(03-14-2024, 06:31 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: No, I act like Lou has been given more in FA talent than literally any other coach in Bengals history on either side of the ball and has managed to be below average in 4 of his 5 seasons as DC, and they still keep spending high draft picks and FA $ on him. So saying he gets no respect from the FO is bizarre.

When Lou had Hendrickson, Ogunjobi, Hill, Bell and Bates the team rode the defense to the Super Bowl.  Since that time the Bengals let Ogunjobi leave, let Bates leave, let Bell leave then let Reader leave to save money.  You cant let talent like that leave and replace it with guys like Dax Hill, Nick Scott, Teair Tart??? and claim you are giving Lou a bunch of talent.  The Bengals have mostly signed a bunch of "value" guys for Lou to work with.  When Lou had more talent to work with, the defense made it to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship.  Dont expect him to work miracles with "value" signings and mediocre draft picks.

(03-14-2024, 06:49 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: When Lou had Hendrickson, Ogunjobi, Hill, Bell and Bates the team rode the defense to the Super Bowl.  Since that time the Bengals let Ogunjobi leave, let Bates leave, let Bell leave then let Reader leave to save money.  You cant let talent like that leave and replace it with guys like Dax Hill, Nick Scott, Teair Tart??? and claim you are giving Lou a bunch of talent.  The Bengals have mostly signed a bunch of "value" guys for Lou to work with.  When Lou had more talent to work with, the defense made it to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship.  Dont expect him to work miracles with "value" signings and mediocre draft picks.

They didn't let Reader leave to save money. They gave it to Rankins instead.

I like Reader, but he's hurt a lot. He's a wall against the run...but he's a poor pass rusher.

We got very little pass rush from our DTs last year. They must have wanted Rankins over Reader.

Maybe if the front office would spend money on scouts we wouldn’t miss on draft picks. ?

(03-14-2024, 05:22 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: The tragedy by the FO isn't their unwillingness to pay Reader in free agency, the tragedy is whiffing on the draft picks that were supposed to replace him.

Bengals need to get their heads out of their asses when drafting or this will continue to happen as we continue to pay Chase and Burrow.

Along with it, if they didn't whiff on Dax Hill you don't have to sign Geno Stone and that money could have been used to retain Reader.

Draft better, Duke.

Absolutely agree. I think DJ is going to take a dip in production at least for what little he will play this year. Next year? Who knows....but he wouldn't even be available until what, mid season at the earliest?

(03-14-2024, 06:55 PM)Bambam Wrote: Maybe if the front office would spend money on scouts we wouldn’t miss on draft picks. ?

What team doesn't miss on draft picks?

Part of our issue is that our draft picks played too well. Bates, Tee, etc. Hard to afford them all.

(03-14-2024, 06:08 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Sucks, but he was hurt a lot and didn't play a lot of snaps.

Tart has averaged 350 snaps per season in his career.
DJ Reader has averaged 563 snaps per season in his career.

(03-14-2024, 07:01 PM)casear2727 Wrote: Tart has averaged 350 snaps per season in his career.
DJ Reader has averaged 563 snaps per season in his career.

Tell DJ he'll be missed!

Don't like that.

(03-14-2024, 06:59 PM)Wyche Wrote: Absolutely agree. I think DJ is going to take a dip in production at least for what little he will play this year. Next year? Who knows....but he wouldn't even be available until what, mid season at the earliest?

Who was supposed to replace Reader that we drafted? I see a bunch of late round guys...unless I'm missing someone.

(03-14-2024, 05:47 PM)pally Wrote: Im seeing the guaranteed money was only $9 million.  That says that no one is trusting he is going to be able to play at the same level next season

I don't. 

(03-14-2024, 07:00 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: What team doesn't miss on draft picks?

Part of our issue is that our draft picks played too well. Bates, Tee, etc. Hard to afford them all.

We also have one of the smallest front offices in football. You don’t believe scouts matter?

(03-14-2024, 07:01 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Tell DJ he'll be missed!

Sucks for me for sure.  He knows he has a ton of support here.

(03-14-2024, 06:55 PM)Bambam Wrote: Maybe if the front office would spend money on scouts we wouldn’t miss on draft picks. ?

This is the biggest change they must make. 

