(02-22-2018, 08:10 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Wait, you can't make that prediction.  You have zero evidence to back it up.

Why would you just make up silly predictions like that, out of thin air?  What are your credentials to be making absurd predictions like that?  Are you a certifiable football prediction expert?  If so, you need to validate that claim.

This is going in the HOF!

(02-22-2018, 08:10 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Wait, you can't make that prediction.  You have zero evidence to back it up.

Why would you just make up silly predictions like that, out of thin air?  What are your credentials to be making absurd predictions like that?  Are you a certifiable football prediction expert?  If so, you need to validate that claim.

It aint no fun when the Rabbit got the gun!

(02-22-2018, 07:52 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I think this offseason will be like 2011 when we rebuilt our defense through free agency, except this year it will be the offense.

Now I will admit that we only signed one free agent that was more than a bargain basement project (Nate Clements 2yr $10.5 million), but that is still one more than usual.  Then we signed two free agent LBs who were *gasp* less than 30 years old (27 yr old Manny Lawson 1 yr $3 million, 28 yr old Thomas Howard 2 yr $6.5 million).  And even though we failed to sign Donte Whitner the fact that we made an offer that he almost accepted before taking 3 yr $12 million from the Fort Niners proves that we were TRYING.

That was also tyhe same offseason that we replaced our Offensive Coordinator Bob "Blue Eyes" Bratkowski with Jay Gruden.

Some people around here act like the Bengals never make these kind of moves, but this was just 8 years ago.  And our offense last year was the worst it has been since 2008 when Palmer was out with injury.

I agree that the Bengals don't operate like this very often, but it has been a long time since we had an offense as bad as last year.  So I think they will loosen the purse strings in free agency this year.

Puff, puff, pass, Fred!

A lot of valid experts don't feel this way.....

(02-23-2018, 11:36 AM)Wyche Wrote: A lot of valid experts don't feel this way.....

Top Free Agent signings last year.

Kevin Minter - 1 year, $4.2 million
Andre Smith - 1 year, $3.2 million
Wallace Gilberry - 1 year, $1.4 million
Cedric Peerman - 1 year, $1.1 million
Eric Winston - 1 year, $1 million


* Having the Bengals Focus the cash from say the top 3 guys last year into just 1 very good Upgrade may be a stretch for them to do.
   Say focus cash into just Nate Solder, for example.

   If they bring back Andre Smith again, which they may need to do, it could kill the Budget for any major upgrades in Free Agency.

   It is likely Draft very well or else; and who knows which positions they will target early.

(02-23-2018, 12:38 PM)depthchart Wrote: Top Free Agent signings last year.

Kevin Minter - 1 year, $4.2 million
Andre Smith - 1 year, $3.2 million
Wallace Gilberry - 1 year, $1.4 million
Cedric Peerman - 1 year, $1.1 million
Eric Winston - 1 year, $1 million


* Having the Bengals Focus the cash from say the top 3 guys last year into just 1 very good Upgrade may be a stretch for them to do.
   Say focus cash into just Nate Solder, for example.

   If they bring back Andre Smith again, which they may need to do, it could kill the Budget for any major upgrades in Free Agency.

   It is likely Draft very well or else; and who knows which positions they will target early.

Sadly, I'd take Winston over Smith.  Andre just seems to never take conditioning very serious and usually misses a lot of time with injuries...

(02-22-2018, 08:43 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: The team tried to improve just 8 years ago...

If I did my math correctly, it was 8 years before that MB made changes and brought in Merv. Seems to be an 8 year cycle... So 2026 we can expect MB to make more sweeping changes?

(02-22-2018, 10:09 PM)CornerBlitz Wrote: Big Changes?!?!

Synopsis of OP:

We tried improving defense 8 years ago by signing a couple mediocre free agents that didn't do much to improve the team.Because of that, look for front office to open the purse and perhaps sign a few mediocre players on offense.

I'm not sure if this was satire or serious. If serious, it's sad.

We signed three new starers for our defense and improved from 24th in points allowed to 9th.

Not sure if serious or satire, but if serious it's sad.

