(03-13-2019, 03:41 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Nsekhe is 33 years old and has never won a starting job in the NFL.  He is 3 years OLDER than Trent Williams

He's better than Bobby Hart. That is my point.

(03-13-2019, 03:36 PM)fredtoast Wrote: How do you judge a front office if not by how the team performs on the field?

Did Nsekeh play for the Bills last year?

(03-13-2019, 03:12 PM)MentalRage Wrote: Secondly, and once again I can only speak for myself, I believe the Bengals are right on the cusp of being either a bad or good team. I've never been a fan of going out and spending loads of money in free agency. It almost never works out. I am a fan, however, of spending money in a smart way. You say their strategy is to sign a handful of average to good players. I can agree with that, but let's be smart with the money. Bobby Hart isn't even an average tackle, in fact he's one of the worst and by signing him to that deal it just about takes OT off the board in round 1 of the draft. Preston Brown is slightly average. Why do you think the Bills let him walk only to draft an athletically gifted LB as his replacement? Because that's where the NFL is headed. The Bengals need athletes at the position. 

FWIW, I was referring more to the moves I hope are coming rather than the moves that have already been made.

People can bag on Preston Brown all day long if they want, but as of now he's still the best linebacker on the team barring a Burfict miracle. If you sign a guy and he's better than everyone else you have, that's a positive in my book. They need bodies to fill spots that were manned by outright bad players last year, and (a healthy) Preston Brown fits that bill. I also think there's something to be said for a guy that actually *wants* to be here.

I also don't believe OT is off the board as far as the draft is concerned, especially now that the actual contract details have come out. I think OT is still a huge possibility, but at least having Hart around gives you the freedom to draft the LSU linebacker if he happens to be sitting there. If the Bengals came away completely empty-handed at OT after free agency they'd have no freedom to look at other positions.

I'll also point out that *everyone* across the league seems to be getting overpaid thus far, so I'm not going to fault them for either contract if that's what the market is dictating.

(03-13-2019, 03:49 PM)MentalRage Wrote: He's better than Bobby Hart. That is my point.

I am not at all convinced that he is.  That is my point.

Remember when Anthony Collins got a huge free agent contract because he looked good in a couple of games filling in for a starter?  It is hard ffor me to believe that a guy 33 years old who has never won a starting job is anything but a back up level player.

(03-13-2019, 03:50 PM)MentalRage Wrote: Did Nsekeh play for the Bills last year?

No.  He played for the Redskins who paid him less than $3 million to be a backup.

We were talking about the Bills front office because they are the ones who just signed him for over $7 million a year.

So what is your point?

(03-13-2019, 03:51 PM)NKURyan Wrote: FWIW, I was referring more to the moves I hope are coming rather than the moves that have already been made.

People can bag on Preston Brown all day long if they want, but as of now he's still the best linebacker on the team barring a Burfict miracle. If you sign a guy and he's better than everyone else you have, that's a positive in my book. They need bodies to fill spots that were manned by outright bad players last year, and (a healthy) Preston Brown fits that bill. I also think there's something to be said for a guy that actually *wants* to be here.

I also don't believe OT is off the board as far as the draft is concerned, especially now that the actual contract details have come out. I think OT is still a huge possibility, but at least having Hart around gives you the freedom to draft the LSU linebacker if he happens to be sitting there. If the Bengals came away completely empty-handed at OT after free agency they'd have no freedom to look at other positions.

I'll also point out that *everyone* across the league seems to be getting overpaid thus far, so I'm not going to fault them for either contract if that's what the market is dictating.

What moves do you hope they still make? 

Preston Brown is the Bengals best linebacker. Which means the bengals still have a problem at linebacker. 

Nobody was going to overpay for Bobby Hart besides the Bengals. They played themselves. It would have been smarter to save that money, invest it in a different LB than Brown and then draft someone in the first three rounds to play OT. There's a really damn good chance that rookie RT can play just as 'good' if not much better than Hart at a cheaper price. 

(03-13-2019, 03:53 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I am not at all convinced that he is.  That is my point.

Remember when Anthony Collins got a huge free agent contract because he looked good in a couple of games filling in for a starter?  It is hard ffor me to believe that a guy 33 years old who has never won a starting job is anything but a back up level player.

There's a great argument to be had that Bobby Hart shouldn't be a starting right tackle. So why are you content with him? I'd rather them take a chance on a guy who's actually showed he can play well than a guy who's never been good.

(03-13-2019, 03:56 PM)fredtoast Wrote: No.  He played for the Redskins who paid him less than $3 million to be a backup.

We were talking about the Bills front office because they are the ones who just signed him for over $7 million a year.

So what is your point?

My point is bad teams can make good signings and good teams can make bad signings. Just because a team has been bad the last 10 years doesn't mean they are incapable of making a good decision. 

(03-13-2019, 04:05 PM)MentalRage Wrote: There's a great argument to be had that Bobby Hart shouldn't be a starting right tackle. So why are you content with him?

(03-13-2019, 03:05 PM)fredtoast Wrote:  So far I am not thrilled with our new coaching staff (more concern about coordinators and position coaches than Taylor) or the contract given to Hart.  But I am far from giving up this early in the game.

I'm not giving up either. I've never said those words. All I wanted was for the Bengals to spend that money smarter. I don't think that is too much to ask.

(03-13-2019, 04:16 PM)MentalRage Wrote: I'm not giving up either. I've never said those words. All I wanted was for the Bengals to spend that money smarter. I don't think that is too much to ask.

And by "smarter" you mean do exactly what you want them to do, right?

(03-13-2019, 04:20 PM)fredtoast Wrote: And by "smarter" you mean do exactly what you want them to do, right?

I gave one example of something I'd do. They don't need to do something that I want for it to be a smart move.

Point blank question. Do you think the Bobby Hart deal was a smart move? He was 1 of 4 tackles to allow 10 sacks or more. Can you tell me with a straight face that he was a quality free agent signing that makes this team better? 

(03-13-2019, 02:33 PM)NKURyan Wrote: I don't think he's saying people need to be happy with the team, I think he's saying what I'm saying - it's still way too early to start this level of panic. We're less than 2 full days in to free agency... let's give them a week or two. People who are complaining right now - many of who spent the last couple of weeks posting about how they KNOW the Bengals weren't going to do anything at the start of free agency - are just complaining for the sake of complaining, IMO.

I'd also ask this... if the Bengals are as bad as everyone around here seems to think they are, is there really one signing that's going to make any real difference for them? I'm not in favor of them making a move just to make a move, and if the strategy is to pick up a handful of good players (or a ton of average players) over one great player... I think that's the right approach to have.

That's an awfully familiar refrain...

(03-13-2019, 04:29 PM)MentalRage Wrote: Point blank question. Do you think the Bobby Hart deal was a smart move? He was 1 of 4 tackles to allow 10 sacks or more. Can you tell me with a straight face that he was a quality free agent signing that makes this team better? 

Point blank question.  Can you read?

I have already posted my opinion TWICE in this thread.  

(03-13-2019, 04:55 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Point blank question.  Can you read?

I have already posted my opinion TWICE in this thread.  

So you agree with me that it wasn't a great signing. Thanks Fred.