(03-25-2020, 06:46 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Shawn isn't starting over Vonn Bell and we needed insurance for when he might leave and we needed another nickel backer.

Killing all kinds of birds with one stone with this signing...

(03-27-2020, 12:20 PM)sandwedge Wrote: According to Zac, there were 2 other teams taking Sample in Rd2. Best Blocking TE in the draft and dropped only 2 or 3 passes his senior year. I think with a year to develop an NFL body, you're going to be saying. "ok, now I see why".....

Lol. Of course he said that. Sample showed absolutely nothing last year. He got blown up all year long n stunk up the place. Let me guess he is pretty much a rookie this year.

(03-27-2020, 11:34 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Mack Wilson dropped because of “attitude/character issues”, and because he pissed off some people at Alabama for not staying another year. Had nothing to do with his ability as a player.

Unless Drew Sample’s personality is so infectious that he just blew Taylor and the Bengals completely away it’s probably safe to say he was taken too early. Because just him as a player was not worthy of a 2nd round pick.

He did blow away the staff and Casey, their new TE coach.
If you look back at his game film and know how he was used and also viewed by his teammates at Washington his senior year, you'd understand why the Bengals took him.
Taylor came from an offense and obviously used one last year that doesn't use TE's in the passing game very much.
But, they are were willing blockers in the run game at LA. That's what Sample is with an upside for catching balls. His game film showed he didn't drop balls when thrown to him.
He was obviously one of or the best run blocking TE in the draft. And, that's why they drafted him.
His teammates also voted him the "Toughest" player award.
There was a lot to like about him and he wasn't having that bad of a rookie year until he did get hurt.
Now, with Eifert gone, let's see how his 2nd year goes before declaring him a bust.

(03-27-2020, 01:22 PM)fredtoast Wrote: That is one of the dumbest comments I have ever read.  

No matter why he dropped my point is still correct.  The draft "experts" around here have no clue how NFL teams rank some of these players.

Then you obviously haven’t read many of your own on this board...

“He made a really bad decision coming out,” McGinn wrote in a column on the linebackers in the class published April 23. “… He never took the next step. Then he surprised Nick (Saban) and came out this year. He pissed a lot of people off in Tuscaloosa.”

Whether or not those “people” in Tuscaloosa had a tangible influence on Wilson’s plummeting draft stock is unclear, but what was obvious to Wilson’s representation was the lack of constructive support coming from the Mal Moore Athletic Complex once their client chose to leave school early.

“We understand that there was maybe a level of indifference that was placed on him from maybe Alabama as a result of him choosing to come out as a junior,” Wilson’s agent, Che Mock, said later Saturday, without elaborating. “We understand that there was some level of questions (about his) character, for whatever reason, because of the fact that there’s a perception that he likes to, you know, have a social (media) presence.

“But in the same respect, none of that, in the three years at being at the University of Alabama, ever was looked upon (negatively). And for whatever reason, as he went through the draft, it was. Whether that played into (his draft slide), I can’t imagine any other reason why he would have dropped.”

https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/alabama/2019/05/01/anatomy-slide-what-went-into-mack-wilsons-draft-plummet/3633552002/

(03-27-2020, 01:32 PM)JerseyDD09 Wrote: He did blow away the staff and Casey, their new TE coach.
If you look back at his game film and know how he was used and also viewed by his teammates at Washington his senior year, you'd understand why the Bengals took him.
Taylor came from an offense and obviously used one last year that doesn't use TE's in the passing game very much.
But, they are were willing blockers in the run game at LA. That's what Sample is with an upside for catching balls. His game film showed he didn't drop balls when thrown to him.
He was obviously one of or the best run blocking TE in the draft. And, that's why they drafted him.
His teammates also voted him the "Toughest" player award.
There was a lot to like about him and he wasn't having that bad of a rookie year until he did get hurt.
Now, with Eifert gone, let's see how his 2nd year goes before declaring him a bust.

I didn’t call him a bust. I said he was drafted too early. He was not a good value where we took him.

(03-27-2020, 01:41 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: I didn’t call him a bust. I said he was drafted too early. He was not a good value where we took him.

That can still be turned around.  What they saw in him could still be realized.  No one is drafting a guy for one year.

The people making such definitive statements about him now could still end up wrong and if they are, they won't even ever have to admit it. How long was the line of people who wrongly had the Browns in the SB stepping up to own it after the season?

(03-27-2020, 11:42 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Yes, I know the Bengals still need some faster linebackers but let me enlighten those who may not understand how the defensive line and secondary work in tandem against the pass.  The need for a good defensive line is obvious because they are the ones rushing the quarterback but the safeties and cornerbacks play a role here too.  If receivers are well covered, it gives those defensive linemen more time to attack the quarterback and get pressure.  Likewise, the pressure can cause quarterbacks to get skittish and throw interceptions.  The Bengals have vastly upgraded both of these position groups.

At the same time you can say doesnt matter if you have an all pro at every d line and secondary position if your LBers cant cover underneath. We've seen for the last several years what happens when your LBers suck. The QB hits a RB or TE for what should be a short gain that turns into 5-10yds.

