Try LA’s Strategy?

[PocketAces32]

What do you guys think about dealing first round picks, maybe multiple, for proven all-pro talent? We have the QB now. Would it be smart to go after some guys that we know are proven players instead of making first round draft picks?

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(02-09-2022, 12:27 AM)PocketAces32 Wrote: What do you guys think about dealing first round picks, maybe multiple, for proven all-pro talent? We have the QB now. Would it be smart to go after some guys that we know are proven players instead of making first round draft picks?

All for it now. It is time, quality over quantity now that we have the foundation.

Need to make sure this OL is tops now. This team can be a dynasty if we do this now. We are young and have the QB, D, ST's.

Get that OL protecting Burrow and opening up holes in the running game with the best players we can make a play for.

[Bengalstripes9]

It really depends on who we are talking about trading for. If a similar free agent is available, why not just sign them using our cap space? It's valuable to continue to add players into our system via late 1st round picks. We've been very successful at the top of the 2nd round. Joe Burrow has a lot of years left, I'd rather try to keep the window open as long as possible rather than going all in and rebuilding in 3-4 years. We've been successful in the draft and FA, so why fix what isn't broken?

That said, if the right player is available, it definitely makes sense to make a move. Especially if the player we are talking about is better than any player we could get with that late 1st round pick.

The position groups to target would be oline, pass rusher, or lockdown corner. Oline is tough because there just aren't as many elite olineman as there are pass rushers--making them so valuable. The likelihood of a team trading away an elite offensive lineman is rare. What is more likely is a team lets a really good guard go in free agency and there's the opportunity that we continually pass up to shore up a major weakness.

If we do swing a trade it will have to be the perfect scenario where the team is rebuilding, yada yada. Based on our current roster I would really only look at oline or pass rusher. Usually these types of moves are made for playmakers and we've got plenty on offense so I think it would be a pass rusher or corner on defense that we'd look for (if we do).

[BurrowTheGoat]

I don't want to see us go full Rams but if a good opportunity presents itself to move a pick for a proven player in his prime I would be all for it. Similar to what Pitt did to get Minka Fitzpatrick. The Saints, for example, after losing their coach and now star RB looking like he's done might be willing to deal us Ramchek for our first and third or something similar. He's locked into a pretty affordable deal for a player of his caliber in his prime. Combine that with signing a solid RG and solid C in FA and we are cooking.

[SunsetBengal]

If we needed a QB, LT, or top grade pass rusher, maybe. However, the team seems to be doing well with Burrow, Williams and Hendrickson in those spots. The early draft misses appear to have corrected themselves in the Zac Taylor era, and I believe that trading away those picks could do more harm than good in the long run.

[Sled21]

The Rams are all in on winning it this year or next. After that, they won't get it done. Meanwhile, the Bengals are one of the youngest teams in the league and will be good for many years. While both strategies got the teams to the Super Bowl, I prefer ours.

[*SHRacerX*]

(02-09-2022, 12:27 AM)PocketAces32 Wrote: What do you guys think about dealing first round picks, maybe multiple, for proven all-pro talent? We have the QB now. Would it be smart to go after some guys that we know are proven players instead of making first round draft picks?

You are forgetting the rookie wage scale.  A proven player worth a first round pick will be making a lot more money.  The Bengals also don't manipulate the contracts to the cap as many teams.  This approach has been both praised and criticized with this statement:  "It makes the lows last longer and it makes the highs last longer".  Well, I think the good thing is the high will last longer in this case. 

[TecmoBengals]

I'll have to give a lame "yes" and "no" answer without committing to one strategy for roster building. I think fluidity is ever-present for Tobin and Taylor when assessing roster needs. Who is available for trade? Who are the available free agents and does mutual interest exist between player and team? How is the upcoming draft looking? Will there be any cap causalities that the Bengals can make a run at?

If I'm Tobin, now that the rebuild is over and this is a competitive team as evident by making the playoffs and winning the AFC Championship, I do shift my focus to understanding there are times to be aggressive and acquire talent if that means giving up draft picks. That said, it better be one hell of a player that is being acquired and who can instantly play while filling a team need.

Tobin's mindset needs to transition from rebuilding to a win now mentality. Do what it takes to make that happen when opportunity exists.

[bengals67]

Targeted free agents but keep draft picks.

We got big Whit in the second.

The kid from ECU who got hurt is still growing and could develop into a very good ot. I like picks like this.

Basically the Patriot and Steeler way not the Rams.

I have been highly critical of management but you have to say they are hitting it out of the park - even better than that.

[Bengalitis]

(02-09-2022, 12:27 AM)PocketAces32 Wrote: What do you guys think about dealing first round picks, maybe multiple, for proven all-pro talent? We have the QB now. Would it be smart to go after some guys that we know are proven players instead of making first round draft picks?

Nah.. I rather not put all my eggs in a basket. They are going to do what they did with this defense, find the right players and sign them up.

[*ochocincos*]

I am all for trying to pull a disgruntled player away from their current franchise using a draft pick (or picks).

