Quote:Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick WR Ja'Marr Chase has made a very positive first impression on his new team, according to comments made by head coach Zac Taylor on Tuesday, June 1.'Ja'Marr has been impressive. He picks it up really quickly. I know there's probably some new terms that are crossover from some old terms he's had that, like any young receiver, it takes a couple days to get adjusted to. But man, he gets lined up quick, he knows what to do, he's got great hands. He's everything we hoped he could be here through just the first couple of practices,' Taylor said.

(06-03-2021, 02:43 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: According to an email I got from WalterFootball.com, Ja'Marr Chase is impressing Taylor!


You also have to believe that having chemistry with Burrow is helping, but it's AMAZING NEWS that he's already clicking with the offense and picking things up!

The email notes how Chase has "speed, ball skills and a nose for the end zone," which gets me so excited because our offense will be VERY tough to stop with Chase, Higgins, Boyd, and then not to mention Mixon!  Defenses trying to stop those guys will also make our tight ends look stars being matched up one-on-one with linebackers and no safety help because they're either helping out on the outside or trying to stop Mixon!

If our line gives Burrow time, I think he and Chase could have a HUGE season!

I also love how he's impressing Taylor because hopefully Taylor is taking notes on how to exploit defenses with his talent!

(Mods, sorry if this should be in the OTA thread.)

(06-03-2021, 09:09 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: It seems like the Bengals have pulled a "Williams over Ogbuehi" with Chase.  I mean that they tried to replace an aging veteran (that was still at the top of his game) in Whitworth with Ogbuehi and he was a horrible whiff.  Williams, though young and has durability questions, is the best lineman returning from a pathetic squad a year ago.  He is surely an ascending talent and I think with Pollack as his coach he will be manning the LT position for a long time.  The Bengals obviously think highly of him or they likely would have gone after Sewell to replace him at LT. 

The Bengals also tried to replace Green (who was also still on top of his game) when they drafted Ross, who was another whiff.  Enter the drafting of Ja'Marr Chase.  Second attempt to get Green's replacement, and they seem to have found their guy.  I know, I know...he hasn't taken a single NFL snap, but I am very excited to have him on this roster.  The quotes from guys like Boyd about Chase's versatility I take as honest praise.  The fact that Joe loves him and knows his work ethic, and how to be on the same page with him is just an added bonus.  

 

(06-03-2021, 09:09 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: It seems like the Bengals have pulled a "Williams over Ogbuehi" with Chase.  I mean that they tried to replace an aging veteran (that was still at the top of his game) in Whitworth with Ogbuehi and he was a horrible whiff.  Williams, though young and has durability questions, is the best lineman returning from a pathetic squad a year ago.  He is surely an ascending talent and I think with Pollack as his coach he will be manning the LT position for a long time.  The Bengals obviously think highly of him or they likely would have gone after Sewell to replace him at LT. 

The Bengals also tried to replace Green (who was also still on top of his game) when they drafted Ross, who was another whiff.  Enter the drafting of Ja'Marr Chase.  Second attempt to get Green's replacement, and they seem to have found their guy.  I know, I know...he hasn't taken a single NFL snap, but I am very excited to have him on this roster.  The quotes from guys like Boyd about Chase's versatility I take as honest praise.  The fact that Joe loves him and knows his work ethic, and how to be on the same page with him is just an added bonus.  

 

(06-03-2021, 08:17 AM)Sled21 Wrote: This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has even lightly perused Chase's resume. He's known to be a very smart, very tough, hard working football player. Exceptional speed, hands, and tough to bring down after he has the ball in his hands. I understand wanting Sewell, I wanted Sewell too, but in the end Chase was my guy and turned out to be the Bengals guy. He comes as advertised.

(06-03-2021, 09:09 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: It seems like the Bengals have pulled a "Williams over Ogbuehi" with Chase.  I mean that they tried to replace an aging veteran (that was still at the top of his game) in Whitworth with Ogbuehi and he was a horrible whiff.  Williams, though young and has durability questions, is the best lineman returning from a pathetic squad a year ago.  He is surely an ascending talent and I think with Pollack as his coach he will be manning the LT position for a long time.  The Bengals obviously think highly of him or they likely would have gone after Sewell to replace him at LT. 

The Bengals also tried to replace Green (who was also still on top of his game) when they drafted Ross, who was another whiff.  Enter the drafting of Ja'Marr Chase.  Second attempt to get Green's replacement, and they seem to have found their guy.  I know, I know...he hasn't taken a single NFL snap, but I am very excited to have him on this roster.  The quotes from guys like Boyd about Chase's versatility I take as honest praise.  The fact that Joe loves him and knows his work ethic, and how to be on the same page with him is just an added bonus.   

(06-03-2021, 09:13 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Zac spoke about Chase in his latest presser. He obviously said Chase is a great talent and specifically noted how Chase had so many reps on tape at the X position, the slot, and other routes that it is obvious he can play all over. He said Chase has amazing body control which allows him to then use his burst for YAC.