Here are the 2011 contracts adjusted to 2018 based on the increase in the salary cap

Clements....2 yr $15.2 million
Howard......2 yr $9.4 million
Lawson......1 yr $4.4 million

8 years ago... then I blame the Democrats for this mess of a team. Make the Bengals great again.








:theyseemetrollintheyhatin:

(02-22-2018, 08:10 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Wait, you can't make that prediction.  You have zero evidence to back it up.

Why would you just make up silly predictions like that, out of thin air?  What are your credentials to be making absurd predictions like that?  Are you a certifiable football prediction expert?  If so, you need to validate that claim.

(02-23-2018, 02:34 AM)Go Cards Wrote: You have got that down as well as Shake did Hobson

(02-23-2018, 09:27 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: This is going in the HOF!

(02-23-2018, 10:46 AM)Hoofhearted Wrote:

It aint no fun when the Rabbit got the gun!

(02-22-2018, 10:42 PM)BenZoo2 Wrote: Or did you just pull all this outta thin air to prop Mikey boy up?

Of course this is just my opinion with nothing to back it up.  It is a prediction for the future instead of a claim about what happened in the past.

If I ever try to state my opinion as a fact feel free to call me out on it.  And if there are facts to prove my opinion is wrong feel free to post them.  I am a grown man.  I won't get upset and carry a grudge over it.  In fact I think that is the very purpose of a message board.

Can you all agree to do the same?  That way every post in a thread will contain something about football instead of personal sniping. 

If someone claims that the sun is green they should not be above rebuke just because they claim it is just their opinion and no one is allowed to try and prove them wrong.

(02-23-2018, 12:42 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Sadly, I'd take Winston over Smith.  Andre just seems to never take conditioning very serious and usually misses a lot of time with injuries...

Would save Andre's $3.2 million by keeping Winston over Andre & not both. Could put that money into something else.

What they take early in the Draft itself could facilitate doing it, if say they take an Offensive Tackle in rounds 1 or 2.

If they keep Andre, then he may end up being the 2nd highest paid Free Agent signing they make again this year.

Hard to move the needle that way.

(02-23-2018, 12:38 PM)depthchart Wrote: Top Free Agent signings last year.

Kevin Minter - 1 year, $4.2 million
Andre Smith - 1 year, $3.2 million
Wallace Gilberry - 1 year, $1.4 million
Cedric Peerman - 1 year, $1.1 million
Eric Winston - 1 year, $1 million


* Having the Bengals Focus the cash from say the top 3 guys last year into just 1 very good Upgrade may be a stretch for them to do.
   Say focus cash into just Nate Solder, for example.

   If they bring back Andre Smith again, which they may need to do, it could kill the Budget for any major upgrades in Free Agency.

   It is likely Draft very well or else; and who knows which positions they will target early.

That is depressing to see it wrote out like that.

The Bengals are like every shitty team you see in a sports/ comedy movie, but without the magic moment at the end.

(02-23-2018, 02:59 AM)BengalChris Wrote: That's a good try Fred.

This year has a couple of notable differences.

In 2011:

1. The team just shed expensive contracts from Palmer's retirement and the trade of Chad. The team had a ton of cap space.

2. The draft lined up perfectly for the Bengals that year. They had their choice of AJ Green or Julio Jones at WR and Dalton or Kapernick. Mike Brown wanted Kapernick, but the coaches talked him out of it, thank God.

This year:

1. The team has 3 expensive free agents of their own with expiring contracts next year. Atkins, Dunlap and Dennard and together these 3 would use the salary cap space, minus rookie contracts and the usual large cushion the team leaves itself. Each of these 3 players will command very large salaries next year if they hit the open market.

2. Mike Brown has been influencing the draft again, as witnessed by the Ross pick last year. This has never worked out well for the team.

I don't know about Mike having any more influence in the draft, and I don't see the draft as having much of an influence on free agency

But you are 100% correct about the contracts for Dunlap, Atkins, and Dennard.  The Bengals will not have as much cap flexibility as they did in 2011.

(02-23-2018, 01:21 PM)bengalhoel Wrote: That is depressing to see it wrote out like that.

