The most important player on this team is Joe Burrow, offense. We're going to win or lose in many, many, cases on his play and how well the offense is doing. ZT is "supposed" to be an offensive mined guru.

But last offseason the defense got open heart surgery and the offense got a band-aid. Now Hobspin is saying that's going to be the focus again and the Oline is ok.

You pretty much have to be an offensive based team or defense. You just can't afford to be both the vast majority of the time.

Why in the hell doesn't an offensive coach demand a major upgrade to this Oline ?

I just don't get what they're trying to do ?

(01-09-2021, 10:34 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: The most important player on this team is Joe Burrow, offense. We're going to win or lose in many, many, cases on his play and how well the offense is doing. ZT is "supposed" to be an offensive mined guru.

But last offseason the defense got open heart surgery and the offense got a band-aid. Now Hobspin is saying that's going to be the focus again and the Oline is ok.

You pretty much have to be an offensive based team or defense. You just can't afford to be both the vast majority of the time.

Why in the hell doesn't an offensive coach demand a major upgrade to this Oline ?

I just don't get what they're trying to do ?

Seems pretty simple don’t it, BF74?

The offense did not get a band aid. It got Burrow, Higgins, and filo. They had pieces in Mixon, Boyd, William's and Hopkins and CJ.
The defense was on life support so it needed more pieces and I would say still needs pieces but I see this FA more offense Driven and a bit more on offense side in draft. We cant attempt to fix everything in a year not enough draft picks or $$

(01-09-2021, 10:42 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: The offense did not get a band aid. It got Burrow, Higgins, and filo. They had pieces in Mixon, Boyd, William's and Hopkins  and CJ.
The defense was on life support so it needed more pieces and I would say still needs pieces but I see this FA more offense Driven and a bit more on offense side in draft. We cant attempt to fix everything in a year not enough draft picks or $$

They can make the Bengals a dangerous football team by attacking the offensive and defensive lines. 

(01-09-2021, 10:42 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: The offense did not get a band aid. It got Burrow, Higgins, and filo. They had pieces in Mixon, Boyd, William's and Hopkins and CJ.
The defense was on life support so it needed more pieces and I would say still needs pieces but I see this FA more offense Driven and a bit more on offense side in draft. We can fix everything in a year not enough draft picks or $$

Including a career backup like XSF as one of the main pieces given to the offense says it all...

The defense got 4 starters from playoff teams (Reader, Bell, Waynes, Alexander).

Outside of cb, our drafts have focused on offensive players. Wr, qb, rb, te, ol, etc. At least as far as the early picks. The later picks have been defensive, sure,but there's not a lot of sixth round linebackers making waves.

Our view with free agents has been depth. We spend depth and late round picks on defense, which is why we've got consistently one of the worst defenses in the nfl.

I believe it's a case of to many chiefs and not enough indians.

Mike Brown wants the team to be this and get players a,b,c and of course is old school on spending, doesn't like free agency, doesn't value interior Oline etc. And despite all the hoopla that he's stepped down I still believe he has final say in all the big decisions.

Katie/Troy want this kinda team/moves/players and have their input.

Duke same as above.

ZT has his version of things and I'm sure has some input but he gets overruled by the 3 levels above.

Then the OC/DC and position coaches throw their hat in and it's just chaos.

We desperately need an HMFIC GM that is the boss....period. Or for the HC to totally take over like the hoodie.

This team as lead by MB just spins around in circles with no "real" plan.

(01-09-2021, 10:47 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Including a career backup like XSF as one of the main pieces given to the offense says it all...

The defense got 4 starters from playoff teams (Reader, Bell, Waynes, Alexander).

XSF has started 53 games in the NFL. He's not a career back up. He can be upgraded but let's be real. 

(01-09-2021, 10:58 PM)Benton Wrote: Outside of cb, our drafts have focused on offensive players. Wr, qb, rb, te, ol, etc. At least as far as the early picks. The later picks have been defensive, sure,but there's not a lot of sixth round linebackers making waves.

Our view with free agents has been depth. We spend depth and late round picks on defense, which is why we've got consistently one of the worst defenses in the nfl.

Rounds 2-3 seem to be where they like to go non-CB on defense. Bates, Logan Wilson, Hubbard, Pratt, Shawn Williams, Dunlap, Hunt, etc.

(01-09-2021, 11:02 PM)bfine32 Wrote: XSF has started 53 games in the NFL. He's not a career back up. He can be upgraded but let's be real. 

Most of his starts have been due to injuries. One season in Houston as a full time starter, and he wasn’t re-signed after. And that was 3 years ago.

He’s backup quality.

(01-09-2021, 11:13 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Most of his starts have been due to injuries. One season in Houston as a full time starter, and he wasn’t re-signed after. And that was 3 years ago.

He’s backup quality.

He's not a career back up. Quality is debatable; but referring to him as a career back up is just wrong. He's been a starter the vast majority of his career.

(01-09-2021, 11:20 PM)bfine32 Wrote: He's not a career back up. Quality is debatable; but referring to him as a career back up is just wrong. He's been a starter the vast majority of his career.

Great. Take out the “career backup” part and the point still stands. I don’t know how signing a player like that for peanuts (3 mil a season is not quality starting OG money) isn’t a band aid. Most guards making that are on rookie contracts.

