08-20-2017, 07:07 PM
If you asked anyone 3/4 of the way through the season last year what we needed more than anything the answer would have been Oline and D line to an extent. So what gives? Why the hell is this still an issue after FA and what, 11 damn draft picks.
I know according to experts the draft wasn't loaded with talented OLinemen but is it when they say it is. It's always a crap shoot no matter what. You still have to try. We had so much to work with to improve this line, even had a backup QB along with all the draft picks to make something happen. What did we do? As little as possible, as cheap as possible.
Oline should have been the top priority this off season. But we let ourselves get fixated on skill players (who I'm sure are good) but that dosent make it the right decision. This franchise just completely flopped this offseason. No creativity whatsoever in FA with other players or our own, going into the draft having the same issues and still completely ignoring the obvious.
It's always the same arguments every year why we can't fix a repeating problem/problems. But you can't argue that we didn't have the money or ammo to make changes for the better. Whit should have retired a Bengal. We did get rid of some dead weight finally and decided to upgrade over Hill, but we have yet to find anyone to step up as a replacement to most of the players that we let go the past couple years.
Lost player. Replacement
Whit. ? OG, no need to say anymore
Zeilter. ? Hopkins who knows, are big FA signing can't even get on the field with the first string.
Nelson. ? Shaun Williams has been bad, now injured.
Maualuga ? Minter looks pretty slow out there. Still may be an upgrade.
Peko. ? Billings had a year to learn and so far it's the mental part of the game where he struggles. That's concerning.
Sanu ? Boyd, the only decent replacement so what do we do, draft a WR at #9 of course.
Marvin Jones. ? Ross, why...LaFell and Core looked good, Erickson constantly overlooked. I'm sure Ross will be fine, I just think we had more pressing needs than WR.
Now so far this pre season we have vet players looking bad like M. Johnson even Dunlap and Adkins have been quite. Then you mix in the lack of basic fundamentals such as tackling and it's hard not to be critical of this team even though it is only pre season.
So my question is How and Why. Why do both lines look like complete garbage. Why did we seem to have no urgency in the offseason to address the Oline. How do you fix this shit show in 2 weeks.
I know according to experts the draft wasn't loaded with talented OLinemen but is it when they say it is. It's always a crap shoot no matter what. You still have to try. We had so much to work with to improve this line, even had a backup QB along with all the draft picks to make something happen. What did we do? As little as possible, as cheap as possible.
Oline should have been the top priority this off season. But we let ourselves get fixated on skill players (who I'm sure are good) but that dosent make it the right decision. This franchise just completely flopped this offseason. No creativity whatsoever in FA with other players or our own, going into the draft having the same issues and still completely ignoring the obvious.
It's always the same arguments every year why we can't fix a repeating problem/problems. But you can't argue that we didn't have the money or ammo to make changes for the better. Whit should have retired a Bengal. We did get rid of some dead weight finally and decided to upgrade over Hill, but we have yet to find anyone to step up as a replacement to most of the players that we let go the past couple years.
Lost player. Replacement
Whit. ? OG, no need to say anymore
Zeilter. ? Hopkins who knows, are big FA signing can't even get on the field with the first string.
Nelson. ? Shaun Williams has been bad, now injured.
Maualuga ? Minter looks pretty slow out there. Still may be an upgrade.
Peko. ? Billings had a year to learn and so far it's the mental part of the game where he struggles. That's concerning.
Sanu ? Boyd, the only decent replacement so what do we do, draft a WR at #9 of course.
Marvin Jones. ? Ross, why...LaFell and Core looked good, Erickson constantly overlooked. I'm sure Ross will be fine, I just think we had more pressing needs than WR.
Now so far this pre season we have vet players looking bad like M. Johnson even Dunlap and Adkins have been quite. Then you mix in the lack of basic fundamentals such as tackling and it's hard not to be critical of this team even though it is only pre season.
So my question is How and Why. Why do both lines look like complete garbage. Why did we seem to have no urgency in the offseason to address the Oline. How do you fix this shit show in 2 weeks.
