01-16-2018, 04:47 PM
(01-16-2018, 04:26 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Well, common sense has to play a part in the decision making process as well. For example, when a team like the Pats or Broncos spent huge money on a key FA, en route to a run to the Superbowl, it was because their team was great, and they felt like they were just one or two players away from being complete. We look back at them and say "smart business decisions".
On the other hand, when a team like Cleveland makes a Kevin Zeitler the highest paid Guard in the league, and still rolls on to 0-16, it's kind of a head scratcher. A couple other teams also come to mind as being memorable for spending big, yet still coming out losers are the Dolphins and Redskins before that.
Likely the best model of Free Agent spending that paid off this year, would have to be Jacksonville. Probably doesn't hurt that they've drafted well in recent years, and have a smart man at GM (Coughlin).
The problem to me is that the Bengals seem to purposely avoid taking a chance on upper tier free agents...even when they were going one and done five consecutive years and couldn't get over the hump. Their approach has always been extremely cautious and conservative, and that approach had yet to pay off when it matters most.