We gave up 35+ points in 4 of our six division games, were dead last in sacks, bottom 5 in QB pressures, dead last in TFLs, and 26th in redzone defense. On top of that our Top CB and Top Edge Rusher are both free agents.

(01-09-2021, 10:34 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: But last offseason the defense got open heart surgery and the offense got a band-aid. Now Hobspin is saying that's going to be the focus again and the Oline is ok.

Our offense added the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, the second best WR in the 2020 draft, the first O-lineman taken in the 2019 draft, an $18 million WR in AJ Green, and a new starting OG in free agency.


Hobson was talking about the draft but other sources have said that we would concentrate on O-line in free agency.

(01-10-2021, 02:18 AM)J24 Wrote: We gave up 35+ points in 4 of our six division games, were dead last in sacks,  bottom 5 in QB pressures,  dead last in TFLs, and  26th in redzone defense. On top of that our Top CB and Top Edge Rusher are both free agents.

To be fair, a number of those games the defense started out doing pretty well.  The defense yielded 6 points in the steelers first four drives in their first matchup.  A couple of those drives came with really good field position due to turnovers.  One of the statistical issues with the defense was an offense that couldn't sustain drives.  

To me, it all comes down to the defensive line.  Our LBs have improved with Wilson, Pratt, and ADG.  Wilson and ADG got a lot of valuable experience their rookie season.  Pratty stayed healthy and got a lot of time in his second year as well.   None of the LBs looked spectacular because of the horrible defensive line play, specifically in the middle.  LBs will "rate" much better when there is good defensive line play, as will the secondary.  Getting Reader back will go a long way toward addressing that, and I liked what I saw out of Hunt as a rotational piece inside.  But this position needs to be our "double dip" in the draft.  Getting players like Barmore and Twyman would go a long way to addressing a position group of weakness in to one of strength, and competition, with Wren and Tupou also returning.  I don't want the Bengals to rely on any one of those guys because if they come in out of shape and didn't condition as they needed to, we will be right back where we started.  Those two young studs will push the veterans to either be better or out the door.  Competition always improves the breed and addressing the defensive line in Rds 2 and 3 will go a long way toward improving the overall performance of the defense. 

Of course, I hope they sign Lawson and a FA for the LG position next to Jonah.  If they end up not getting Sewell, but Chase in Rd 1, I could see them getting Faalele in Rd 2 and then DT in Rd 3.  

For me, protecting and surrounding Burrow with weapons is job 1.  Job 2 is to address the interior of the defensive line and add an edge presence.  I still wonder why they haven't given ADG a better look as an edge rusher.  That was his strength coming out of college.  

(01-09-2021, 10:46 PM)Synric Wrote: They can make the Bengals a dangerous football team by attacking the offensive and defensive lines. 

Seems like I've read that before.

(01-10-2021, 03:15 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Our offense added the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, the second best WR in the 2020 draft, the first O-lineman taken in the 2019 draft, an $18 million WR in AJ Green, and a new starting OG in free agency.


Hobson was talking about the draft but other sources have said that we would concentrate on O-line in free agency.

The 2020 WR class was pretty stacked. Higgins was 3rd behind Jefferson and Lamb. Claypool was only 35 yards less than Higgins, Jeudy just 52 less. Aiyuk was 160 yards less but only played 12 games. All 5 are 1000-yard-caliber guys.

It’s no doubt that Burrow and Higgins were great added pieces.

With the money invested in FA on defense and how bad it still was, they need an infusion of talent that isn’t expensive. As such, it’s likely going to mean multiple high draft picks going to defense.

I doubt the Bengals go crazy in FA on OL. People want Thuney or Scherff, but I doubt the Bengals pay that price tag. I don’t believe they’ve ever given $14+ mill APY to an OL, which I think will be what it will take to get those guys. We should realistically look at guys who may be in the $7-9 mill range.


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(01-10-2021, 02:18 AM)J24 Wrote: We gave up 35+ points in 4 of our six division games, were dead last in sacks, bottom 5 in QB pressures, dead last in TFLs, and 26th in redzone defense. On top of that our Top CB and Top Edge Rusher are both free agents.

Sounds like we need a new coordinator...

(01-10-2021, 10:43 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: To be fair, a number of those games the defense started out doing pretty well.  The defense yielded 6 points in the steelers first four drives in their first matchup.  A couple of those drives came with really good field position due to turnovers.  One of the statistical issues with the defense was an offense that couldn't sustain drives.  

That is an often overlooked detail, when folks are criticizing the overall play of the defense.  Who knows, maybe with a change in coaching perspective and an infusion of quality free agents, the OL can put together some 10-12 play drives resulting in 1st half scores?  I think that it's pretty much universally understood that defenses play much better when protecting a lead, rather than attempting to slow the bleeding from an anemic offense that keeps putting them back on the field.

(01-10-2021, 12:01 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: That is an often overlooked detail, when folks are criticizing the overall play of the defense.  Who knows, maybe with a change in coaching perspective and an infusion of quality free agents, the OL can put together some 10-12 play drives resulting in 1st half scores?  I think that it's pretty much universally understood that defenses play much better when protecting a lead, rather than attempting to slow the bleeding from an anemic offense that keeps putting them back on the field.

It isn't the only facet, but a piece of the puzzle for certain.  More balanced on offense, better rush defense, better pass rush...all parts of the puzzle to a playoff contender.