(03-09-2021, 01:33 PM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: Has anyone heard who the Bengals are going to tag? I expect they use it on either Lawson or Jackson, and I believe it needs to be used today. Any knowledge on this?

(03-09-2021, 02:00 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: No news is good news, because there's nobody who should get the tag this year. Just because you have it doesn't mean you should use it.

(03-09-2021, 02:02 PM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: So you’re going to let both Lawson and Jackson walk?

(03-09-2021, 02:02 PM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: So you’re going to let both Lawson and Jackson walk?

(03-09-2021, 03:49 PM)Au165 Wrote: I find it interesting people are so willing to simply punt on playing any semblance of defense next year. If you want to be in a shootout that means Burrow is going to be dropping back 50 times a game again. Even with better protection, 50 dropbacks a game lends itself to a greater risk of injury. We need another pass rusher along with Carl Lawson, if we simply swap out Lawson for one we are probably as bad or worse in terms of our ability to get to the QB next year.

I get people like toys and all, but we have to have some sort of defense out there or else we will see gaudy stats but still a ton of losses.

(03-09-2021, 03:49 PM)Au165 Wrote: I find it interesting people are so willing to simply punt on playing any semblance of defense next year. If you want to be in a shootout that means Burrow is going to be dropping back 50 times a game again. Even with better protection, 50 dropbacks a game lends itself to a greater risk of injury. We need another pass rusher along with Carl Lawson, if we simply swap out Lawson for one we are probably as bad or worse in terms of our ability to get to the QB next year.

I get people like toys and all, but we have to have some sort of defense out there or else we will see gaudy stats but still a ton of losses.

(03-09-2021, 04:02 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I find it more interesting people are so willing to spend what is predicted to be ~$30m of the $46.6m in cap space the Bengals have in order to keep the 26th ranked defense together while their 1st overall pick QB is rehabbing from a destroyed knee behind a shitty OL.

Burrow was ALREADY dropping back an enormous amount, even with Lawson. That's Zac Taylor's "scheme". As of halftime of the Washington game, Burrow was averaging 42 passes per game. He was on pace to tie for the 6th most attempts ever in a single season.

The year before that, Dalton averaged 40.6 passes per start under Taylor, on pace for the 17th most pass attempts ever in a single season. As long as Taylor is calling the plays, they are going to throw a TON. That's just something you should already accept. So not planning and getting the best possible protection for your injured 1st overall pick QB in order to hold together the 26th ranked defense is folly.

The Bengals were already dead last in sacks in 2020 with Lawson. I wasn't aware you could get worse than last.

(03-09-2021, 03:49 PM)Au165 Wrote: I find it interesting people are so willing to simply punt on playing any semblance of defense next year. If you want to be in a shootout that means Burrow is going to be dropping back 50 times a game again. Even with better protection, 50 dropbacks a game lends itself to a greater risk of injury. We need another pass rusher along with Carl Lawson, if we simply swap out Lawson for one we are probably as bad or worse in terms of our ability to get to the QB next year.

I get people like toys and all, but we have to have some sort of defense out there or else we will see gaudy stats but still a ton of losses.

(03-09-2021, 05:02 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Who says people are willing to "punt on playing any semblance of defense"? 

Because they don't want to overpay Lawson, or invest 30 million dollars in 2021 cap space into CB1 and CB2?

You can use that money elsewhere.  Hell, you could get two really good veterans (say a DE and a DT or a LB) for the price of Lawson's tag.  Who is to say that doesn't do more to help the defense than paying Lawson almost double his actual worth?

(03-09-2021, 04:02 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I find it more interesting people are so willing to spend what is predicted to be ~$30m of the $46.6m in cap space the Bengals have in order to keep the 26th ranked defense together while their 1st overall pick QB is rehabbing from a destroyed knee behind a shitty OL.

(03-09-2021, 05:09 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: I'm forever amazing at the relunctance of some to move on from certain players.  I swear, there's some people on here that are seemingly in favor of keeping everyone.

Lawson?  We gotta keep that guy. 

Jackson? We gotta keep that guy.

Geno?  I'd like to keep him around if he restructures.

Bynes?  I think we should probably keep him.

Alexander?  Definitely keep that guy.

Green, Gio, Uzomah, Hart...

A lot of people on here are in favor of keeping all but one or two of these player, if not every single one.  It really is amazing.

It's like, guys, you know we've won 6 games over the last 2 seasons, right?  Team hasn't made the playoffs in 6 years.  Maybe it's time to try some new players in some certain spots?

"Nah, Carl Lawon and William Jackson play for my team.  I know who they are.  There are no other options.  I don't care how much it costs, our players are irrreplaceable.  Let's run it back again!"

(03-09-2021, 05:05 PM)Au165 Wrote: Who are these two "really good veterans" you are getting for a combined 17.75? With Lawson gone you need two ends now too as Hubbard isn't really giving you anything as a pass rusher, so can you find two pass rushers for 17.75? Are either under 30 or are we going with big names who used to be good?

(03-09-2021, 05:23 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: This makes no sense.

Your argument is to keep Lawson to fill one DE spot.

My alternative that I offered has resulted in you challenging me to fill two DE spots.  It also appear you set an age requirement, or "big names"???

My point was that you could target a DE in FA, to replace Lawson @ a range of 5-11 million dollars per.  (I know this is wide range, but it's a large market and it's dependent on how we value other positions)

This would leave you with anywhere between 6 to 11 million to spend elsewhere (DT, LB, CB, another DE).

So the question comes down to this:  Would you rather keep Carl Lawon at 17 million, or would you rather you use that 17 million on multiple players that can help the defense?

Keep in mind, I didn't even say that one approach is necessarily the best, or fool proof.  I brought all of this up to point out how ridiculous it is to assume that if you're not for keeping Lawson and Jackson then you're automatically ignoring the defense, and that you only care about "toys" (whatever that means).

The Bengals are unlikely to use their franchise tag by the 4 p.m. ET deadline. Things can change but it's unlikely, per multiple sources. #Bengals

— Tyler Dragon (@TheTylerDragon) March 9, 2021

(03-09-2021, 05:27 PM)Synric Wrote:

The Bengals are unlikely to use their franchise tag by the 4 p.m. ET deadline. Things can change but it's unlikely, per multiple sources. #Bengals

— Tyler Dragon (@TheTylerDragon) March 9, 2021

Worse Defensive line in the NFL just got worse.

(03-09-2021, 04:02 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I find it more interesting people are so willing to spend what is predicted to be ~$30m of the $46.6m in cap space the Bengals have in order to keep the 26th ranked defense together

The Bengals were already dead last in sacks in 2020 with Lawson. I wasn't aware you could get worse than last.