I put together a list of Bengals transactions (FA's, trades, waivers) since 2011, running Feb thru July of each year, although I did include a couple of waiver claims that happened in August. 

The Bengals were very active  2011 and 2012. The 2011 crop produced 6 players that would provide meaningful production that year or in following years, as well as a decent backup QB. 2012 didn't work out quite as well. Of the 8 free agents signed, 5 would never play a regular season snap and 2 other would play in 8 total games or less as Bengals.

The last 5 free agent classes have been a mishmosh of former Bengals, over-the-hill veterans, low priced roster fillers...with LaFell and Minter being the exceptions.

The highest yearly average given to a free agent during time ('11-'17) was 5.25m to Clements and MJ at 5m...and there were 9 total contracts having a 3m or more average, with 5 those coming in '11 and '12.

2011
QB Bruce Gradkowski
LB Thomas Howard
LB Manny Lawson
G Max Jean-Gilles
CB Nate Clements   
S- Gibril Wilson
TE- Bo Scaife

S- Taylor Mays (trade)
CB- Kelly Jennings (trade)
WR Andrew Hawkins (waiver claim)
WR- Brandon Tate (waiver claim)
G- Mike McGlynn (waiver claim)

2012
RB- BenJarvus Green-Ellis
CB- Terence Newman
G- Travelle Wharton
DB- Jason Allen
DE- Jamaal Anderson
DE- Derrick Harvey
G- Jacob Bell
C- Jeff Faine
RB- Aaron Brown

TE- Matt Murphy (waiver claim)
G- Chris Riley (waiver claim)
DT- Vaughn Meatoga (waiver claim)

2013
QB--- Josh Johnson
G- Mike Pollack
TE- Alex Smth
LB- James Harrison

T- Jason Weaver (waiver claim)

2014
QB- Jason Campell
T- Marshall Newhouse
T- Will Svitek
S- Danieal Mannng
CB- RJ Stafford
DE- Sam Motgomery
QB- Tyler Wilson

LB- Dontay Moch (waiver claim)
QB- Matt Scott (waiver claim)
WR- Jasper Collins (waiver claim)

2015
LB- AJ Hawk
DE- Michael Johnson
WR- Denarious Moore
DT- Pat Sims
QB- Josh Johnson
QB- Kieth Wenning
WR- Terrell Pryor

2016
CB- Chykie Brown
S- Taylor Mays
WR- Brandon LaFell
LB- Karlos Dansby
S- Jimmy Wilson

QB- Jeff Driskell (waiver claim)

2017
CB- Bene Benwikere
T- Andre Smith
LB- Kevin Minter
G- Cameron Lee
P- Will Monday

DE- Chris Smith (trade)
WR- Chirs Brown (waiver claim)

(01-17-2018, 03:23 PM)fredtoast Wrote: But it is hard to seperate the O-line problems from the RB problems.  Footballoutsiders tries to do this by using a formula that gives the O-line more blame for tackles at the line of scrimmage or in the backfield and giving the RBs more credit for yards gained more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage.  According to this formula the Bengals O-line has not been that bad the past decade.

PA got canned because of the massive failure of Ogbuehi, Fisher, and Bodine.  These mistakes were magnified when both Whit and Zeitler left in free agency.  The run game was complete garbage and Dalton was running for his life.  We had one of the worst O-lines I have ever seen play for the Bengals this year, and that is saying a lot.  With these results PA had to go, but PA was a very good O-line coach for many years before that.  He received multiple platitudes from national media sources, and he has already been hired by another NFL team.  He did not deserve the hate he received on these boards for so many years.

Sure he deserved the hate, he was an arrogant prick, that couldn't cover the checks his mouth was writing. 

(01-17-2018, 11:01 AM)fredtoast Wrote: And at that time we also thought we would have to pay a lot to re-sign Eifert.

Zeitler was very good, but like Eric Steinbach years ago he was not worth the money the Browns were willing to pay him.  The big mistake was letting whit walk, but again this is what good teams do.  They let older players walk a year too early instead of a year too late.  Our problem was that the young guy we had drafted as a replacement was a complete flop.

Entering this season the Bengals already knew Eifert was injury prone and the condition of his back. The also knew Ogbuehi's level of play. They failed to adjust their plan.

