(03-15-2024, 03:36 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Makes me feel even better, might be some of the frustrations that boiled over last year. I know Simmons can be an asshole.

Just ask Ted Karras who has gotten into it with him a few times. 

Simmons wanting to go to the stealers tells you all you need to know about the guy.

Buddy of mine is a steelers guy and he told me they're interested in trading up for Rome Odunze.

(03-15-2024, 03:58 PM)pulses Wrote: Buddy of mine is a steelers guy and he told me they're interested in trading up for Rome Odunze.

Really hate our division.

(03-15-2024, 04:17 PM)TKUHL Wrote: Really hate our division.

Misdirected anger. Your frustration is with our FO for never having any urgency to strike while the irons hot.... The iron (SB window) slowly but surely is cooling. 

(03-15-2024, 04:23 PM)jj22 Wrote: Misdirected anger. Your frustration is with our FO for never having any urgency to strike while the irons hot.... The iron (SB window) slowly but surely is cooling. 

That's 100% accurate, in my view.

They always seem to be worried about 3+ years from now rather than going all-in and know that 3-5 years from now could be kinda crap if things don't pan out.

The Rams went 5-12 right after winning that Super Bowl and they were expected to have a losing season again last year, but young guys like Nacua and Kyren Williams really emerged quickly to get them hack to double-digit wins.


That's the secret, honestly.
Go all-in to have a good few years but then really nail the draft to cover the potentially expected down years to get back to form quicker than anticipated.

(03-15-2024, 04:39 PM)ochocincos Wrote: That's 100% accurate, in my view.

They always seem to be worried about 3+ years from now rather than going all-in and know that 3-5 years from now could be kinda crap if things don't pan out.

The Rams went 5-12 right after winning that Super Bowl and they were expected to have a losing season again last year, but young guys like Nacua and Kyren Williams really emerged quickly to get them hack to double-digit wins.


That's the secret, honestly.
Go all-in to have a good few years but then really nail the draft to cover the potentially expected down years to get back to form quicker than anticipated.

This FO has no idea how to do that IMO.

(03-15-2024, 10:41 AM)jj22 Wrote: I think we are asking a lot of the 6-2 / 302 pound Tart to replace Reader.....

So he's nothing but a Little Tart...

FWIW, Chicago gave up the fewest rushing yards in the NFL last year. Their Starting DTs:

Justin Jones: 6'3" 309
Andrew Billings: 6'1" 311

(03-15-2024, 04:42 PM)pulses Wrote: This FO has no idea how to do that IMO.

It's a sign of poor development if they have so few draft picks really developing, especially quickly.
I feel like they go to the FA well WAY too often for quality players, and that's very difficult to do due to cap restrictions.
And it doesn't help that the Bengals rarely, if ever, restructure deals to free up more room like many other teams do.

They need to get some rookie strong contributors on O/D, about 2-3 per draft.
It's going to be crucial to maintain the success they had 2021-2022.

(03-15-2024, 04:44 PM)bfine32 Wrote: So he's nothing but a Little Tart...

FWIW, Chicago gave up the fewest rushing yards in the NFL last year. Their Starting DTs:

Justin Jones: 6'3" 309
Andrew Billings: 6'1" 311

THAT'S NEARLY 10 WHOLE POUNDS HEAVIER! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!

(03-15-2024, 04:48 PM)ochocincos Wrote: It's a sign of poor development if they have so few draft picks really developing, especially quickly.
I feel like they go to the FA well WAY too often for quality players, and that's very difficult to do due to cap restrictions.
And it doesn't help that the Bengals rarely, if ever, restructure deals to free up more room like many other teams do.

They need to get some rookie strong contributors on O/D, about 2-3 per draft.
It's going to be crucial to maintain the success they had 2021-2022.

They need more people in their scouting dept. that would help.

If they sign Tart then pick up Sweat in the 2nd, I think the front 7 will be good

(03-15-2024, 04:49 PM)pulses Wrote: They need more people in their scouting dept. that would help.

I dunno if that's fully the case.
There are some dudes who very clearly had/have talent but still never ironed out some of the things they needed improved.
It's definitely somewhat on coaching.

(03-15-2024, 05:50 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I dunno if that's fully the case.
There are some dudes who very clearly had/have talent but still never ironed out some of the things they needed improved.
It's definitely somewhat on coaching.

