02-15-2018, 03:24 PM
(02-15-2018, 02:36 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I get a little irritated at some people saying "There's no good LT in this draft! Just wait until next draft!"I agree. I am hoping now that we have new line coach, we can grab one of these good linemen in the draft and make him very good. The interior lineman, look to be the cream of the crop, but you know how we value them.. As for OT, I think there are 4 or 5 really good ones, but none of them really standout over the others. Meaning, we could debate who is better than who and we wouldn't be right or wrong.
Well, there haven't been many good LTs for a few years now. Like the past five drafts. That's why guys like Whit are still rocking in this league. There haven't been enough young guys coming in to supplant the aging guys.
You've got Taylor Lewan and Jake Matthews from 2014 leading the pack that are good LTs (rated low 80's by PFF).
After that, you have just solid middle-of-the-pack starters in Ronnie Stanley from 2016 and Eric Fisher from 2013 (rated low 70's by PFF).
Then it drops off more to the likes of Taylor Decker and Garrett Bolles for teetering that serviceable line (rated low 60's by PFF).
And last, you get into the Laremy Tunsil, Cam Robinson, Cedric Ogbuehi group of bad rated starters (so far at least).
If the Bengals keep waiting around for someone "worth" their pick and can't get a stud in FA, they'll be stuck with the same bottom-tier talent at LT for years.
They might just have to accept getting someone who is a middle-tier lower-ceiling, higher-floor guy for now at least to get at least serviceable performance because an elite LT that could be available when they pick might not come by for a long time given the infrequency of good OTs coming out of college.
