Big Whit - 6 years and counting

[Speedy Thomas]

Remember back in 2016 when Bengals thought that three years was too long for Whit?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001106886/article/rams-resign-lt-andrew-whitworth-to-3year-deal

[fredtoast]

Decisions are sure easy to get right three years after they happen.

[Essex Johnson]

(03-19-2020, 10:24 AM)Speedy Thomas Wrote: Remember back in 2016 when Bengals thought that three years was too long for Whit?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001106886/article/rams-resign-lt-andrew-whitworth-to-3year-deal

Go back and search comments.. there were many saying we need to plan for the future.. Whit even mentioned retirement... If our picks would have worked out if would be different.  People are now saying we have to move on from Atkins.. age $$  well guess what we could do the same thing and Atkins could go on and play well for 5 to 6 more years and our pick could work out and we would say great move and if pick did not work out we would say bad move.

We did off Whit a 1 year contract at that time .. he declined... 

[Speedy Thomas]

(03-19-2020, 11:45 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Decisions are sure easy to get right three years after they happen.

Right you are, Fred.  But people get paid a lot of money to get those decisions right.  Which is why the guy who likely had the most input into that decision is long gone.

[Speedy Thomas]

(03-19-2020, 11:52 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Go back and search comments.. there were many saying we need to plan for the future.. Whit even mentioned retirement... If our picks would have worked out if would be different.  People are now saying we have to move on from Atkins.. age $$  well guess what we could do the same thing and Atkins could go on and play well for 5 to 6 more years and our pick could work out and we would say great move and if pick did not work out we would say bad move.

We did off Whit a 1 year contract at that time .. he declined... 

Realize that hindsight is always 20-20.  As I mentioned to Fred, people are paid to get these calls right.  Two very bad judgments were made:  (1) Og was ready; (2) Whit was through.  How much more wrong could Bengals have gotten it?

BTW, all the credit in the world to Whit. A total class act who deserves everything he gets.

[Shake n Blake]

Even experts get things like this wrong.

At the time, I agreed with the Bengals, and I still do. Giving a big money 3 year deal to a 35 year old doesn't seem like a sound investment...and 99.9% of the time it wouldn't be. The Patriots are known for letting guys go 1-2 years too early rather than 1-2 years too late, and I'd say they're a safe team to model yourself after.

Despite the Whitworth fluke, I hope the Bengals - again - make the correct call when someone like that comes up for a big extension. Tbh, I can't recall a single Tackle playing at an elite level at 38-39 years old. Whit is a unicorn, and no expert can predict how someone's body will age.

[Essex Johnson]

(03-19-2020, 12:28 PM)Speedy Thomas Wrote: Realize that hindsight is always 20-20.  As I mentioned to Fred, people are paid to get these calls right.  Two very bad judgments were made:  (1) Og was ready; (2) Whit was through.  How much more wrong could Bengals have gotten it?

BTW, all the credit in the world to Whit.  A total class act who deserves everything he gets.

No team is 100 percent.. drafting a player does not mean success... many busts by many solid teams out there.. 

I totally believe we did the smart thing at the time.. had a high pick took an expected NFL starting tackle in first round and expected one in 2nd round.. they did not work out.. bottom line

If Burrow is a Bust im going to say the same thing.. was the move to make if they decided Burrow is the guy and let Dalton go

[Shake n Blake]

(03-19-2020, 12:28 PM)Speedy Thomas Wrote: Realize that hindsight is always 20-20.  As I mentioned to Fred, people are paid to get these calls right.  Two very bad judgments were made:  (1) Og was ready; (2) Whit was through.  How much more wrong could Bengals have gotten it?

BTW, all the credit in the world to Whit.  A total class act who deserves everything he gets.

I fully blame the Bengals for sticking with Og too long. I do not blame them for giving him a shot though, nor do I blame them for looking at a big 3 year deal for a 35 year old and thinking twice. Be honest. The Pats would've done the same thing in the same scenario. The difference is they probably would've done everything else better.

[bengals1969]

(03-19-2020, 12:37 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Even experts get things like this wrong.

At the time, I agreed with the Bengals, and I still do. Giving a big money 3 year deal to a 35 year old doesn't seem like a sound investment...and 99.9% of the time it wouldn't be. The Patriots are known for letting guys go 1-2 years too early rather than 1-2 years too late, and I'd say they're a safe team to model yourself after.

Despite the Whitworth fluke, I hope the Bengals - again - make the correct call when someone like that comes up for a big extension. Tbh, I can't recall a single Tackle playing at an elite level at 38-39 years old. Whit is a unicorn, and no expert can predict how someone's body will age.

It was two decisions that really sunk the franchise.  Not seeing in Whit what the LA Rams did.  Drafting Ogib at number 1. 

In theory moving on made sense, the execution by the Bengals sunk them.  The theory of moving on from a 35 year old skill player is sound probably 90% of time.  Getting his replacement right coming out of the draft is probably right less than 50% of the time.  Had the Bengals drafted his replacement 1 or 2 years before letting Whit walk, they would known if they had a replacement.

[Essex Johnson]

(03-19-2020, 12:48 PM)bengals1969 Wrote: It was two decisions that really sunk the franchise.  Not seeing in Whit what the LA Rams did.  Drafting Ogib at number 1. 

In theory moving on made sense, the execution by the Bengals sunk them.  The theory of moving on from a 35 year old skill player is sound probably 90% of time.  Getting his replacement right coming out of the draft is probably right less than 50% of the time.  Had the Bengals drafted his replacement 1 or 2 years before letting Whit walk, they would known if they had a replacement.

Part of the problem is in 2013 and 2014 we drafted later in 1st and 2nd rounds.. and if you look at the tackles drafted around our pick in either round.. we would probably still not have a starting Tackle from that group.  

[Mike M (the other one)]

Had Og worked out, only a handful of people would even be complaining.

[Shake n Blake]

(03-19-2020, 12:48 PM)bengals1969 Wrote: It was two decisions that really sunk the franchise.  Not seeing in Whit what the LA Rams did.  Drafting Ogib at number 1. 

In theory moving on made sense, the execution by the Bengals sunk them.  The theory of moving on from a 35 year old skill player is sound probably 90% of time.  Getting his replacement right coming out of the draft is probably right less than 50% of the time.  Had the Bengals drafted his replacement 1 or 2 years before letting Whit walk, they would known if they had a replacement.

I don't think it's so much that the Rams are the football version of Miss Clio, so much as they had a need and took a risk. Whit wanted more years, and they offered it to gain the edge on signing him. They didn't somehow see that Whit would age incredibly well. Heck, I'd bet they probably thought they'd be cutting him 2 years into that deal.

So to me, it's two mistakes: (1) drafting pillow-hands Ogbuehi and (2) sticking with him way too long/not replacing him with a good free agent. How we handled Whit though, was 100% correct without the benefit of hindsight.