(03-18-2022, 03:36 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Because having him as a stop-gap and back-up at Center and Guard is a better option then Trey Hill who looked like a total disaster when he was on the field?

I know he was just a rookie but he looked like he'd never played football at times out there. Just figured Hopkins on a much cheaper deal would have been a good depth piece in case of emergency.

(03-18-2022, 03:38 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Personally, I like Cam Jurgens from Nebraska.
He, like Parham, was an undersized but uber-athletic OL who bulked up to above 300 by the Combine.
Difference is Jurgens has played C in college whereas Parham would be transitioning into that role from playing other spots on the OL.

(03-18-2022, 03:36 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Because having him as a stop-gap and back-up at Center and Guard is a better option then Trey Hill who looked like a total disaster when he was on the field?

I know he was just a rookie but he looked like he'd never played football at times out there. Just figured Hopkins on a much cheaper deal would have been a good depth piece in case of emergency.

(03-18-2022, 04:01 PM)Housh Wrote: We also gotta factor in that with Prince and Adeniji being so trash anyone at C probably struggles because that communication would’ve been trash on the right side. Not saying Hopkins was lowkey a pro bowler but playing with those 2 had to hurt him

(03-18-2022, 03:38 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Personally, I like Cam Jurgens from Nebraska.
He, like Parham, was an undersized but uber-athletic OL who bulked up to above 300 by the Combine.
Difference is Jurgens has played C in college whereas Parham would be transitioning into that role from playing other spots on the OL.

(03-18-2022, 03:33 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Why surprised?  Dude had 6 years to get his shit together.  Penetration came up the middle and RG all season long, got worse facing strong pass rushes in the playoffs.  It's long past time to fix the middle of the OL, and they need that money he was to be paid in order to do it.

(03-18-2022, 04:16 PM)Burma Wrote: I want to touch on this right here. 

The fans have long been calling for weak links on the offensive line to be let go and replaced with better performers.  And for just as long the organization was content to let the contracts play out on these weak links, often rewarding mediocrity with a new contract, further dragging out the suffering. Perhaps no position better encapsulates this than the C position. Post Braham it has been an unbroken string of "meh" to flat out bad quality performances. Ghiaciuc, Cook, Faine (for a cup of coffee), Bodine, Price, and finally Hopkins.

When I saw the team trade Price I was honestly surprised, not because he was a bad fit here, but because he still had a year left on his rookie contract.  Granted, Hopkins also has 1 year left on his contract, but this feels different. It feels like the move was made to legitimately address subpar performance and with a true goal of getting better at that position and, finally, like the the front office and the fans are on the same page. 

I am honestly stunned at the sea-change that has taken place within the organization in the last couple of years. Is it Brown getting old and wanting to go all in, a younger generation in charge, Zac's influence, the rapidly developing Burrow mystique, or some combination?  I don't have that answer, but this isn't the team of my youth.  This is damn good team and a front office acting like a pro front office. 

(03-18-2022, 04:11 PM)BuildTheWall Wrote: Yes please! I love watching Jurgens, he’s an elite athlete and can really move. Pulls as good as anyone. He does have some issues with holding his blocks, but I think his weaknesses are easily coachable. Should be there in the 4th, I think he’ll develop into a good starting center. FWIW he went to Nebraska (Zac’s school), not that I’m sure if it even matters that much

(03-18-2022, 04:00 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I don't have a personal vendetta against Hopkins or nothing. But he's just not that good, that's all. And I want Joe to get better protection and moreover we need to be able to pick up 3rd and 1 on occasion. 

If Hopkins would have been willing to take a big pay cut and stay as a backup I wouldn't have hated it. Just not a starter.

(03-18-2022, 04:24 PM)Tlawsonmariat82 Wrote: Not understanding why we're cutting Hopkins and keeping waynes can someone please explain to me why the hell trae waynes is still a bengal??

(03-18-2022, 04:24 PM)Tlawsonmariat82 Wrote: Not understanding why we're cutting Hopkins and keeping waynes can someone please explain to me why the hell trae waynes is still a bengal??

(03-18-2022, 04:24 PM)Tlawsonmariat82 Wrote: Not understanding why we're cutting Hopkins and keeping waynes can someone please explain to me why the hell trae waynes is still a bengal??

(03-18-2022, 03:36 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Because having him as a stop-gap and back-up at Center and Guard is a better option then Trey Hill who looked like a total disaster when he was on the field?

I know he was just a rookie but he looked like he'd never played football at times out there. Just figured Hopkins on a much cheaper deal would have been a good depth piece in case of emergency.

(03-18-2022, 04:51 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: We can get depth at a cheaper price than $7.1 million (cap hit).