They've blew me out of the water ! What is happening here ?

I'm starting to get excited.

(03-25-2020, 09:42 PM)muskiesfan Wrote: I won't lie. This has been incredibly impressive. In my wildest dreams, I would've never expected to see the Bengals be this active in free agency. I've been seeing on Twitter that they're closing in on a deal with Jason Peters as well. This is awes
ome!
I will happily eat my serving of crow for what I've previously said about not spending or being in win now mode. They certainly have stepped up and made efforts to improve. There's no way anyone can say they're cheap this season. They really seem to be going for it.

Oh God yes!!!

It was the time to spend so we can extend Burrow after his rookie deal is up. 


Frickin' genius going on round here cannot believe it.

(03-25-2020, 08:04 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: What are your thoughts on how things have transpired so far this off-season?
How much better do you expect the Bengals to be as a result these changes?

Additions
DT- DJ Reader
LB- Josh Bynes
CB- Trae Waynes
CB- Mackensie Alexander
CB- LeShaun Sims
CB- Winston Rose
CB- Tony Brown
SS- Vonn Bell
OG- Xavier Sua-F'ilo
WR- Mike Thomas

Subtractions
TE- Tyler Eifert
OT- Cordy Glenn
OG- John Miller
DT- Andrew Billings 
LB- Nick Vigil
SS- Clayton Fejedelem 
CB- Darqueze Dennard 
CB- BW Webb
CB- Tony McRae

I’m speechless.
MB ain’t in charge anymore.

(03-25-2020, 08:04 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: What are your thoughts on how things have transpired so far this off-season?
How much better do you expect the Bengals to be as a result these changes?

Additions
DT- DJ Reader
LB- Josh Bynes
CB- Trae Waynes
CB- Mackensie Alexander
CB- LeShaun Sims
CB- Winston Rose
CB- Tony Brown
SS- Vonn Bell
OG- Xavier Sua-F'ilo
WR- Mike Thomas

Subtractions
TE- Tyler Eifert
OT- Cordy Glenn
OG- John Miller
DT- Andrew Billings 
LB- Nick Vigil
SS- Clayton Fejedelem 
CB- Darqueze Dennard 
CB- BW Webb
CB- Tony McRae

I’m speechless.
MB ain’t in charge anymore.

This is an amazing day in Bengaldom and I literally won’t be able to sleep. I think I’m going to have a beer. There is one left in the refrigerator, a Dayton Brew Company Java Man Cometh.

(03-25-2020, 10:23 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: This is an amazing day in Bengaldom and I literally won’t be able to sleep.  I think I’m going to have a beer.  There is one left in the refrigerator, a Dayton Brew Company Java Man Cometh.

Glad I went to town in a crazy snow storm and bought me 3 eighteeners of Rolling Rock for dirt cheap.

Should last me a bit while I bask.

(03-25-2020, 09:42 PM)muskiesfan Wrote: I've been seeing on Twitter that they're closing in on a deal with Jason Peters as well. This is awesome!

THE Jason Peters from the Eagles? When he’s healthy he can wreck defensive players. He’s old — 38 — but he’s an earth mover. If Jonah Williams isn’t healthy Jason Peters is a serious upgrade over Cordy Glenn. This guy plays mean. When a defensive player tried to take Nick Foles’ head off, Peters absolutely beat him senseless.

(03-25-2020, 10:23 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: This is an amazing day in Bengaldom and I literally won’t be able to sleep.  I think I’m going to have a beer.  There is one left in the refrigerator, a Dayton Brew Company Java Man Cometh.

I gotta wonder what guys like Marvin Lewis and Mike Zimmer are thinking about all of these sudden and drastic changes in roster management in Cincinnati?

(03-25-2020, 08:24 PM)McC Wrote: How weird is it to identify a serious issue, like atrocious tackling, for instance, and then go address it?  If we can somehow put an end to the middle of our defense being a playground with picnic area for TE's and RB's, I fear my head may explode with glee.

3-4 looks could help with this having 4 LB roaming we could not go to 3-4 looks last year with only two LB most of the year.

