Time will tell (obviously). Reviewing this draft makes me think the FO:
- is scapegoating Lou. They expect the run defense to be better without serious upgrades up the middle. Reader, Ogunjobi, Pratt, Bates, and Bell replaced with Slaton, Jenkins, Knight, Stone, and Battle.
- is betting on Jenkins and Jackson, and passing on one of the best DT classes in my memory.
- continue to go all in on Burrow, meaning ignoring the running game or a balanced offense. Expect Joe to pass or scramble 2/3 of the time and passes on 3rd/4th and short.
- is confident the secondary will sort itself out with Hilton leaving and Stone, Hill, and CTB on the last year of their contracts.

(04-26-2025, 06:01 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Us guys? I'm one of a kind.

He's apparently against peeps with dogs as their profile avatar... So am I... change it!

(04-26-2025, 06:45 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: We’re pretty much expending more resources to field the exact same team we did last year. I’m supposed to be happy for that?

A lot of the defense (DBs) were hurt last year..

Hopefully they are healthy this year

(04-25-2025, 10:23 AM)ERIC1 Wrote: this was not a draft filled with phenomenal talent..Stewart was projected to go anywhere  between 10-32..He is a physical beast, he disrupts ..high motor..and is still growing ..The NFL is completely different from college and coaches are looking at factors that would suggest success in the NFL..Jackson and Jenkins were playing lights out the end of last year and even Murphy was showing improvement..Drafting someone like Stewart is going to make this line fun to watch..To see people on this Board trashing this player when he has not even played a single down is absurd ..All teams make mistakes with some draft picks..some develop faster than others..but the Bengals have done remarkably well overall..

I am entering this thread now for the first time so if this was addressed, my apologies/

I think fans dismiss picks or say we reached when in fact we did not reach.

It is obvious the Bengals wanted a DE who weighs more than 260 lbs. That eliminated a bunch of guys. He was by far the best DE left on the board on most sites.

If he is our guy, we don't pick until #49, so no way we get him in round 2. I understand why Bengals felt DE was biggest need (why they drafted a DE over other positin groups) because we only have 1 DE under contract for 2026. Murphy is it as rest are on 1 year deals or in last year on contract (Trey).


I was vocal in the draft thread, I wanted Campbell, but I also understand why they chose on their own board (not all of the various boards) the number 1 DE Stewart and then drafted the #3 Kinight LB (other 2 were gone) at pick number 49. Same comment applies I made above, if Knight was their guy, it was highly unlikely no team grabes him prior to our 81st pick or 32 picks between our picks).

(6 hours ago)The Clapp Wrote: A lot of the defense (DBs) were hurt last year..

Hopefully they are healthy this year

And almost all of our DT's early last year were hurt too and we had terrible coaching on Defense.

Hard to say this is the same team.

(04-25-2025, 09:48 AM)Joelist Wrote: Look I think Stewart was a terrible pick; project players of this type can be had on Day 3 usually. you could see what happened (as usual) - we wanted Nolen and it was too obvious. He got taken right before us. We panicked and instead of doing the smart thing (grabbing a G/T right then while several good ones were there) reached on a project pick.

Now we're locked into G/T in Round 2 and because we need an immediate starter our choice is again obvious and again we're reduced to hoping they aren't taken before we pick.  For a team that relies on the draft our war room seems poorly prepared and unable to react quickly to circumstances.

It isn't the end of the world but it is galling. All they had to do was go up there with Zabel's name on the card and they would be in a good position today.

Sorry, the bolded is a very bad take. Do you honestly feel the FO had no plan if 1 player Nolan was drafted before they picked. If a DT was their choice, why not tke highly rated Harmon. Simple, Stewart was their top ranked DE and position of need on their board.

I am an amateur, but even I have mocked at least 12 guys in fantasy if I pick 12. 

I get you are mad and hated the pick, but your logic makes no sense.

On paper it doesnt look great..

But we have had ones that have looked great and didnt pan out. Time will tell.. I think we picked for need over BPA im most cases this year.

