Keeping Lou Anarumo and Germaine Pratt is preferable to losing Von Bell and Jessie Bates.

(03-15-2023, 10:20 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Keeping Lou Anarumo and Germaine Pratt is preferable to losing Von Bell and Jessie Bates.

I think you'll see that Lou just like any coach struggles when he lacks talent. Hopefully they add some talent.

Doom and Gloom and Crow:
Losing a game next year because we have a long snapper who can't snap or a punter (or QB2) who can't hold.
Starting the season with Jonah, La'el, and Jackson as our top 3 tackles and then have someone get injured.
Having a starting TE who had two catches in 132 offensive snaps last year because none of the other TEs can block.
Having not a single RB who can block worth a damn.
Finishing the season in near the bottom 5 in sacks because we don't blitz and have 1 dependable pass rusher and backups with "potential". Who are we, Cleveland?

While I don't think we need doom and gloom...reality is that the Tier 1 and 2 guys are almost all gone.

With just 9 free agents better than Tier 3 remaining, we are entering Wave 3 of free agency tonight. pic.twitter.com/ts1DFWc8V3

— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) March 15, 2023

(03-15-2023, 11:24 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: I’d like to revisit this in a week to see how many doom and gloomers come back to earth after things have settled down.  

The bengals are not going to not sign any FAs.  They also are not going to over pay.  Let’s be a little patient, the only big loss that wasn’t expected was bell.  But we more or less offset that with Pratt.  

Perine, hurst and bates where all expected to leave or can be easily replaced.

This is a good place for us to be in.  Good teams lose good players every year.

I like Goodberry's take. If you sign your own free agent and bring him back at a higher cost than the previous year it isn't a win. Because your not gaining anything new and your using more resources. Not saying it's not good to resign Pratt but resigning Pratt does not negate the loss of Bell.

(03-15-2023, 10:22 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I think you'll see that Lou just like any coach struggles when he lacks talent. Hopefully they add some talent.

Lou has definitely earned my respect the last two seasons. So I've been reluctant to say it. But he wasn't very good here before we started bringing in these free agents. 

(03-15-2023, 10:40 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: Lou has definitely earned my respect the last two seasons. So I've been reluctant to say it. But he wasn't very good here before we started bringing in these free agents. 

Precisely.

Same on offense. Take Burrow away, and they're struggling.

But, same of every coach.

Kind of frustrating seeing teams like San Fran and KC restructure deals to get any space they can and signing guys to make their team better. We have done neither and have gotten worse.
I’d rather have kept Bell over Apple and bunch of special teamers. Those guys can be found on the scrap heap for minimum

(03-15-2023, 10:42 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Precisely.

Same on offense. Take Burrow away, and they're struggling.

But, same of every coach.

Yeah I guess it is true with every coach. 

I do still think Zim did a lot with the talent he had. I remember us signing a corner of the street during the week before a game and the staff had him out there playing respectable. 

(03-15-2023, 10:40 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: Lou has definitely earned my respect the last two seasons. So I've been reluctant to say it. But he wasn't very good here before we started bringing in these free agents. 

Every year (dead last Marvin’s last year on defense) Cincinnati’s ranking in total defense and defense against scoring has improved. Slowly but assuredly. But every year under Lou they’ve improved their ranking

(03-15-2023, 10:46 PM)CottonHill Wrote: Kind of frustrating seeing teams like San Fran and KC restructure deals to get any space they can and signing guys to make their team better. We have done neither and have gotten worse.
I’d rather have kept Bell over Apple and bunch of special teamers. Those guys can be found on the scrap heap for minimum

KC has lost the following players. They are restructuring cap space just to manage. They are not creating room to go get tier 1 free agents. The best teams, with the best players, typical cant. The rams did, and it paid off. Had they not won a sb (or get a favorable holding call) it would go down as one of the worst run stretches in nfl history.

They bid farewell to defensive lineman Frank Clark and likely will see left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. depart, Safety Juan Thornhill, receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, fullback Michael Burton, defensive tackle Khalen Saunders and offensive tackle Andrew Wylie.

(03-15-2023, 10:29 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: While I don't think we need doom and gloom...reality is that the Tier 1 and 2 guys are almost all gone.

With just 9 free agents better than Tier 3 remaining, we are entering Wave 3 of free agency tonight. pic.twitter.com/ts1DFWc8V3

— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) March 15, 2023

I don’t know much about Julian love or Taylor rapp, but looking at their age, they look like candidates to bring in at safety. Remember vonn bell was not signed in the first days of free agency.

(03-15-2023, 10:57 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Every year (dead last Marvin’s last year on defense) Cincinnati in total defense and defense against scoring has improved. Slowly but assuredly. But every year

I know it might be picking and choosing. But I don't always trust the stats. Like if your offense is bad your defense might be statistically okay because other teams don't have to score as much on you. But let's just agree and say he has been improving every year he got noticeably better when we started bringing in FA.

(03-15-2023, 10:57 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Every year (dead last Marvin’s last year on defense) Cincinnati’s ranking in total defense and defense against scoring has improved. Slowly but assuredly. But every year under Lou

Our talent on defense got better each year too.

(03-15-2023, 11:05 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Our talent on defense got better each year too.

And our talent on defense may yet still get better this year. Let’s see this thing shake out

(03-15-2023, 10:59 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: I don’t know much about Julian love or Taylor rapp, but looking at their age, they look like candidates to bring in at safety.  Remember vonn bell was not signed in the first days of free agency.

And Thornhill. But, yes.

Power signed I think.

Pickings are getting skimmer at Safety. If 1 or 2 sign, it could get rough.

(03-15-2023, 11:03 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: I know it might be picking and choosing. But I don't always trust the stats. Like if your offense is bad your defense might be statistically okay because other teams don't have to score as much on you. But let's just agree and say he has been improving every year he got noticeably better when we started bringing in FA.

They improved how many yards and points they gave up in 2018 then each year thereafter. That’s consistency.

(03-15-2023, 11:07 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: And our talent on defense may yet still get better this year.  Let’s see this thing shake out

I think the pickings are getting slimmer. I'm hoping for it to stay the same.

(03-15-2023, 11:05 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Our talent on defense got better each year too.

Funny how that works but it’s still a pattern. But let’s be frank neither Zac or Lou were coordinators. Zac was for about 6 games with the Dolphins before the interim staff was fired. They were inexperienced

(03-15-2023, 11:12 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Funny how that works but it’s still a pattern. But let’s be frank neither Zac or Lou were coordinators. Zac was for about 6 games with the Dolphins before the interim staff was fired. They were inexperienced

Zac consistently made offenses worse at his OC stops until Joe Burrow was his QB.

But maybe Bill Walsh struggles too without Montana?

Hard to say.