04-03-2021, 07:43 PM
(04-03-2021, 04:45 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: When it comes to protecting Burrow, there's no doubt that the line is big priority. I would argue that finding a legit option to play opposite Higgins (and provide a downfield threat / be able tp step up in case of an injury) is extremely important as well... or in the case of Pitts, someone who can line up all over. Going back and watching all the sacks that Burrow took last year, the o-line was responsible for their share, no doubt...but coverage sacks were also a big problem. There were too many times where the receivers simply couldn't shake their guy or find a spot in the coverage, leading to Burrow getting sacked.
That's why I think both OL and WR are very important. They have to address both areas with capable players that can provide Burrow with more time, a cleaner pocket, better separation and a more explosive 3rd option than simply a dump off to Gio or a 6 yard pass to Sample. If they can manage to do both, and this draft definitely provides a great shot at that...then Burrow's going to reap the benefits and have a lot more opportunities to work his magic.
I know some are dead set on o-line first, and I'm cool with that if that's the direction they choose...but they need to come away with a couple of decent weapons after that pick...like maybe a Dyami Brown and Jaelon Darden.
Man I really wish we would've just signed Golladay or another solid lineman...that would've made it an open and shut case for everyone.
As it stands, I don't think separation with our WRs is as big a problem as the talent deficiency up front. That's not to say it isn't an issue at all.
Again, I'll go back to "there aren't enough footballs to go around". We had 3 WRs with 100+ targets last year, but that was largely out of necessity because Mixon was hurt. If you have Chase, Higgins, Boyd and a healthy Mixon...somebody is going to get the squeeze. Probably Boyd if we have a balanced offense.
Boyd has a cap hit of $9.8 million this year. If he sees his targets cut from 110 to say...70, he is no longer worth that figure. These are things you have to consider if you're on board with drafting Chase.
A quick recap of positives vs negatives:
Draft Sewell
Positives: The OL will almost certainly be MASSIVELY improved with Pollack, Sewell and Reiff in the fold. No good player is going to get "squeezed". The need for WR is speed specific, not really about production, so it'll be easier to find that type of player later than "stud lineman".
Negatives: Apparently, WR isn't as deep as OL in this draft. Someone will have to shift inside. Some see this as a positive because the interior is getting a good player (probably Reiff), but some will view this as a negative.
Draft Chase
Positives: Man would that WR core be stacked. If we find some quality IOL later, this offense could be a great show to watch. We'd have a WR that teams would have to plan for.
Negatives: We're gambling with - objectively - our biggest need, which is on the line. Hoping a good IOL falls to us isn't a strat that has worked much for us in the last decade. Boyd (or Mixon) will get squeezed a bit from the offense, and they're 2 of our highest paid players. Maybe we could trade Boyd and fill his spot with a Golden Tate on the cheap?
If we keep everyone and want to keep Boyd involved, Burrow will have to continue throwing 40+ times per game behind a Sewell-less o-line. Doesn't seem smart to me seeing the results from last season.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
