.


Many 2024 Free Agency moves have already been made by the Bengals and

the NFL Draft is roughly 5 weeks away.


Just how Confident are you that the Bengals Front Office will have the

2024 Roster ready to make a Super Bowl Run that ends with a WIN.


Take the Confidence in the 2024 Bengals Front Office - POLL

They should be a top 5 team on paper... just comes down to can they at least split the AFC North and avoid QB9 getting hurt.

(03-20-2024, 03:52 PM)QueenCity Wrote: They should be a top 5 team on paper... just comes down to can they at least split the AFC North and avoid QB9 getting hurt.

The POLL should be up now. It takes a little time after the initial Post to finish it.

I have a good idea how you would Vote and I hope you are right.

I was more worried before they signed Brown.
Even if Brown gets hurt, they could still win if they draft a good rookie.
Plus they have some young lineman with tackle experience to provide depth. They aren't neccessarily great players but could be good enough.
If Brown is healthy I think they have high end potential with the oline.
The Bengals definitely need to continue to develop the oline and get younger. To do this they need to hit on draft picks this year.

Losing Reader hurts. But they have (2) solid players at DT.
If they add a good player in the 2nd round at DT, they will have a better rotation inside this year.
I like the prospect of having a younger/healthier rotation, and more depth in the interior.
Not having Reader means the high end potential is very likely lower than years past.
They need to continue to invest in the dline to build a healthy rotation that can get to the QB.

The Bengals improved drastically at TE and Safety.
They need to add another on-the-line TE to back up Sample. But the tight end group has more talent and durability this year.
Safety has better depth, talent, experience, communication, and tackling ability this year.

They still need to add a vet corner that can cover and tackle (for depth).
They need to draft one in the mid rounds on top of that.
It wouldn't hurt to draft one high if he's the BPA. It would certainly solidify the group.

Overall I think they did a good job addressing areas of weakness so far.
No big-budget names added.
But they got some high impact players on the cheap in Vonn Bell and potentially Brown at RT.
Gesicki, too, could end up being a bargain. He's a great red zone threat and overall receiving threat.

As far as skill players. Obviously they are better at QB going into this year having a proven backup.
At RB, they are at least as good as last year.
I'm excited to see Brown get unleashed this year. I think his potential could definitely be higher than Mixons.
Moss is a really effective runner as well, and great in protection.
At wideout I expect them to keep Higgins for a playoff run this year and tag him next year too.
They still could re-sign Boyd to an affordable deal but I'm not holding my breath on that.
I think they will draft a rookie at some point for added depth.
But they also added Gesicki as a 3rd receiving option and they have a lot of young receivers on the roster already that have been successful.
Overall I expect WR to be pretty close to last year in terms of the talent level. It'll be good to get younger at the position.

More work to do. But I think if they stay healthy this team can compete for a championship.
If they add to the team with a great draft it will increase their odds of taking the Super Bowl to the house--and set them up for sustained success.

Good job with FA so far.
Next step is nailing the draft.
Then stay healthy and build towards the playoffs.

All this team will need is good luck with the medical stuff.

Looking forward to the draft... I'm all over the place on what I think they'll do

I am leaning towards us having a strong enough roster to win it all. Lot's can happen, but with a healthy Joe Burrow we can
beat anybody. I think with the additions of Trent Brown, Zack Moss, Mike Gesicki on Offense we are better at blocking and we
added a nice weapon in the Slot who had a 1,000 yard season and has never had a QB like Burrow.

On Defense adding Geno Stone, bringing back Vonn and adding Sheldon Rankins we could be much better at stopping the run
and causing turnovers. I know Rankins is more of a pass rusher, but he can stop the run when that is his job, he was just asked
to rush the passer more last year with the Texans. He was a primary run stopper on the Jets when they were one of the best run
stopping D's in the league.

Just have to draft well and have a healthy TC/Preseason and we should be more than fine.

