Cincinnati Bengals
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Why they need to rebuild

Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton has regressed on paper and empirically the last couple of seasons, and it's become apparent that both Dalton, 31, and top wide receiver A.J. Green, 30, won't carry the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl. The team can save $28.4 million by parting ways with those two post-prime key players right now, and the timing would be perfect as rookie head coach Zac Taylor takes over.

Taylor has endorsed Dalton, but that's the politically correct thing to do. The reality is he and his team would be better off cutting bait and drafting/grooming a higher-upside quarterback who best suits what Taylor wants to do. It's not as though this team is on the brink of contending. The Bengals had the league's lowest-ranked defense last year; even with a healthy Dalton and Green, they're clearly the worst team in the AFC North.



How they can start rebuilding

1. Cut and/or trade Dalton and Green: They'd suddenly have more salary-cap space than every team in football except the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets.

2. Use those savings to support the quarterback of the future: Upgrade that horrendous offensive line with two new guards and a new right tackle in free agency, bring in a good safety-valve receiver on whom Dalton's replacement can depend, and spruce up the defensive front seven.

3. Draft a quarterback in Round 1: The Bengals should then join the Dolphins and New York Giants (and possibly the Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins) in sweepstakes for Dwayne Haskins, Drew Lock, Kyler Murray and Daniel Jones. We won't recommend one over the other at pick No. 11 because they're all playing craps.



What'll need to wait

Just like Miami, Cincinnati will have to wait for its young, still-unknown quarterback to develop while potentially encountering growing pains with a first-year head coach. That defense can't be fixed overnight, either, and Cordy Glenn's $9.3 million cap hit should probably remain on the books for said quarterback's sake—even if the veteran left tackle is overpaid and unlikely to be part of the next era of Bengals football.

The same thing applies to Geno Atkins, who is 30 but is too much of a force and would be too costly to release with a $10.4 million dead-cap number.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2820958-nfl-teams-that-should-completely-rebuild-this-offseason?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial#slide2

Thoughts?

Hell no. Just hell no. The guy is a fool.

Someone wrote an article that stated cutting AJ Green is a good move? That's crazy. Even cutting Dalton is crazy.

At minimum you trade them for draft picks IF you want to get rid of them.

I personally don't think we need a rebuild yet. I think fix line, LB, and get a TE. 5 new starters. It's a lot, but it's doable.

My thoughts:

Following the articles' author's advice would be a big mistake. Trading/cutting Dalton and bringing in unnamed, unknown QB while also trading Green and I believe we'd be lucky to have 5 wins and we'd enter a new era of picking in the top 5 for several years.

We can't make up for recent bad drafts by getting rid of the guys who were good picks for us.

To expound on my thoughts, if we use our #1 pick on a QB (likely trading up and having to use our 2nd round pick or next year's 1st), then what picks are we going to use to draft some good OTs [our biggest need]?

There is no other receiver on the team who can replace Green. Boyd does what he does, but he's not a #1, or at least not AJ Green.

We should take the OT in the draft who had the most productive college career with out #11 pick. In the second round we can pick up a good OG or a starting LB.

I believe the author wants the Bengals to return to the 90's.

(02-17-2019, 08:20 PM)BengalChris Wrote: My thoughts:

Following the articles' author's advice would be a big mistake. Trading/cutting Dalton and bringing in unnamed, unknown QB while also trading Green and I believe we'd be lucky to have 5 wins and we'd enter a new era of picking in the top 5 for several years.

We can't make up for recent bad drafts by getting rid of the guys who were good picks for us.

To expound on my thoughts, if we use our #1 pick on a QB (likely trading up and having to use our 2nd round pick or next year's 1st), then what picks are we going to use to draft some good OTs [our biggest need]?

There is no other receiver on the team who can replace Green. Boyd does what he does, but he's not a #1, or at least not AJ Green.

We should take the OT in the draft who had the most productive college career with out #11 pick. In the second round we can pick up a good OG or a starting LB.

I believe the author wants the Bengals to return to the 90's.

Being bad and getting Top 5 picks atleast for a few years is what a rebuild is all about.

Why it's a bad idea is our core is 30. I think we try to fix it for a season or 2 and see what a new coaching staff does.

Now in 2 years, if we're still stuck on 6 wins...then you rebuild and it probably takes quite some time as guys like Green and Atkins won't have trade value then.

IF we didn't have so many other needs, I wouldn't necessarily be against drafting a QB in the 1st Round and letting him set for a year or 2.

