Dont forget our OLINE still blows

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(04-25-2017, 08:08 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Rather than pile on, I will add this:  If you actually go position by position, the line should be better in every spot except LT.  I realize that is a big exception, but look down the line:

LG:  Boling, played most of last season with a tear in his shoulder.  TJ Johnson backup.
C:  Bodine, actually had his best season and should be better.  TJ Johnson backup.
RG:  Andre Smith, big, strong RG like Bobbie Williams.  No more finesse.  Power.  Westerman backup.
RT:  Jake Fisher.  Played decent once he was given this spot.  Should be much better in year 2 at the position and with an entire camp and preseason preparing for the spot.

LT is the big "what if".  That is why I hope the Bengals are able to slide in Rd 1, draft Ross, and then trade back in to Rd 1 and get Robinson.  They could use the 2nd rounder acquired by sliding in Rd 1 and a 4th round pick to trade back in to Rd 1.  He would compete with Ced at LT.  If Ced somehow beats him at LT, he becomes the heir apparent at RG and probably starts there.  He has the tools to be an All-Pro RG, but I would imagine he would win the job at LT.  And you would have your LT for what amounts to peanuts for five years under contract.  

Draft Elflein after that and you have an offensive line with more power at the LT, C, RT, and RG position than you had at the start of last season.  I don't know about all of you, but I got really sick of watching this team struggle to gain one yard at the goal line or short yardage.

That's a LOT of Kool Aid you're drinking there, man.


-Boling should be better.
-Bodine had his best season, but reaching that bar is awfully easy with how bad he was. Still can't snap the ball well.
-Smith was bad in 2015, terrible in 2016 (before he got hurt), and has never played Guard before. Oh, and he's coming off a torn triceps that needed surgery.
-Fisher was not decent when he was given the spot. He ended up having to rotate out with 33-year-old journeyman Winston, who performed noticeably better despite being mediocre at best.

Of course ignoring the fact that the Bengals are going from All-Pro LT to probably the worst T I have ever seen play last year.