(03-14-2024, 06:49 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: When Lou had Hendrickson, Ogunjobi, Hill, Bell and Bates the team rode the defense to the Super Bowl.  Since that time the Bengals let Ogunjobi leave, let Bates leave, let Bell leave then let Reader leave to save money.  You cant let talent like that leave and replace it with guys like Dax Hill, Nick Scott, Teair Tart??? and claim you are giving Lou a bunch of talent.  The Bengals have mostly signed a bunch of "value" guys for Lou to work with.  When Lou had more talent to work with, the defense made it to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship.  Dont expect him to work miracle with "value" signings.

It's amazing how people have erased the regular season out of their minds from that year. The defense was amazing in the postseason, sure, but it wasn't good in the regular season. The Bengals had the 17th scoring defense and 7th scoring offense. They just had an amazing postseason run, very 2012 Joe Flaccoish, and we all made fun of the Ravens Fans for proclaiming Flacco elite because of that season.

Also lol to "to save money" while ignoring all the people they paid, and the fact you can't keep everyone because the salary cap exists.

Poor Lou, last year he only had the 5th and 20th highest paid DEs and 15th and 22nd highest paid DTs, both paid LBs, and two straight drafts of every first two day picks going to him. How can you expect him to develop young guys rather than just pay everyone? Such disrespect.

- - - - - - -
Also weird how you simultaneously complain about letting Reader, Bell, and Ogunjobi leave... while also belittling their signings as "a bunch of value guys". Are they priceless losses, or are they scrubs that didn't give Lou any talent? Make up your mind.

"The Defense" didn't make it to the AFCC and the Super Bowl. Joe Burrow being healthy made it to the AFCC and the Super Bowl. They didn't do shit in 2020 (we had Bates, Bell, Reader then) or 2023, but when Joe Burrow is healthy it's magically the defense that is nearly perpetually below average in points allowed that is carrying the team, not the top-3 QB who has a top-10 scoring offense every time he's healthy.

(03-14-2024, 07:02 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Who was supposed to replace Reader that we drafted? I see a bunch of late round guys...unless I'm missing someone.

No one that I'm aware of. Shelvin, maybe? I can't remember if he was drafted before or after DJ signed. Something to think about, there's no one on the roster to replace him, and he wouldn't be ready week one for sure. Like I asked, mid season before he even plays? We'd be in a world of shit by then anyway. May as well try to get a NT in FA, AND draft one.

(03-14-2024, 06:55 PM)Bambam Wrote: Maybe if the front office would spend money on scouts we wouldn’t miss on draft picks. ?

That's REALLY a problem they don't want to talk about. Absolutely agree.

(03-14-2024, 06:15 PM)QueenCity Wrote: Think my favorite memory of Readers was the Titans playoff game... where he and the team just shut Henry the F down.

That's what I was thinking of today! The amazing 4th and 1 stop of Henry on the Bengals 35-yard line in the 4th in a 3-point Bengals win!  Man, that was exciting.

Best of wishes to Reader. He was a class act and very underappreciated by the media, likely because he didn't show up on the sack or stat sheet. I wanted the Bengals to pay him just because he deserved it, but I'm glad he got a good deal elsewhere and I wish him the very best.

(03-14-2024, 06:16 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I would agree, if DJ plays for them and plays well for them by midseason, but if he doesn't even play this year they are not fools.

This is yet to be seen on if this was a failure or not.

Regardless, The Gravedigger was great for us especially in the biggest games when we needed to stop the run. God bless DJ Reader.

Yes, I hate to see him go, but I kinda felt he wouldn't be back unless it was a dirt cheap prove it deal. Detroit doesn't have to pay Joe Burrow or JaMarr Chase. They can gamble a little. If it pans out, it'll be a good gamble for them. Like I mentioned, we don't have a NT. People wanted to re-sign him and just do without for several weeks and hope he comes back at full strength? I think they believed that was too big a risk unless he inked for cheap so they could sign a stop gap until he was able to play. Tufele ain't it. 

(03-14-2024, 06:08 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Sucks, but he was hurt a lot and didn't play a lot of snaps.

And he's old by NFL standards. I didn't want him back.

DJ fan as well, loved him as a Bengal. Couple of bad injuries for a big man to have is a concern though.