Uzomah, Hopkins, and Hart...Oh My!

[THE PISTONS]

(03-11-2019, 07:57 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: It's almost like when we have no "good" players of our own to re-sign, we just throw the money at ANYONE currently on our roster. Or former players like Andre Smith or Michael Johnson. We apparently HATE signing external guys. So much so that we'll overpay our own mediocre players. I find it hard to believe that Taylor was content with the 2018 roster. If so, that's concerning.

Usually new coaches get to a 6-10 team and want to bring in outside guys.

Maybe Taylor is a puppet that thinks his coaching will overcome this?

[The Caped Crusader]

Bobby Hart is the #69th ranked tackle in Football.

[GreenCornBengal]

To me this indicates an early round RT is going to be drafted.

Keep Hart on as insurance for years to come, use the rookie on a limited basis until he has proven he can handle the load.

Not sure on the details of Hart's contract, but I would have to assume that a savvy negotiator has an out clause after 1-2 years to make this plan happen.

Hart won't be here for long, but we want to cover our basis with a 'meh' player while we test water with a rookie. Just my opinion, otherwise I'm not sure why we pay Hart quite so much. Does he have some unknown connection with Jim Taylor?

[THE PISTONS]

(03-11-2019, 08:28 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Well, just to play D.A. for a moment here, I've said before that pretty much all guys that are good enough to make it to the NFL have the basic talent required to succeed.  For years we were complaining that Marvin and the coaching staff weren't doing enough to develop and use players to the maximum of their abilities.  

Perhaps, just maybe, this is one of those situations where the new HC and his staff have taken a look at the players that we have, and decided that they are fine, and that they can do a better job at getting them to play up to their potential?  While I'll admit that giving Bobby Hart second tier money is a bit of a head scratcher, (actually I'm pissed as hell about it..) but maybe they looked deeper at the film and saw enough good qualities that they believe they can coach him past the penalties and blocking technique issues?  

Even at that, why $7 million a year?

[THE PISTONS]

(03-11-2019, 08:18 PM)Bilbo Saggins Wrote: Hopkins isn't overpaid - he could be the starting center next year if they decide to move Price to RG. Or he's the first guy off the bench at $3 mil - not bad. 

Uzomah's contract seems a little rich, but he does have good upside potential. They NEEDED to sign one of him or Kroft - Kroft was paid more despite his injury last year. Retaining him is a good thing. Paying him at a bit of a premium is far better than staring at 3 gaping holes at TE.

Hart's contract...I don't get it. I find it unlikely that there aren't other options out there with more upside potential at $7/year. This one is the headscratcher for me.

The issue with Hopkins is he's bad. Price was terrible at C.

At some point, we need better lineman...not the same.

[The Real Deal]

(03-11-2019, 07:57 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: It's almost like when we have no "good" players of our own to re-sign, we just throw the money at ANYONE currently on our roster. Or former players like Andre Smith or Michael Johnson. We apparently HATE signing external guys. So much so that we'll overpay our own mediocre players. I find it hard to believe that Taylor was content with the 2018 roster. If so, that's concerning.

(03-11-2019, 08:41 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Usually new coaches get to a 6-10 team and want to bring in outside guys.

Maybe Taylor is a puppet that thinks his coaching will overcome this?

Zac Taylor is learning the hard way what it means to be the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals.

[SunsetBengal]

(03-11-2019, 08:43 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Even at that, why $7 million a year?

Details haven't been released, yet.  It could be one of those deals where if he flounders, the team can cut with little dead money to contend with.

[THE PISTONS]

I feel like Marvin was calling the shots and they're lost without him.

[BenZoo2]

(03-11-2019, 08:47 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Details haven't been released, yet.  It could be one of those deals where if he flounders, the team can cut with little dead money to contend with.

Does that really matter? They paid good money for a bad player. I hope he can be coached up but it’s not like they were competing for any one for his services


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[THE PISTONS]

(03-11-2019, 08:50 PM)BenZoo2 Wrote: Does that really matter?  They paid good money for a bad player.  I hope he can be coached up but it’s not like they were competing for any one for his services


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep. Opportunity costs. Its $7 million less they have to spend on another position.

[THE PISTONS]

Baltimore, Washington, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia as other interested parties in CJ Moseley. Not us.

[Shake n Blake]

(03-11-2019, 08:08 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: My fear is this:  If the Bengals don't make the playoffs in 2019, it all gets blown up in 2020.  Zac Taylor seems to want a year with familiar players which isn't unusual for a young coach.

