4th WR

[SunsetBengal]

(09-12-2022, 11:41 AM)Nepa Wrote: Unfortunately, we don't even know if JB was on target if Thomas would have caught it. Game on the line and he dropped an easy one in the end zone. Replays showed the ball was already dropped before he was hit. I don't think we can count on him. Bengals need a legit 4th WR. AFter Higgins they were already in trouble, but then Boyd went out for a while and the receiving corps was not in great shape.

Yeah, that was some straight up Cole Beasly bullshit, right there..

[*bfine32*]

(09-12-2022, 11:41 AM)Nepa Wrote: Unfortunately, we don't even know if JB was on target if Thomas would have caught it. Game on the line and he dropped an easy one in the end zone. Replays showed the ball was already dropped before he was hit. I don't think we can count on him. Bengals need a legit 4th WR. AFter Higgins they were already in trouble, but then Boyd went out for a while and the receiving corps was not in great shape.

I think yesterday showed us that there's a lot more to making the 53 (45) than just being good at one thing. Thomas is a great ST player. Think how good it would have been if our #3 TE yesterday sucked at catching, but was a great long snapper. 

Michael Thomas has no business being a starting WR in the NFL, put you've got to have a complete team for all 3 phases. 

[Essex Johnson]

(09-12-2022, 10:11 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Been saying this all offseason. After the first 3 (great) WRs, there's 0 NFL caliber WRs on this team. If you're going to keep spreading it out on offense and going empty backfields, you're going to use a lot of WRs and you're just 1 injury away from having a PS caliber player becoming a starter.

Sure enough Mike Thomas, Trent Taylor, and Stanley Morgan Jr played 88 snaps on offense yesterday. They combined to produce 1 catch on 5 targets for 5 yards (and a 2 pt conversion) and a scaredycat drop in the endzone.

Less options now than there were in the offseason, but they still desperately need to do something about this.

I was disappointed in Hurst production, thought we see more than 46 yards, especially since he is a hybrid type TE split out as a 4th WR..

[*psychdoctor*]

Yeah Mike Thomas is not cutting it anymore. He's good on special teams, but that dropping the end zone even made. Joe drop his jaw.

[Essex Johnson]

(09-12-2022, 10:35 AM)Nepa Wrote: That sure came true this game. At one point, Boyd also went out, and without Higgins and Boyd, the Bengals were spreading the field with the players you mentioned: Mike Thomas, Trent Taylor, and Stanley Morgan. 

There were fans on this board that were worried about the 4th receiver and the left guard and both proved pivotal in the loss.

I disagree on pivotal, what was pivotal in the loss was 5 turnovers.. Defense played great but gave the game to Steelers with those turnovers especially the pick 6.

[J24]

(09-12-2022, 12:30 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: I was disappointed in Hurst production, thought we see more than 46 yards, especially since he is a hybrid type TE split out as a 4th WR..

He played well down the stretch of the game. 

[*bfine32*]

(09-12-2022, 12:30 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: I was disappointed in Hurst production, thought we see more than 46 yards, especially since he is a hybrid type TE split out as a 4th WR..

I though Hurst was money 

[Nicomo Cosca]

(09-12-2022, 12:33 PM)J24 Wrote: He played well down the stretch of the game. 

Yep. 3 catches for 36 yards in OT. He was clutch.

And his very first catch as a Bengal he straight up bulldozed the Steelers defender (can’t remember who), and he probably had the best catch of the day for either team.

[leonardfan40]

Right there with you LeonardLeap. Been saying it off offseason and even I wasn’t expecting it to rear its ugly head week one. Might be a blessing if they actually notice the problem and address it early while there are still options out there.

No reason why a team gunning for a SB with cap space available shouldn’t have brought in a legit #4 WR

[leonardfan40]

(09-12-2022, 12:30 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: I was disappointed in Hurst production, thought we see more than 46 yards, especially since he is a hybrid type TE split out as a 4th WR..

He was WIDE open deep in the seam twice yesterday that I noticed and burrow didn’t throw to him for whatever reason. He woulda broke 100 yards if Burrow gave him a chance

[Whatever]

(09-12-2022, 12:31 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: Yeah Mike Thomas is not cutting it anymore. He's good on special teams, but that dropping the end zone even made. Joe  drop his jaw.

Thing is, as bad as Thomas is, Morgan is worse.  On Pitt's big punt return Morgan was a gunner and got his lunch money taken from him.  He got blocked clean down into the hashmarks before he ever even got going upfield.  Of course, contain was completely blown on his side as a result.

When you're dressing a guy that terrible at his actual position "because ST's", they can't lose those ST's reps anywhere near that bad.  There's guys who can actually get open and catch a pass every once in awhile that aren't going to get whipped that bad.  

