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Method behind this mock - The Bengals need improvement on their OL, but they need it immediate contributions. So I decided to go with veterans in FA while addressing other positions in the draft.
Re-sign:
- Bell - One of the clear leaders on defense. Bell should come at a more reasonable price than Bates. Need to keep one of them.
- Hurst - Performed well in his role, plus fans and team seem to really like him. Keep Hurst for the next 2-3 years to keep some veteran leadership given Higgins and/or Boyd might depart after this season.
- Perine - Perine may be lacking that home run ability, but he's solid and can play all phases - running, catching, and blocking. With Mixon cut to free up cap for better OL, Perine gets to be more in a RBBC with a draft pick.
- Tupou - Bengals need Tupou, especially if Reader goes down. Good run stuffer, gets occasional pressure too.
- Adomitis - Once he got familiar, he was fine.
Cuts:
- Mixon ($7.2 mill saved on cap) - This move will help the Bengals put more money toward improving the OL.
FA:
George Fant, OT NYJ - Fant is an older but proven guy who has played for Pollack and succeeded at both OT spots. But he's older and has been dealing with some injuries recently. I can see him wanting to come to a contender. He'd get an opportunity to start at RT with Collins on the mend. He would also be great insurance in case of an injury to either starting OT.
Will Hernandez, OG ARZ - A guy who failed to live up to his 1st round hype in New York, but he's been solid overall in his career. Hernandez is someone who can come in and push Volson for a starting spot, or he'd be at least great depth at either OG spot at minimum.
Fant and Hernandez would replace Adeniji and Scharping from the roster.
Morgan Fox, DL LAC - If the Bengals have cap space and room to add another DL (not sure they do), they really could use someone who can boost the pass rush. Fox is someone who can do that from a variety of positions across the DL. He's going to command less $$ though because he isn't a good run defender. Fox can come in as a rotational pass rusher.
Draft:
1) Trenton Simpson, LB Clemson (6'3", 230 lb) - Swiss army knife of a LB who can arguably do it all. Simpson is someone who I think can come in and replace Pratt right from the get-go, as I think Pratt leaves for greener pastures in FA. Simpson and Wilson together could be fantastic. The key with Simpson is taking advantage of his true versatility, which incudes him being in coverage as a big DB as well as rushing the passer occasionally.
2) Deonte Banks, CB Maryland (6'2", 205 lb) - Good sized CB who has the speed and fluidity to stick with receivers. I love how he uses his hands to get PBUs. Give Banks the CTB treatment where he is a depth guy as a rookie, gets some snaps still, and potentially get a starting spot in 2024.
3) Roschon Johnson, RB Texas (6'2", 223 lb) - Hoss of a RB who unfortunately played second fiddle to arguably the best RB in the draft class, Bijan Robinson. This is a dude who can run, catch, and block. While he's not a blazer, I think he'll run under 4.60 (probably 4.55 or a bit lower), showcasing his speed for his size. It's been reported he has reached 22.6 mph, making him one of the Longhorns' fastest players on the team. I like the idea of cutting Mixon, re-signing Perine, and pairing him with Johnson to form a solid tandem where both guys can run, catch, and block.
Note: If Mixon is not cut, I'd replace the RB in Rd 3 with Henry Bainivalu, OG Washington and not sign Will Hernandez (and Morgan Fox).
4) Xavier Hutchinson, WR Iowa St (6'3", 205 lb) - Bigger WR who can play all spots. He reminds me a lot of Tyler Boyd. I love his ability to make catches and run good routes. He put up nearly 3000 yards and 15 TDs in 3 seasons with the Cyclones. My hope for Hutchinson is to come in as the WR4 as a rookie before taking over as a starter (WR3) in his 2nd year.
5) Luke Schoonmaker, TE Michigan (6'5", 250 lb) - A two-way TE who can block and catch. He showed improved pass-catching ability this past season. I think he'd be a great fit as a TE2 in an offense. Sample/Wilcox replacement.
6) Daniel Scott, Safety Cal (6'2", 215 lb) - Versatile safety prospect who could actually go earlier than this. But PFF has him currently projected as a 7th rounder on their big board, so I'm jumping on him a round early. He's made over 160 total tackles the past two years, plus he's put up 6 INTs, 6 PBUs, and 3 FFs in that span as well. With Bell re-signed, SS is set, and I expect Hill will get the first opportunity for starting safety reps next to him. Scott is someone I think can back up both safety spots, and he might even be able to push for a starter role too.
7) Bryce Baringer, P Michigan St (6'3", 210 lb) - Competition for Chrisman. 1st-Team All American. He averaged 48.4 YPP in 2021 and 49.0 YPP in 2022. He left the FBS in net punting (45.5 yards). He had only 4 touchbacks all season. 22 of his 50 punts were inside the 20, including 8 inside the 10.
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
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(02-14-2023, 11:44 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Method behind this mock - The Bengals need improvement on their OL, but they need it immediate contributions. So I decided to go with veterans in FA while addressing other positions in the draft.
Re-sign:
- Bell - One of the clear leaders on defense. Bell should come at a more reasonable price than Bates. Need to keep one of them.
- Hurst - Performed well in his role, plus fans and team seem to really like him. Keep Hurst for the next 2-3 years to keep some veteran leadership given Higgins and/or Boyd might depart after this season.
- Perine - Perine may be lacking that home run ability, but he's solid and can play all phases - running, catching, and blocking. With Mixon cut to free up cap for better OL, Perine gets to be more in a RBBC with a draft pick.
- Tupou - Bengals need Tupou, especially if Reader goes down. Good run stuffer, gets occasional pressure too.
- Adomitis - Once he got familiar, he was fine.
