Are the Bengals better today than before free agency

[fredtoast]

(03-26-2021, 03:51 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: When you say "better", you're talking about passing. 

You say, Dalton was "better" in 2015 than he was in 2018.
PFF says Dalton was "better" in 2015 than he was in 2018. 

Passing Grades:
2015 -- 82.3
2018 -- 79.3

3 points better in 2015 than 2018. 

His passing stats for 2015 are clearly better than his passing stats in 2018. What's the problem here?

If you're surprised by his rushing grade pushing his overall grade above what it was in 2015, you shouldn't be.

In 2018 he averaged 6.2ypa on 4 rushes, with 3 of them being 10+ yards and only fumbled once and all 4 rushes were for a first down. 
In 2015 he averaged 2.4ypa on 31 rushes, with only 3 of them being 10+ yards and he fumbled 5 times with 13 of his rushes going for a first. 

Easy peasy to understand. 

In case i'm wrong...QBs aren't just there to throw the ball. They have to be able to move and gain yards on the ground when a pass play breaks down. 

First of all it is ridiculous to say that the difference in his passing from 2015 (106.2 2nd in league) to 2018 (89.6 25th in league) only amounted to 3 points difference in the PFF passer rating (82.3 to 79.3).

Second, it is ridiculous to claim that his 2018 rushing stats were good enough to make his entire 2018 season better than the 2015 season when in 2015 Dalton rushed for almost 50% more yards (144 to 99), 3 more tds (3 to 0), and over 4 times as many first downs (15 to 4).

[*rfaulk34*]

(03-26-2021, 04:06 PM)fredtoast Wrote: First of all it is ridiculous to say that the difference in his passing from 2015 (106.2 2nd in league) to 2018 (89.6 25th in league) only amounted to 3 points difference in the PFF passer rating (82.3 to 79.3).

Second, it is ridiculous to claim that his 2018 rushing stats were good enough to make his entire 2018 season better than the 2015 season when in 2015 Dalton rushed for almost 50% more yards (144 to 99), 3 more tds (3 to 0), and over 4 times as many first downs (15 to 4).

[fredtoast]

(03-26-2021, 06:11 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote:

Exactly how I thought you would reply.

[masonbengals fan]

(03-24-2021, 03:38 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: I just posted this in another thread but I see that it belongs here.

Every year is a new year. We had a bunch of cap space because contracts were ending and those players were no longer on the roster. We lost one of the highest paid WRs in the league who was not even close to worth it for the price. A disgruntled DE who was expensive. An injured aging undersized phenom DT who was expensive. A 5th year rookie contract option 10mil CB who landed the biggest CB payday this free agency.

Yea we didn't get Thuney and we didn't keep Lawson who looks really promising. But man. This is really obvious stuff a lot of you are just totally disregarding.

We are way better. We have filled most of the major holes caused by our players hitting free agency. Money that was spent on guys like AJ, Geno, Dunlap, Hart, and Finney last year is now invested in multiple talented newcomers with lots of upside.

Rep

Just need to nail this draft.

[PDub80]

YES, I think the Bengals are emphatically better.... AND younger. Look who is gone:

- Lawson, who's best seasons were rookie and contract years, with injuries in between.

- Green: Clearly looking old, broken AND A MAJOR SALARY CAP DRAIN since 2017.

- Atkins: Wildly old for a DT and not the same guy. For those wanting Atkins to stick around, how did that go with the player above? Big money on old players in positions where they tend to not age well typically doesn't work out. I believe Atkins was the 3rd oldest starting DT in the NFL at the start if last season.

- Hart: Gross

- Carter: Special teams ace. Will be missed on that side of the ball.

- Erickson: Who cares?

- WJ3: Best season BY FAR was his rookie year. Doesn't fit zone scheme. Will be 29 years old in Oct... You giving a 29 year old who is so-so and doesn't fit your scheme a long term deal? Pfffffft! No! Not when there's a 26 year old out there who does.. at half the money.

- Alexander: I like this guy. He stepped up and worked hard after a crappy start to his season. But, a clear upgrade was available. Which leads me to...

-  2ndary: As a whole, the 2ndary is MUCH MUCH better AND younger. I think the Bengals may have a top 5 2ndary in the NFL as the season goes on. They had NO depth last year. NONE. Now they are 5 deep at CB with respectable guys to go along with the top safety tandem in the NFL - with, again, excellent depth behind them as well.

Philips STARTED 8 games last season. Now? He's the 4th or 5th guy. No more watching Sims flounder about, either. God, that was awful.

Something people aren't mentioning with the 2ndary is that the Bengals want to go to a zone scheme back there. WJ3 was ok at man coverage, but zone wasn't his thing. The guys they signed are all good fits for a zone defense and outstanding tacklers. Very solid guys in that regard. So, I think that has all ultimately be upgraded significantly.

Fun fact: Over the last 3 seasons, Mike Hilton ranks #2 among DBs in TFLs behind Jamaal Adams (30-39). He's a strong player and should be able to be an outright weapon coming in from the 2ndary. If the Bengals want to use him as a blitzing piece, which Hilton is very very good at, this makes uo for the loss of Lawson when combined with...

- DE: No question an upgrade, IMO. Like, no question. Hendrickson is a taller, longer player than Carl and can play every/any down. Lawson is a "tweener", not a full time DE and was a liability against the run. Hendrickson upgrades the actual DE spot, instead of just coming in as a specialist in a limited role.

BTW, most of Lawson's 80 pressures in 4 years stat came as a rookie (59 of them) in a limited role. He was a player without a full time position. Hendrickson gives the Bengals an actual DE, which was wildly needed after Dunlap was gone. They can find an "EDGE" type undersized tweener player in the draft fairly easily.

Notes: The Kerrigan guy would be an interesting fit for a rotational piece.

DT: YES, upgrade. It's not 2016 any more. They signed a young, disruptive guy on the come up.

I still wouldn't hate Margus Hunt sneaking back into the rotation. I thought he worked hard and had some interesting plays. Bengals still thin there, but Reader, Totupu & Wrenn coming back, if all healthy, would be fine.

OL- YES, upgraded, but much more work to do there. Options are running thin.

Not loving Price at C and Spain should opimally be a depth piece, but the draft is looming.

I don't see what's not to like regarding the FA work the Bengals put in. Was it perfect? No. Was it exactly how they drew it up? No. But I think they have upgraded their roster significantly over what had been there. Lots more work to do!

[Beaker]

Yes the Bengals are better than before. They got younger, healthier, more production, and lower salaries than last year. Plus they added a few better position coaches. Better all around for sure.