(03-20-2024, 04:56 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I am leaning towards us having a strong enough roster to win it all. Lot's can happen, but with a healthy Joe Burrow we can
beat anybody. I think with the additions of Trent Brown, Zack Moss, Mike Gesicki on Offense we are better at blocking and we
added a nice weapon in the Slot who had a 1,000 yard season and has never had a QB like Burrow.

On Defense adding Geno Stone, bringing back Vonn and adding Sheldon Rankins we could be much better at stopping the run
and causing turnovers. I know Rankins is more of a pass rusher, but he can stop the run when that is his job, he was just asked
to rush the passer more last year with the Texans. He was a primary run stopper on the Jets when they were one of the best run
stopping D's in the league.

Just have to draft well and have a healthy TC/Preseason and we should be more than fine.

Have confidence in the FO and their moves have been sufficient enough to get it done, especially if they hit in draft and maybe still add another FA. Although it's tough navigating these days as the big contracts come into play. 

Obviously it was much easier sledding having Burrow, Chase, Higgins, and Logan Wilson on rookie deals and will get tougher as it goes. Yet still have confidence even if I don't always agree with 100% of their decisions. They certainly try harder these days then in the past and you won't hear me complain about that. 

One option

#9

(03-20-2024, 06:13 PM)bfine32 Wrote: One option

#9

I want to see #9 push Mahomes out of the Spotlight over most (if not all) of the next 5 years.

Would like to have all of the other NFL Fans (that are not Bengal Fans) get tired of seeing Burrow lift

the Super Bowl Trophy (like many Fans must be by now watching Mahomes do it)

Hoping the Bengals get the Roster as stacked as possible to make it almost easy for Burrow to do it.

It’s a great subject. With the same front 7 why was the run defense so bad? Yards per rush attempt… We were #30 in 2023 and #5 in 2022. We were dead last in total yards per play. Blaming that on Bates & Bell’s departure is ridiculous. Has free agency completely fixed that? As big of Mixon fan as I was Chase Brown and Joe were not compatico. Brown is a blaze. Not sure about between the tackles. I think that Moss can handle that. But is Trent Brown going to miraculously going to fix the run game or Moss? Well I’m not ready to count them out but the draft needs to be successful. I like Stone, adding Bell, and darn sure Gesicki. But there’s a lot of issues. Not too many issues to make a run but today I’m not optimistic we can win a Super Bowl. I see this team in the AFC Championship if they fix the defense and run game. Much further not so sure.

If 9 gets protected and we can improve running D and communication in d backfield we have a good shot depending on injuries. Need to figure out Cleveland

(03-20-2024, 07:29 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: It’s a great subject. With the same front 7 why was the run defense so bad? Yards per rush attempt… We were #30 in 2023 and #5 in 2022. We were dead last in total yards per play. Blaming that on Bates & Bell’s departure  is ridiculous...

There are many factors that come into play.  You have run support from the safety positions.  Linebackers also support the run defense but they also need to support pass defense.  If your secondary is in disarray and the linebackers have to worry about that part of the defense, it probably has an affect on them doing everything right they are supposed to be doing including run support.  Hubbard was hurt last year and didnt help the run defense as much as he could.  Hendrickson has never been good in run support but last year he seemed far more interested in getting more sacks than being a complete all around defensive end.  The last issue is the offense.  The offense was so bad last year they kept putting the defense in bad situations time after time.  With the challenges the defense was already facing having the offense keep failing didnt help.

(03-20-2024, 08:13 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: There are many factors that come into play.  You have run support from the safety positions.  Linebackers also support the run defense but they also need to support pass defense.  If your secondary is in disarray and the linebackers have to worry about that part of the defense, it probably has an affect on them doing everything right they are supposed to be doing including run support.  Hubbard was hurt last year and didnt help the run defense as much as he could.  Hendrickson has never been good in run support but last year he seemed far more interested in getting more sacks than being a complete all around defensive end.  The last issue is the offense.  The offense was so bad last year they kept putting the defense in bad situations time after time.  With the challenges the defense was already facing having the offense keep failing didnt help.

