Grade the current (last 5 years) FO

[Luvnit2]

There is a lot of passion about the Bengals FO. We see the discussions from many who feel the FO is inept or those who feel they are not. Let's grade them on cap management, roster (draft, FA and Cuts), contract management and anything else you feel is relevant. Also the coaching staffs they hire/fire each year.

I used current as the current FO is not 100% tied to what happened 10 years agao and even less so goingback decades
Facts
Contract disputes with Trey, Tee and Jamar the past 2 years and now a hiccup with our 1st round pick.
Regular Season Record last 5 years - 44 - 38 - 1
Playoff record (2 of 5 years) - 5-1 and lost 2021 Super Bowl
Burrow injured in 2020 his rookie year and Bengals won 4 games
Bengals one of biggest turnarounds in NFL history going from 4 wins to the Super Bowl with a 2nd year QB
Lost in AFC championship game in 2022 to the Super Bowl inning Chiefs
Traditionally use mostly NFL norms for contracts, not pushing a lot of cap in future years like Saints, Ravens, 49ers, Bills and a few others.
This method hampers their ability to sign additional free agents or more expensive free agents
Made Burrow the highest paid QB is history on his 2nd contract
Made Chase the highest paid non QB in 2025
Made Higgins one of top paid WR's in the NFL
Cut underperformers in 2025
No huge spashes in FA since Trey (Trey at the time was not a huge splash,but outplayed his contract).

Other can add more on eother side of the FO ledger.

Using a grading normal a is outstanding, B , C , D or F grade the FO

[Nicomo Cosca]

[schroomytunes]

I said good. They keep their own, and are finally cutting bait on underperformers. The only thing for me is the unnecessary drama every offseason with a particular player whom they deem is pulling the wool over their eyes. ( Chase, Tee, Hendrickson) I'm actually ok with the knucklehead clause in the contracts.

[*rfaulk34*]

[Bengalstripes9]

I went with Average.

The Chase, Burrow, and Higgins picks were all easy selections any FO would make.

The Hendrickson pickup was huge, as was the Reader pickup.

But they failed to make a complete enough team to win the Super Bowl in Burrow's early/cheap window and that should get any team an F because that's the easiest time in a superstar's career with the salary cap and all.

Balance out the F with the good moves they made with Reader/Hendrickson and others and we are at about Average.

Where they can go from Average to Good/Great is if some of the recent draft picks pan out.

Mims could be great, so could the 1st round rookie from this year.
That would tip the scales for them but they need some secondary and DT and G picks to pan out too.

[Luvnit2]

I rated them good overall. I am on record saying they could use better restructuring to free up cap space early in FA. As time went on, I came to the realization barring a trade, the FA class just did not possess players to make us Super Bowl favorites. Just my opinion, I know others have specific players and in some cases many players they felt could get us to a Super Bowl caliber roster.

As for now, our best shot is to get Trey sigened sooner than later and also both draft picks so they are in camp and we would then have ZERO DISTACTIONS ENTERING CAMP for the first time in years.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

I went with good, but on the verge of average because they lucked into the Burrow/Chase picks. But the FA in getting Reader, Hilton, Karras,
Orlando and of course Hendrickson were really good. But the picks that they didn't luck into have been pretty bad overall especially in the
trenches and the coaching has been pretty bad as well. Last year was a terrible FA, Rankins did nothing and Stone sucked most of the year.

The Mims pick was fantastic IMO.

I think FA and the draft was better this season, but only time will tell as always.

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 02:27 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: I went with Average.

The Chase, Burrow, and Higgins picks were all easy selections any FO would make.

The Hendrickson pickup was huge, as was the Reader pickup.

But they failed to make a complete enough team to win the Super Bowl in Burrow's early/cheap window and that should get any team an F because that's the easiest time in a superstar's career with the salary cap and all.

Balance out the F with the good moves they made with Reader/Hendrickson and others and we are at about Average.

Where they can go from Average to Good/Great is if some of the recent draft picks pan out.

Mims could be great, so could the 1st round rookie from this year.
That would tip the scales for them but they need some secondary and DT and G picks to pan out too.

That is a fair look.

[Soonerpeace]

I said D. It’s the drafting. I’m hearing though top to bottom that all those drafted this year will contribute. So this may he their best group in total. But the last 4 years? Man it’s awful. No inside info but development and Lou’s preferences in the draft doomed him. But of the first 3 drafted the last 4 years how many starters? That’s 12 players. How many were solid contributors ?
‘21
Chase *
Carman
Ossai
‘22
Dax Hill ( been here 3 years and first rounder)
Cam Taylor-Britt ( avg)
Zach Carter
‘23
Myles Murphy ( been here 2 years)
D J Turner ( been here 2 years)
Jordan Battle
‘24
Mims *
Jenkins
Burton

Chase could start for anybody ( but he was a can’t miss pick) and Mims at least half the teams. The rest? Some may start for us but how many teams? Some may turn out solid. But the group of 12 few contributed right out the gate. Your hit rate on your top 3 picks is crucial

[Bengalstripes9]

(Yesterday, 02:38 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: That is a fair look.

