I dedicate this to Fredtoast:

Check out this article from Cincinnati.com:

‘We won the virtual war’: How Bengals zoomed to a franchise transforming 2020 draft class

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2022/01/20/bengals-2020-nfl-draft-class-changed-franchise-2022-nfl-playoffs-titans/6584854001/

Can't open it.

(01-21-2022, 04:38 AM)Wyche Wrote: Can't open it.

"Not with that shitty attitude"
            -my awesome Grandma

But, yeah. Subscription needed.

Article not necessary; it’s all in the title.

Joe Burrow
Tee Higgins
Logan Wilson
Akeem Davis-Gaither
Khalid Kareem
Hakeem Adeniji
Markus Bailey

That is currently looking like a contender for best draft in franchise history. All seven of them have been at least meaningful contributors. Burrow is our dad. Tee is a 1,000 yard receiver. Logan might have won us the Jaguars game with a goal line stop and the first Steelers game with two picks. ADG doesn’t have a “moment” but was doing good things on defense and STs before he got hurt. Kareem might have won us the Broncos game with his strip sack. Adeniji has proven to be crucial offensive line depth. Bailey has filled in admirably for ADG.

(01-21-2022, 11:39 AM)JaggedJimmyJay Wrote: Article not necessary; it’s all in the title.

Joe Burrow
Tee Higgins
Logan Wilson
Akeem Davis-Gaither
Khalid Kareem
Hakeem Adeniji
Markus Bailey

That is currently looking like a contender for best draft in franchise history. All seven of them have been at least meaningful contributors. Burrow is our dad. Tee is a 1,000 yard receiver. Logan might have won us the Jaguars game with a goal line stop and the first Steelers game with two picks. ADG doesn’t have a “moment” but was doing good things on defense and STs before he got hurt. Kareem might have won us the Broncos game with his strip sack. Adeniji has proven to be crucial offensive line depth. Bailey has filled in admirably for ADG.

It would likely go down in history as their best draft ever simply because of Burrow, but the others going 6 for 6 makes it all the more impressive.

(01-21-2022, 11:39 AM)JaggedJimmyJay Wrote: Article not necessary; it’s all in the title.

Joe Burrow
Tee Higgins
Logan Wilson
Akeem Davis-Gaither
Khalid Kareem
Hakeem Adeniji
Markus Bailey

That is currently looking like a contender for best draft in franchise history. All seven of them have been at least meaningful contributors. Burrow is our dad. Tee is a 1,000 yard receiver. Logan might have won us the Jaguars game with a goal line stop and the first Steelers game with two picks. ADG doesn’t have a “moment” but was doing good things on defense and STs before he got hurt. Kareem might have won us the Broncos game with his strip sack. Adeniji has proven to be crucial offensive line depth. Bailey has filled in admirably for ADG.

I am absolutely shocked having football people finally make decisions leads to our best draft ever. Mike Brown sure had a ton of stinkers the last 30 years.

I just hope we can keep our personnel guys locked in for a few more years before teams inevitably start trying to poach them all away.

The 2020 draft personnel were essentially the same as the prior decade other than the coaching staff.

It is not close to the '01 draft as best overall in team history (YET). But you can't do better than Joe and Tee with the first two picks.

I don't see anyway we can afford to keep Higgins. He is so good some team will give him #1WR money. He may not have the elite top end speed of some receivers, but no one in the league goes up and gets the ball on contested throws better than him.

Quite a haul for the Bengals, and a memorable draft for a lot of reasons. I kept a journal through the first year of the pandemic. This is from Monday, April 27, 2020:

Among the morning news was this factoid:  TV viewership of the NFL draft smashed all previous records.  Maybe people stuck inside had nothing better to do.  Maybe sports junkies were starved for something — anything — besides reruns of the ’85 Super Bowl.  Or perhaps brief looks at the homes and families of coaches, executives and players made more compelling drama than a contrived, overwrought spectacle from some ballroom.  On the coach/executive side, we were treated to glimpses of the following:

*Jerry Jones smirking from the cabin of his quarter billion dollar yacht.  Is there any more striking example of American arrogance and privilege?  (Disclaimer:  I hate the Cowboys).

*In contrast, Bill Belichick scowling from his kitchen, laptop resting on possibly the ugliest kitchen table in the world, Husky pup perched on a chair next to him.  At one point, Belichick got up and left the room with New England on the clock.  On the clock!  The dog remained, staring intently at the screen, apparently ready to send in the Patriots’ third round choice with a flick of its paw.  

*Family members wandering in and out.  Little kids wearing team gear were adorable.  But watch out for those teenagers.  Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel’s son made it on national TV while taking a crap in an adjoining bathroom with the door left conveniently open — a coup worthy of enshrinement in the photobomb hall of fame.  To say nothing of the bet with his buds he most certainly won.

But the players stole the show.  The NFL set up cameras in the homes of all the top prospects.  There they were in their living rooms — pizza boxes and soda cans on coffee tables, ratty couches, stained carpet, curtains from the 70’s, surrounded by immediate family, most of them Black, waiting to realize a lifetime dream.  And the reactions when they were picked — hugs, tears, high fives, one father falling on the floor — all of it genuine, nothing contrived.  The realization for people who have never had much of anything that everything was about to change.  Parents proud of their kids.  Kids grateful to their parents.