How many people realistically believed Eifert would get a big extension and Ogbuehi would miraculously improve over one off season going into the 2017 season?

(01-17-2018, 04:46 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Sure he deserved the hate, he was an arrogant prick,

What makes you think he is an arrogant prick?

Seems like everyone who knows him personally likes him.

(01-17-2018, 05:06 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Entering this season the Bengals already knew Eifert was injury prone and the condition of his back. The also knew Ogbuehi's level of play. They failed to adjust their plan.

How many people realistically believed Eifert would get a big extension and Ogbuehi would miraculously improve over one off season going into the 2017 season?

Ogbuehi had never had a healthy training camp so it was possible that he could improve significantly.

And even though they were concerned about eifert that thought he woudl recover and play.

(01-17-2018, 12:23 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: I though Lafell's contract was up this year?  Damn!  Another year of hearing what a pro he is....despite getting zero separation in single coverage afforded by AJ Green.  And likely another year of Ross and Core not getting the opportunity.  

This is a big one for me ,we aren't the pats and have Brady to make lafell work. Joe goodberrys film shows lafell is a big part of the offense,and Marvin plays him because his experience and being a vet. Screw that get better talent .

(01-17-2018, 05:19 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Ogbuehi had never had a healthy training camp so it was possible that he could improve significantly.

And even though they were concerned about eifert that thought he woudl recover and play.

Ogbuehi was so horrible his first year and they just kept playing him till they were out of it. I can never understand why we let guys ruin our seasons being that arrogant and stubborn it's going to work. Same thing this past season , just gave him the job. I heard a nfl player on a podcast say he didn't look NFL caliber. But the Bengals were to stubborn to change. The guy can't take a bull rush and avoids contact you can just tell by his stature he looks more of a basketball player. He came from a school that manziel ran for his life all the time.

(01-17-2018, 06:54 PM)bengalsturntup926 Wrote: Ogbuehi was so horrible his first year and they just kept playing him till they were out of it. I can never understand why we let guys ruin our seasons being that arrogant and stubborn it's going to work. Same thing this past season , just gave him the job. I heard a nfl player on a podcast say he didn't look NFL caliber. But the Bengals were to stubborn to change. The guy can't take a bull rush and avoids contact you can just tell by his stature he looks more of a basketball player. He came from a school that manziel ran for his life all the time.

Well, thankfully for us fans, the biggest proponent of Cedric Ogbuehi is no longer with the organization.  I'm hoping that Pollack will have the freedom to call for Ogbuehi to be released, if he sees fit.  However, you never know how the Management feels about things, as they love keeping players on for the full duration of their contract.

(01-17-2018, 06:54 PM)bengalsturntup926 Wrote: Ogbuehi was so horrible his first year and they just kept playing him till they were out of it. I can never understand why we let guys ruin our seasons being that arrogant and stubborn it's going to work. Same thing this past season , just gave him the job. I heard a nfl player on a podcast say he didn't look NFL caliber. But the Bengals were to stubborn to change. The guy can't take a bull rush and avoids contact you can just tell by his stature he looks more of a basketball player. He came from a school that manziel ran for his life all the time.

(01-18-2018, 01:05 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Well, thankfully for us fans, the biggest proponent of Cedric Ogbuehi is no longer with the organization.  I'm hoping that Pollack will have the freedom to call for Ogbuehi to be released, if he sees fit.  However, you never know how the Management feels about things, as they love keeping players on for the full duration of their contract.

Mikey loves a "bargain" and in his view, Ogbuehi has started a bunch of games at a discount rate. The man seems oblivious to actual results.

(01-17-2018, 05:19 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Ogbuehi had never had a healthy training camp so it was possible that he could improve significantly.

And even though they were concerned about eifert that thought he woudl recover and play.

Nope. No. Way. Ced was terribad. Nobody that bad suddenly becomes a great left tackle. 

The bengals 2017 season was the easiest season to predict because of how bad ced, fisher, and bodine were. It is completely on the coaching/owner to roll out with that absurdity and not on the player.

Mike was looking at this year to make an extra 10 million the second we drafted ced and fisher bak/back.

It really is a slap in the face to us fans and it is not just a mistake that happens, or these things happen, or we couldn't really do anything because we drafted a guy bs... we could have replaced whit in fa and That could have been all it took to make the playoffs. 

Seriously give me a break.