Off Season thus far......

[corpjet]

New Coach

Overhauled staff

Last of Marvins "good ole" boys gone

This has been a solid off season minus the Bobby Hart signing........a good draft will make this the best off season in 16 years!

[JWW1971]

Yip, totally agree.
As far as I see it, there is no point complaining and panicking before we even get through the draft and FA.

[*psychdoctor*]

Curious, what would you consider a good draft?

[BonnieBengal]

(03-18-2019, 11:10 PM)JWW1971 Wrote: Yip, totally agree.
As far as I see it, there is no point complaining and panicking before we even get through the draft and FA.

You’re right but it happens every year anyway

[BengalChris]

(03-18-2019, 10:50 PM)corpjet Wrote: New Coach

Overhauled staff

Last of Marvins "good ole" boys gone

This has been a solid off season minus the Bobby Hart signing........a good draft will make this the best off season in 16 years!

In the grand scheme of winning a championship (which is all there is), I have to say that this off season has been underwhelming by a long ways to this point.

If we look at this team and ask ourselves if this team can beat New England, Kansas City and other power houses in the playoffs then our shortcomings become obvious.

The only upgrade so far has been at RG and how much of an upgrade that was is debatable.

We got weaker in the slot and we are sitting on close to $20M in cap space after rookie pool and injury reserve.

Sooooo, there is still room to improve this team without totally relying on the draft, which has had some notable misses in the last 5 years. In fact, not one of our 1st round picks in the last 5 years has had what one could call a good rookie seasons. In case anyone has forgotten who those players were, they are: Darquez Dennard, Ogbuehi, Willie Jackson III, John Ross and Billy Price - all with injury plagued rookie years.

Now I am certain the new coaching staff will bring something new where Marvin had become the same old same old, but the narrative that the team will be better by default is just asking for a top 5 pick next season and another last place finish.

The team should exercise its 5th year option on Jackson in the next few weeks, which will keep him here through the 2020 season.

That $20M we have in cap space can be used to extend AJ Green and Boyd and leave a fair bit left over.

But beyond those things, the team needs to do more if it wants compete for a championship and if it isn't competing for a championship, then it's just a fake sports franchise.

 

[JWW1971]

The biggest urgency for me is LB's
I would really like to see us get Devin White at 11, or Devin Bush in the 2nd round possible both if we don't take any LB's in FA
After that we need to take a OT/OG and DT, we also need to take a back up QB maybe in the 5th as I can't see us taking any in the first 2 days unless Haskins falls to 11 which would throw everything up in the air.
I think we are good at WR unless we use a 6th or the 7th round although I don't think we need one
Depending on how Taylor see's the TE's in his scheme, T.J. Hockenson would be a good pick in the second if we don't get or take Bush.
He might be happy with CJ & Eifert with Shreck and Franks as back up
Also we must get guys that can come straight in and contribute the way Bates and Hubbard did.

[JWW1971]

(03-19-2019, 12:20 AM)BengalChris Wrote: In the grand scheme of winning a championship (which is all there is), I have to say that this off season has been underwhelming by a long ways to this point.

If we look at this team and ask ourselves if this team can beat New England, Kansas City and other power houses in the playoffs then our shortcomings become obvious.

The only upgrade so far has been at RG and how much of an upgrade that was is debatable.

We got weaker in the slot and we are sitting on close to $20M in cap space after rookie pool and injury reserve.

Sooooo, there is still room to improve this team without totally relying on the draft, which has had some notable misses in the last 5 years. In fact, not one of our 1st round picks in the last 5 years has had what one could call a good rookie seasons. In case anyone has forgotten who those players were, they are: Darquez Dennard, Ogbuehi, Willie Jackson III, John Ross and Billy Price - all with injury plagued rookie years.

Now I am certain the new coaching staff will bring something new where Marvin had become the same old same old, but the narrative that the team will be better by default is just asking for a top 5 pick next season and another last place finish.

The team should exercise its 5th year option on Jackson in the next few weeks, which will keep him here through the 2020 season.

That $20M we have in cap space can be used to extend AJ Green and Boyd and leave a fair bit left over.

But beyond those things, the team needs to do more if it wants compete for a championship and if it isn't competing for a championship, then it's just a fake sports franchise.

 

I agree with this but we were never going to compete against the best this season or really even next. Zac was brought in and the whole thing needs rebuilt.
I think we are honestly looking at 2 years to get to the playoffs again and 3 or 4 before we can think about really competing, although I hope i'm wrong

[Benton]

(03-18-2019, 10:50 PM)corpjet Wrote: New Coach

Overhauled staff

Last of Marvins "good ole" boys gone

This has been a solid off season minus the Bobby Hart signing........a good draft will make this the best off season in 16 years!

After I saw the numbers, the Hart signing didn't look so bad. It looked even better after I read his career penalties outside of last season were only an average of 3 per season. If the coaches can work that out and get a few good seasons out of him, then no issue.

