I’m sure they’ve got a plan.

(03-14-2023, 04:48 AM)BoomerFan Wrote: I think they C.J. Gardner-Johnson at $11 million per year. It makes me wonder why we didn't just keep Vonn Bell for $8 million.

Spotrac has Gardner Johnson at 13.3 million. We let Bell go because of the guaranteed money of 13 million he got with Carolina.

A lot of people seem to be getting comfortable with the idea of starting two year 2 guys at safety this year. That idea is absolutely insane to me, and that's putting it politely. Hill showed little to nothing to impress me last year (granted he played out of place a lot when he had opportunities, but wasn't he supposed to be some sort of swiss army knife?), and Tycen Anderson??? Who knows. We've had decent success before with late round safeties. I don't think this is the window to be taking chances in. We NEED a veteran back there to pair with either Anderson or Hill.

Go get a Juan Thornhill, Julian Love, etc. I realize Gardner-Johnson isn't realistic, but that's the guy I'd be looking at being in the window we're in right now.

We've watched Burrow eat Thornhill alive for 2 years in a row. Misses too many tackles and would be a downgrade imho. We are in trouble as this isn't a good Safety class, and if they aren't willing to do a Bell like contract for a Safety, we aren't getting an adequate replacement in Free Agency.

We aren't beating KC without Bell/Bates.

The Bengals will have 3 corners all with at least a year experience in the system. That will be huge for the communication just like the Safeties were for those same corners in 2021 (and for CTB in 2022). As for the leadership side Mike Hilton and Chidoe Awuzie have step up in that area already. Mike Hilton is already seen as one of the leaders of the DB group and CTB seems like a natural leader and more responsibilities like that will come the longer he's in the League.

(03-14-2023, 09:10 AM)jj22 Wrote: We've watched Burrow eat Thornhill alive for 2 years in a row. Misses too many tackles and would be a downgrade imho. We are in trouble as this isn't a good Safety class, and if they aren't willing to do a Bell like contract for a Safety, we aren't getting an adequate replacement in Free Agency.

We aren't beating KC without Bell/Bates.

I don't think it can be overstated enough how much of a disaster letting Bell and Bates go is going to be.   Expect a huge step backwards on defense, a couple of regular season wins just turned into losses.  This team might still make the playoffs, but forget homefield adv, and it's now an even harder climb to get back to the AFCCG.  Forget the SB.  I don't see it happening.

(03-14-2023, 10:03 AM)Tomkat Wrote: I don't think it can be overstated enough how much of a disaster letting Bell and Bates go is going to be.   Expect a huge step backwards on defense, a couple of regular season wins just turned into losses.  This team might still make the playoffs, but forget homefield adv, and it's now an even harder climb to get back to the AFCCG.  Forget the SB.  I don't see it happening.

Bengals replaced all 3 of their starting corners in 2021 and went to a Super Bowl.

(03-13-2023, 11:26 PM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: If they sign someone, cool. If they don't, they don't. I have more faith in Lou Anarumo than I ever had in Jessie Bates. When Bates played very poorly in '21 for almost the entire season, they were in the playoff hunt because Lou's schemes could mask or absorb his poor play.

Bell is the true loss. I hope this isn't a Reggie Nelson/Shawn Williams swap that we saw in 2016. That was a major drop off for the Bengals. I always said that Reggie Nelson made George Iloka a lot of money because Nelson helped make Iloka look much better than he was. I have a feeling that a humbled Bates will be back on the street in a couple of years without Bell protecting him.

Lets not get it twisted...they 100% need to sign a quality FA safety. 

No way in hell im going into the season with two unproven rookies on the back end of my secondary. 

(03-13-2023, 09:31 PM)jj22 Wrote: You hate to use free agency playing the replace talent lost game. Especially in win now mode and in need of pieces to add to put you over the edge instead of remaining afloat.