As a bonus, occasionally someone’s smoking-hot girlfriend made it into the family gathering.  Of course I wasn't interested in any of that.  But I did take note that a few of the moms weren’t bad either (looking at you, mother of the University of Oregon quarterback).

There will always be Jerry Joneses with us.  But at least for one night, we were able to forget the virus and be genuinely happy for some real Americans.  Another bit of hope.

(01-21-2022, 11:52 AM)JaggedJimmyJay Wrote: The 2020 draft personnel were essentially the same as the prior decade other than the coaching staff.

But we had not sucked bad enough to get the #1 overall pick in a long time.  Taking Burrow #1 was not some amazing idea thought up by the Bengal braintrust.  It was just a prize for being the worst team in the league.

Not discounting the other picks.  Higgins was one of the biggest steals of the draft and Wilson looks like a very good pick also.  The other guys are solid depth.  But Burrow is what makes that class amazing and he just fell in our lap.

(01-21-2022, 05:41 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: "Not with that shitty attitude"
            -my awesome Grandma

But, yeah. Subscription needed.

LoL, touche'

(01-21-2022, 11:57 AM)fredtoast Wrote: It is not close to the '01 draft as best overall in team history (YET). But you can't do better than Joe and Tee with the first two picks.

I don't see anyway we can afford to keep Higgins. He is so good some team will give him #1WR money. He may not have the elite top end speed of some receivers, but no one in the league goes up and gets the ball on contested throws better than him.

You have no idea if Tee will stay or not. Not only did he grow up a Bengals fan (because of AJ), but he’s also playing with an elite QB that he already has a rapport with. I’m not suggesting they’ll be able to get him on some major discount, but I could absolutely see him signing a 2nd contract here as long as they make him a competitive offer (like they did with MLJ).

(01-21-2022, 11:57 AM)fredtoast Wrote: It is not close to the '01 draft as best overall in team history (YET).  But you can't do better than Joe and Tee with the first two picks.

I don't see anyway we can afford to keep Higgins.  He is so good some team will give him #1WR money. He may not have the elite top end speed of some receivers, but no one in the league goes up and gets the ball on contested throws better than him.

Yeah I doubt we keep Higgins in the long term. But we have him under wraps for now, so lets get the most out of him while we can.

(01-21-2022, 11:39 AM)JaggedJimmyJay Wrote: Article not necessary; it’s all in the title.

Joe Burrow
Tee Higgins
Logan Wilson
Akeem Davis-Gaither
Khalid Kareem
Hakeem Adeniji
Markus Bailey

That is currently looking like a contender for best draft in franchise history. All seven of them have been at least meaningful contributors. Burrow is our dad. Tee is a 1,000 yard receiver. Logan might have won us the Jaguars game with a goal line stop and the first Steelers game with two picks. ADG doesn’t have a “moment” but was doing good things on defense and STs before he got hurt. Kareem might have won us the Broncos game with his strip sack. Adeniji has proven to be crucial offensive line depth. Bailey has filled in admirably for ADG.

True, true, but I like reading the articles....lol. I've burned through my free quota for the month on that particular site. 

Higgins isn't going anywhere... Boyd will be gone first...

(01-21-2022, 11:57 AM)fredtoast Wrote: It is not close to the '01 draft as best overall in team history (YET).  But you can't do better than Joe and Tee with the first two picks.

I don't see anyway we can afford to keep Higgins.  He is so good some team will give him #1WR money. He may not have the elite top end speed of some receivers, but no one in the league goes up and gets the ball on contested throws better than him.

Yeah. I'm starting to think it might be easier to sign Chase long term and keep Boyd and fill that #2 spot with some rookie in a few years. I'd love nothing more than to keep all 3 long term but it wouldn't surprise me to see Tee want to go the Marvin Jones route, and i wouldn't hold it against him.

The Bengals are on pace to be legit Super Bowl contenders by the time Tee’s contract is up in a couple years. Another reason he could choose to stay.

(01-21-2022, 12:14 PM)Tony Wrote: Higgins isn't going anywhere... Boyd will be gone first...

We need to get Houshmandzadeh in Boyd's ear at every opportunity.  

Anyone else notice Trey Brown (one of our scouts) is interviewing for the Raiders GM position? How many scouts do we have? This could be a major blow if we only have a few.

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-coaching-gm-tracker-latest-news-interviews-developments-in-2022-hiring-cycle

(01-21-2022, 01:09 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: Anyone else notice Trey Brown (one of our scouts) is interviewing for the Raiders GM position? How many scouts do we have? This could be a major blow if we only have a few.

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-coaching-gm-tracker-latest-news-interviews-developments-in-2022-hiring-cycle

Trey Brown was an addition to the staff in Jun 2021.  The odds of him ever lasting past this season as a scout was pretty small.  He is a up and coming executive.  The Bengals don't have a place for him to move into because well those positions are all taken by family and Duke who might as well be a Brown