08-16-2016, 10:52 AM
(08-16-2016, 01:37 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Dalton will turn 29 this year, AJ Green is 28 this year, Michael Johnson is 29 this year, Geno Atkins is 28 this year, Adam Jones will turn 33 this year, Andrew Whitworth will turn 35 this year.
Burfict's knee might shorten his career, Eifert's injuries sure aren't lengthening his career.
I'm not scared of the window closing this year or next, but 2018? Honestly might be something to watch out for. A lot of your best players who used to be your great young talent will be in their 30s then.
Not to mention Cap-wise in 2018, Burfict will be a FA, Eifert will be a FA (assuming they pick up his 5th year option for 2017), Maualuga will be a FA, Dennard will be a FA (unless they pick up his 5th year option), Jeremy Hill will be a FA, Russell Bodine will be a FA... and Zeitler/Kirkpatrick will be a FA after this year.
So I think 2018 will be the start of the window closing. All those guys hitting FA, and your best players either retiring (Whit/Adam) or getting into their 30s (Dalton, AJ, MJ, Atkins). They have wasted a lot of really good rosters and a lot of really good players' prime years under Lewis. Can't help but think that Bill B or Pete C would have a couple SB under their belt with the recent Bengals teams, and probably another one or two more before it starts breaking up.
This. They have already burned through a number of really good rosters in the last couple years with nothing to show for it. Yes, you can point to some injuries and some bad calls to excuse what happened, but the fact remains the same. Through age, through injury, and financially they will not be able to keep this team together forever. They need to start making things happen.
