PFF ranks Jackson #1 FA CB, Lawson #3 Edge

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(02-23-2021, 09:40 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: You let both walk and our D goes from terrible to even worse under Lou. We are going to have to pay for pass rushers and a CB
anyways. Just because Lawson only got 5 sacks doesn't mean he doesn't collapse the pocket well and rush the passer. He is our 
best Lineman on D right now at this. Keeping Lawson is essential IMO.

Otherwise it is all on Burrow and the Offense to keep up in high scoring affairs and more likely for Burrow to get hurt once again.

Yes, we need to set up Burrow with a good O-line but we also have to upgrade the D-line to help take some pressure off of him.

You keep them both and you're turning $45m in cap space into $15m while not getting even SLIGHTLY better anywhere on the team.

The Bengals were last in sacks in 2020. You're wanting to spend $15m-ish to stay last, versus not spending $15m and being... last. Lawson has 11.5 sacks over the last 2 years, 12.5 over the last 3 years. 2 of the top 3 cap hits in 2021 are already DL. If Anarumo can't do anything with that, tossing another $15m at it isn't the answer.

Meanwhile there are only 2 OL making at least $4m/yr, and only 1 making at least $5m/yr. That's stupid when you just spent a 1st overall pick on a QB. Zero resources should go to anything else until he's protected. Spend that $15m/yr on the best OL player you can get. At least then you have a CHANCE at this team having some kind of strength somewhere on it's roster.

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Trae Waynes is going to be 29, has a $15.8m cap hit in 2021, has 2 INT the last 3 years, 0 Pro Bowls, 0 All-Pros. If you sign or tag WJ3, you're going to end up with a 28-year-old and 29-year-old CB duo, who cost $30-32m/yr, have 4 INT over the last 3 years COMBINED, 0 career Pro Bowls, and 0 career All-Pros. That does not sound like a successful team building strategy.

I understand respecting the advanced stats that are coming out as a reference point, but when you invest way too much money buying into advanced stats that tell you a player should be good rather than tangible results that show that a player is good, it's how you end up with a situation like the Reds did when they signed Homer Bailey because of his FIP. That's what I see when I see people arguing about giving $15m/yr+ to a 5 sack DE.