Trey Hendrickson Best FA signing ever?

[Shake n Blake]

CedBen was to RBs what Jeff Blake was to QBs.

Basically, our run game was so bad (Chris Perry averaged 2.6 ypc with like 5 fumbles in 5 games) that Benson being just average looked like a huge boost. Other than 2009, Benson was very underwhelming.

Same with Blake. He had a great 2.5 year stretch and legitimized our passing attack, but after that he was pretty mediocre.

To answer the OP: Where is the love for Ashley Ambrose? That dude made All-Pro with 8 ints in 1996. Started 3 seasons and locked down for CB spot for 2 of our best teams in the 90s (8-8 in 96 and 7-9 in 1997).

To me, it's between Hendrickson and Ambrose, but I think Trey probably gets the edge because he's younger and more likely to maintain his level.

Honorable mentions:

Jeff Blake
DJ Reader
CedBen
Garrison Hearst
TO
Tory James
Richmond Webb

[HarleyDog]

(11-29-2021, 03:05 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: CedBen was to RBs what Jeff Blake was to QBs.

Basically, our run game was so bad (Chris Perry averaged 2.6 ypc with like 5 fumbles in 5 games) that Benson being just average looked like a huge boost. Other than 2009, Benson was very underwhelming.

Same with Blake. He had a great 2.5 year stretch and legitimized our passing attack, but after that he was pretty mediocre.

To answer the OP: Where is the love for Ashley Ambrose? That dude made All-Pro with 8 ints in 1996. Started 3 seasons and locked down for CB spot for 2 of our best teams in the 90s (8-8 in 96 and 7-9 in 1997).

To me, it's between Hendrickson and Ambrose, but I think Trey probably gets the edge because he's younger and more likely to maintain his level.

Honorable mentions:

Jeff Blake
DJ Reader
CedBen
Garrison Hearst
TO
Tory James
Richmond Webb

TO? I don’t recall him doing much while here.

[GreenCornBengal]

(11-29-2021, 03:20 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: TO? I don’t recall him doing much while here.

983 yards and 9 TDs… he was actually pretty good but the defense was terrible and Palmer was a pick machine. He forced it to TO a lot lol.

[J24]

(11-29-2021, 03:25 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: 983 yards and 9 TDs… he was actually pretty good but the defense was terrible and Palmer was a pick machine. He forced it to TO a lot lol.

He was also a locker room cancer

[JaggedJimmyJay]

(11-29-2021, 02:21 PM)jason Wrote: Nobody thinks of Vonn Bell...

Certainly, he’s another excellent pickup.

[GreenCornBengal]

(11-29-2021, 03:47 PM)J24 Wrote: He was also a locker room cancer

No question about that, team was a mess that year.

[Tony]

It looks like this crop of coaches for whatever reason, has hit on FA more than any coaches in the past. Has to have A lot to do with Zac and Lous input...

[Tony]

(11-29-2021, 05:00 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: No question about that, team was a mess that year.

To and Chad talking about Batman and Robin... I was all bought in.. What a disappointment.. Esp. After 2009. I thought TO is what we were missing on offense..

[Hammerstripes]

(11-29-2021, 05:10 PM)Tony Wrote: It looks like this crop of coaches for whatever reason, has hit on FA more than any coaches in the past. Has to have A lot to do with Zac and Lous input...

I think there's a couple of reasons for that:

1.  The team is actually spending money in free agency.  For years, we would bring in a fringe player and spend all the money internally (which wasn't a bad idea because we were drafting pretty well)

2.  The team has Burrow.  I realize that most of the free agency money has been spent on the defense, but don't kid yourself.  When guys look at a team, they want to know that there is a QB that gives them a chance on the other side of the ball.  Burrow has "it" and the league knows recognizes that.  Players are cool with coming to Cincy because they know they've got a shot here.

[Shake n Blake]

(11-29-2021, 03:47 PM)J24 Wrote: He was also a locker room cancer

He was, but people scapegoat him way too much. He's not the reason we sucked that year, and he actually balled out until he got hurt.

He had some monster games.

[Shake n Blake]

(11-29-2021, 03:25 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: 983 yards and 9 TDs… he was actually pretty good but the defense was terrible and Palmer was a pick machine. He forced it to TO a lot lol.

Yep. 983 yards and 9 scores in 14 games. 13 really. Great production.