A plausible theory, IMO. Give it a go with what we have, if it doesn't work, blow it up. But wouldn't it make more sense to blow it up with a new HC? 

(03-11-2019, 08:10 PM)Bengal Dude Wrote: It feels like Tobin is now getting to call the shots. My fear is that Taylor is going to be nothing more than a yes man.

We'll see. He did have control over the staff, it seemed...but I was expecting some roster changes. Cutting Tez and/or Glenn. Signing some new faces. Setting a tone for HIS team and HIS expectations. Doing away with the baggage of the previous regime. I believed Taylor about Dalton, I guess, but is he sold on the whole roster? That's hard to believe. That feels more like a Mike Brown continuity thing. 

(03-11-2019, 08:13 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: I don't have any real issues with Uzomah's deal or Hopkin's tender, but the Hart contract was a huge WTF reaction when I saw it.

On my PO'd meter, I'd rate the Hopkins tender a 2, the Uzomah deal a 3 and the Hart deal a solid 9.  

(03-11-2019, 08:28 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Well, just to play D.A. for a moment here, I've said before that pretty much all guys that are good enough to make it to the NFL have the basic talent required to succeed.  For years we were complaining that Marvin and the coaching staff weren't doing enough to develop and use players to the maximum of their abilities.  

Perhaps, just maybe, this is one of those situations where the new HC and his staff have taken a look at the players that we have, and decided that they are fine, and that they can do a better job at getting them to play up to their potential?  While I'll admit that giving Bobby Hart second tier money is a bit of a head scratcher, (actually I'm pissed as hell about it..) but maybe they looked deeper at the film and saw enough good qualities that they believe they can coach him past the penalties and blocking technique issues?  

Well, if I'm being optimistic, the Rams didn't exactly make sweeping changes when McVay was hired.

That said, he did hire an experienced DC (Wade Phillips) and signed a couple linemen, including a big contract to Whitworth.

We brought in Anarumo and paid Bobby Hart. Ok, I'm not good at this optimism thing. 

[*psychdoctor*]

I think the Bengals are going to draft a tight end at number 11, maybe offensive tackles and round 4 and 5

[THE PISTONS]

(03-11-2019, 08:56 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: A plausible theory, IMO. Give it a go with what we have, if it doesn't work, blow it up. But wouldn't it make more sense to blow it up with a new HC? 


We'll see. He did have control over the staff, it seemed...but I was expecting some roster changes. Cutting Tez and/or Glenn. Signing some new faces. Setting a tone for HIS team and HIS expectations. Doing away with the baggage of the previous regime. I believed Taylor about Dalton, I guess, but is he sold on the whole roster? That's hard to believe. That feels more like a Mike Brown continuity thing. 


On my PO'd meter, I'd rate the Hopkins tender a 2, the Uzomah deal a 3 and the Hart deal a solid 9.  


Well, if I'm being optimistic, the Rams didn't exactly make sweeping changes when McVay was hired.

That said, he did hire an experienced DC (Wade Phillips) and signed a couple linemen, including a big contract to Whitworth.

We brought in Anarumo and paid Bobby Hart. Ok, I'm not good at this optimism thing. 

Lol. The light at the end of the tunnel is a train.

Good move = Katie is in charge. 
Bad move = MB is running the show.

[THE PISTONS]

(03-11-2019, 09:00 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: I think the Bengals are going to draft a tight end at number 11, maybe offensive tackles and round 4 and 5

It doesn't matter at this point. Honestly.

[phil413]

(03-11-2019, 05:04 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Overpaid. What's next a 5 year $45 million contract for Ced?

The only good thing I'll say about the Hart contract is it sort of frees our draft up some from having to draft OT. But, RT will be a weakness.

Even if you want these guys...why overpay?

I think what makes the signings look bad is the timing.  The coaching change and tolerance of inexperienced but promising young coaches is different.  Right or wrong different.

We have come to accept the practice of "rewarding their own" and playing the comp pick game even if it's a byproduct, it's what Cincy does.  Another thing they tend to do is overpay their own you not have to draft for need.  I prefer that as a lesser evil than reaching for need, but why not let these specific 2 signings play out?  

