(02-01-2022, 05:02 PM)basballguy Wrote: My thought is there are probably 2 dozen DBs better than Apple also on FA and we should try to upgrade....either through FA or the draft.  I feel less passionately about Flowers than i do Apple.  :)

2 dozen?  How many are available free agents?

(02-01-2022, 06:42 PM)Daddy-O Wrote: 2 dozen?  How many are available free agents?

And how do we know they will be better here than Eli Apple?

I think he is finally gaining some consistency in his play, would be dumb to move on from him now.

Waynes is the one we should move on from cause he cannot stay healthy.

We did put a lot of money towards the defense in free agency since Lou has been here. Outside of Linebacker all of our good players on defense were either picked up in free agency or were already on the team when Lou and Zac got here. So I could get questioning the coaching staffs ability to draft players and coach them up. But we have that haven't had enough time to see good they could become Shelvin, Sample, Ossai and others.

But this last game is a good example of why Lou and Co. do deserve a ton of credit. They put the players in good positions to win and our good players which I think is basically everyone on defense made plays. Also we really had to invest heavily in the defense in free agency. Our 3 drafts since Taylor got here have seen the 1st 2 rds go completely to the offense.

(02-01-2022, 06:25 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I'd be perfectly ok with keeping Apple as the slotted outside starting CB going into the draft and then draft a CB on Day 1 or Day 2.

Same here, I am wanting Sauce Gardner, dude could be great. Love how he plays and love his wingspan for a Corner.

Reminds me of Rodgers Cromartie in this aspect.

(02-01-2022, 06:46 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: And how do we know they will be better here than Eli Apple?

I think he is finally gaining some consistency in his play, would be dumb to move on from him now.

Waynes is the one we should move on from cause he cannot stay healthy.

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2022-nfl-free-agency-rankings-cornerbacks

19 FA CBs of note.

How do we know? Clearly we don’t know what will happen if we sign one but I’m willing to bet almost any of them would be an upgrade.

(02-01-2022, 06:47 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: We did put a lot of money towards the defense in free agency since Lou has been here. Outside of Linebacker all of our good players on defense were either picked up in free agency or were already on the team when Lou and Zac got here. So I could get questioning the coaching staffs ability to draft players and coach them up. But we have that haven't had enough time to see good they could become Shelvin, Sample, Ossai and others.

But this last game is a good example of why Lou and Co. do deserve a ton of credit. They put the players in good positions to win and our good players which I think is basically everyone on defense made plays. Also we really had to invest heavily in the defense in free agency. Our 3 drafts since Taylor got here have seen the 1st 2 rds go completely to the offense.

I think the whole point of my post has been lost. We brought in really good Free Agents, and our coaches made them better. Every single one of them has upped their game since being here.

(02-01-2022, 06:46 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: And how do we know they will be better here than Eli Apple?

I think he is finally gaining some consistency in his play, would be dumb to move on from him now.

Waynes is the one we should move on from cause he cannot stay healthy.

I think the writing is on the wall with Wayne's he's been healthy and can't get on the field outside of special teams. 

I like Apple. I just don't know what kind of contract he'll be looking to sign and he might be farther down the list than guys like Bates, Larry O and Bj Hill. But if we let Waynes go hopefully we can keep this defense intact while adding some guys and if we let Waynes go I think we may need to add a CB.

(02-01-2022, 06:51 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Same here, I am wanting Sauce Gardner, dude could be great. Love how he plays and love his wingspan for a Corner.

Reminds me of Rodgers Cromartie in this aspect.

I think Gardner will be long gone but I do think he would fit really well. But having said that I really hope we get a couple O linemen in free agency because I'm not sure who will be there at the end of the 1st RD. I'd rather not be in a position were we have to reach for an oline and pass up on a CB or Linebacker or even possibly a DE. 

(02-01-2022, 07:04 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I think the whole point of my post has been lost. We brought in really good Free Agents, and our coaches made them better. Every single one of them has upped their game since being here.

Well I was gonna say that we don't know if they've all improved. But one thing that can't argued is the fact a good DC puts his players in a position to succeed and thats exactly what Lou and Co. have done and probably one of the best examples of this I've ever seen was that 2nd half. Also I think the absolute unquestionable #1 reason we find ourselves in the SuperBowl is the defense. They have played they're hearts out this whole playoff run.

(02-01-2022, 06:24 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Anarumo and crew do deserve some credit. Reader, Hendrickson, Ogunjobi, and Hill really revamped a porous DL.
The additions of Awuzie and Hilton were sneaky good.

About the only thing though is that the Bengals spent the 3rd most on defense in 2021 ($82 mill - 42% of adjusted cap).

One should expect to have a good defense when dropping that much $$.