It's hard to give them credit for their top 3 players because of where they went in the draft and how the team had to suck for them to be in that draft position.

Those 3 players make up the majority of their draft success unless they start hitting on more picks, or the recent picks develop into stars.

Chase Brown was a good pick. They've had others. But mostly wiffs.

We need some stars to emerge from the past 3-4 drafts.

[TJHoushmandzadeh's Shiny Shoes]

(Yesterday, 02:27 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: The Chase, Burrow, and Higgins picks were all easy selections any FO would make.

No they weren’t. Burrow I’ll buy but 32 teams passed on Higgins and whilst the Vikings and Cowboys may have no regrets taking Jefferson and Lamb, the Raiders would given a chance of a do over take him over Ruggs; the Broncos over Jeudy and that’s just for starters.

Even Chase was a split decision amongst Bengals fans with a vocal segment decrying their pick. It’s easier picking at the top but you still need the vision for how they will fit into your team and turn you into Super Bowl contenders and playbook. The Bengals are far from the only team to have had top 5 picks but they turned it into a Super Bowl run. Where is Cleveland’s? Or the Jaguars? Chase has turned out a better player than the four players taken above him.

The Front Office’s record is decidedly patchy but the suggestion that any NFL front office would have made all three of those picks is revisionism of the worst kind.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(Yesterday, 05:02 PM)TJHoushmandzadeh Wrote: No they weren’t. Burrow I’ll buy but 32 teams passed on Higgins and whilst the Vikings and Cowboys may have no regrets taking Jefferson and Lamb, the Raiders would given a chance of a do over take him over Ruggs; the Broncos over Jeudy and that’s just for starters.

Even Chase was a split decision amongst Bengals fans with a vocal segment decrying their pick. It’s easier picking at the top but you still need the vision for how they will fit into your team and turn you into Super Bowl contenders and playbook. The Bengals are far from the only team to have had top 5 picks but they turned it into a Super Bowl run. Where is Cleveland’s? Or the Jaguars? Chase has turned out a better player than the four players taken above him.

The Front Office’s record is decidedly patchy but the suggestion that any NFL front office would have made all three of those picks is revisionism of the worst kind.

Yeah, it wasn't a given on Tee especially. He didn't have a good RAS at all and I guess that is why he even fell to us in the 2nd round.

I didn't expect Tee to fall out of the 2nd even with the poor RAS/combine though, he was that good with Clemson.

Lot's wanted Sewell over Chase, lots. Both were great picks though looking back.

[Whatever]

I gave them a B.

Bottom line, only 5 teams have made the SB in the timespan specified. Only 8 teams have made a Conference Championship game, with only 4 making multiple Conference Championship Game appearances. Despite the past couple of years, that is still rare air to be in.

I'm sorry, but when three QB's are chosen in the Top 5, the #1OA pick is not a no brainer, especially when it's a one year wonder that was throwing to two future All Pro's. Just because Joe was a foregone conclusion for us due to his Ohio ties doesn't mean he would have gone #1OA if Miami or SD was picking #1.

Chase was far from a no brainer when the vast majority of fans and pundits wanted them to take Sewell. Similarly, many wanted Josh Jones over Tee. Tee wasn't the BPA, not the highest ranked WR prospect on the board when he was taken, as most had Denzel Mims higher.

[Nepa]

I always considered C as average and B as good, so it's hard for me to select one of the options in which C is labeled as good. And I certainly would never consider a D as average.

I would have selected C if it were average.

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 03:47 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: It's hard to give them credit for their top 3 players because of where they went in the draft and how the team had to suck for them to be in that draft position.

Those 3 players make up the majority of their draft success unless they start hitting on more picks, or the recent picks develop into stars.

Chase Brown was a good pick. They've had others. But mostly wiffs.

We need some stars to emerge from the past 3-4 drafts.

It is silly to dismiss any picks and assume any team would do it. Chase was not a #1 overall pick, he was taken and the debte was Sewell or Chase. Both have been great, but we look a lot different with Sewell versus Chase. Tee was simply a great pick in hindset and very silly to say he was anything other than a great pick. Logan Wilson was also a great pick, Pratt was not bad.

You also don't give any credit for Bengals when they had to draft 31st in round one or give them a break as the further you get frm pick 1, the bigger the chance to whiff not only in round 1 but later rounds as teams have the chance to steal (draft) your guy when they are in front of you.

I do agree, we need better production from the picks the past 3 years.

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 05:27 PM)Whatever Wrote: I gave them a B.

Bottom line, only 5 teams have made the SB in the timespan specified.  Only 8 teams have made a Conference Championship game, with only 4 making multiple Conference Championship Game appearances.  Despite the past couple of years, that is still rare air to be in.  

I'm sorry, but when three QB's are chosen in the Top 5, the #1OA pick is not a no brainer, especially when it's a one year wonder that was throwing to two future All Pro's.   Just because Joe was a foregone conclusion for us due to his Ohio ties doesn't mean he would have gone #1OA if Miami or SD was picking #1.