Yeah they keep guys around like Lassiter and brought back Pryor and they never get a chance to see the field.....maybe they do this year? Coaches need to develop our players better for sure.

Didn't the Bengals go 9-8 in 2023 with Burrow missing 7+ games and playing hurt the first 3 weeks?

Maybe our team roster is not as bad as some believe.

A lot of teams implode forced to use a FA quarterback for almost 50% of the year. Who brought Browing in? Was that also a mistake due to poor scouting or bad FO decision?

We go through this every FA period, but in the end with a healthy Joe burrow we went to the Super Bowl and then lost to KC in AFC championship, Chiefs won it all.

(03-15-2024, 04:39 PM)ochocincos Wrote: That's 100% accurate, in my view.

They always seem to be worried about 3+ years from now rather than going all-in and know that 3-5 years from now could be kinda crap if things don't pan out.

The Rams went 5-12 right after winning that Super Bowl and they were expected to have a losing season again last year, but young guys like Nacua and Kyren Williams really emerged quickly to get them hack to double-digit wins.


That's the secret, honestly.
Go all-in to have a good few years but then really nail the draft to cover the potentially expected down years to get back to form quicker than anticipated.

On top of the items that you mentioned, I could never see the Bengals Front Office ever restructuring to free up money for a build up of expensive players, knowing that there would be a tab to pay down the line. Yet we see some organizations do it seeming all the time, and it's almost like that "rent never comes due".

(03-15-2024, 04:52 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: If they sign Tart then pick up Sweat in the 2nd, I think the front 7 will be good

That would be pretty cool.

The SweaTart line. 

(03-15-2024, 04:44 PM)bfine32 Wrote: So he's nothing but a Little Tart...

FWIW, Chicago gave up the fewest rushing yards in the NFL last year. Their Starting DTs:

Justin Jones: 6'3" 309
Andrew Billings: 6'1" 311

Yes. Thank you! Just because a guy isn't 330lbs doesn't mean he can't handle NT duties. It's about commanding double teams and filling rushing lanes. There are others not named Reader that got that dog in 'em regardless of physical measureables.

Andrew Billings played himself into a nice little contract extension last year if I'm not mistaken. Sometimes it can be more about "scheme fit" and "fight in the dog" than physical measureables and name recognition.

(03-15-2024, 06:01 PM)pulses Wrote: Yeah they keep guys around like Lassiter and brought back Pryor and they never get a chance to see the field.....maybe they do this year? Coaches need to develop our players better for sure.

I don't think there's an opportunity with all spots other than Boyd being occupied with Trenton Irwin returning.
If Lassiter or Pryor make the team, it will be as last WR spot and probably ST only.
I do think they'll draft a WR that can either cover starting slot or back up Higgins for a year before taking over next year.

(03-15-2024, 06:24 PM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: That would be pretty cool.

The SweaTart line. 

Oh damn that’s funny. SweaTart, I guess that’s what we can call it when they both have a 1/2 sack on the QB. Then we have the Battle of Stone Hill in the secondary. Guess I’m eating some gummies tonight while Chasing ideas in my Bell on how to write a story using everyone’s Rankin name. It will be Kuhl I’m not from some fancy Ivey school but I did stay at a Hilton express last night. This is just a Sample, I will work on it tonight when I get back from Orlando if I don’t Prattcastonate to long.

(03-15-2024, 07:58 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I don't think there's an opportunity with all spots other than Boyd being occupied with Trenton Irwin returning.
If Lassiter or Pryor make the team, it will be as last WR spot and probably ST only.
I do think they'll draft a WR that can either cover starting slot or back up Higgins for a year before taking over next year.

I do agree and I think they will draft WR in the first 3 rounds IMO.

(03-15-2024, 06:12 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: On top of the items that you mentioned, I could never see the Bengals Front Office ever restructuring to free up money for a build up of expensive players, knowing that there would be a tab to pay down the line. Yet we see some organizations do it seeming all the time, and it's almost like that "rent never comes due".

The Bengals have come a long way in terms of how they function as a front office.  There are still some nuances that they haven't quite embraced or practiced, but maybe that changes, too.  We've seen a lot of unusual things from them over the last 4 years.  Perhaps the restructures are the next step.  Taylor isn't dumb.  At some point, he'll surely want the same advantages that other HCs enjoy in terms of cap gymnastics.