(03-27-2020, 01:51 PM)mallorian69 Wrote: At the same time you can say doesnt matter if you have an all pro at every d line and secondary position if your LBers cant cover underneath. We've seen for the last several years what happens when your LBers suck. The QB hits a RB or TE for what should be a short gain that turns into 5-10yds.

Hence, the focus on acquiring better tacklers.  And the draft is still to come, with LB's in it that can help fix that problem in almost every round, many of whom will likely be available to the Bengals.

Sample was drafted to early case closed if you still think otherwise there’s nothing that will change your mind at this point. He was drafted way to early blocking tight ends usually drafted in round 6 or 7 or are free agents. It was a mistake let’s live on from it I hope.

(03-27-2020, 01:57 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: Sample was drafted to early case closed if you still think otherwise there’s nothing that will change your mind at this point.   He was drafted way to early blocking tight ends usually drafted in round 6 or 7 or are free agents.  It was a mistake let’s live on from it I hope.

Did he retire?

(03-27-2020, 01:58 PM)McC Wrote: Did he retire?

One would think, wouldn't you..... remarkable that people put some of their thoughts out there as facts.

(03-27-2020, 01:58 PM)McC Wrote: Did he retire?

Of course he didn't retire, just this certain poster said "Case Closed".......Wouldn't we all love to have that kind of sweeping power...

(03-27-2020, 01:30 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote:  Sample showed absolutely nothing last year.   He got blown up all year long n stunk up the place.  

Sample, despite only playing 9 games, had as many receptions his rookie season as these other TEs

Ben Watson (547 career receptions)
Kellen Winslow (469 career receptions)
Marcus Pollard (349 career receptions)
Desmond Clark (323 career receptions)
Steve Jordan (6 time Pro Bowl)
Travis Kelce (5 time Pro Bowl)
Todd Christiansen (5 time Pro Bowl)
Jay Novacek (5 time Pro Bowl)
Wesley Walls (5 time Pro Bowl)
Rodney Holman (3 time Pro Bowl)
Mark Chmura (3 time Pro Bowl)
Delanie Walker (3 time Pro Bowl)

Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe only had 7 receptions his rookie season.

(03-27-2020, 02:22 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Sample, despite only playing 9 games, had as many receptions his rookie season as these other TEs

Ben Watson (547 career receptions)
Kellen Winslow (469 career receptions)
Marcus Pollard (349 career receptions)
Desmond Clark (323 career receptions)
Steve Jordan (6 time Pro Bowl)
Travis Kelce (5 time Pro Bowl)
Todd Christiansen (5 time Pro Bowl)
Jay Novacek (5 time Pro Bowl)
Wesley Walls (5 time Pro Bowl)
Rodney Holman (3 time Pro Bowl)
Mark Chmura (3 time Pro Bowl)
Delanie Walker (3 time Pro Bowl)

Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe only had 7 receptions his rookie season.

Well all those guys are trash!!!!!!!  

(03-27-2020, 02:19 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Of course he didn't retire, just this certain poster said "Case Closed".......Wouldn't we all love to have that kind of sweeping power...

I only know one person with it.  Around here she goes by "Yes, honey" and "Please, honey" and quite often "I'm sorry, honey."

Anyway...we should get this thread back on track. It’s about a really nice pickup in Bell. Not our blocking TE.

(03-27-2020, 02:30 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Anyway...we should get this thread back on track. It’s about a really nice pickup in Bell. Not our blocking TE.

I wonder how much his blitzing ability will come into play.

Is he the guy who will be spying Lamar twice a year?  

(03-27-2020, 02:36 PM)McC Wrote: I wonder how much his blitzing ability will come into play.

Is he the guy who will be spying Lamar twice a year?  

Alexander can get to the QB as well. Anarumo has some nice pieces to work with now. Hopefully the days of trotting out guys like Hardy Nickerson Jr are over.

(03-27-2020, 02:41 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Alexander can get to the QB as well. Anarumo has some nice pieces to work with now. Hopefully the days of trotting out guys like Hardy Nickerson Jr are over.

"trotting" is a good word for describing Nickerson Jr..

(03-27-2020, 02:41 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Alexander can get to the QB as well. Anarumo has some nice pieces to work with now. Hopefully the days of trotting out guys like Hardy Nickerson Jr are over.

Every team in our division loves to run the ball.  They really made a conscious decision to stop that bleeding.  

(03-27-2020, 01:16 PM)JerseyDD09 Wrote: Please show me the factual evidence from the league verifying that comment.

That's not even close. After the draft, Zac and others were interviewed about that pick. After they moved down, they took him and were afraid he wouldn't be there at the top of their 3rd round pick. They verified with other teams' scouts and reps after the draft and were ensured he wouldn't have been there with their 3rd round pick.
I think I'll take their word for it over yours or any draft analyst out there.

Also, Sample is a 2nd year player and most on here including you have already declared him a bust. Most players aren't coming into their own until year 3. So, give the guy a chance before jumping all over him. He did get injured with several games left in the season.

Drew Sample isn't a bust. You have to have some type of promise before you fail and Drew had nothing to begin with.  

I will give the Bengals credit though: They at least tried to address their offensive line woes with their first two picks last year.