Chase was far from a no brainer when the vast majority of fans and pundits wanted them to take Sewell.  Similarly, many wanted Josh Jones over Tee.  Tee wasn't the BPA, not the highest ranked WR prospect on the board when he was taken, as most had Denzel Mims higher.

I was wondering when somone would priortize winning. Winning or losing is the direct result of everything. Some will argue we have Joe Burrow so any FO or coach could build a winner. But can they? How did Marion do? Fouts? Current QB' Allen or Jackson? All are winning, but theyhave not won it all yet.

Joe also could be playing with the team that may have traded us 3 first round and 3 seond round picks.  I am sure they got great offers for the #1 pick but stayed and
drafted JB.  For the JB crowd, one more point. Are we the only team with a great QB? Was Rodgers great? How many SB's did he win? Big Ben made Tomlin look great because he fit into their overall scheme of great defense first, a scheme that have used since Noll.

I rated them good other than execellent because I can not give a FO aything less when they wet to the SB and back to back to years went to the AFC championship. But, it does not mean they made some poor draft picks the past 5 years, those picks caused them to not contine to go to the next level as much as anything.

[Luvnit2]

(Yesterday, 05:39 PM)Nepa Wrote: I always considered C as average and B as good, so it's hard for me to select one of the options in which C is labeled as good. And I certainly would never consider a D as average.

I would have selected C if it were average.

Yeah, that is fair. I was thinking more along the lines of a perfomance evalaution versus a school grading scale, but see your point. I tried to update poll to good/average but would not let me.

[Bengalstripes9]

(Yesterday, 05:49 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: It is silly to dismiss any picks and assume any team would do it. Chase was not a #1 overall pick, he was taken and the debte was Sewell or Chase. Both have been great, but we look a lot different with Sewell versus Chase. Tee was simply a great pick in hindset and very silly to say he was anything other than a great pick. Logan Wilson was also a great pick, Pratt was not bad.

You also don't give any credit for Bengals when they had to draft 31st in round one or give them a break as the further you get frm pick 1, the bigger the chance to whiff not only in round 1 but later rounds as teams have the chance to steal (draft) your guy when they are in front of you.

I do agree, we need better production from the picks the past 3 years.

It is silly to think that Chase wasn't a slam dunk pick (see, I can do it too).
Him or the tackle would have been easy picks for any FO.

Higgins was obviously the best player available at the top of the 2nd round. You could make an argument for maybe one or two other players but I wouldn't make that argument.

Yes, give them credit for not screwing up these two picks but they were easy picks from their draft positioning, which was earned from the FO's failure the past couple years.

In the end if you look at the draft overall and you want to give them credit for their few hits then you need to also look at their failures and overall there are a lot more failures than successes. The draft has been average at best the past 5 years (unless we see stars emerge in the secondary, DT, G/T, and Edge).

[SunsetBengal]

(Yesterday, 05:27 PM)Whatever Wrote: I gave them a B.

Bottom line, only 5 teams have made the SB in the timespan specified.  Only 8 teams have made a Conference Championship game, with only 4 making multiple Conference Championship Game appearances.  Despite the past couple of years, that is still rare air to be in.  

I'm sorry, but when three QB's are chosen in the Top 5, the #1OA pick is not a no brainer, especially when it's a one year wonder that was throwing to two future All Pro's.   Just because Joe was a foregone conclusion for us due to his Ohio ties doesn't mean he would have gone #1OA if Miami or SD was picking #1.

Chase was far from a no brainer when the vast majority of fans and pundits wanted them to take Sewell.  Similarly, many wanted Josh Jones over Tee.  Tee wasn't the BPA, not the highest ranked WR prospect on the board when he was taken, as most had Denzel Mims higher.

I can see why you would give them a B for two years of success and amassing wins. However, the past 3 years they have really dropped off by not re-signing guys like Jesse Bates, continuing to have high draft picks fail to launch, splurging too much money on the WR position, and now looking like a kids lemonade stand next to a New Car Dealership when it comes to botching the contract situations with Trey Hendrickson (top 5 player at his position) and their 1st round draft pick (selected to replace the other DE that had to retire), and not to mention failing to do enough to attract the needed outside money to have the cash available to finance modern written contracts. All in all, I give them a D = Average.

[J24]

The Ugly
Not resigning Jessie Bates
Poor offensive line drafting
Headaches in contract negotiating that have lead to national headlines.


The Bad
Not finding a long term replacement for Geno Atkins
Poor communication between coaching staff and front office
Drafting/signing redundant players on defense
Valuing big over Athletic players(particularly on defensive lines and offensive lines)

The good
Signing Orlando Brown
Drafting Tee Higgins, Logan Wilson, Mcpherson, Armarius Mims,  and Chase Brown
Signing good Free agents at bargain prices in particular the 20-22 off seasons

The great
Multiple HOF additions- Burrow, Chase, and Hendrickson have given you HOF like play over the past 5 seasons.

Grade- B
I would say 20-22 would be an A+ but 23 and 24 off seasons are a D to F+ range.