02-02-2023, 11:49 AM
(02-02-2023, 10:44 AM)Tomkat Wrote: But, it wasn't from lack of trying. The point remains, that the more money available, the better the CHANCES of putting together a good/great O-line, nothing is guaranteed. At least now, with Burrow's/Bengals success, it will be easier to attract better players. Still have to draft well.
Ehh... kind of is.
With Joe Burrow, the Bengals OL Cap usage ranks...
2022: 17th
2021: 25th
2020: 24th
Combine that with having, by far, the smallest scouting department in the NFL. It's pretty sad that Russell Bodine might actually be the best OL they've drafted in the last 10 years.
The Bengals had an opportunity to be able to pour money into the OL while they had a QB on a rookie deal, and they didn't. After Burrow got his knee blown out his rookie year they had an opportunity to make sure the problem was fixed, and they didn't. If they did, Bengals are playing in a week to try to hoist their 2nd straight Lombardi.
I hope Burrow doesn't max out the most he can get and make it an unfriendly deal, but I don't know if we can honestly and reasonably argue that if he does take a team friendly deal they will suddenly build an OL when they didn't do it for 3 years when his cap hit was $40m+ less than what it will be soon (or the 3 years prior to him coming here).
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