You aren’t convincing me everything is going to be hunky dory

(03-20-2024, 08:38 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: You aren’t convincing me everything is going to be hunky dory

Im not sure how its going to be this year either so I wouldn't try to convince anyone its going to be ok.   I think it comes down to the draft.  If we can get a couple of talented guys to help out on defense, we could be alright.

Interesting. I'll wait a few more weeks. Hoping to be moved more positively.

I have confidence that this roster is good enough to win it all. The O-line should be improved, if Brown stays healthy we may actually have a GOOD o-line! We got better at safety for sure, much better. Lost a little at CB but gaining a DT that can push the pocket and generate sacks means secondary covers for less time and DE gets more sacks.

Back to offense - much better at TE and a better blocking RB. Teams shouldn't have the luxury of relying on the run if Joe gets more time. The offense will put up big numbers. Because of this, I like a pass rushing DE slightly better than a run stuffing DE. I like what the Bengals are cooking and I am hungry for some football.

High confidence, why not..

We still have a lot of issues in my book: NT/run D, WR3, CB4, long term RT, TE1, P, IOL depth, etc.

Now, perhaps the FO thinks we are OK at some of those spots (TE, WR3), but I am not confidentcwe are. Gonna need to really nail the draft/rest of FA.

Other than P, a contributor after #112 seems unlikely. 5 picks: RT, NT, WR3, CB4, TE, and IOL is six. Gimmee a FA fix on 1-2.

With what is out there, a vet CB/IOL seem the most likely.

(03-20-2024, 08:13 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: There are many factors that come into play.  You have run support from the safety positions.  Linebackers also support the run defense but they also need to support pass defense.  If your secondary is in disarray and the linebackers have to worry about that part of the defense, it probably has an affect on them doing everything right they are supposed to be doing including run support.  Hubbard was hurt last year and didnt help the run defense as much as he could.  Hendrickson has never been good in run support but last year he seemed far more interested in getting more sacks than being a complete all around defensive end.  The last issue is the offense.  The offense was so bad last year they kept putting the defense in bad situations time after time.  With the challenges the defense was already facing having the offense keep failing didnt help.

Nice post 007. Very true how it wasn't all on the DL struggling. A Defense has to be on the same page and clearly, they weren't for
much of the season and when the Offense is bad on top of it (worst running team in the NFL) it is a recipe for disaster. With the Stone,
Rankins, Bell additions and our young players in the Secondary growing and our Linebackers getting healthy this could certainly turn 
around this year under Lou.

Logan Wilson was hurt last year and both him and Pratt didn't just forget how to play Linebacker. The key is being able to depend on 
the player beside you and help those around you to do their job.

(03-20-2024, 06:06 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Have confidence in the FO and their moves have been sufficient enough to get it done, especially if they hit in draft and maybe still add another FA. Although it's tough navigating these days as the big contracts come into play. 

Obviously it was much easier sledding having Burrow, Chase, Higgins, and Logan Wilson on rookie deals and will get tougher as it goes. Yet still have confidence even if I don't always agree with 100% of their decisions. They certainly try harder these days then in the past and you won't hear me complain about that. 

Trying harder than in the past but this makes me think of the 2015 Bengals Roster (which likely had some Mike Brown influence)

versus the developing 2024 Bengals Roster. (One with Andy Dalton as the QB & one with Joe Burrow)


Would having Joe Burrow lead to trying harder (so to speak) since Burrow may be able to carry a Roster further (Super Bowl)

-or- would having Andy Dalton (back then) compel someone to try harder to build a better Roster since it would be harder for him to carry it.


I am sure one would try hard with either QB but having one QB versus having the other would probably impact expectations & then some decisions.