[Shepdawg]

Will Fuller is out there. He can maybe catch a couple passes before he gets injured. Alex Ericson is available. We know he can make a few catches. Dede Westbrook could help and play when Fuller gets injured until he gets injured himself. Hopefully by then Higgins is back and we don't have any other WR injuries.

[The D.O.Z.]

I suspect we’ll start seeing Hurst more as the #4. He’d be the better option than signing a guy off the streets in my opinion. Sample can stay in to block / chip / outlet. They can be successful doing this if they get a little creative with the TE room.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(09-12-2022, 01:51 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: I suspect we’ll start seeing Hurst more as the #4. He’d be the better option than signing a guy off the streets in my opinion. Sample can stay in to block / chip / outlet. They can be successful doing this if they get a little creative with the TE room.

Hurst played 75% of the snaps, which is already more than he has ever played in a year if that workload amount holds up.

They need another actual WR. Playing more Sample is the same problem as playing more Thomas, you are just massively handicapping yourself. Sample played 29% of the snaps already and had 1 catch for 2 yards.

[Millhouse]

Yeah they failed to address upgrading backup positions at RB for 3rd downs & change of pace, WR, and as we brutally saw yesterday first game out, a long snapper (aka a backup lineman that used to snap back in college or even high school)

[The D.O.Z.]

(09-12-2022, 02:03 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Hurst played 75% of the snaps, which is already more than he has ever played in a year if that workload amount holds up.

They need another actual WR. Playing more Sample is the same problem as playing more Thomas, you are just massively handicapping yourself. Sample played 29% of the snaps already and had 1 catch for 2 yards.

I figure, with the semi-lack of pt Hurst has seen the past couple years (getting supplanted by Andrews, then Pitts) he’d be good to go with an increased snap count. Its not ideal, I know. But he was signed to catch passes, so let him catch passes. Way less wear n tear than constantly being the in-line TE. Use him like Geseki in Miami. Sample is a proven blocker, so when we go 4wide or one of The Big 3 need a breather or are hurt for a game or two, Sample can slide into TE1 as the outlet while Hurst can be used all over the formation.
I just don’t see any of the guys on the street right now being the immediate help we need at that spot at the price its going to cost. Hindsight 20/20 but man, it would have been nice to sign OJH while he was here.

[*ochocincos*]

(09-12-2022, 10:11 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Been saying this all offseason. After the first 3 (great) WRs, there's 0 NFL caliber WRs on this team. If you're going to keep spreading it out on offense and going empty backfields, you're going to use a lot of WRs and you're just 1 injury away from having a PS caliber player becoming a starter.

Sure enough Mike Thomas, Trent Taylor, and Stanley Morgan Jr played 88 snaps on offense yesterday. They combined to produce 1 catch on 5 targets for 5 yards (and a 2 pt conversion) and a scaredycat drop in the endzone.

Less options now than there were in the offseason, but they still desperately need to do something about this.

Wait, you mean the likelihood of the Bengals keeping all of Chase, Higgins, and Boyd healthy all year was extremely low?
And the Bengals might actually need one of the backup WRs to play offense once in a while?


I'm shocked! 

[Housh]

(09-12-2022, 10:28 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: TY Hilton
Allen Hurns (he opted out of 2020 and was on IR for 2021, though, so who knows)
DeSean Jackson (he asked to be traded off the Rams last year though)
Willie Snead
Freddy Swain
DeDe Westbrook
Adam Humphries
Isaiah Ford
Tavon Austin

It's pretty thin. As I said, nowhere near as many good options as there was in the offseason to solve this blatant problem. Just know you can't keep rolling 3 guys who clearly aren't NFL caliber players out there on offense.

I'd sign Hilton and Snead.

I’m taking our current WRs over everyone but TY Hilton.

Issue with TY is no way he wants to be the 4th WR

[*PhilHos*]

What about making Chris Evans the 4th WR? It'll get him on the field more and can open up the playbook a little with some end arounds and other forms of trickery.

[Housh]

(09-12-2022, 05:28 PM)PhilHos Wrote: What about making Chris Evans the 4th WR? It'll get him on the field more and can open up the playbook a little with some end arounds and other forms of trickery.

This is what i do in Madden. He’s basically my Swiss Army knife.

Cost efficient and Chris is actually a pretty good WR. I do not understand how he doesn’t play more. I’m starting to think he’s one of those players fans just love for some reason who isn’t actually that good.

Or maybe Mixon is just so good it’s hard to get him on the field? With Tee gone I’d definitely rather run more double running back sets than run sets with an extra WR or TE. Maybe he’s a bad practice guy. Idk.


I guess we’ll never really know how the FO feels about Evans unless Mixon gets hurt and we get to see who they name the starting RB.