03-10-2025, 08:43 PM
(03-10-2025, 03:04 PM)Ell Prez Wrote: That is a TON of hits. Every team has an nfl draft. We have to get exponentially better than the next team. What makes you think CTB is a pro bowler or will even improve? Same for Murphy? Jenkins I could see. But there’s also a chance these players regress in a new scheme.
One score games don’t mean much. Most nfl games are one score when you factor in prevent D and garbage time scores.
We have more holes than last year and last years team wasn’t very good.
Every team currently has holes. Every team needs to hit on players. No team is going to hit on every pick but every other major pick/signing working out in a single season is not of the realms of possibility.
You asked for the path where the Bengals are contenders and I gave you it.
The Bengals did it 2020 when they drafted Burrow, Huggins and Logan Wilson in the same draft having signed DJ Reader and Vonn Bell in free agency.
They did it again in 2021 when they signed Hendrickson, Awuzie, Hilton and Ogunjobi in FA and drafted Chase. Under the radar was the signing of Eli Apple. They didn’t get every decision right (Jackson Carman, Tyler Shelvin) but they still got enough to turn themselves into contenders.
They need an off-season like 2020 or 2021 (they are currently a better team than in 2020). They need to nail at least two of their early picks liked they nailed Higgins and Logan Wilson. They need TJ Slaton to be DJ Reader in the run game and they need Oren Burks or another bargain basement signing to be as good as value as Eli Apple. It’s not necessarily going to be easy but as they’ve done it in the recent past it’s not out of the question that they do it again.
