Give me your dark horse and your dud for 2018

[fredtoast]

(04-07-2018, 12:01 PM)BenZoo2 Wrote: Dud, Cordy Glenn.  This is only due to health concerns.  The ghost of Antonio Bryant rears its ugly head showing the bengals didn't due an adequate med check and buffalo sold us damaged goods.  I hope I'm wrong

Problem with Bryant was not an inadequate evaluation by our medical staff.  Bryant played in the last 6 games of the '09 season and evn had a 100 yard game in week 13.  So he obviously re-injured his ankle in the offseason before training camp.  You don't go from having 100 yard receiving games to never being able to even practice again without some sort of new injury.

[fredtoast]

(04-07-2018, 01:37 PM)3wt Wrote: Dud - Glen - no one gives up a truly successful left tackle unless there is a significant risk 

You do when that LT is the highest paid player on your roster and his rookie replacement ('17 first round pick Dion Dawkins) played very well last year.

[2MinutesHate]

(04-07-2018, 01:44 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Problem with Bryant was not an inadequate evaluation by our medical staff.  Bryant played in the last 6 games of the '09 season and evn had a 100 yard game in week 13.  So he obviously re-injured his ankle in the offseason before training camp.  You don't go from having 100 yard receiving games to never being able to even practice again without some sort of new injury.

Actually, the Bengals knew Bryant's knee (not ankle) was bad and gambled on the chance that his offseason knee surgery would help return him to form.  It didn't and the rest is history.  Bryant's knee was going bad before the 2009 season with the Bucs as he had preseason arthroscopic surgery on the same knee, which more than likely led to his poor stats for that year. 

Either way, the FO gambled on him and lost.  Not sure how the medical staff could've predicted how his knee would respond.  This one is on Mike Brown for the poor contract terms.

[Yojimbo]

(04-07-2018, 11:47 AM)Jakeypoo Wrote: Dark Horse
Jordan Evans

Dud
Alex Erickson

(04-07-2018, 01:36 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Interesting pick.

Nohting spectacular last year, but he got a lot of experience for a 6th round rookie.  Played over 30% of the teams snaps on defense (311) and another 246 on special teams.

Neither he nor Vigil impressed me much last year, but I'd think Evans is more likely to improve sigificantly because Vigil was already in his second year. 

Dark horse: Evans for me too. Yes he struggled last year but all his struggles were just experience problems. Being in the right alignment, hitting the right gap, coverage drops/techniques. Physically he’s the most gifted LB on the roster and I think he’ll fill in nicely for Burfict or push Vigil down the depth chart.

Dud: It has to be Eifert or Ross doesn’t it? Who is the team counting on more with the biggest risk of producing nothing?

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Darkhorse - Billings, he will be 100% and having a full Offseason to prepare will be huge. He will finally be that DT next to
Geno that will either free him up or be freed up by Geno if they double him. Cannot double both. Billings will be able to lift
this year like he did when he was a rookie so he can get back to that super strength.

Another player that nobody is talking about is Brandon Wilson who could come from nowhere and be key on ST's.

Dud - Vigil, think a rookie or Evans will end up taking his spot. Also could go with Kirkpatrick here as i think better Corners
will end up taking his snaps eventually as the season goes on.

[grampahol]

Dark horse: Yet to be drafted 
Dud: Yet to be drafted 



"Dud: It has to be Eifert or Ross doesn’t it? Who is the team counting on more with the biggest risk of producing nothing?" 
There's a very real possibility it could be both..

[TKUHL]

(04-07-2018, 03:29 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Darkhorse - Billings, he will be 100% and having a full Offseason to prepare will be huge. He will finally be that DT next to
Geno that will either free him up or be freed up by Geno if they double him. Cannot double both. Billings will be able to lift
this year like he did when he was a rookie so he can get back to that super strength.

Another player that nobody is talking about is Brandon Wilson who could come from nowhere and be key on ST's.