The Bengals are like every shitty team you see in a sports/ comedy movie, but without the magic moment at the end.

It would be an even bigger Magic Moment if Mike Brown did hoist the Lombardi at the end.

Bigger than the movie "Major League".

John Ross could be our Willie Mays Hayes. 

(02-23-2018, 01:29 PM)depthchart Wrote: It would be an even bigger Magic Moment if Mike Brown did hoist the Lombardi at the end.

Bigger than the movie "Major League".

John Ross could be our Willie Mays Hayes. 

I could almost hear Mike Brown in his head when he is hoisting the Lombardi ........    "I wonder how much I could get at Cincinnati Pawn if I melted this down"

(02-22-2018, 07:52 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I think this offseason will be like 2011 when we rebuilt our defense through free agency, except this year it will be the offense.

Now I will admit that we only signed one free agent that was more than a bargain basement project (Nate Clements 2yr $10.5 million), but that is still one more than usual.  Then we signed two free agent LBs who were *gasp* less than 30 years old (27 yr old Manny Lawson 1 yr $3 million, 28 yr old Thomas Howard 2 yr $6.5 million).  And even though we failed to sign Donte Whitner the fact that we made an offer that he almost accepted before taking 3 yr $12 million from the Fort Niners proves that we were TRYING.

That was also tyhe same offseason that we replaced our Offensive Coordinator Bob "Blue Eyes" Bratkowski with Jay Gruden.

Some people around here act like the Bengals never make these kind of moves, but this was just 8 years ago.  And our offense last year was the worst it has been since 2008 when Palmer was out with injury.

I agree that the Bengals don't operate like this very often, but it has been a long time since we had an offense as bad as last year.  So I think they will loosen the purse strings in free agency this year.

Clements, Howard, and Lawson weren't close to Pro Bowl level while in Cincinnati but they were all solid role players. I liked Howard the most.

For offense, I can maybe see Cincinnati doing something similar this year for Center if they don't bring back Bodine, there might be some "solid"-level players available at OG if they aren't confident in Westerman and Redmond, and maybe WR if they cut LaFell, but I don't see any "solid"-level players at other positions. OT class is pretty bad after Nate Solder, but I could still see the Bengals getting someone in FA just to compete.

There are a few solid-not-elite LBs that should hit FA that I think the Bengals could/should also consider.

EDIT - For those wanting the Bengals to bring in Pro Bowl level talent from outside FA, it's just not going to happen. The best we can hope for is solid starter or role player.

(02-23-2018, 01:29 PM)depthchart Wrote: It would be an even bigger Magic Moment if Mike Brown did hoist the Lombardi at the end.

Bigger than the movie "Major League".

John Ross could be our Willie Mays Hayes. 

I like the part where the team removed pieces of clothing from the life size cut out of the owner until she was naked.

Is our lockerroom ready for Mike Brown in pasties and a g-string?

(02-23-2018, 01:47 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I like the part where the team removed pieces of clothing from the life size cut out of the owner until she was naked.

Is our lockerroom ready for Mike Brown in pasties and a g-string?

They should start the season with the life sized cut out of Mike with him completely naked with front and back views.

Then they can cover him up bit by bit as they win games.

It could be the motivator they need.

(02-23-2018, 01:47 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I like the part where the team removed pieces of clothing from the life size cut out of the owner until she was naked.

Is our lockerroom ready for Mike Brown in pasties and a g-string?

Excuse me while I go bleach my eyeballs!!

(02-23-2018, 01:08 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Of course this is just my opinion with nothing to back it up.  It is a prediction for the future instead of a claim about what happened in the past.

If I ever try to state my opinion as a fact feel free to call me out on it.  And if there are facts to prove my opinion is wrong feel free to post them.  I am a grown man.  I won't get upset and carry a grudge over it.  In fact I think that is the very purpose of a message board.

Can you all agree to do the same?  That way every post in a thread will contain something about football instead of personal sniping. 

If someone claims that the sun is green they should not be above rebuke just because they claim it is just their opinion and no one is allowed to try and prove them wrong.

Which part was personal?