Ask Jim Owczarski

[jowczarski]

(03-18-2018, 10:08 AM)samhain Wrote: Hey, Jim.  

Has there been any word of a team other than the Bengals showing interest in Bodine?  Sometimes (oftentimes even), I get that we as fans underrate players that are better than they look to the untrained eye or on paper.  Peko last year may be a good example.  It's kind of odd to me that no other teams seem to want a guy like Bodine, since our coaches and organization seem to hold him in such high esteem.

Is it possible that he actually sucks as bad a we fans think he does?

They did. They offered him a contract, but it was on their terms. They then moved on when Bodine determined he could do better on the open market. No one will ever speak about an offer that wasn't accepted.

As for "sucking like we think he does:"

Here's the thing: he's an average center, when he's at his best. He has some strengths, has weaknesses. Is average awesome? No. It's average. It means he'll look good sometimes and terrible other times. In baseball terms, he's replacement level. The thing he's really good at is being available. No other member of the offense can say they started all 66 games in 4 years. Fans were killing me on Twitter for stating that fact, yet those same fans call Eifert, Burfict and Ross out for missing games.

I do think he overvalued himself. I think he felt he was in line for a major payday, but the film didn't lie - it was average at best, below average many times. It didn't look great. But he's been the same guy as Mike Pouncey for the last two years. It's just that Pouncey went some Pro Bowls years ago, so he gets $15 million. One could argue PA didn't use Bodine correctly - so now we'll find out if that's the case and he'll be a free agent again at the age of 28.

At the end of the day, a four-year, every-game starter for four years is gone. There are only two solidified positions on the O-line - LT and LG. Say what you want about Bodine, you at least could pencil him in and know what you got. Now, huge questions C-RG-RT. Everyone assumes the next guy is better...but let's be real, it's an unknown.