Dud - Vigil, think a rookie or Evans will end up taking his spot. Also could go with Kirkpatrick here as i think better Corners
will end up taking his snaps eventually as the season goes on.

I have Wilson as my Dark Horse (see previous post) I think he's a diamond in the rough. But will he even get a chance to shine under Marvin. That's my only concern with him.

F

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-07-2018, 04:15 PM)TKUHL Wrote: I have Wilson as my Dark Horse (see previous post) I think he's a diamond in the rough. But will he even get a chance to shine under Marvin. That's my only concern with him.

F

You can bet Darrin Simmons will give Wilson a shot. He isn't like Merv, his guys earn their snaps on ST's and he runs the ST's unit.

Merv doesn't get a say with ST's thankfully. Hope the same goes for Lazor, Austin and Pollack. Just let them do their jobs.

Gotta say that you listing Mixon as a dud really surprises me. I bet he really surprises you and is right up there with Kamara, Hunt,
Fournette and Cook this season. He averaged 5.1 YPC once Lazor changed up the scheme late last year and that was with Og and
Bodine blocking and PA still the O-line coach.

Mixon has great vision, size, speed, burst, hands and moves. I am expecting super star in his future.

[BenZoo2]

(04-07-2018, 01:44 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Problem with Bryant was not an inadequate evaluation by our medical staff.  Bryant played in the last 6 games of the '09 season and evn had a 100 yard game in week 13.  So he obviously re-injured his ankle in the offseason before training camp.  You don't go from having 100 yard receiving games to never being able to even practice again without some sort of new injury.

After finishing an injury-plagued season and coming off surgery to repair cartilage damage in his left knee, the Cincinnati Bengals took a gamble and signed Bryant on March 10, 2010, to a four-year contract worth a reported $28 million, along with multiple incentives.[8]

After the Bengals signed Terrell Owens, Bryant gave up his No. 81 jersey for Owens, who had worn the number his entire career. In return for the number, Bryant requested Owens make a donation to his charity and wore jersey No. 19 instead.[9] After struggling in practices and not being able to play in any of the pre-season games because of problems with his left knee, the Bengals released him on August 29.[10


From his Wikipedia page.  

[Luvnit2]

(04-07-2018, 03:37 PM)grampahol Wrote: Dark horse: Yet to be drafted 
Dud: Yet to be drafted 



"Dud: It has to be Eifert or Ross doesn’t it? Who is the team counting on more with the biggest risk of producing nothing?" 
There's a very real possibility it could be both..

Neither was good a year ago so how can 2 players who did nothing be a dud. It is expected they will stink by most. A Dud to me should be either brand new with high expectations or someone who has played well the year prior.

[TKUHL]

(04-07-2018, 04:23 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: You can bet Darrin Simmons will give Wilson a shot. He isn't like Merv, his guys earn their snaps on ST's and he runs the ST's unit.

Merv doesn't get a say with ST's thankfully. Hope the same goes for Lazor, Austin and Pollack. Just let them do their jobs.

Gotta say that you listing Mixon as a dud really surprises me. I bet he really surprises you and is right up there with Kamara, Hunt,
Fournette and Cook this season. He averaged 5.1 YPC once Lazor changed up the scheme late last year and that was with Og and
Bodine blocking and PA still the O-line coach.

Mixon has great vision, size, speed, burst, hands and moves. I am expecting super star in his future.

Yea I'm trying reverse psychology with Mixon, every time I get my hopes up and hype up a player they let me down. Trust me I want Mixon to be the best in the league. Hopefully the line will get fixed and we will see what we have in him.

[*ochocincos*]

Dark Horse - Christian Westerman
Dud - Jake Fisher


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[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-07-2018, 04:49 PM)TKUHL Wrote: Yea I'm trying reverse psychology with Mixon, every time I get my hopes up and hype up a player they let me down. Trust me I want Mixon to be the best in the league. Hopefully the line will get fixed and we will see what we have in him.

That is understandable.

We get a top Center and a decent RT in the Draft and both Mixon and Gio should have breakout years barring injuries.