Simply put, for some teams the path to rebuild or try to compete now is straight forward.

For us, we're kinda somewhere in the middle. We don't really know what this team will do with a different coaching staff as Marvin was here so long.

I mean, I get what he’s trying to do/say, but when has a complete blow up like that really ever happened? The correct thing to do is what most fans are asking for, invest in F/A particularly the Oline and LB’s, maybe trade Dalton if that’s what Taylor wants to do. Sometimes a new head coach just wants a fresh start at QB.

Cut the two best players on the Cincinnati offense? This guy is on crack.

Pretty sure this was written by a Pissburgh fan that wants at least 2 wins next year as their team is imploding. Just my thoughts haha

Why do we need 2 guards? Boling is just fine.

AJ Green is one of the best WRs in the NFL and has no diva in him

Andy is average and can lead us to success if we improve around him

(02-17-2019, 09:13 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Cut the two best players on the Cincinnati offense? This guy is on crack.

No way Dalton is one of the two best players on offense. AJ and Mixon are certainly better, and a case could be made for Boyd.

I can't see it.

This team's front office has it's hands full with an almost complete turnover this year with coaching staff.

No way do I feel confident in a team blow up.

Dalton traded and bridge QB with a top drafted QB would be the only scenario I'd consider.

I'd rather they keep Dalton, make some smart moves in FA, pick players whose positions usually aquire higher salaries in the draft.

Right back in business and ready to compete.

The sky is not falling and the Browns aren't crowned AFC North contenders until it really happens.

I don't think were at rebuild yet, but I would like to see us cut a few veterans and get younger in key areas.

1) Burfict- he needs to be cut, not worth the salary anymore, injury history, I'd move on.

2) Tyler Eifert- I'd do another 1 yr deal, but I'd be looking at the draft to improve the position.

3) Defensive End- I'd try to get a solid edge guy to replace MJ.

4) WR- AJ's injury last year showed us we need another guy in the stable on the outside to team with Boyd.

5) Oline- obviously!!!!

6) Secondary- I would be ok with adding another young CB or S early in day 2

Good coaching and upgrades at a handful of positions (tackle, LB and TE, chiefly) would put this team in contention for a playoff run. Hell, really good coaching and a couple linebackers and we would win a playoff game.

We don't have to blow it up. AD is reliable. Green is one of the best. Get a lineman in FA or a trade, get a LB or two in the draft or FA, pikc up a TE who can play four games or more, and BAM, we're solid. We don't have to flush our entire team by trading away a few good players and hoping we improve.

We’ve had 3 straight losing seasons and counting... the guy is stupid to suggest cutting either but i wouldn’t rule out any trades i know reality hurts but we need to rebuild especially in the trenches. Our peak with this core was 2015

The article does touch on a legitimate train of thought, even if cutting the guys outright would be absurd.  The trade value for guys like Green and Atkins aren't getting any higher.  Are those two players capable of winning a championship for this team within the next few years?  Or will holding onto them produce a few years of "OK" results while we watch their elite status deteriorate?  By dealing some of their highest paid players, the Bengals could become one of the most agile teams in free agency while putting themselves in position to trade up for an elite QB.  Short-term pain for potential long-term gain...it has to be at least a little tempting for the people upstairs.

If Ross had more yards and more relevant than AJ Green and Driskell or Savage or McCarron (if he was still here, whatever) was seriously more competitive than Dalton. This article would be GENIUS. But the reality is that we have neither. OL and LBs are the priority to fix right now. We can worry about Dalton and Green the following next 2 yrs. The other reality is that this coming draft doesn't have the QB talent that we saw in the last draft (from what I read and appears so).

(02-18-2019, 05:53 AM)Bilbo Saggins Wrote:  Short-term pain for potential long-term gain...it has to be at least a little tempting for the people upstairs.

Here is what people forget about the whole "rebuild" theory.  Rebuilding is a gamble.  When people say "draft a better QB" what they mean is take a wild chance on QB after QB until we find one as good as or better than Dalton.  Dalton has a higher career passer rating than 20 of the 25 QBs taken in the first round since 2011.  So it could take quite a hile.

So if you wish for a rebuild remember that it is no guarantee.  In fact it is a complete gamble that could produce many many years of losing.

What is suggested in this OP's thread is possibly true. Bengals may be in the hunt for Murray. I can see the fan base already in panic over the lack of the DC and after the upcoming draft running for the hills!