10-28-2024, 10:41 AM
We got to the Super Bowl and the AFC championship game in consecutive years on the backs of Joe Burrow's, Tee Higgins' and Ja'Marr Chase's rookie contracts. Each of these players were drafted due to having really good draft position. Position that we have not had since.
We also made a few really good investments on defense that propped up the entire squad. Jessie Bates at safety, DJ Reader at NT and Trey Hendrickson each are "worth" two players. Jessie Bates covered up deficiencies in the secondary. Reader allowed Lou to go light in the box and still effectively stop the run as if he hadn't, and Hendrickson created enough pressure to make up for Hubbard's ineffectiveness against the pass.
All but one of those three players is gone now. And the one that is still here has already requested a trade once. The odds that we give him his market value is low, so he may force his way out this coming off season.
And we no longer have the benefit of rookie contracts for our offensive stars.
We can no longer coast on having more talent than our opposition.
We wasted the window. Now we are nearing a complete rebuild with Joe and Ja'Marr being the only key pieces that will be locked down.
Given our recent draft history, that does not bode well for the long term prospects of this team.
When you have an elite WR and an elite QB, you can cover up a lot of deficiencies on the team. But you can't cover up 20.
We also made a few really good investments on defense that propped up the entire squad. Jessie Bates at safety, DJ Reader at NT and Trey Hendrickson each are "worth" two players. Jessie Bates covered up deficiencies in the secondary. Reader allowed Lou to go light in the box and still effectively stop the run as if he hadn't, and Hendrickson created enough pressure to make up for Hubbard's ineffectiveness against the pass.
All but one of those three players is gone now. And the one that is still here has already requested a trade once. The odds that we give him his market value is low, so he may force his way out this coming off season.
And we no longer have the benefit of rookie contracts for our offensive stars.
We can no longer coast on having more talent than our opposition.
We wasted the window. Now we are nearing a complete rebuild with Joe and Ja'Marr being the only key pieces that will be locked down.
Given our recent draft history, that does not bode well for the long term prospects of this team.
When you have an elite WR and an elite QB, you can cover up a lot of deficiencies on the team. But you can't cover up 20.
![[Image: oN5QAdY.png]](https://i.imgur.com/oN5QAdY.png)
