Quote:CINCINNATI —
The Cincinnati Bengals are continuing offseason workouts this week and recently welcomed a new face to the facility.

Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, an eight-year NFL veteran, arrived for his first offseason as a member of the Bengals, fresh off signing a two-year, $26 million deal in March.

Discussing his first impression of his new home in Cincinnati and the culture around the Bengals' locker room, Rankins explained his sky-high expectations for the 2024 season.

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"It's Super Bowl or bust," Rankins said Tuesday. "I think that was part of my decision to come here, understanding that my football age is getting up there and to be a part of something special, to be a part of truly going for it all, be a part of doing something different with an organization like this was a big reason for being here."

The 29-year-old Rankins has spent time with three different organizations, including the New Orleans Saints, who drafted him in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

A former Louisville Cardinal, Rankins was with the Saints from 2016 through 2020, starting each game in 2017 and 2018 before injuries limited him to 24 games combined the next two seasons.

After moving on from the Saints, Rankins played two seasons with the New York Jets in 2021 and 2022, totaling six sacks and 75 total tackles during his time in New York.

Rankins signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans in 2023, totaling six sacks and a fumble recovery in 15 games for the playoff-bound Texans.

Now with his fourth NFL organization, Rankins is impressed by what he sees inside the walls of Paycor Stadium as the Bengals chase down their elusive first Super Bowl ring.

"First class all the way around and just everything is geared toward playing in February in New Orleans," Rankins said.

(06-05-2024, 05:32 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: I liked this little tidbit from the mothership.
https://www.bengals.com/_mobileview/news/sheldon-rankins-senses-super-bowl-or-bust-paycor-vibe-joe-burrow-s-day-off?hidebanner=true&adobe_mc=TS%3D1717619390%7CMCMID%3D81057938713997962301852430414046571539%7CMCAID%3D2F0767CC8515A2C0-400007A47202EDB4%7CMCORGID%3DF75C3025512D2C1D0A490D44%40AdobeOrg

“Which would be a neat full circle for Rankins, a 2016 first-round pick of the Saints out of Louisville. Nearly ten years ago, but he says he's got plenty left for a defense that lost its Pro Bowl-caliber nose tackle DJ Reader and believes he's a "dominant three-down," player who can be more than a factor against the run.
Last year, he played 59% of the snaps for the Texans' sixth-ranked run defense.
"At this point in my career, 100 percent. No doubt about it," Rankins said. "I have zero doubt in myself to be a dominant three-down guy. Go play against the run, and on third down make money as a pass rusher. Zero doubt in anything I can do at this point in my career."”

Might allow some of the “we are doomed, Reader left, OMG NT” people step back from the ledge.

(06-05-2024, 08:26 PM)J24 Wrote: He had a 38.2 PFF run grade last season and a 34.4 PFF run grade in 2021. He did have a PFF run grade of 67.4 in 2022.

His pass rush is nice with a 76.4 last year and he was top 10 in pass rush win rate for DTs last year according to ESPN. Furthermore he was 10th on true pass rush set  with an 84.6 grade.

(06-05-2024, 08:33 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Pfft! PFF and their unexplainable metrics that everybody loves when it favors their player and hate when it shows negatively...

(06-05-2024, 08:35 PM)J24 Wrote: Don't shoot the messenger here.

(06-05-2024, 09:52 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: I pee'd a little.

(06-06-2024, 11:35 AM)WychesWarrior Wrote: Bad dog!

(06-05-2024, 08:59 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'm not pointing at you specifically (other than this instance) but people love PFF when they say good things about their players and absolutely hate that service when they rate them negatively. Nobody can give a simple explanation of their grading system, and some have called into question their methodology of the play by play grading, as they don't know the play called or assignments issued prior to the snap.

(06-06-2024, 12:23 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Spot on Sunset. All I know is Rankins was damn good as a run stopper with the Jets when that was asked of him and they were the best 
run stopping Defense in the league. Also Joelist's numbers show why you shouldn't put much stock in PFF at times. They were the 3rd best
run stopping Defense and all the interior DL had bad grades, how the hell can that be?

(06-05-2024, 09:55 PM)Joelist Wrote: I would note that PFF also rated the other Texan D inside linemen low against the run (Collins 44.5, Hinish 47.5, Davis at 60.7). But somehow the Texans had the third lowest allowed YPC in the NFL and even PFF rated their RDEF as 63.1. Meanwhile we were 31st in the NFL in YPC but PFF only rated us less than 2 pts worse than Houston (61.8). So go figure - stuff like this is why PFF synthetic ratings are not trusted by lots of fans.

(06-06-2024, 12:23 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Spot on Sunset. All I know is Rankins was damn good as a run stopper with the Jets when that was asked of him and they were the best 
run stopping Defense in the league. Also Joelist's numbers show why you shouldn't put much stock in PFF at times. They were the 3rd best
run stopping Defense and all the interior DL had bad grades, how the hell can that be?

(06-05-2024, 08:59 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'm not pointing at you specifically (other than this instance) but people love PFF when they say good things about their players and absolutely hate that service when they rate them negatively. Nobody can give a simple explanation of their grading system, and some have called into question their methodology of the play by play grading, as they don't know the play called or assignments issued prior to the snap.

(06-06-2024, 02:17 PM)J24 Wrote:  They had 2 LBers that were top 15 in run defense(Perrymen and Cashman) last season and a top 20 Edge defender against the run in Anderson. 

Also both Collins and Rankins were not re-signed by the team. Maybe their FO didn't like them because of the lack of run defense?

So we should only pay attention to PFF when it favors our players in a positive light? Don't get me wrong I don't think PFF is perfect  but it is still a pretty reliable source.

Also PFF is high on Rankins as a pass rusher!

(06-06-2024, 12:51 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Who knows, maybe PFF is basing their ratings partly off of jersey sales numbers? 

(06-06-2024, 02:17 PM)J24 Wrote:  They had 2 LBers that were top 15 in run defense(Perrymen and Cashman) last season and a top 20 Edge defender against the run in Anderson. 

Also both Collins and Rankins were not re-signed by the team. Maybe their FO didn't like them because of the lack of run defense?

So we should only pay attention to PFF when it favors our players in a positive light? Don't get me wrong I don't think PFF is perfect  but it is still a pretty reliable source.

Also PFF is high on Rankins as a pass rusher!

(06-06-2024, 02:55 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: PFF is only useful for counting stats and physical data.

Anything that uses any of their metrics or opinions should be steered clear of

(06-06-2024, 02:17 PM)J24 Wrote:  They had 2 LBers that were top 15 in run defense(Perrymen and Cashman) last season and a top 20 Edge defender against the run in Anderson. 

Also both Collins and Rankins were not re-signed by the team. Maybe their FO didn't like them because of the lack of run defense?

So we should only pay attention to PFF when it favors our players in a positive light? Don't get me wrong I don't think PFF is perfect  but it is still a pretty reliable source.

Also PFF is high on Rankins as a pass rusher!