(03-19-2019, 12:20 AM)BengalChris Wrote: In the grand scheme of winning a championship (which is all there is), I have to say that this off season has been underwhelming by a long ways to this point.

If we look at this team and ask ourselves if this team can beat New England, Kansas City and other power houses in the playoffs then our shortcomings become obvious.

 

I understand the frustration, and I've always criticized our seeming lack of interest in a championship. But outside of the freak that is NE, we're as poised as any team. The right mentality, a draft pick or FA that steps up, staying healthy. Heck, last season four of the losses were decided by a touchdown or less. Being just a little more competitive in those four games, we'd have been in the playoffs. And without MArvin, maybe those playoff games will be a little different.

(03-19-2019, 12:51 AM)JWW1971 Wrote: I agree with this but we were never going to compete against the best this season or really even next. Zac was brought in and the whole thing needs rebuilt.
I think we are honestly looking at 2 years to get to the playoffs again and 3 or 4 before we can think about really competing, although I hope i'm wrong

I dunno. After MArvin was let go, I thought we'd bring in a coach and start looking at a 2-3 year rebuild. But this offseason has me thinking they may be looking at something sooner. 

We signed Webb and Miller, who aren't really upgrades, just guys to keep it together. We dumped a guy we could've at least dangled in a trade if we were trying to completely rebuild. We brought back Eifert which doesn't seem to indicate we're wiping the slate clean at tE.

I'm starting to think Zac may think he can win sooner rather than later.

[Joelist]

With Dennard, the thing is Webb gives us the same level of play if we're talking slot. Miller is a definite upgrade over Redmond, especially if they are planning to change from zone blocking to drive blocking. What we still need to see to convince me we are serious about this season is a trade or free agent acquisition of a legit starter quality LB.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(03-19-2019, 02:41 AM)Joelist Wrote: With Dennard, the thing is Webb gives us the same level of play if we're talking slot. Miller is a definite upgrade over Redmond, especially if they are planning to change from zone blocking to drive blocking. What we still need to see to convince me we are serious about this season is a trade or free agent acquisition of a legit starter quality LB.

Which isn’t going to happen. I guarantee they’re banking on a healthy Brown making a difference, and plan to draft a LB in the 1st rd.

[Thundercloud]

What would make me happy is Devin White in the first, best available offensive tackle in the second. I'd like to get Terry McLauren, OSU wr, and best defensive lineman available in the third and fourth. I also think we ought to look at bringing McCarron back.

[corpjet]

(03-18-2019, 11:21 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: Curious, what would you consider a good draft?

LBer - Round 1

OT - Round 2

LBer/OT/CB - Round 3

Depth in the remaining rounds including a TE, DT, CB

[THE PISTONS]

(03-18-2019, 11:21 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: Curious, what would you consider a good draft?

As long as we don't select a punter in the 1st Round, most fans will think we had a good draft.

[HarleyDog]

I'm pretty excited about the new season and look forward to seeing a different Bengal approach to the game. Hopefully, no more feathering the gas pedal as we are accustomed to. Play to win - 60 minutes - everything you got.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

The new coaches and bringing in Miller have made me excited. I just wish we would of went that extra mile and brought in a decent LB to open up the Draft. I like Preston but he is not a pass coverage LB like we need. Still, if we have a good draft and add a player like Devin White i think we will be muchly improved from last season especially at LB and in coaching for the most part.

[fredtoast]

I was excited when we hired a new coach. Pretty much down hill since then.

Not impressed at all by the DC and assistant coaches.

Bot impressed at all with free agent signings. Webb and Hart are not even mid-level. They are bottom of the barrel. Miller is just meh. Brown is not bad. I did not want Eifert back because he just keeps us from looking for another top TE. I was expecting a hell of a lot more.

But it is not over yet. Last year we started 5-3 with wins over two division champions. Our roster was not as bad as some here claimed. I still think we can have a decent year if we stay healthy.

[Yojimbo]

Overall I've liked the offseason too. Only three things I haven't liked; 1) Turner as O-line coach 2) The DC search and eventual hire 3) Re-signing Bobby Hart for any amount of money.

I like Taylor, OC, Brown re-signing, Uzo re-signing, Miller signing, Tez release.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(03-19-2019, 09:34 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: As long as we don't select a punter in the 1st Round, most fans will think we had a good draft.

There will be meltdowns if they go CB.

[THE PISTONS]

(03-19-2019, 10:18 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: There will be meltdowns if they go CB.

Probably, but if he turns out to be a Pro Bowl CB is it a bad pick?

Because people don't know how these guys will turn out, fans look at the draft like a grocery shopping list.

C: Check
LB: Check

It omits the fact that maybe 2-3 of the guys will be decent Pro's and the rest not.

[Big Boss]

I'm kinda with Fred on this. Ever since the initial Zac Taylor announcement, it's been pretty much downhill for me. Nothing has really gotten me excited.