03-15-2016, 07:18 PM
(03-15-2016, 06:21 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: I see this mentioned every year in terms of free agency. "He won't know the playbook" or "he would have to learn the system". I will readily admit that I have never played in the NFL, but I am willing to bet that the great majority of NFL players can learn a new playbook over the off season. If not, that guy is borderline mentally challenged and you've done a really bad job of scouting the talent... these guys have been playing football, and learning new playbooks, their entire lives.
(03-15-2016, 06:29 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Yeah, you'd hope so. At least say the reason is he has familiarity or a rapport with the QB. The playbook reason only makes sense if the preseason is over, or say if you have an injured player in the middle of the season.
All those years they called back Chris Crocker from his couch in mid-season? That was because he knew the playbook. But that's not the same scenario as a FA period where you have workouts, training camps, preseason, etc all still to go. Plenty of time to learn a playbook. Afterall, all the Bengals players on offense have to do it this year anyway.
Well you can sit around and pick at nits about "why" exactly it happens, but it doesn't really matter. the fact is that a lot of free agents flop when thye change teams.
It could be the playbook.
It could be chemistry with the QB.
It could be not fitting into a different scheme.
It could be not meshing with a new coaching staff.
It could be anything, but the fact is that the Bengals are absolutely correct to value their own players more than players from other teams because the guys from other teams are more likely to flop.
Of course the numbers are skewed becuase the guys that team re-sign are usually better than the ones they let walk, but still more players flop when changing teams than when they re-sign with the same team.
