Anyone still question whether Drew Sample can catch?
I thought for someone who has only been here a minute that Christian Covington played a decent game. He will be a good depth player when Daniels and Atkins return.

(09-18-2020, 08:54 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Anyone still question whether Drew Sample can catch?
I thought for someone who has only been here a minute that Christian Covington played a decent game. He will be a good depth player when Daniels and Atkins return.

Totally! Those were some of my takeaways as well. I was more impressed with Samples route running. I think he will be one of Burrows go to guys moving forward, he proved to be reliable. He also got some Browns riled up with a good block early in the game.

Covington was a nice pickup. #99 flashed a few different times.

(09-18-2020, 08:57 AM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: Totally! Those were some of my takeaways as well. I was more impressed with Samples route running. I think he will be one of Burrows go to guys moving forward, he proved to be reliable. He also got some Browns riled up with a good block early in the game.

Covington was a nice pickup. #99 flashed a few different times.

They simply got worn down yesterday; Covington and Reader were NOT out there when we needed to stop the run and that could only mean that they were worn down. Covington plays hard with a great motor and really is great against the run; he was pivotal on the goalline stand yesterday.

As I wrote last night, we really need 1 of Geno or Daniels, just 1; they are another piece of depth, they are penetrators and they assist the ends by adding some pressure up the middle.

Not having them last night, Hayseed had a clean pocket for most of the night and was free to roam around there.

Sample will never be a Tony Gonzalez-type, but I can definitely see him as a more athletic and better Reggie Kelly; GREAT hands, tough to bring down, great blocker, he just won't be a huge YAC guy.

But yeah, need one of Geno or Daniels to play; the D will be much better on that alone. And imagine with both of them in there!

Sample showed that he can catch.
However, his longest reception was 10 yards, so he may just end up being a chain mover (which can be fine).
If he can put together 45 yards every game like he did last night (he's TE1 with Uzomah dealing with Achilles injury), he'll be over 650 yards by the end of the season.
That'd be second-highest in the past decade behind 2012 Gresham (737).

Sample I’m starting to like somewhat.

Covington? Meh. I’m not paying anyone on that defense any compliments right now.

(09-18-2020, 10:07 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Sample showed that he can catch.
However, his longest reception was 10 yards, so he may just end up being a chain mover (which can be fine).
If he can put together 45 yards every game like he did last night (he's TE1 with Uzomah dealing with Achilles injury), he'll be over 650 yards by the end of the season.
That'd be second-highest in the past decade behind 2012 Gresham (737).

Tbf nobody is catching anything down the field so far. I think Burrow’s longest last night was the Uzomah TD at 23 yds.

(09-18-2020, 10:09 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Sample I’m starting to like somewhat.

Covington? Meh. I’m not paying anyone on that defense any compliments right now.

You can't throw a guy who is a depth signing and has been here for 1 week a bone?

(09-18-2020, 10:12 AM)Sled21 Wrote: You can't throw a guy who is a depth signing and has been here for 1 week a bone?

No Wins?! No Bones!!! Haha

(09-18-2020, 10:11 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Tbf nobody is catching anything down the field so far. I think Burrow’s longest last night was the Uzomah TD at 23 yds.

I get that. That's why I said may.
Maybe he does show he gets receptions downfield later in the year, but he didn't last night.

(09-18-2020, 10:11 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Tbf nobody is catching anything down the field so far. I think Burrow’s longest last night was the Uzomah TD at 23 yds.

Yeah. Mixon and Higgins both had longer catches (18 yards) but nothing else over 20.

I was high on Sample last week because his blocking is awesome. The one bright spot of Uzomah being out will be more Sample in 11 personnel which should improve our blocking on runs out of those sets. He had a solid night receiving last week and I hope to see him continue to build there.

(09-18-2020, 10:12 AM)Sled21 Wrote: You can't throw a guy who is a depth signing and has been here for 1 week a bone?

These guys are paid handsomely. They don’t need attaboys like a bunch of 8 year olds. Pretty much every single player on the defense sucked last night.

(09-18-2020, 10:20 AM)ochocincos Wrote: I get that. That's why I said may.
Maybe he does show he gets receptions downfield later in the year, but he didn't last night.

He’s got decent hands, that’s enough for me for now.

It may turn out that Sample becomes a good player but drafting him in second round given the putrid state of our o line was madness.

I also have to say that based upon last night, tendering A J $18 million, instead of using that money for the o line, also looks like a very poor decision.

And A J is one of my favorite Bengals of all time.

Spending a large amount of money next year on AJ instead of buying Burrow some protection would again be madness.

(09-18-2020, 11:31 AM)bengals67 Wrote: It may turn out that Sample becomes a good player but drafting him in second round given the putrid state of our o line was madness.

I also have to say that based upon last night, tendering A J $18 million, instead of using that money for the o line, also looks like a very poor decision.

And A J is one of my favorite Bengals of all time.

Spending a large amount of money next year on AJ instead of buying Burrow some protection would again be madness.

Forget AJ’s money, they could have used what they spent on Trae Waynes for OL help.

Larry Warford is sitting on his couch while we’re trotting out Fred Johnson to play RG....

(09-18-2020, 11:33 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Forget AJ’s money, they could have used what they spent on Trae Waynes for OL help.

Larry Warford is sitting on his couch while we’re trotting out Fred Johnson to play RG....

Larry Warford opted out of the season.

(09-18-2020, 11:01 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: He’s got decent hands, that’s enough for me for now.

He's got a little spunk to him, as well.  I saw one of the Cleveland LBs shoving on him, after Sample blocked him aggressively.

(09-18-2020, 11:37 AM)Au165 Wrote: Larry Warford opted out of the season.

No wonder he’s not playing then. Lol

(09-18-2020, 11:37 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: He's got a little spunk to him, as well.  I saw one of the Cleveland LBs shoving on him, after Sample blocked him aggressively.

I am leading up the Sample will be good committee. He may never be a downfield threat TE, but a really good blocking TE with sure hands to move the sticks is really valuable. I am in love with his blocking, but that may just be because our blocking from Te’s hasn’t been good in a long time.

That first one hander by Sample ( he had two...) was a thing of beauty. He made it look so easy and it was anything but.