Big Whit - 6 years and counting

[Shake n Blake]

(03-19-2020, 12:48 PM)bengals1969 Wrote: It was two decisions that really sunk the franchise.  Not seeing in Whit what the LA Rams did.  Drafting Ogib at number 1. 

In theory moving on made sense, the execution by the Bengals sunk them.  The theory of moving on from a 35 year old skill player is sound probably 90% of time.  Getting his replacement right coming out of the draft is probably right less than 50% of the time.  Had the Bengals drafted his replacement 1 or 2 years before letting Whit walk, they would known if they had a replacement.

I don't think it's so much that the Rams are the football version of Miss Clio, so much as they had a need and took a risk. Whit wanted more years, and they offered it to gain the edge on signing him. They didn't somehow see that Whit would age incredibly well. Heck, I'd bet they probably thought they'd be cutting him 2 years into that deal.

So to me, it's two mistakes: (1) drafting pillow-hands Ogbuehi and (2) sticking with him way too long/not replacing him with a good free agent. How we handled Whit though, was 100% correct without the benefit of hindsight.