(03-25-2020, 10:38 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: THE Jason Peters from the Eagles?  When he’s healthy he can wreck defensive players.  He’s old — 38 — but he’s an earth mover.  If Jonah Williams isn’t healthy Jason Peters is a serious upgrade over Cordy Glenn.  This guy plays mean.  When a defensive player tried to take Nick Foles’ head off, Peters absolutely beat him senseless.

Same man, what is even better is Peters said he will play RT if asked too and is ten times better than Glenn in run blocking.

Would be a great pick up for a 2 year deal to tutor up Fred Johnson and possibly another pick or two.

(03-25-2020, 10:50 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I gotta wonder what guys like Marvin Lewis and Mike Zimmer are thinking about all of these sudden and drastic changes in roster management in Cincinnati?

I’ll never thank Marvin Lewis enough for bringing the Bengals out of the NFL basement. That man did more with less talent than anyone I’ve ever seen but he got overconfident. Marvin truly believed he could “coach up” Nick Vigil into the next Ray Lewis but that’s not possible. Marvin was in over his head but I’ll love that guy forever for bringing respectability back to Cincinnati. He was too conservative on the field and in free agency too — but Marvin made some great draft picks.

Mike Zimmer is happy where he is and I’m happy he got his shot to be a head coach because no one deserved it more. I’m sure he’s looking at Zac Taylor and thinking someone finally talked some sense into Mike Brown.

I'm honestly floored. I never thought I would live to see an off-season like this one.

(03-25-2020, 11:02 PM)Earendil Wrote: I'm honestly floored. I never thought I would live to see an off-season like this one.

Same here. This crow I’m eating tastes horrible but I’m going to eat it with a smile on my face. I’m so excited I’m drinking beer and reheating carb-heavy mashed potatoes to make myself tired enough to sleep.

I’m half smashed by this point but I want people to understand this takes SO much pressure off the Draft. Now the Bengals have the luxury of drafting the best player available, not just filling glaring needs with rookies in hope things will work out.

(03-25-2020, 09:30 PM)Au165 Wrote: Maybe Marvin just didn’t like the idea of trying to tell a high priced signing from somewhere else how to fall in line? I think there may be something here. He was fiercely loyal maybe it was about getting his “program” guys chances.

Maybe that's it.

Maybe it was 'I build through the draft.'

Maybe he just hated guys making more than him.

I honestly have no idea. But it's an interesting thought. One season removed from Marvin and we go on the biggest spending spree in franchise history.

(03-25-2020, 11:08 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Same here.  This crow I’m eating tastes horrible but I’m going to eat it with a smile on my face.  I’m so excited I’m drinking beer and reheating carb-heavy mashed potatoes to make myself tired enough to sleep.  

I’m half smashed by this point but I want people to understand this takes SO much pressure off the Draft.  Now the Bengals have the luxury of drafting the best player available, not just filling glaring needs with rookies in hope things will work out.

Read a good article on The Draft Network earlier talking about that. Here's a few of their takeaways:

'...the Bengals, despite starting slowly with their spending, have quietly pieced together a strong offseason that will buy them the most valuable approach possible to the upcoming draft: flexibility.

The Bengals are no longer shackled by the limitations of their roster — thanks in large part to their approach in free agency to attack the defensive side of the football.

All of these signings add up to a potential nickel package that features Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins, Sam Hubbard, Germaine Pratt, Dre Kirkpatrick, Jackson, Waynes, Alexander, Reader, Bates and Bell; a notable collection of talent that should hold their own if the football gods allow everyone involved to stay healthy in 2020.

...the Bengals can select whoever is determined to be the best difference-maker at No. 33, a key pick that is typically highly coveted after the intermission between the draft's first and second night.

If I were the Bengals, I'd be earmarking Burrow, a possible athletic linebacker at No. 33 and then transitioning my eyes to a deep wide receiver class and hoping to pluck a potential starting guard somewhere along the way. If they walk out of the draft with an athletic linebacker and two starters on offense, it will be hard to imagine this team picking back inside the top three again in 2021.'

