Cordy Glenn and Preston Brown seem to sure up two weak link areas on this team. Should a few more spots get addressed and upgraded (Center as one example) then GM Mike Brown can move aside as the target of blame for the 2018 season.

 It may be that Marvin himself has pressured Mike into these changes but even if that is true, Mike Brown would still be OFF the hook of blame should the 2018 season not fair well. (Assuming a few more weak starting link areas actually get upgraded.) The Draft is opening up as a Great opportunity to do just that. Sure up the now diminishing amount of glaring weak starting links and likely get some other positions bolstered as well in the draft.

If this does happen and it actually looks like it will (fingers crossed) then all eyes should shift to the Coaching Staff to win with this more balanced roster. The Coaches may actually have the ammunition, roster wise, to win. Would then be up to them to show what they can do as Coaches and make this team a threat in the AFC.

Whether pressured to or not, Mike Brown has been filling weak areas with quality players this offseason and may only be a few more weak area upgrades away from giving his Coaching Staff no excuses.

Keep this going with a few more starter upgrades Mike and get yourself off that Hook for this 2018 season as GM.

Get a spring in your step Marvin and tap into all of your experience in the NFL to Upgrade your own Legacy by winning. End this 0 and 7 talk. Get more on Par with some of your coaching Peers like Mike Tomlin by sending Tomlin off the field a loser. Won't be able to point at the GM if a few more holes get filled even if it was you who pushed the GM to fill them.

Keep this hole filling going with just a few more glaring ones to fill and get this train rolling.

Passive doesn't work in this kill or be killed league.  Weak links get exploited.

Fill these last glaring starting holes and then it is up to our Coaching Staff to out Coach the guys on the opposing sidelines.

.


Burfict just rained on my optimism parade by facing suspension.

Still a chance for optimism but I should have expected some sort of wet blanket. 

(03-16-2018, 02:56 PM)depthchart Wrote: .


Burfict just rained on my optimism parade by facing suspension.

Still a chance for optimism but I should have expected some sort of wet blanket. 

It could actually get reduced, but doubtful considering who it is.... Let's hope for a reduction (because he's never been hit for PEDs and if he was actually prescribed it then why would they suspend him).... I'm just waiting for the Steelers to get scheduled at least once in the first 4 games.

Only clear gap in terms of starters right now that I see is C. COME ON, DAY 1/2 DRAFT PICK!

Yeah, the Burfict suspension sure does put a damper on this otherwise great Offseason.

Still, we can survive without him as long as we can run the ball and stop the run. Glenn, Brown and Baker all help big time.

We have lots of WILL backers too, just sucks we have to wait another 4 games this year to see Burfict paired with Brown.

Add a Center and SAM backer early and things will be looking good. We need to prepare for life without Burfict.

(03-16-2018, 03:01 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: It could actually get reduced, but doubtful considering who it is.... Let's hope for a reduction (because he's never been hit for PEDs and if he was actually prescribed it then why would they suspend him).... I'm just waiting for the Steelers to get scheduled at least once in the first 4 games.

If the suspension holds, you can pretty much count on that.

(03-16-2018, 03:03 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Only clear gap in terms of starters right now that I see is C. COME ON, DAY 1/2 DRAFT PICK!

Almost no excuse for them not to upgrade the Center position now.

With the quality of the Top 3 centers being as good as it is, coupled with having to pay Bodine more, coupled with Fan Outcry for the Center position to be upgraded, one would think they would just go ahead and upgrade it this time around.

The weak offensive line has been a running joke around the Greater Cincinnati area for some time now and the Bengals Front Office would have to be completely Tone Deaf not to realize this is a Fan point of ridicule.

They have a chance to end the City Wide running Jokes about the Offensive Line by adding a Top notch rookie Center to the Cordy Glenn momentum.

(03-16-2018, 03:01 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: It could actually get reduced, but doubtful considering who it is.... Let's hope for a reduction (because he's never been hit for PEDs and if he was actually prescribed it then why would they suspend him).... I'm just waiting for the Steelers to get scheduled at least once in the first 4 games.

