I think a lot of you are underestimating Malone. He will be a very solid NFL WR. He has all the raw skills. UT's passing game has been about as advanced as a good high school team, and even though I love Josh Dobbs he was not a very accurate QB.

Malone only had 54 catches, but he averaged over 19 yards per catch and had 11 tds.

(04-30-2017, 12:41 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I think a lot of you are underestimating Malone.  He will be a very solid NFL WR.  He has all the raw skills.  UT's passing game has been about as advanced as a good high school team, and even though I love Josh Dobbs he was not a very accurate QB.  

Malone only had 54 catches, but he averaged over 19 yards per catch and had 11 tds.

Im not underestimating him myself, it's just a numbers game with the depth chart. AJ, LaFell, Ross, Boyd are guaranteed locks. And I think Erickson is pretty much a lock because he lead the league (2nd in avg yards) in kickoff returns. Only thing that may hurt him was that he was a middle of the pack punt returner, but he was a rookie too. That would leave only 1 spot between Core & Malone.

LaFell will continue to start....

(04-30-2017, 07:46 AM)Jpoore Wrote: Makes so much less sense now than before the draft. We now have Ross who should be expected to start day 1, and Malone who looks like a mj clone. Not to mention green, Boyd, core, Erickson, etc. just explain this to me?? Not really a rip on lafell as much as I don't wanna pay 5 million to a wr4/5.

Don't pencil in Ross as a day 1 starter. I know we picked him in the top 10 and generally speaking a top 10 pick should be a day 1 starter for every position except maybe QB, but you have to go all the way back to Kevin to Zeitller to find a 1 round pick that started day 1 for the Bengals.

So LaFell was not a bad guy to keep around, at least for this year.

If you remember Marvin Jones took a year to work his way into the line up. Core has speed, but he didn't excite when he had a chance to get on the field last year.

The team definitely upgraded the speed at the WR spot his week end.

(04-30-2017, 07:46 AM)Jpoore Wrote: Makes so much less sense now than before the draft. We now have Ross who should be expected to start day 1, and Malone who looks like a mj clone. Not to mention green, Boyd, core, Erickson, etc. just explain this to me?? Not really a rip on lafell as much as I don't wanna pay 5 million to a wr4/5.

LaFell is a good mentor, and the WR room is loaded with a lot of rookies and 2nd year players.  Plus, depth at any position is never a bad thing.  Guys get dinged throughout the game.  LaFell can line up outside or in the slot, so you can rest guys for a series or a few plays here and there and not lose much.  

(04-30-2017, 04:22 PM)Whatever Wrote: LaFell is a good mentor, and the WR room is loaded with a lot of rookies and 2nd year players.  Plus, depth at any position is never a bad thing.  Guys get dinged throughout the game.  LaFell can line up outside or in the slot, so you can rest guys for a series or a few plays here and there and not lose much.  

I hope we have healthy WR's, but easily one of the top 6 could get dinged and start on IR too

I wanted to keep LaFell after drafting Ross...but after drafting Malone in the 4th, I think we're good.

I wouldn't mind keeping LaFell around for veteran depth (I DO NOT want LaFell starting over Ross), but I won't be upset if they decide to cut him, either.

(04-30-2017, 01:06 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Im not underestimating him myself, it's just a numbers game with the depth chart. AJ, LaFell, Ross, Boyd are guaranteed locks. And I think Erickson is pretty much a lock because he lead the league (2nd in avg yards) in kickoff returns. Only thing that may hurt him was that he was a middle of the pack punt returner, but he was a rookie too. That would leave only 1 spot between Core & Malone.

Malone was a 4th round pick, Millz...he will be on the roster. I'd bet my membership on that. The Bengals won't cut him and you can't stash a 4th round pick on Practice Squad.

fredtoastRFecently rookie WRs have been having a bigger impact than they used to, but we all still have to realize that it usually takes a year for aplayer to fully learn and adjust to the NFL game.  So for this year at least i think LaFell is safe.  His NFL experience will probably make him a better receiver than the rookies.

Some people just hated on LaFell so much when we signed him in '16 that they can not stand to admit they were wrong and the front office was right.

Seldom agree with Freddie De La Toast. Okay maybe never. But, I have to think he is absolutely right this time. What has happened to me?  

I don't hate LaFell, but he is not a long term solution at WR for the Bengals.

