(06-01-2015, 11:49 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Ok, this is what I mean.  I get it, optimism feels good but our offense "giving defenses nightmares" has been stated as an inevitability for each off-season I can remember.  Does our offense give defenses nightmares?  Can we at least give them an unpleasant daydream first?

(06-01-2015, 09:07 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I may have stated it when we had Eifert and Gresham, but we just never used them properly.

Using them properly, along with AJ and Hill, would give defenses nightmares.

(06-01-2015, 12:01 PM)djs7685 Wrote: It's probably my favorite part of the offseason when people (Brad) make the most absurd claims about our offense. Every post is filled with how "unstoppable", "unbeatable", "uncoverable" so and so are going to be.

I mean, defenses will have to put extra guys on the field because who can cover these guys?!

I don't know, but I'd guess that most NFL defensive coordinators have it figured out. There have been some high powered offenses to come through the NFL over the years, but every one has been stopped and covered by a defense at some point. Excuse me if I'm just ignoring some facts here and completely missing the point, but when has the recipe for offensive success ever been an average QB, 1 top tier WR, a WR with half of a season of playing time under his belt, a guy with the dropsies, an unproven TE, a rookie TE, and a pair of RBs with 560 career carries??

MLJ is a talented kid and I have high hopes for Eifert, but there's no need to pretend this group of guys is unquestionably going to run rampant leading the NFL in every offense based category.

(06-01-2015, 09:43 PM)BengalChris Wrote: That's been an ongoing problem.

Just not sure if it was Gresham or the play designs or the play calling. My guess is that  Gresham just didn't have his head in games.

In the playoff game in Jan 2013 against Houston Gresham was suppose to be a big part of the offense and AJ was a decoy for most of the first half. The team then started going to AJ in the second half after the first half sucked. The offense only scored 3 points in that game.

I believe Gresham was given a lot of opportunities to step up and just didn't, at least not compared with some other TEs around the league. Maybe with Eifert and Kroft the offensive game plan will include more TEs work. Going to have to wait and see. Wondering if Gresham is going to find a team this year.

(06-01-2015, 11:21 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Part of me wonders if 4-6 TDs per season really is "stepping up" as far as Bengals TE's are concerned.  We might miss Gresham.

(05-31-2015, 08:46 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Gresham might be a physical specimen, but he was never really overly physical (nothing ever stands out in my mind).

(06-03-2015, 02:12 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote:

Huh?

You're joking, right?

(06-03-2015, 02:12 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote:

Huh?

You're joking, right?

(06-03-2015, 02:42 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Show me a few plays where he physically just plowed guys over (without fumbling) or just used his size to his advantage to push people around.

(06-03-2015, 07:00 PM)3wt Wrote: I won't deny that he had a fumbling problem, but I can think of a lot of plays when he was dragging 3-5 players another 5 yards.   He was very strong against DEs and he whipped defensive backs around like they were sacks of paper.

He just didn't know how to secure the ball and how to keep up with what was going down on the field.   I don't know if it was just his mind or his emotions.  But he had the potential to be the best complete TE in the game.  His physical skills were elite.

(06-04-2015, 02:53 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I think Kroft will be everything we wanted from Gresham.

Consistent, good hands, big target, good blocker etc.

Perfect dude to compliment Eifert who is obviously the more talented pass catcher and playmaker.

(06-04-2015, 03:00 PM)3wt Wrote: I hope you're right Nate.   I just think we've underestimated Gresham's abilities all the way around and this guy is a rookie.   I've heard negatives about both Kroft's hands and his blocking (I've heard positives too).

I'll be tickled pink if he is, and I don't really know what to expect.  It will have an impact on our offense which ever way it goes.  

I'm just not sold.   I know he wasn't as talented, but I liked the guy out of Florida State better.  He's just a player - tough and clutch.

Hope that's how Kroft turns out - with the additional athleticism

(06-04-2015, 03:00 PM)3wt Wrote: I hope you're right Nate.   I just think we've underestimated Gresham's abilities all the way around and this guy is a rookie.   I've heard negatives about both Kroft's hands and his blocking (I've heard positives too)...

(06-04-2015, 03:18 PM)WhoDeyWho Wrote: I thought he was a HS WR?  His hands should be decent.  

(06-04-2015, 04:46 PM)3wt Wrote: I'm thinking you're right.  I know he put on a lot of weight at Rutgers.   I've heard reports (I don't remember which draftnik - NFL.com, Rang or who) that he catches with his body too much.  I know the Bengals thought he was the best of the group.  But they also picked Gresham over Gronk and Graham.

I've also heard that he has excellent hands.  I'm a glass half empty kind of guy when it comes to expectations - I'm not proud to say.

I want him to be a stud though.