True but if you don't, you'll be playing the "use the draft to replace starters lost" game, which seems even more risky than using FA.
Hope they add another safety in FA so they don't have to draft a starter.
I don't think anyone would feel too comfortable with either Thomas, Anderson, or Wilson lining up next to Hill.

(03-14-2023, 10:09 AM)Synric Wrote: Bengals replaced all 3 of their starting corners in 2021 and went to a Super Bowl.

Because they had strong Safety play (we don't past KC without Bell/Bates). We don't have elite corners. And you can't get by with average corners and below average / inexperienced safety's. One (either safety or corners) need to be strong or it's bombs away against the secondary. Besides AFC is a different beast then it was in 2021.

We've long gotten by with average corners thanks to the safety's. 

Honestly, the Bengals front office kind of shit the bed on this. The fact that they let it come to this is kind of ridiculous.

They better know what they are doing and have a plan because they look like clowns right now.

(03-14-2023, 10:03 AM)Tomkat Wrote: I don't think it can be overstated enough how much of a disaster letting Bell and Bates go is going to be.   Expect a huge step backwards on defense, a couple of regular season wins just turned into losses.  This team might still make the playoffs, but forget homefield adv, and it's now an even harder climb to get back to the AFCCG.  Forget the SB.  I don't see it happening.

If your defense takes a decline, they need to boost the offense to help compensate.
Boost that OL!

(03-14-2023, 10:19 AM)jj22 Wrote: Because they had strong Safety play. We don't have elite corners. And you can't get by with average corners and below average / inexperienced safety's. One (either safety or corners) need to be strong. 

We've long gotten by with average corners thanks to the safety's. 

I disagree wholeheartedly Chido and Hilton are a couple of the best players at their positions in the NFL (Chido gets no respect but he was a top 3 corner before he got hurt). Overall its the system not the safeties that make the defense special. 

(03-14-2023, 10:19 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Honestly, the Bengals front office kind of shit the bed on this. The fact that they let it come to this is kind of ridiculous.

They better know what they are doing and have a plan because they look like clowns right now.

They should have forced Hill into the lineup to get more experience. Found a way to get him involved on Defense. See what we had in the pick. Having a first round replacement at Safety with no idea if he's a legit replacement going into the 2nd year was a fail. Especially given it was widely accepted Bates at least wouldn't be back. 

Who cares if Bates was getting paid more (which is why they refused to give Hill a chunk of his snaps). Bates getting 90% of the snaps shouldn't have been the priority. 

(03-14-2023, 10:19 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Honestly, the Bengals front office kind of shit the bed on this. The fact that they let it come to this is kind of ridiculous.

They better know what they are doing and have a plan because they look like clowns right now.

Let their plan play out.

It's like telling a chef his omelette sucks right after he cracked the eggs.

(03-14-2023, 10:26 AM)BengalBob Wrote: Let their plan play out.

It's like telling a chef his omelette sucks right after he cracked the eggs.

Naw i think the equivalent is watching the chef put a bunch of BS in the pan and then cooking your omlete.

Like “man idk where this is going but i don’t like how you started this dish.”

I think Bates/Bell were trying to force a both or none deal. Subtly mind you. Bates wanted more money than the Bengals would go and Bell needed a great last contract. Not suggesting the negotiations were rough just that they kinda were both staying or leaving. I’m sure the front office was ready.

(03-14-2023, 10:26 AM)BengalBob Wrote: Let their plan play out.

It's like telling a chef his omelette sucks right after he cracked the eggs.

I am letting it play out and im not panicking yet, but Im getting more skeptical by the minute. 

I think the front office will take a serious look
At John Johnson who the Browns released
He would not cost a whole lot. He is the kind
Of player that Lou could get the max out of
Talent wise. He played well in L.A then
Was not utilized properly in Cleveland under Joe
Woods.

(03-14-2023, 10:26 AM)BengalBob Wrote: Let their plan play out.

It's like telling a chef his omelette sucks right after he cracked the eggs.

More like going to a BBQ joint and watching them put all of the delicious pork in the trash, then offer you some burnt chicken..