Safety is a need

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-11-2017, 05:43 AM)Jpoore Wrote: Derwin ***** James. He can play de,lb,SS,fs,CB. Dude is 6"3 223. When u watch the tape, there's one comp that imediately springs to mind. The late great sean taylor.

Yeah buddy, this guy is a baller.

[Hoofhearted]

(12-11-2017, 04:35 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: LB is a far bigger need, IMO. They’re all terrible other than Burfict.

Meanwhile, they had Reuben Foster waiting to be called and passed on his current 88.9 pff grade 

[THE PISTONS]

Yeah with so many needs on the team...Foster would have been a great pick. Really any one who was an above average starter would have been.

But...you don't not win a playoff game for 27+ years because you are well managed.

[3wt]

(12-11-2017, 01:36 PM)Brimey Wrote: Is Iloka big enough to play a hybrid LB type like we did with Mays?

By my estimate we need at least one safety, 2 Lbs, a defensive tackle, 2 offensive tackles, a new center, a guard, and a RE.

The spots that aren't immediate needs have guys in them who are quickly aging. This is now a total rebuild

This is where the Steelers have found a way to have the right combination of elite players and solid players.  We do have some solid players on the team.   I think Vigil is on the way to being a solid player.   Minter for a short while was playing solid.  Iloka and Williams (and really Fej) are solid players.   But it would be nice to have a playmaker to go with Burfict and Iloka.

The Steelers made do with a pedestrian O line until they got a couple of playmakers (DeCastro and Pouncy) - and landed a really good O Line coach.   That's when their offense really took off.

Plus they pick Bell in the 2nd round and got Brown in the 6th round.

We could get away with one elite defensive player and a really good tackle.  Obviously we hope for more to buttress who we have - if we get the right coaching, and if we get players that are mentally tough.

That was one of the things that we lost when we lost Whit, Zeitler and Nelsen.  They were tough minded competitors.  They made their mistakes but would end up settling down and playing well for the rest of the game.

I totally think Green is elite.   But he has not been mentally tough the last several weeks.  It's a concern. 

[THE PISTONS]

(12-11-2017, 02:09 PM)3wt Wrote: This is where the Steelers have found a way to have the right combination of elite players and solid players.  We do have some solid players on the team.   I think Vigil is on the way to being a solid player.   Minter for a short while was playing solid.  Iloka and Williams (and really Fej) are solid players.   But it would be nice to have a playmaker to go with Burfict and Iloka.

The Steelers made do with a pedestrian O line until they got a couple of playmakers (DeCastro and Pouncy) - and landed a really good O Line coach.   That's when their offense really took off.

Plus they pick Bell in the 2nd round and got Brown in the 6th round.

We could get away with one elite defensive player and a really good tackle.  Obviously we hope for more to buttress who we have - if we get the right coaching, and if we get players that are mentally tough.

That was one of the things that we lost when we lost Whit, Zeitler and Nelsen.  They were tough minded competitors.  They made their mistakes but would end up settling down and playing well for the rest of the game.

I totally think Green is elite.   But he has not been mentally tough the last several weeks.  It's a concern. 

Vigil is absolutely horrible. He grades out worse than any lineman we have on PFF. Don't mistake tackle numbers with being solid.

IF I had to pinpoint issues with the Bengals it's that we have about 8 starters graded out as Poor by PFF. We lost a lot of good players in free agency that we didn't adequately replace.

[grampahol]

Perhaps these guys are just fine and the problem is with the coaching staff..

Yeah, I know..it sounds redundant and all, but over the years we've had some excellent players just wasted by terrible coaching. 
Maybe Denver will fire Vance and he'll get silly enough to want to come back to coach our guys back to respectability.. 

Oh wait..The Brown family is still calling all the shots here.. Never mind..

[*ochocincos*]

If the Bengals upgrade any defensive position in FA, ILB will probably be the cheapest followed by safety.
I think the Bengals would be willing to pursue LB over safety because of the lack of proven veterans at LB.

My favorite ILB in FA is Zach Brown. Should have pursued him last year over Minter. There are a few other LBs that might be upgrades too (Preston Brown - Cincinnati native and Louisville alum?).

For safety, I think the draft has a lot of really good options even into the middle rounds but there are a couple options in FA. Tre Boston is one I remember scouting in 2014 and he's done pretty well since then. Is Jairus Byrd still considered a solid option at 31 years old and hardly playing this season for Carolina? I would assume the Bengals would want someone younger if the point is to rebuild, but if the point is to win now they may be OK with someone in their 30's.

I think DL will be a need given Atkins, Dunlap, and MJ all are set to hit FA after 2018.

So for me, I'd look to go LB in FA, DT in the first two rounds because I think the interior pass rush options in the draft are top heavy, and safety between rounds 3 and 5.
DE maybe on Day 3 or even wait until 2019 draft to address since the Bengals selected two DEs this past draft.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-11-2017, 02:49 PM)ochocincos Wrote: If the Bengals upgrade any defensive position in FA, ILB will probably be the cheapest followed by safety.
I think the Bengals would be willing to pursue LB over safety because of the lack of proven veterans at LB.

My favorite ILB in FA is Zach Brown. Should have pursued him last year over Minter. There are a few other LBs that might be upgrades too (Preston Brown - Cincinnati native and Louisville alum?).

For safety, I think the draft has a lot of really good options even into the middle rounds but there are a couple options in FA. Tre Boston is one I remember scouting in 2014 and he's done pretty well since then. Is Jairus Byrd still considered a solid option at 31 years old and hardly playing this season for Carolina? I would assume the Bengals would want someone younger if the point is to rebuild, but if the point is to win now they may be OK with someone in their 30's.

I think DL will be a need given Atkins, Dunlap, and MJ all are set to hit FA after 2018.

So for me, I'd look to go LB in FA, DT in the first two rounds because I think the interior pass rush options in the draft are top heavy, and safety between rounds 3 and 5.
DE maybe on Day 3 or even wait until 2019 draft to address since the Bengals selected two DEs this past draft.

I'm telling you all...Christian Wilkens should be our pick if he's there. He's an amazing DT.

[*ochocincos*]

(12-11-2017, 04:04 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I'm telling you all...Christian Wilkens should be our pick if he's there. He's an amazing DT.

I was a fan of Wilkins ever since I started researching him in September. For me, it's him or OL in the first.