(03-25-2020, 08:50 PM)Mobster Wrote: In previous years, we woulda re-signed Billings and Vigil, because, you know, we like to keep our own guys. Woulda tried to keep dennard, but he wanted to leave so he would've gotten away and we would've signed a cheap tier 4 free agent replacement to play slot. Then Hobson would be writing articles about how we have no more cap room to add anyone else making more than the minimum

Sounds like the last few years of Marvin’s tenure

(03-25-2020, 10:50 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I gotta wonder what guys like Marvin Lewis and Mike Zimmer are thinking about all of these sudden and drastic changes in roster management in Cincinnati?

What they thinking?
Where was that money when they wanted to spend it?

(03-25-2020, 08:50 PM)Mobster Wrote: In previous years, we woulda re-signed Billings and Vigil, because, you know, we like to keep our own guys. Woulda tried to keep dennard, but he wanted to leave so he would've gotten away and we would've signed a cheap tier 4 free agent replacement to play slot. Then Hobson would be writing articles about how we have no more cap room to add anyone else making more than the minimum

I can almost see Hobson trying to decide whether to shit or go blind writing good things about good things instead of being the perennial and preeminent turd polisher of a generation..

(03-25-2020, 09:07 PM)Benton Wrote: So, I've been quarantined for the last two weeks and reading a lot of the signings. (Sidenote: I'm friggin excited).

But I had a thought: maybe Mike wasnt the reason we were so darn cheap. Maybe it was... Marvin.

I get the obvious question: why would any coach ham string himself by not signing big free agents?

Well, here's my thought. Marvin Lewis signed on 30+ years ago (that's what it felt like). He hires in and Mike, citing not wanting to go spending crazy, nixes some potential signings. As time goes on, Marvin gets more roster control, but he doesn't realise his spending limit has increased, too. Mike, as a lot of bosses do, think his feelings are known and doesn't really express it. Instead, he goes off the recommendation of his coach.

Maybe Mike Brown isn't the cheapest guy in the world, maybe Marvin just wasn't good at asking to use the checkbook?

I’ve been wondering about the same thing. Maybe it wasn’t Mike, maybe it was Marvin. Or has Mike finally ceded the decision making to Katie and company and their taking a different approach. We’ll probably never know for sure.

But, good job. I knew they could do it despite all the Baghdad Bob propaganda.

(03-25-2020, 09:07 PM)Benton Wrote: So, I've been quarantined for the last two weeks and reading a lot of the signings. (Sidenote: I'm friggin excited).

But I had a thought: maybe Mike wasnt the reason we were so darn cheap. Maybe it was... Marvin.

I get the obvious question: why would any coach ham string himself by not signing big free agents?

Well, here's my thought. Marvin Lewis signed on 30+ years ago (that's what it felt like). He hires in and Mike, citing not wanting to go spending crazy, nixes some potential signings. As time goes on, Marvin gets more roster control, but he doesn't realise his spending limit has increased, too. Mike, as a lot of bosses do, think his feelings are known and doesn't really express it. Instead, he goes off the recommendation of his coach.

Maybe Mike Brown isn't the cheapest guy in the world, maybe Marvin just wasn't good at asking to use the checkbook?

I've also been thinking about these signings and what would've happened with Marvin. I believe it was a combo of Mike and Marvin when it came to free agency. 

We all know about Mike and the way he liked to run the team. It was always "draft, develop, retain" and beaten into us every offseason. He enjoys operating under old school methods and doesn't really like to change. I wouldn't be surprised if he said that there was a limit to free agency. I could see him telling Duke and Marvin to wait a week to let things calm down and then go out and get the reasonably priced free agents.

As for Marvin, he was a conservative old school coach. For being considered a LB guru, Marvin just refused to adapt to the new athletic LBs that were taking over the league. He was always hard nosed for downhill thumpers, who pretty much sucked in coverage. I wouldn't be surprised if Marvin preferred to wait in FA because he didn't want the team to shell out big bucks. Remember the offseason entering 2015? Marvin told us that they needed to fix our how they looked at FA? How'd that work out? We brought in Nick Fairley and stopped talks with him when Michael Johnson got released. That was it. 

Now to be fair, Mike has basically handed over day to day duties to Katie, Troy, and Duke. This comes at a time when we happened to hire Zac. Now, I'm not expecting an offseason like this every year, but it'd be nice to see us at least talk to one Tier 1/Tier 2 FA every year.