It's coming, don't worry.

Playing the blame game is always helpful.. No team has ever lost when the fan base is able to nail down at least one viable scapegoat for their woes.
This of course isn't to defend Brown nor Lewis, but football is still a game played with a minimum of 22 players on the field at any given time. Trying to place all the blame on one person among so many players isn't particularly helpful..
I suspect that even if this team were to go onto winning the next 5 superbowls (yeah, impossible sounding isn't it? ) there will still be a large contingency of fans screaming for both Brown's and Lewis's heads.. 

(03-16-2018, 04:10 PM)Wyche Wrote: It's coming, don't worry.

It is a given, i would be very surprised that the Steelers are not one of those games that Burfict is suspended now.

They will sneak themselves in there, cheatin' bastids.

(03-16-2018, 04:26 PM)grampahol Wrote: Playing the blame game is always helpful.. No team has ever lost when the fan base is able to nail down at least one viable scapegoat for their woes.
This of course isn't to defend Brown nor Lewis, but football is still a game played with a minimum of 22 players on the field at any given time. Trying to place all the blame on one person among so many players isn't particularly helpful..
I suspect that even if this team were to go onto winning the next 5 superbowls (yeah, impossible sounding isn't it? ) there will still be a large contingency of fans screaming for both Brown's and Lewis's heads.. 

No way, maybe a very small contingent, like, one or two weirdos if we won the next 5 Superbowlzzz Gramps..

Um . . . no. The GM drafted a first round LT bust who has just been replaced, a second round RT with A fib that needs to be replaced, and didn't re-sign Whitworth last year which has negatively impacted their draft position this year, and he missed his window of opportunity to trade McCarron.

Bottom line, the GM is responsible for why the offensive line is in shambles and needs to be rebuilt instead of strengthening other positions.

(03-16-2018, 04:44 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Um . . . no. The GM drafted a first round LT bust who has just been replaced, a second round RT with A fib that needs to be replaced, and didn't re-sign Whitworth last year which has negatively impacted their draft position this year, and he missed his window of opportunity to trade McCarron.

Bottom line, the GM is responsible for why the offensive line is in shambles and needs to be rebuilt instead of strengthening other positions.

I agree, however, I am talking about 2018.

If some Major Upgrades occur on the O-line then technically the GM fixed the problem which to me gets him off the hook in 2018.

If you would still not want him totally off the hook after fixing the holes, that is fine, however, the more weak areas that get fixed the more responsibility gets shifted from the GM and to the Coaching Staff to win, since they have more good players to work with.

Instead of the "Hook" say going through Mike's midsection, maybe it has a lesser hold on him in say just his toe for 2018 assuming weak areas actually get upgraded. The "hook" in Marvin gets moved from his toe to his midsection.

(03-16-2018, 04:54 PM)depthchart Wrote: I agree, however, I am talking about 2018.

If some Major Upgrades occur on the O-line then technically the GM fixed the problem which to me gets him off the hook in 2018.

If you would still not want him totally off the hook after fixing the holes, that is fine, however, the more weak areas that get fixed the more responsibility gets shifted from the GM and to the Coaching Staff to win, since they have more good players to work with.

Instead of the "Hook" say going through Mike's midsection, maybe it has a lesser hold on him in say just his toe for 2018 assuming weak areas actually get upgraded. The "hook" in Marvin gets moved from his toe to his midsection.

Because of Marvin's latest extension, he is under less pressure to win in 2018 than he was in 2017. Combined with an OC entering his first full season with a new OL coach.

And who is responsible the coaching changes or lack thereof? The GM.

(03-16-2018, 04:44 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Um . . . no. The GM drafted a first round LT bust who has just been replaced, a second round RT with A fib that needs to be replaced, and didn't re-sign Whitworth last year which has negatively impacted their draft position this year, and he missed his window of opportunity to trade McCarron.

Bottom line, the GM is responsible for why the offensive line is in shambles and needs to be rebuilt instead of strengthening other positions.

So he's fixing his mistakes, which is infinitely better than not, which has too often been the case.

