08-18-2017, 08:28 PM
@ochocincos
Personnel moves/decisions can be debated in every city. But the fact is you can’t sign everyone. They’ve retained / extended the best players they’ve had since what, 2011? (And Whit is not really a good example of someone they didn’t want to retain. Dude spent a decade here with multiple extensions.) If you knock them for not keeping a second or third receiver, then do they get extra credit for locking up Atkins and Dunlap, a HOF-track DT and a Pro Bowl pass rusher? There is a cap and 53 guys – and Jones and Sanu got over $72.5 million. I mean, you’re going to pay three wide receivers a total of $145 million over the length of their deals? It’s just not feasible. And the Bengals did match Detroit’s offer – Marvin just chose to leave to be a No. 1. That was his right.
I can’t argue with being more flexible in free agency or changing that thinking. As for the most-drafted players on a roster thing – but the Patriots and Packers and Steelers consistently rank in the top third of the league, along with the Bengals, in number of homegrown players on rosters. There are many ways to roster build, but the way the math works is you need starters playing four years on a rookie contract to help pay for stars elsewhere.
I’ll agree on scouting. And think about it – the staff has cycled. They’ve had three offensive coordinators and defensive coordinators since 2013. New position coaches came in in 2014 on defense with Matt Burke and Vance Joseph, and entire positional grouping on defense changed before 2016. I think you’re pointing more to the head coach?
@ThePistons – great point on the teams that have been to the Super Bowl since ’88. It’s been too long at this point, regardless of the positives that have happened since 2003.
@bambino5130 - Take Zeitler for example, they could have locked him up, when the Steelers chose to sign DeCastro for a similar deal at about 5 years and 10 million per
They could not have. I knew that situation very, very well – Zeitler was going to be the highest paid guard in football. The Bengals don’t believe guard is a $10M per year position. Frankly, neither do I. Trust me when I say Zeitler didn’t feel disrespected. He gambled on himself and it paid off.
Again, Whitworth doesn’t count IMO. At some point you gotta cut the cord and the Rams had to pay him that. He was paid handsomely over many years with many extensions. Reggie Nelson? Old and same kinda deal as Whit. You had Shawn William sitting there. Marvin Jones’ deal was matched, to the dollar, but he chose to go to Detroit. He also gambled on himself. Would you have paid Marvin $40 million after missing all of 2014 with a foot injury? No one would have. Didn't hear a peep from anyone saying they should extend him in my first camp in '15. And he wasn't feeling disrespected, either. Hindsight is always 20-20.
Personnel moves/decisions can be debated in every city. But the fact is you can’t sign everyone. They’ve retained / extended the best players they’ve had since what, 2011? (And Whit is not really a good example of someone they didn’t want to retain. Dude spent a decade here with multiple extensions.) If you knock them for not keeping a second or third receiver, then do they get extra credit for locking up Atkins and Dunlap, a HOF-track DT and a Pro Bowl pass rusher? There is a cap and 53 guys – and Jones and Sanu got over $72.5 million. I mean, you’re going to pay three wide receivers a total of $145 million over the length of their deals? It’s just not feasible. And the Bengals did match Detroit’s offer – Marvin just chose to leave to be a No. 1. That was his right.
I can’t argue with being more flexible in free agency or changing that thinking. As for the most-drafted players on a roster thing – but the Patriots and Packers and Steelers consistently rank in the top third of the league, along with the Bengals, in number of homegrown players on rosters. There are many ways to roster build, but the way the math works is you need starters playing four years on a rookie contract to help pay for stars elsewhere.
I’ll agree on scouting. And think about it – the staff has cycled. They’ve had three offensive coordinators and defensive coordinators since 2013. New position coaches came in in 2014 on defense with Matt Burke and Vance Joseph, and entire positional grouping on defense changed before 2016. I think you’re pointing more to the head coach?
@ThePistons – great point on the teams that have been to the Super Bowl since ’88. It’s been too long at this point, regardless of the positives that have happened since 2003.
@bambino5130 - Take Zeitler for example, they could have locked him up, when the Steelers chose to sign DeCastro for a similar deal at about 5 years and 10 million per
They could not have. I knew that situation very, very well – Zeitler was going to be the highest paid guard in football. The Bengals don’t believe guard is a $10M per year position. Frankly, neither do I. Trust me when I say Zeitler didn’t feel disrespected. He gambled on himself and it paid off.
Again, Whitworth doesn’t count IMO. At some point you gotta cut the cord and the Rams had to pay him that. He was paid handsomely over many years with many extensions. Reggie Nelson? Old and same kinda deal as Whit. You had Shawn William sitting there. Marvin Jones’ deal was matched, to the dollar, but he chose to go to Detroit. He also gambled on himself. Would you have paid Marvin $40 million after missing all of 2014 with a foot injury? No one would have. Didn't hear a peep from anyone saying they should extend him in my first camp in '15. And he wasn't feeling disrespected, either. Hindsight is always 20-20.
Beat writer for Cincinnati.com & The Enquirer. Follow along on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Periscope.