(06-03-2021, 09:29 AM)Wyche Wrote: I just read an article on the team, and there was a highlight on the oline. Seems Jonah only gave up two sacks and 1 or 2 penalties all year? That's pretty impressive for a guy in his first season, at LT, with a dog turd lined up next to him. I certainly don't understand the people that were down on his play around here. 

(06-03-2021, 10:16 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: The thing that made the John Ross pick so bewildering is that I don't believe he was ever intended to be a #1 receiver. AJ Green was just 27 and in the middle of his contract. Ross didn't have the profile of a #1 receiver either. More of a semi-one dimensional deep threat like Will Fuller. It was such a blatant reach on draft day and proved to be such throughout his career. I still cringe at the idea of that selection. I remember I was driving home the night of the draft and listening to it on the radio. They said "And with the 9th pick in 2017 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select John...." And I thought "...athan Allen? Great pick!" before Goodell finished with "...Ross, WR, Washington."

I'm just glad that pick is behind us. Hopefully we never pull a Raiders move like that ever again haha.

(06-03-2021, 11:09 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: Sewell would have been a solid pick, but Chase is a generational talent, especially since he'll be playing with Burrow, whom he has chemistry with already.  I understand wanting Sewell, because I kind of did too and we need to protect Burrow, but you can't pass up that kind of talent, especially when you mix in the chemistry with Burrow and the fact that we may have a solid left tackle already on the roster in Jonah Williams.

I keep mentioning chemistry with Burrow because I don't think people understand how important that can be with a quarterback and receiver because they can do so many different things to break off routes, alter routes, stop early, or do a number of other things to find open holes in a zone or exploit man coverage.

Ross was more of a one-trick pony and just had no overall receiving abilities.  Being undersized made it even worse.  It was a typical Mike Brown pick: take the guy that ran the fastest 40 to excite the fanbase and hope that being that fast automatically makes him HOF worthy.

I agree that we found our guy because, unlike Ross, Chase comes from a much bigger program and, I sound like a crippled record, chemistry with Burrow and Chase can do much more than just be a speed guy.  Chase has more than just receiving ability because he has the "it" factor that you just can't teach where he'll make a move to get open without even thinking about it because his instincts will just kick in and Burrow will know what he's going to do.

I love that he can line up wherever and run any route because it forces the defense to be have to call defenses to account for him and have a spare defender ready to be able to line up against him and it will create mismatches not matter what.

He's starting to grow on me more and more and I hope that he can play as advertised and give Burrow the time he needs to make plays because this team can be very dangerous if we protect Burrow.  

I think Williams is developing nicely and it does give me more confidence for this upcoming season.

Maybe our franchise did know what it was doing?

(06-03-2021, 09:29 AM)Wyche Wrote: I just read an article on the team, and there was a highlight on the oline. Seems Jonah only gave up two sacks and 1 or 2 penalties all year? That's pretty impressive for a guy in his first season, at LT, with a dog turd lined up next to him. I certainly don't understand the people that were down on his play around here. 

(06-03-2021, 10:16 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: The thing that made the John Ross pick so bewildering is that I don't believe he was ever intended to be a #1 receiver. AJ Green was just 27 and in the middle of his contract. Ross didn't have the profile of a #1 receiver either. More of a semi-one dimensional deep threat like Will Fuller. It was such a blatant reach on draft day and proved to be such throughout his career. I still cringe at the idea of that selection. I remember I was driving home the night of the draft and listening to it on the radio. They said "And with the 9th pick in 2017 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select John...." And I thought "...athan Allen? Great pick!" before Goodell finished with "...Ross, WR, Washington."

I'm just glad that pick is behind us. Hopefully we never pull a Raiders move like that ever again haha.

(06-03-2021, 03:16 PM)No-huddle Joe Wrote: While I love the idea of Burrow and Chase having that chemistry together, I just hope it doesn't become like the Dalton/AJ chemistry where he tries to force it to him under duress.  I don't think that will happen, but I am a little nervous about his injury and it being in his mind to get rid of the ball before getting hit.

(06-03-2021, 11:12 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: Typical Mike Brown pick.

Take the flashy guy that you think will sell tickets and be a superstar because of his speed and just ignore the actual team needs.

(06-03-2021, 06:45 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Not overly sure where that's coming from, we have drafted more OL than any other position in the last 10 years and those guys aren't exactly "Flashy"

(06-03-2021, 11:09 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: Sewell would have been a solid pick, but Chase is a generational talent

(06-04-2021, 12:26 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Stop it.

He will be a good WR but this generational stuff is just silly.

Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss are generational guys. They also did it for more then one season in college.

Calling a guy with 0 NFL snaps "generational" is just silly.

(06-04-2021, 12:26 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Stop it.

He will be a good WR but this generational stuff is just silly.

Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss are generational guys. They also did it for more then one season in college.

Calling a guy with 0 NFL snaps "generational" is just silly.