Housh gets it

[Murdock2420]

(02-21-2021, 04:15 AM)Whatever Wrote: There's plenty of starter quality T's set to be FA's in 2021 and not a lot of teams that will be able to pay market value for them.  Trent Williams, Russell Okung, Alejandro Villeneuva, Ricky Wagner, Daryl Williams, Taylor Moton, etc.  

Problem is, Hart was our second best OL last year.  Our IOL was a total disaster.  The focus should be fixing the IOL.  We need to sign at least 2 quality starters on the IOL.  It boggles my mind when people are saying OT only at 5, but I'm cool if they bring Quentin Spain's scrub ass back.  Is it about protecting Burrow, or is it just John Ross PTSD, because when people say we may only need 1 G if we resign Spain, it seems like the latter.

Even then, if you are just absolutely dead set on replacing Hart, you're ideally better of getting your T in FA and your WR in the draft.  First, T's are still a little cheaper than an equivalent WR.  Second, T's are now routinely playing at a high level into their mid 30's, while WR's start hitting the wall at age 29.  T's are safer bets to give big FA contracts to because of that longevity.  Third, in today's NFL, the learning curve is a lot bigger for a T vs a WR.  It's a lot easier for a WR to come in and hit the ground running and play at a high level vs an OT.  Vet T/rookie WR is cheaper and has a high probability of outproducing rookie T/vet WR.

I made these points in another thread, but I'll repeat them here.  No OL can block forever and the defense can always decide to blitz more guys than you can block if it doesn't respect your skill players.  How many hits and sacks did Burrow take last year trying to buy time because nobody was open?  A bunch.  Getting him skill guys that can get open and back the defense out of blitzing so much also helps protect Joe Burrow.  He is holding the ball too long because his receivers aren't getting open.  21.5% of his passes were to targets with a defender within a yard of them.  15% is about average and nobody won a playoff game with an average over 14.8%.

I can only put the facts out there.  If you think Sewell will give up less sacks than Hart, it's your opinion, but it's statistically improbable.  

Trent Williams - Sat out a year due to cancer. Did look good this season but wanted out of Washington due to losing and bad culture. So, scratch Cincinnati off the list.

Russell Okung - Was good... now. Injury prone.  Played just 13 games in the last two years.
 
Alejandro Villeneuva - Going to be 33, but should be a good fill in for a few seasons.

Ricky Wagner - Was a back-up in Green Bay not the starter. So... XSF type of signing?

Daryl Williams - This would be a legit Tackle upgrade. Also most likely to re-sign with Buffalo.

Taylor Moton - Being Tagged

So on the list, you have 1 real legit plug and play tackle that is most likely going to stay with Buffalo and if he hits the market has to choose Cincy over the other say 15 teams that would make an offer.

You act like suddenly Cincinnati is a hot destination to be for FA. 

Mike Brown and Zac Taylor are hated on this board and we all think they are in over their heads. So, short of out-bidding teams what is the draw for a top tier FA to come here??? 


And don't forget the Super Bowl when you talk about weapons matter....

Tyreek Hill is explosive. (More so then any player in the draft or on this team)
Kelce is a match-up nightmare 
And Mahomes is amazing.
Yet....

Their line was banged up and it showed that all the "open skill guys" meant exactly dick. A DB can cover tight for 4 or 5 seconds when they know their D-line can bull rush and be at the QB. 

You don't build a team backwards. Winning teams build quality O-lines and then draft new skill guys and let old ones walk. 
Look at Pitt... they churn through #1 WRs like it is nothing and still compete... why? O-line and D-line.
Green Bay... great QB, 1 real WR target... and bad ass O-line.
Cleveland lost OBJ, but the line was super stout... playoffs.
Baltimore... again.. bad ass O-line, and  a great running game. They have 1 WR that you can name.

Do you see a trend?

Want to win or want to be the 90 Bengals or the late year Al Davis Raiders, you know wasting pick after pick on skill guys when the team is broken.

Did you see the Lions... all the years of wasting 1st rounders on WR's, some great, some bust, but what did it win them? Nothing.

The O-line and D-line are all the matter once you have your QB.

If we take Pitts or Chase at 5 and haven't made major upgrades to the line, we will pick top 10 in 2022 again.