(5 hours ago)XenoMorph Wrote: On paper it doesnt look great..  

But we have had ones that have looked great and didnt pan out.  Time will tell..  I think we picked for need over BPA im most cases this year.

Someone mentioned it appears we decided to blow up the defense.

I agee based on both FA and the draft the FO and coaching + coaching changes all point to it was time to blow up one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

It appears they are comfortable with not adding to the DB room as of now with no Hilton. Maybe they resign him, we will see. A position group I am still not comfortable with is safety, I am just not. fan of Stone, he played slow in my opinion.

I also think Golden wanted a faster front 7 and guys who can play a variety of different roles in different schemes.

I have no idea how it pans out, but do like they let Golden grab guys for his system early. 

I appreciate that Al didn't seem to play ND Homer and select Watts or Kizer like we all expected and seemed to go after guys that have the traits he needs for his system. I'm still scratching my head. I really thought we were reloading for more 4-2-5 so I was thinking Pearce and Walker for his Viper, but really, it looks like we may be going to a 4-3-4 which I wouldn't mind with the AFC North.

(5 hours ago)Luvnit2 Wrote: Someone mentioned it appears we decided to blow up the defense.

I agee based on both FA and the draft the FO and coaching + coaching changes all point to it was time to blow up one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

It appears they are comfortable with not adding to the DB room as of now with no Hilton. Maybe they resign him, we will see. A position group I am still not comfortable with is safety, I am just not. fan of Stone, he played slow in my opinion.

I also think Golden wanted a faster front 7 and guys who can play a variety of different roles in different schemes.

I have no idea how it pans out, but do like they let Golden grab guys for his system early. 

looks like we could have gotten a high ranked OG in round 2  and still got the ND saftey in the 3rd.   both LBers felt like reaches...  I like the OG we did get in 3 though.  still think if we had to double dip we should have added someone during FA

But cant condemn it before anyone plays

(04-26-2025, 03:03 AM)kevin Wrote: I repeat, I'll take Goldens opinion on Defense over yours any day. 

Maybe pump the breaks a bit on the love for Golden.
Golden took an already good ND defense and made it just a bit better.
He's never been DC in the NFL.

Let's not act like every coach deserves all the trust and every fan who disagrees is wrong.

Also, it's possible for people to know things about football without having played or been a coach in college/NFL.

Message boards are specifically meant for people to come gripe about their dislikes with the team and argue about things.

(4 hours ago)XenoMorph Wrote: looks like we could have gotten a high ranked OG in round 2  and still got the ND saftey in the 3rd.   both LBers felt like reaches...  I like the OG we did get in 3 though.  still think if we had to double dip we should have added someone during FA

But cant condemn it before anyone plays

They coulld havene drafted Rutledge over Knight, but our DC wanted Knight and he would have been gone by our 3rd round pick, he was 3rd LB on Bengal's board.

They could have drafted Watts or the Penn State safety in round 3, but it they. passed to draft a guard.

Let's talk what we do know. Bengals had Stewart as their 1st option of every player available and took him.
Bengal's had Knight at the worst their 3rd ranked LB as when they picked him, top concensus mocked 2 LB's were taken.

We don't know Bengal's ranking of Rutledge versus Fairchild. They may have them ranked equally or Rutledge slightly better or slightly worse.

It seems to be the Bengals stayed true to their board which did not align with mine or many fans. In the end, I trust the Bengal's decisin makers over myself. They are privvy to a lot more info than me and they are as experts, I am not.

(59 minutes ago)ochocincos Wrote: Maybe pump the breaks a bit on the love for Golden.
Golden took an already good ND defense and made it just a bit better.
He's never been DC in the NFL.

Let's not act like every coach deserves all the trust and every fan who disagrees is wrong.

Also, it's possible for people to know things about football without having played or been a coach in college/NFL.

Message boards are specifically meant for people to come gripe about their dislikes with the team and argue about things.

Two contradicting statements in your post. Why are you asking Kevin to pump the breaks and express his beliefs?