This is the best Bengals team (on paper) in a while

[*SHRacerX*]

(05-04-2020, 08:57 PM)Trademark Wrote: With all the free agency additions and the draft that the team had this is seriously a stacked team. I’m honestly excited and expecting 11-12 wins

Just ignore the bloodbath this is sure to unleash.  There is nothing wrong with optimism.  Hell, we need a lot more of it in this world.  The team, on paper, has no glaring "holes' any more.  People will point to the offensive line, but it IS fair to act as though the Bengals got another 1st round pick this year because Williams is coming back.  That is a massive upgrade over the Andre Smith/John Jerry revolving door we had most of last year.
We have talked ad nauseam about Michael Jordan's improvement after coming back from injury.  Hopkins in his second year as a starting center, who took the job from a first round pick and never looked back.  They brought in a guy they like in Xavier Sua-Filo, and drafted Akeem Adeniji to seemingly compete with him for the RG position.  They released the underwhelming John Miller.  They brought in Fred Johnson, who might be a real find, and he will push Hart for the starting job at RT.

You can be skeptical and call that line full of "ifs", but it is as though people forget that many other teams don't improve their lines, but they lose talent and have to replace them.  The Bengals have seemingly upgraded two of the offensive line spots (LT and RG) and have a guy in their second consecutive year under this coaching staff at the other positions that ALL showed improvement last year.  

The rest of the roster....I can't believe more people don't see it:  Loaded at WR.  A serious front seven now.  A back end of the defense that can tackle on the perimeter and make plays in the air.  

I could see it taking a few games for the offense to really hit its stride.  The defense could be really, really good from week one and if they can keep the Bengals in games early on, it could get very interesting down the stretch as the offense starts to click.  I am more excited about this team than I think I have been in any time, including the drafting of Carson Palmer.