[J24]

(11-29-2021, 08:16 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: He was, but people scapegoat him way too much. He's not the reason we sucked that year, and he actually balled out until he got hurt.

He had some monster games.

He had some monster games but he was also a monster. Dude went on National TV and crapped on the coaching staff after we lost to the Browns. Also he acted like a complete douche after we beat the Ravens in week 2.

[SladeX]

(11-29-2021, 02:45 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: Out of 49 running backs with 100 carries or more, he was...

28th in YPC
22nd in EPA per rush
26th in success rate
36th in touchdowns per attempt

Rushing yards per game is just a breakdown of total rushing yards, which is an awful way of judging a players performance. It's a volume stat. Cedric was second in the league in rushing yards per game because he had the most carries per game of any RB. Despite only playing 13 games, he finished 6th in the league in carries at 301, on pace for 368 carries. 

Nothing to be said for durability, then? Spirit and it's impact is difficult to quantify...

[*SHRacerX*]

There are definitely some other mentionables (Ced, Torry James, Adam Jones, Burfict), but at the position he plays and the overall impact in his first season here, I think this has to be a "Yes".  

Hendrickson does it all and he is relentless.  He is a perfect complement to Hubbard on the other side.  I can't wait to see Ossai out there and shift Hubbard inside on pure passing downs.  

He is a special guy and I am so glad he is in stripes.  

[KillerGoose]

(11-30-2021, 06:38 AM)SladeX Wrote: Nothing to be said for durability, then? Spirit and it's impact is difficult to quantify...

Well, he did only play 16 games once during his three years here (missed three games in 2009 and only one game in 2011). However, I don't think he was bad in 2009. I think he was okay. He would've had a great volumetric season if he stayed healthy (on pace for 1,536 yards rushing). People love to be enamored by volume stats, though, and they aren't a good way to judge a players performance. He would've been second in rushing but he wouldn't have done it efficiently. You had guys like Jamaal Charles, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, CJ2K, Ray Rice, Ricky Williams and a whole host of other RBs that were better than him that season. 

All of this stuff does matter, these per carry metrics I talk about have a higher correlation to winning than just raw rushing yards. That's why I say that they matter more than just rushing yards. 

[Shake n Blake]

(11-29-2021, 09:56 PM)J24 Wrote: He had some monster games but he was also a monster. Dude went on National TV and crapped on the coaching staff after we lost to the Browns. Also he acted like a complete douche after we beat the Ravens in week 2.

I'm not disputing that, although I will say he was mostly tight lipped until the losses started piling up, then he went on to say our problems started from "the top down"...which frankly most of us agreed with.

Production was there in spades. We lost because our run game and defense fell off a cliff, and Palmer threw too many picks. Before you blame TO for that, Palmer was always INT prone.

[J24]

(11-30-2021, 03:09 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I'm not disputing that, although I will say he was mostly tight lipped until the losses started piling up, then he went on to say our problems started from "the top down"...which frankly most of us agreed with.

Production was there in spades. We lost because our run game and defense fell off a cliff, and Palmer threw too many picks. Before you blame TO for that, Palmer was always INT prone.

His negative attitude  wore down people. There were other issues no doubt but when you have to please a 37 year old man child  every game it takes a toll on a team 

 Also he really wasn't that tight lipped before the losses. His first major complaint happened after the first Ravens game (which we won). Granted their was reason to be frustrated because the offense didn't score a touchdown that game but it didn't need to be said right then and there.

[GreenCornBengal]

(11-30-2021, 04:11 PM)J24 Wrote: His negative attitude  wore down people. There were other issues no doubt but when you have to please a 37 year old man child  every game it takes a toll on a team 

 Also he really wasn't that tight lipped before the losses. His first major complaint happened after the first Ravens game (which we won). Granted their was reason to be frustrated because the offense didn't score a touchdown that game but it didn't need to be said right then and there.

Heaven forbid, he sounds like most fans on this board lol.

[J24]

(11-30-2021, 04:21 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: Heaven forbid, he sounds like most fans on this board lol.

I mean would you really want the Bengals to have the same attitude as the GameDay thread? 

[No-huddle Joe]

Deltha O'Neal was decent for a couple years. By no means the best signing ever, but in 2005 he had 10 interceptions, which is the all time highest for a Bengals player in a year. Technically he wasn't a free agent though....got in a trade with Denver on draft day.