397 points so far. Kind of unthinkable going into the season that we could be that bad.

The Raiders have only scored 244 points. We should be able to slow them down.

Our defense is improving, but so is the Raider offense. After they beat Pittsburgh out there, I'm not so sure we don't lose out; but if we do win another game this is our best bet. Vegas actually has the Bengals as a three point favorite.

This is why I think LB is an even bigger need than OL in this year’s draft. Enough messing around. Take the best LB available with our 1st rd pick. We haven’t taken one in the 1st since Keith Rivers ffs.

(12-15-2018, 02:55 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: This is why I think LB is an even bigger need than OL in this year’s draft. Enough messing around. Take the best LB available with our 1st rd pick. We haven’t taken one in the 1st since Keith Rivers ffs.

I would honestly consider taking the best available LB or T with our 1st rounder and then package some picks to move back into the 1st and address the other.  There's some good prospects at both positions this year.

Well... If ya ain't first, you're last.

(12-15-2018, 10:24 AM)Whatever Wrote: I would honestly consider taking the best available LB or T with our 1st rounder and then package some picks to move back into the 1st and address the other.  There's some good prospects at both positions this year.

LB is definitely a major need, but if you're drafting inside the top 10, I really think you have to look at NT and LT as viable options.  One school of thought says the way to build a winning team is by building your defense to be strong up the middle, and that means NT, LB, and S.  You can have the best LB in the league, but if you don't have someone in front of him that eats up blocks, he'll be rendered ineffective.

(12-15-2018, 02:55 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: This is why I think LB is an even bigger need than OL in this year’s draft. Enough messing around. Take the best LB available with our 1st rd pick. We haven’t taken one in the 1st since Keith Rivers ffs.

They say this year's draft is heavy defense loaded.

If this is true, they should get the best O-lineman possible(hopefully a Tackle) and spend the rest of their picks on D with a few offense players.

If they had any sense they'd cut bait with Drek, Burfict, Johnson, or anyone else who is getting overpaid.

I would hope that signing a FA at CB or possibly a high/upper mid-tier TE would be on the table.

A high round QB should be reserved for next draft for replacing Dalton at some point.

All of the above would be contingent on who the HC next season will actually be of course.



Lastly there is no way in hell I'd give Dennard a substantial contract. 

They already know what they have in him injuries/poor play so don't give him that comfortable contract by any means.

Make him work for it or let him go.

(12-15-2018, 10:59 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: LB is definitely a major need, but if you're drafting inside the top 10, I really think you have to look at NT and LT as viable options.  One school of thought says the way to build a winning team is by building your defense to be strong up the middle, and that means NT, LB, and S.  You can have the best LB in the league, but if you don't have someone in front of him that eats up blocks, he'll be rendered ineffective.

I agree with you.

A NT with power and push as well as eating blocks would give this D a shot in the ass.

However if there is a RT/LT it would be hard to pass up.

Especially if the draft is thin on offense and heavy on defense.

(12-15-2018, 11:11 AM)BengalsRocker Wrote: I agree with you.

A NT with power and push as well as eating blocks would give this D a shot in the ass.

However if there is a RT/LT it would be hard to pass up.

Especially if the draft is thin on offense and heavy on defense.

A lot of mocks have us taking Dalton Risner a Tackle from Kansas State with our 1st.

I think the big dilemma for the Bengals will be IF Haskins or Lock are available with our pick. Especially if we have a new coach. Yeah we need OT and LB...but Dalton's contract is up soon and IF you could get a QB on a rookie deal for 5 years that you think could be franchise...it might be too much to pass up.

Then, try to trade Dalton to Washington or keep him and sit the rookie for a year.

(12-15-2018, 11:20 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: A lot of mocks have us taking Dalton Risner a Tackle from Kansas State with our 1st.

I think the big dilemma for the Bengals will be IF Haskins or Lock are available with our pick. Especially if we have a new coach. Yeah we need OT and LB...but Dalton's contract is up soon and IF you could get a QB on a rookie deal for 5 years that you think could be franchise...it might be too much to pass up.

Then, try to trade Dalton to Washington or keep him and sit the rookie for a year.

I'd take Haskins if we still had Dalton for a season and prep him for the future.

I know people for quite some time have been trying to ship Dalton out, but putting Haskins behind this line is a recipe for disaster.

In other words they'd ruin him behind this crappy line.

Dalton is older yet still more mobile than him.

Hopefully they won't ruin Mixon too.  He's a great player but not getting the proper support to do his best.