(03-16-2018, 05:13 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Because of Marvin's latest extension, he is under less pressure to win in 2018 than he was in 2017. Combined with an OC entering his first full season with a new OL coach.

And who is responsible the coaching changes or lack thereof?  The GM.

He is definitely responsible for bringing Marvin back so as you imply that decision alone keeps him on the hook.

I'd say that I am speaking more towards a shifting of responsibility more toward the Coaches as more and more weak roster spots get upgraded.

You are right that as GM, Mike should never be totally "off the hook", however, if more and more positive roster upgrades keep occurring, then it is more and more up to the coaching staff to succeed from there.

Marvin can't say that the GM didn't give him enough to work with if holes get filled and Marvin fails.

As you imply, fans could still ultimately blame Mike for bringing back Marvin but I am hoping that the roster holes get upgraded enough that Marvin himself has no excuses. 

The only thing I'd want is a credible second receiver. Perhaps Ross is that.

(03-16-2018, 05:38 PM)depthchart Wrote: He is definitely responsible for bringing Marvin back so as you imply that decision alone keeps him on the hook.

I'd say that I am speaking more towards a shifting of responsibility more toward the Coaches as more and more weak roster spots get upgraded.

You are right that as GM, Mike should never be totally "off the hook", however, if more and more positive roster upgrades keep occurring, then it is more and more up to the coaching staff to succeed from there.

Marvin can't say that the GM didn't give him enough to work with if holes get filled and Marvin fails.

As you imply, fans could still ultimately blame Mike for bringing back Marvin but I am hoping that the roster holes get upgraded enough that Marvin himself has no excuses. 

We've already heard the same excuses going into free agency before the new league year began. Marvin will just blame the players anyway.

(03-16-2018, 05:59 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: We've already heard the same excuses going into free agency before the new league year began. Marvin will just blame the players anyway.

I guess I am thinking of this more as a fan that would simply like to go into the season feeling that the 3 or 4 worst & weakest starting roster spots have actually been upgraded.

LT and LB have just been upgraded (although Burfict may miss some games now)

If say they do get a Top rookie Center, a decent tackle prospect and another couple draft picks pan out, maybe Ross pans out from last draft, then at least as a fan I can feel like we have a chance going in.  I at least want to like our roster going in.

If it implodes after that then so be it but I would at least like to see upgrades that I personally like going into the season.

(03-16-2018, 06:15 PM)depthchart Wrote: I guess I am thinking of this more as a fan that would simply like to go into the season feeling that the 3 or 4 worst & weakest starting roster spots have actually been upgraded.

LT and LB have just been upgraded (although Burfict may miss some games now)

If say they do get a Top rookie Center, a decent tackle prospect and another couple draft picks pan out, maybe Ross pans out from last draft, then at least as a fan I can feel like we have a chance going in.  I at least want to like our roster going in.

If it implodes after that then so be it but I would at least like to see upgrades that I personally like going into the season.

I'm as cynical about the FO as the next guy.  But if the changes we've been clamoring for are happening, and they are, it seems like anyone not liking what they're seeing is just determined not to.  And yes, now the onus is on the coaches.

(03-16-2018, 06:15 PM)depthchart Wrote: I guess I am thinking of this more as a fan that would simply like to go into the season feeling that the 3 or 4 worst & weakest starting roster spots have actually been upgraded.

LT and LB have just been upgraded (although Burfict may miss some games now)

If say they do get a Top rookie Center, a decent tackle prospect and another couple draft picks pan out, maybe Ross pans out from last draft, then at least as a fan I can feel like we have a chance going in.  I at least want to like our roster going in.

If it implodes after that then so be it but I would at least like to see upgrades that I personally like going into the season.

Last year they lost their two best offensive lineman during free agency while drafting two offensive skill players with injury and character concerns during the first two rounds. Their shiny new WR accumulated more surgeries than receptions and they still haven't fixed the line. (Cordy Glenn hasn't had a healthy season in two years and is coming off of foot surgery so hopefully that gamble pays off instead of being another Antonio Bryant.) So the GM still has a helluva lot more work to do before the coaches are more responsible than the GM.