06-01-2017, 12:44 PM
(05-30-2017, 12:43 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I'm not assuming those guys will not get better at all, I'm just assuming that Ogbuehi will certainly not be better than Whit was last year, and Andre will not be better than Zeitler. We're almost certain to be worse at those positions, unless someone wants to sell me on how Ogbuehi is an upgrade to a Bengals legend or how Andre Smith can bump inside and outplay a guy who spent his entire career at one position and is now the highest paid guard in the league.
I just don't see it, but we'll see.
I do think RT will be better by default. No one can be as bad as Ogbuehi was last year, and I am somewhat hopeful with Fisher.
All valid concerns but lets just not act like Zeitler deserved to be the highest paid Guard ever.
He was a terrible run blocker last year and at the very least Andre should be an upgrade in this part of the game if he can stay healthy.
Plus moving from being an OT to an interior O-lineman Andre already has a heads up in pass protection since he has faced the best pass
rushers that tend to mostly be on the outside. Andre Smith staying healthy is my biggest concern here, like you said, we will see.
(06-01-2017, 11:29 AM)BengalChris Wrote: Differences
1. Improved outside speed at receiver with Ross and Core looking good.
2. Lost one of the top LTs in the league and he's being replaced by one of the worse OTs in the league. If Ogbuehi has just a so-so OT season then he will have improved dramatically. I doubt he has that much improvement in him in one season.
3. Lost our best interior lineman, but replaced him with Andre Smith who will should be a better run blocker.
4. On defense we've gotten younger with Minter and Lawson at LB and we are hoping WJIII and the NT (forget his name at the moment) step up after both missed all of their rookie years.
Will it be enough?
Probably not enough to advance in the playoffs. Lewis will be Lewis. Defense will be top 10 scoring defense once again, but O-line will continue to plague the offense with back field pressure and penetration. Bodine is still the OC and will be leaky. Ogbuehi, even if he improves, probable won't be a good starter and since he's never played a full season there's no reason to suspect he will this year. We don't even have a decent backup at LT to boot.
BILLINGS!
Landon Lechler might be a nice surprise to some, he was dominant at North Dakota State is the same size as Whit and now wears #77.
Went undrafted cause of the small college but you cannot deny his great play, he might be a sleeper if Og sucks it up.