Perhaps the Bengals can solve their OT woes by trading the Jets for Mekhi Becton if the Jets end up re-signing Morgan Moses.
Becton is probably going to be better than just about any drafted OT or even most FAs.
He still has two more years on his rookie contract plus 5th year option.
On top of that, Pollack was his OL coach his rookie year and drafted him.

I haven't looked around for DBs, OGs, or DL but I bet there could be some appealing players at those positions too.

[fredtoast]

I don't agree with the Rams trading away 7 straight first round picks ('17-'23), but I don't mind doing it once if the exact right player becomes available.

The one thing I would never do is trade a bunch of picks just to move up in the draft. The draft is a bigger crap shoot than most "experts" want to admit. Every year there are busts even in the top half of the first round. The more picks we have the better chance we have of getting a good player.

[Johnny Cupcakes]

I'm cool with the Bengals occasionally trading a good pick for a proven player that'll make a difference, but I'm not sure that I'd go the same route as the Rams. They haven't had a first round pick since 2016 and won't have another one until 2025. They also don't have a pick this year in the first 4 rounds. That's handicapping your team....no new talent in on rookie deals, and you will not be good for very long.

They're going to be a bottom of the barrel NFL team soon.

[CKwi88]

I think the Rams have taken it to an extreme. We found our QB with one pick. The Rams needed 4 first rounders, 2 second rounders and a third to settle on their guy.

That said, the Bengals really need keep all options open. Win or lose Sunday, the window is wide open and if we need to trade away a pick to pick up a stud OL to protect Burrow it should be looked at.

[fredtoast]

(02-09-2022, 11:01 AM)Johnny Cupcakes Wrote: I'm cool with the Bengals occasionally trading a good pick for a proven player that'll make a difference, but I'm not sure that I'd go the same route as the Rams. They haven't had a first round pick since 2016 and won't have another one until 2025. They also don't have a pick this year in the first 4 rounds. That's handicapping your team....no new talent in on rookie deals, and you will not be good for very long.

They're going to be a bottom of the barrel NFL team soon.

Even if you are the best in the league at signing free agents and trading for players the economics just do not work.  At some point you have to be getting production from draft picks that are playing on cheap first contracts.  You can't afford an entire roster of veterans.

[PocketAces32]

(02-09-2022, 09:17 AM)Sled21 Wrote: The Rams are all in on winning it this year or next. After that, they won't get it done. Meanwhile, the Bengals are one of the youngest teams in the league and will be good for many years. While both strategies got the teams to the Super Bowl, I prefer ours.

Personally, I feel like as long as Sean Mcvay is the coach, their team will
Be contending.

I most definitely prefer the Bengals future though…Joe Burrow being the reason,

[Clark W Griswold]

I agree with others that the Rams way is not sustainable. Sooner or later guys get old and if they miss on a 2nd or 3rd rounder it will set them back even more. The financials will catch up with them.

[XenoMorph]

(02-09-2022, 12:27 AM)PocketAces32 Wrote: What do you guys think about dealing first round picks, maybe multiple, for proven all-pro talent? We have the QB now. Would it be smart to go after some guys that we know are proven players instead of making first round draft picks?

we are also in the Superbowl with our Strategy it seems

You need players on Rookie deals though.

[*Go Cards*]

Do not want to trade away future for now like the Rams have done and see no reason why we should. Zac is killing it in draft and stars on rookie deals are so valuable in NFL these days. Plus the Bengals are in a fantastic position presently and hold all the cards.

The Bengals only really need O-line help desperately and betting some good FA O-linemen are willing to come if Bengals can come up with money, and they can if being creative.

not to mention they will have to pay Burrow, Higgins, Chase, Wilson soon. Fix O-line and lets roll I say.

[CJD]

If you can consistently draft late, I think it has incredible value.

The Rams have traded away 6 first round picks that have since been used, with 2 more that have yet to be used. They've also traded away like 3 2nd round picks and a few 3rd round picks as well.

However, in the years that they traded away a first round pick, the position of those picks in the first round have been:
2016: 15th overall
2017: 5th overall
2018: 23rd overall
2019: 31st overall
2020: 20th overall
2021: 25th overall
2022: 31st overall
2023: TBD

The first two years were a pretty steep cost, but if Goff had worked out they'd have been worth it for a franchise QB. But from 2018 to 2022, they averaged a draft position of 26th overall. And the players drafted with those selections have been...less than exemplary.

2016 was Corey Coleman
2017 was Corey Davis
2018 was Isaiah Wynn
2019 was Kaleb McGary
2020 was K'Lavon Chaisson
2021 was Travis Etienne

I think there's like 1 good player (Wynn) and 1 player with 1 decent season among all those players in Corey Davis 2020. 0 Pro Bowls and 0 All pros between them though.

If we are comfortable staying in the 20s and 30s for the next few years, I'd be down with using picks as capital like the Rams have. Maybe not to the extreme they have, since 4 of their picks have been spent on QBs, but a strategic trade here or there would be great.

What you absolutely don't want to do is do what Miami did and trade your pick while you're still very much in a rebuild. Seattle, Chicago and Indy took calculated risks for the 2022 draft and that kind of backfired as well. So you need to be careful.