Quicker, faster, explosive is what the Bengals have clearly turned towards. That is not Brandon LaFell. What LaFell is is experienced, professional, and reliable. The Bengals need that two. At least for 2017 they do.

Barring some sort of magical epiphany handed down by the grace of God, I don't see any rookie supplanting him as the #2 option opposite AJ Green on the roster THIS year. Probably not next, either.

NFL play books and offenses are just so complicated that unless a WR is going to get a lot of attention and reps from the coaches or are extremely gifted and special they are not going to be just walking in there and killing it year 1. That's insanely rare.

The 3 1st round receivers last year that everyone debated for months stunk. They did NOTHING. See stats bellow...

Cory Coleman (hurt most of the season). 5 games, 33 rec, 1 TD.
Josh Dobbs (hurt most of the season). 2 games, 2 rec, 66 yards
LaQuon Treadwell (just stunk and only played in 9 games). 1 rec, 15 yards.

(04-30-2017, 04:56 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Malone was a 4th round pick, Millz...he will be on the roster. I'd bet my membership on that. The Bengals won't cut him and you can't stash a 4th round pick on Practice Squad.

I said either him or Core, cause I cant see them keeping Core over Erickson at this point. But I wont argue he will be on the roster since he was a 4th rounder. If they thought so highly of Core, then why have drafted him in the first place.

(04-30-2017, 07:54 AM)jeremydc Wrote: He'll be here for a few more years.

Again! stop drinking the kool aid ! He'll be gone after this year. It doesn't take a genius to see that!

(04-30-2017, 05:48 PM)Millhouse Wrote: I said either him or Core, cause I cant see them keeping Core over Erickson at this point. But I wont argue he will be on the roster since he was a 4th rounder. If they thought so highly of Core, then why have drafted him in the first place.

Erickson will be gone !  Wilson can do the returns and we keep our most talented WR's. People act like Erickson is an all pro LOL

(04-30-2017, 10:07 AM)Sled21 Wrote: LaFell is here for several reasons, not the least of which to help Green and the rest learn to be pros. Not that Green is not one of the best in the league already, but he had no one to learn from when he got here....

Greens been #1 since the day he arrived and lafell just got here. Not really sure what you're trying to say.

Having said that lafells experience has value till Ross and boyd supersede him.

We will probably go 7 at WR considering they always keep one for Gunner which will be core.

(04-30-2017, 10:07 AM)Sled21 Wrote: LaFell is here for several reasons, not the least of which to help Green and the rest learn to be pros. Not that Green is not one of the best in the league already, but he had no one to learn from when he got here....

God taught him.  He came out of the womb knowing.  Only God can make an AJ Green.   He's too good to be true, yet he couldn't be truer.  Grandkids will be told, "I watched AJ Green's career.  He was a one of a kind." 

With all due respect, there ain't shit Brandon LaFell could teach AJ.  That said, I'm sure he was great for the younger guys and the locker room in general.

I think the reasons he was brought here are he was a veteran and we needed a WR and he came from the Patriots and he didn't cost much.

(04-30-2017, 05:02 PM)Derrick Wrote: fredtoastRFecently rookie WRs have been having a bigger impact than they used to, but we all still have to realize that it usually takes a year for aplayer to fully learn and adjust to the NFL game.  So for this year at least i think LaFell is safe.  His NFL experience will probably make him a better receiver than the rookies.

Some people just hated on LaFell so much when we signed him in '16 that they can not stand to admit they were wrong and the front office was right.

Seldom agree with Freddie De La Toast. Okay maybe never. But, I have to think he is absolutely right this time. What has happened to me?  

Everybody has an off day now and then.  Don't beat yourself up over it.  Just promise yourself never to agree with him again and move on.

(04-30-2017, 06:05 PM)pulses Wrote: Again! stop drinking the kool aid ! He'll be gone after this year. It doesn't take a genius to see that!

Ain't no kool aid. It's bengals logic .

(04-30-2017, 09:22 PM)jeremydc Wrote: Ain't no kool aid. It's bengals logic .

Why do you think they gave him most of his money this year....that way he could be let go with little cap hit next year.

(04-30-2017, 09:39 PM)pulses Wrote: Why do you think they gave him most of his money this year....that way he could be let go with little cap hit next year.

Wishful thinking