and LB instead. Not sure why that upsets people so much.
All in all I think we're in a much better spot than we were last season with Burrow, Williams, and a healthy Green coming back should make us a lot better on offense.
I liked what I saw on defense at the end of last year. Our line is still near the top of the league not sure you can do much at pass rusher then Dunlap, Geno, Lawson, and Hubbard. The addition of Reader is a good one + Topu should be back.
I think Pratt will be better and the secondary is similar to what we had last season.
Plus I think you will see Jackson and Bates play up to there enormous potential so that unit might be better just because of that.
Hopefully we draft a stud LB in the draft to play next to Pratt next season if that happens were looking at a top 5 unit.
