Reverse thoughts

[Whatever]

(03-02-2021, 08:42 PM)spazz70 Wrote: I have seen several posts about going all in on offense in the draft this year and then work on the defense next year.  What about a reversal on this thought.  IF we go all out on offense in FA like we did for the defense last year and the losses we may take (WJ3 and Lawson) in FA and Sewell is gone at 5.  Let's say we sign an OG (Thuney, Reiff, etc.), and a Center ( Linsley?) and/or RT (Wagner, Williams, Feiler) and a low/med priced speed WR (several going to available).  

Now, load up on defense.  Trade down and take the best CB and get maybe an extra 2nd rounder.  In the 2nd get your edge rusher and maybe another DT or just the BPA (WR, another Edge, DT even an OL (especially if RT is not taken care of in FA)


Just thinking out loud...I get the whole Let's score a bunch of points and hope the defense can hold.  I just do not think they are going to throw a ton at the defense in FA again (Lawson and WJ3).  There is no guarantee that even the best OL rookie is going to put perform a vet FA. Fix the OL in FA.  Having Reader and Waynes back and a top 10 or so pick at CB and a solid edge in the 2nd round would make us more competitive IMO, overall.

I know it is hard not knowing who is going to be there at that 5 pick and that can alter your FA.  If you fix the OL in FA then it does not matter if you can or cannot trade down at 5.  You are going to have player there worth that pick one way or another.

Offense needs to be the focus in the draft and FA for two main reasons.

Reason #1-Lou Anarumo can be allowed to fail.

Reason #2-Joe Burrow can not be allowed to fail.

From all the reports we've heard, the Bengals knew ZT was going to be a bit of a project.  Fix the offense and get to respectability in the win column and you can make Lou the scapegoat.  Load up on defense again like they did last year and you'll be firing everybody and restarting from scratch.  While that's what a lot of fans want, that's not going to be what management wants.

Reality is, this team is more than a year away from contending.  We don't have enough elite talents, we have gaping holes in our starting lineup, and our depth chart is practically empty at a number of positions.  We can't fix the offense and the defense in one offseason.  If you try to do both, you wind up with a bunch of half measures and don't really accomplish much.  Protect Joe Burrow and give him the weapons he needs to establish himself as an elite QB.