(12-15-2018, 11:31 AM)BengalsRocker Wrote: I'd take Haskins if we still had Dalton for a season and prep him for the future.

I know people for quite some time have been trying to ship Dalton out, but putting Haskins behind this line is a recipe for disaster.

In other words they'd ruin him behind this crappy line.

Dalton is older yet still more mobile than him.

Hopefully they won't ruin Mixon too.  He's a great player but not getting the proper support to do his best.

Which is my big dilemma. I'd be ok with taking a franchise QB, but the line is terrible too. So do you take a QB that maybe has a 50% chance of developing or take an OT that has a 75% chance of being Good?

And IF you take the QB, how do you fix the line? We definitely need to change some players on it.

This defense was by far my biggest shock factor for the season !! I thought this D would be top half of the NFL, perhaps even top 10 ? Yes I knew LBer was the weak spot but I figured the line and secondary could hide that a good bit. I was very wrong !!

We have to get a couple good LBers this off season and a DT wouldn't hurt. Perhaps the new guy will pan out ?

(12-15-2018, 12:03 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: This defense was by far my biggest shock factor for the season !! I thought this D would be top half of the NFL, perhaps even top 10 ? Yes I knew LBer was the weak spot but I figured the line and secondary could hide that a good bit. I was very wrong !!

We have to get a couple good LBers this off season and a DT wouldn't hurt. Perhaps the new guy will pan out ?

Which goes back to the fact that we have more needs than we can fill through the draft alone...and we don't really use free agency much.

You just listed 3 spots on defense alone. We have another 2-3 on offense.

(12-15-2018, 12:05 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Which goes back to the fact that we have more needs than we can fill through the draft alone...and we don't really use free agency much.

You just listed 3 spots on defense alone. We have another 2-3 on offense.

Oh there's no mystery,

We need probably 6 starting level players and a couple really good back ups/role players wouldn't hurt. There's no way you an fix this team in one draft !

(12-15-2018, 12:05 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Which goes back to the fact that we have more needs than we can fill through the draft alone...and we don't really use free agency much.

You just listed 3 spots on defense alone. We have another 2-3 on offense.

The Walton pick is still to this day a head-scratcher for me.

I can't remember if he was a stretch pick or BPA?

If it was BPA they need to stop doing that for players we don't even need.

I would have rather kept Brian Hill over him based on performance going into the season.

(12-15-2018, 12:20 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Oh there's no mystery,

We need probably 6 starting level players and a couple really good back ups/role players wouldn't hurt. There's no way you an fix this team in one draft !

See that's what is troubling.

They could  fix it if they'd get at least two decent starting FA pickups.

Brown and Glen should have been those this season but they flopped and got injured too.

It really is a disappointment because those two positions and Burfict have really hurt the team the whole season.

Billings really had us fooled coming out of pre-season.  He did not produce as advertised.

(12-15-2018, 12:28 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: See that's what is troubling.

They [b]could  fix it if they'd get at least two decent starting FA pickups.[/b]

Brown and Glen should have been those this season but they flopped and got injured too.

It really is a disappointment because those two positions and Burfict have really hurt the team the whole season.

Billings really had us fooled coming out of pre-season.  He did not produce as advertised.

They could fix it but we all know the MB way. They'll get a couple used up has been's and Hobspin will write a fluff piece turning them into surefire probowlers in their comeback seasons. They'll do little to nothing.

So frustrating

(12-15-2018, 12:00 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Which is my big dilemma. I'd be ok with taking a franchise QB, but the line is terrible too. So do you take a QB that maybe has a 50% chance of developing or take an OT that has a 75% chance of being Good?

And IF you take the QB, how do you fix the line? We definitely need to change some players on it.

You build the line. We already have a QB (perhaps 2 for the Driskel fans) that can operate well behind protection. And then you are going to need to coach these guys up to be bad asses. Which in all honesty is the biggest question mark.

(12-15-2018, 12:23 PM)BengalsRocker Wrote: The Walton pick is still to this day a head-scratcher for me.

I can't remember if he was a stretch pick or BPA?

If it was BPA they need to stop doing that for players we don't even need.

I would have rather kept Brian Hill over him based on performance going into the season.

It's not a mystery. They drafted him to replace Gio after his contract is us.

The Pro of drafting Walton is he was hurt his last year in college...so maybe if healthy he's a 2nd or 3rd Round pick and you get him in the 4th Round. The Con is you don't need him at all and you do have glaring needs.