On the flip side, Bengals only spent $69 mill on offense in 2021, which is 35.4% of the adjusted cap. 14th most in the league.
Goes to show much the offensive draft picks have turned the offense into a quality unit.
Not a single offensive player making $10+ mill a year.
Maybe (hopefully?) that changes this offseason when they add some OL.

Outside of Reader & Wayne's the Bengals have done a great job of bargain shopping on defense.  None of the contacts outside of those two are really that huge and are really major steals.

(02-01-2022, 06:51 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Same here, I am wanting Sauce Gardner, dude could be great. Love how he plays and love his wingspan for a Corner.

Reminds me of Rodgers Cromartie in this aspect.

Thats ships sail bro!

(02-01-2022, 06:51 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Same here, I am wanting Sauce Gardner, dude could be great. Love how he plays and love his wingspan for a Corner.

Reminds me of Rodgers Cromartie in this aspect.

Sauce is a stud but sadly won't be around after the top 15 picks happen unless he gets hurt which I wouldn't wish on him at all.

Seen him mocked to the Vikings a few times which would make sense as well as the Eagles pairing him with Slay. I still wouldn't put it passed the Browns to take him even with their two CBs on the roster already. It is a passing league and to have 3 top CBs is almost a need at this point. Think about the Bengals when they had Leon Hall, and Dennard and still added Kirkpatrick in round one. 

(02-01-2022, 06:55 PM)basballguy Wrote: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2022-nfl-free-agency-rankings-cornerbacks

19 FA CBs of note.  

How do we know?  Clearly we don’t know what will happen if we sign one but I’m willing to bet almost any of them would be an upgrade.

We will see how we go about it. All I know is I want BJ Hill back and would be nice to extend Bates .

Have to keep this Defense together for the most part and upgrade where we can, if it is over Apple so be it.

Just that Apple knows the system now and has finally gotten somewhat consistent which has always been his problem.

(02-01-2022, 07:06 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: I think the writing is on the wall with Wayne's he's been healthy and can't get on the field outside of special teams. 

I like Apple. I just don't know what kind of contract he'll be looking to sign and he might be farther down the list than guys like Bates, Larry O and Bj Hill. But if we let Waynes go hopefully we can keep this defense intact while adding some guys and if we let Waynes go I think we may need to add a CB.

For sure, Apple isn't a priority over those 3. 

(02-01-2022, 07:11 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: I think Gardner will be long gone but I do think he would fit really well. But having said that I really hope we get a couple O linemen in free agency because I'm not sure who will be there at the end of the 1st RD. I'd rather not be in a position were we have to reach for an oline and pass up on a CB or Linebacker or even possibly a DE. 

(02-01-2022, 07:49 PM)J24 Wrote: Outside of Reader & Wayne's the Bengals have done a great job of bargain shopping on defense.  None of the contacts outside of those two are really that huge and are really major steals.








Thats ships sail bro!

True, we made the Superbowl and might be picking last, the Sauce ship has sailed. Oh well, its all good.

The Superbowl is a nice trade lol

(02-01-2022, 07:56 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Sauce is a stud but sadly won't be around after the top 15 picks happen unless he gets hurt which I wouldn't wish on him at all.

Seen him mocked to the Vikings a few times which would make sense as well as the Eagles pairing him with Slay. I still wouldn't put it passed the Browns to take him even with their two CBs on the roster already. It is a passing league and to have 3 top CBs is almost a need at this point. Think about the Bengals when they had Leon Hall, and Dennard and still added Kirkpatrick in round one. 

Sure hope the Stains don't get Sauce, that would suck.

Believe Apple and Flowers will be retained unless the price tag gets ridiculously high.

(02-02-2022, 08:08 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Believe Apple and Flowers will be retained unless the price tag gets ridiculously high.

Definitely want Flowers back, he has been playing great on ST's and has been making plays on Defense too. 

Big Corner to give TE's trouble. I know Kelce had a pretty good game but he was kind of erased in the 2nd half.

(02-01-2022, 07:04 PM)Sled21 Wrote:  Every single one of them has upped their game since being here.

Not really.  

Hendrickson actually had FEWER sacks and tackles per snap played with the Bengals this year than he did with the Saints last year.  Trey played 160 more snaps this year and just got 0.5 more sacks.

In 2019 Reader had more tackles, sacks, and QB hits than he has ever had with the Bengals.

Ogunjob's numbers this year are pretty much the same as his '18 and '19 seasons with the Browns.

Hilton played 130 fewer snaps in '19 for the Steelers than he did this year with the Bengals yet in '19 he had over twice as many PDs (11 to 5), 1.5 more sacks, and only 1 fewer tackle.

Same with most of the free agenmts we signed.  They cost a lot of money because they were good before they came here.