Getting Pollack and Glenn and moving on from PA, Bodine and benching Og sure was a nice start but they have to follow through.

(04-07-2018, 04:59 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Dark Horse - Christian Westerman
Dud - Jake Fisher


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Agreed on Westerman, he has impressed me everytime i have watched him play, for the life of me i don't understand how
PA never saw that he was better than Hopkins. Or ever giving him a shot at Center when Bodine was sucking it up.

Just so happy to have Pollack here man, even gives me hope for Fisher but i can understand why someone would have him
as a dud after his health scare.

[McC]

Dark horse--Jake Fisher.

Dud--no one. This is the magic year where everyone does what they're supposed to and the cloud of bad luck lands on some other unsuspecting team for a change.

[Lawless_1]

Dark Horse: Brian Hill. Takes all of Jeremy's snaps and averages over 4 yards a carry.

Dud: Preston Brown. The guy is average at best and proves why he had to take a 1 year deal.

[Devils Advocate]

Darkhorse/Stud Andy Dalton bounces back behind an improved run game & better blocking.

Dud Boy I hope I’m wrong with this one; but nearly every single time we see a rising star on this team, something happens and the star diminishes, so I’m choosing WJ3. Sorry guys ...

[*wildcats forever*]

Stud: Dalton. With new/solid coaching/revised schemes along with an Oline that actually gives him an extra half-second to deliver the ball, his stats will soar, unless my 'dud' scenario comes into play

Dud: any existing player on our roster that gets anywhere near the center position, We only improve with a good draft pick or a trade/free agent

[impactplaya]

dark horse
John Ross. Lazor finally gets a whole off season to integrate Ross In the offense.
Ross was never in game shape and he never healthy
Andy gets his LT to let actually let him get set and go through progressions to incorporate Ross
Ross is not a bum WR. he can get healthy and hopefully retain #84 will show him.

Dud
Nick Vigil
Jordan Evans will beat him out for a starting job. Vigil is just too slow for today's fast NFL
stiff hips and can't diagnose fast enough what's in front of him

[cooper]

(04-07-2018, 10:00 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: We can do this again after the draft, as I will surely fall in love with some late round player   , but I thought this would be a fun subject.  Your dark horse would be the player that no one has great expectations for, but you believe could have a breakout season.  Your dud is the opposite:  someone that people are counting on for a big year and it just isn't going to happen, in your eyes.

My dark horse:  Tyler Boyd.  Maybe he isn't that dark (not racist   ) but he had a really good rookie season, and finished last year with a big game at Baltimore.  I don't know what happened to him last year, early on, but he seemed to not be a big part of the game plan.  The kid may not have Ross's speed, but he has great hands and length in the slot.  Being a second round pick, he has two more years under this contract, and could be extended after this year if he has a great season.  If Dalton is kept clean and the new offense has a solid rushing attack, Dalton should have no problem approaching 4500 yards.  For him to do that, Boyd will have a be a big contributor.

My dud:  Tyler Eifert.  It is nothing personal about the guy.  I think he has had terrible luck.  He has great talent, but the way he comes across to me in interviews seems like a guy that is relying on "hope" of being healthy, and just letting his natural abilities take over.  Seems easy enough, but I was hoping to see a guy that dedicated himself to the weight room to get stronger and more physical.  I want to see him determined to make people calling him China Doll (I am not one of them) eat their words.  I just don't see that kind of fire in the guy.  I think Kroft might actually end up the season with more TDs than Eifert.

[PDub80]

Stud: RG Christian Westerman - I think Westerman steps into the role and the Bengals do NOT spend a high draft pick on a G.

Dud: Andy Dalton - The offensive line and running game are better this season, but I predict Dalton does NOT improve and continues his erratic play - to the team's detriment. In typical fashion after having nowhere to turn, this will lead the Dalton gang to then blame the kicker, Randy Bullock, for Andy's poor performances. 2015 gets further and further away in the rear view mirror.