I can live with CJ, but the market is flooded and the draft is deep enough.  I can buy into paying a little more for continuity.  Hopkins was worth it in light of these prices.  The Hart signing is mind numbing.  What ever happened to "find your deal and come back"?  The FA market isn't that good, but even if there are low guarantees we know they won't cut him.  So, we accept that they've bid vs themselves, are hoping for youth, continuity, etc... Meanwhile, we are hoping they draft a solid RT prospect to push him or more likely Price or Hopkins.  They should have let the market play out and not worried about losing Hart.

[THE PISTONS]

(03-11-2019, 08:47 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Details haven't been released, yet.  It could be one of those deals where if he flounders, the team can cut with little dead money to contend with.

He's here to start. Taylor loves him:

Hart, 24, started all 16 games last season and Jim Turner, the Bengals’ new offensive line coach, watched them all closely on film and left no doubt that he wanted him for more than 16 games. Turner has an excellent relationship with Hart’s coach at Florida State and had no trouble picking Jimbo Fisher’s brain. Turner made his thoughts well known on Hart at the NFL scouting combine earlier this month even though he dared not utter his name even before free agency started.

“I can’t comment on the right tackle because he’s unrestricted so I’m not sure what’s going to happen with him,” Turner said. “I thought he did a great job. I thought was phenomenal. I know he gave up some sacks and pressures and all this other business, but if you really watch him play, he played with passion and I thought he played well. He played for Jimbo, so I talked with Jimbo about him coming from Florida State. I just like what he brought to the table as far as energy is concerned. I think he’s an athlete and I think he’s a good player, a good, solid player.”

[Shake n Blake]

(03-11-2019, 10:13 PM)phil413 Wrote: I think what makes the signings look bad is the timing.  The coaching change and tolerance of inexperienced but promising young coaches is different.  Right or wrong different.

We have come to accept the practice of "rewarding their own" and playing the comp pick game even if it's a byproduct, it's what Cincy does.  Another thing they tend to do is overpay their own you not have to draft for need.  I prefer that as a lesser evil than reaching for need, but why not let these specific 2 signings play out?  

I can live with CJ, but the market is flooded and the draft is deep enough.  I can buy into paying a little more for continuity.  Hopkins was worth it in light of these prices.  The Hart signing is mind numbing.  What ever happened to "find your deal and come back"?  The FA market isn't that good, but even if there are low guarantees we know they won't cut him.  So, we accept that they've bid vs themselves, are hoping for youth, continuity, etc... Meanwhile, we are hoping they draft a solid RT prospect to push him or more likely Price or Hopkins.  They should have let the market play out and not worried about losing Hart.

I like that philosophy when it's done properly. The Bengals take it to the extreme though, often overpaying "our own" or keeping guys we probably shouldn't. It allows the roster to stagnate like we've seen over the last few years. Sometimes it's best to cut your own dead weight and bring in fresh blood. It energizes players. Wards of complacency, and probably improves the roster.

Doing this doesn't keep you from signing your own best players.

[SunsetBengal]

(03-11-2019, 10:37 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: He's here to start. Taylor loves him:

Hart, 24, started all 16 games last season and Jim Turner, the Bengals’ new offensive line coach, watched them all closely on film and left no doubt that he wanted him for more than 16 games. Turner has an excellent relationship with Hart’s coach at Florida State and had no trouble picking Jimbo Fisher’s brain. Turner made his thoughts well known on Hart at the NFL scouting combine earlier this month even though he dared not utter his name even before free agency started.

“I can’t comment on the right tackle because he’s unrestricted so I’m not sure what’s going to happen with him,” Turner said. “I thought he did a great job. I thought was phenomenal. I know he gave up some sacks and pressures and all this other business, but if you really watch him play, he played with passion and I thought he played well. He played for Jimbo, so I talked with Jimbo about him coming from Florida State. I just like what he brought to the table as far as energy is concerned. I think he’s an athlete and I think he’s a good player, a good, solid player.”

Well, those are certainly Turner's thoughts.  We will have to wait and see what Taylor thinks of both of them, until the season unfolds.

[JWW1971]

We all just need to relax a bit and wait, see what unfolds with the rest of FA and the draft. We will then see who makes it through camp and into the roster.
I like the Uz signing as he is a good TE and was good when blocking for Mixon.
I was surprised by the Hart deal, but it's done and we need to wait and see what the coaches can make of him.
Were any of us expecting great strides forward this season? I'm just going to look forward to seeing what Zac and his team can do with the squad and hopefully we get a winning record this coming season