Cuts:
- Mixon ($7.2 mill saved on cap) - This move will help the Bengals put more money toward improving the OL.
FA:
George Fant, OT NYJ - Fant is an older but proven guy who has played for Pollack and succeeded at both OT spots. But he's older and has been dealing with some injuries recently. I can see him wanting to come to a contender. He'd get an opportunity to start at RT with Collins on the mend. He would also be great insurance in case of an injury to either starting OT.
Will Hernandez, OG ARZ - A guy who failed to live up to his 1st round hype in New York, but he's been solid overall in his career. Hernandez is someone who can come in and push Volson for a starting spot, or he'd be at least great depth at either OG spot at minimum.
Fant and Hernandez would replace Adeniji and Scharping from the roster.
Morgan Fox, DL LAC - If the Bengals have cap space and room to add another DL (not sure they do), they really could use someone who can boost the pass rush. Fox is someone who can do that from a variety of positions across the DL. He's going to command less $$ though because he isn't a good run defender. Fox can come in as a rotational pass rusher.
Draft:
1) Trenton Simpson, LB Clemson (6'3", 230 lb) - Swiss army knife of a LB who can arguably do it all. Simpson is someone who I think can come in and replace Pratt right from the get-go, as I think Pratt leaves for greener pastures in FA. Simpson and Wilson together could be fantastic. The key with Simpson is taking advantage of his true versatility, which incudes him being in coverage as a big DB as well as rushing the passer occasionally.
2) Deonte Banks, CB Maryland (6'2", 205 lb) - Good sized CB who has the speed and fluidity to stick with receivers. I love how he uses his hands to get PBUs. Give Banks the CTB treatment where he is a depth guy as a rookie, gets some snaps still, and potentially get a starting spot in 2024.
3) Roschon Johnson, RB Texas (6'2", 223 lb) - Hoss of a RB who unfortunately played second fiddle to arguably the best RB in the draft class, Bijan Robinson. This is a dude who can run, catch, and block. While he's not a blazer, I think he'll run under 4.60 (probably 4.55 or a bit lower), showcasing his speed for his size. It's been reported he has reached 22.6 mph, making him one of the Longhorns' fastest players on the team. I like the idea of cutting Mixon, re-signing Perine, and pairing him with Johnson to form a solid tandem where both guys can run, catch, and block.
Note: If Mixon is not cut, I'd replace the RB in Rd 3 with Henry Bainivalu, OG Washington and not sign Will Hernandez (and Morgan Fox).
4) Xavier Hutchinson, WR Iowa St (6'3", 205 lb) - Bigger WR who can play all spots. He reminds me a lot of Tyler Boyd. I love his ability to make catches and run good routes. He put up nearly 3000 yards and 15 TDs in 3 seasons with the Cyclones. My hope for Hutchinson is to come in as the WR4 as a rookie before taking over as a starter (WR3) in his 2nd year.
5) Luke Schoonmaker, TE Michigan (6'5", 250 lb) - A two-way TE who can block and catch. He showed improved pass-catching ability this past season. I think he'd be a great fit as a TE2 in an offense. Sample/Wilcox replacement.
6) Daniel Scott, Safety Cal (6'2", 215 lb) - Versatile safety prospect who could actually go earlier than this. But PFF has him currently projected as a 7th rounder on their big board, so I'm jumping on him a round early. He's made over 160 total tackles the past two years, plus he's put up 6 INTs, 6 PBUs, and 3 FFs in that span as well. With Bell re-signed, SS is set, and I expect Hill will get the first opportunity for starting safety reps next to him. Scott is someone I think can back up both safety spots, and he might even be able to push for a starter role too.
7) Bryce Baringer, P Michigan St (6'3", 210 lb) - Competition for Chrisman. 1st-Team All American. He averaged 48.4 YPP in 2021 and 49.0 YPP in 2022. He left the FBS in net punting (45.5 yards). He had only 4 touchbacks all season. 22 of his 50 punts were inside the 20, including 8 inside the 10.
Im good with the resigns.
Free agents:
Fant has passing grade 10 points lower than Adeniji - I agree the guy used to be ole reliable looks like he doesnt have it anymore.
I prefer Davis but Hernandez, is cheaper and solid in pass blocking and even though his pass blocking is not as good it is still better than Capp so... lets go.
Fox coming off an ACL, better really cheap.
Draft:
No OT?
Simpson is a machine for sure, but only playing LB one season, guy is a beefed up nickel back. He would be fun to watch/
Like Banks for sure
Love Roschon - if we wanted to get real explosive, draft Achane/Spears and Roschon. Lighting and Thunder
Like X
Meh on Scho, not sure I want a replacement for both of those guys. TE so up in the air.
Rutgers punter is Joe Burrow - deadly accurate on the corners and inside the 10, but not as big of a leg. Both of these meatheads had a terrible SR game.
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(02-18-2023, 11:10 PM)casear2727 Wrote: Im good with the resigns.
Free agents:
Fant has passing grade 10 points lower than Adeniji - I agree the guy used to be ole reliable looks like he doesnt have it anymore.
I prefer Davis but Hernandez, is cheaper and solid in pass blocking and even though his pass blocking is not as good it is still better than Capp so... lets go.
Fox coming off an ACL, better really cheap.
Draft:
No OT?
Simpson is a machine for sure, but only playing LB one season, guy is a beefed up nickel back. He would be fun to watch/
Like Banks for sure
Love Roschon - if we wanted to get real explosive, draft Achane/Spears and Roschon. Lighting and Thunder
Like X
Meh on Scho, not sure I want a replacement for both of those guys. TE so up in the air.
Rutgers punter is Joe Burrow - deadly accurate on the corners and inside the 10, but not as big of a leg. Both of these meatheads had a terrible SR game.
There's no room to have an OT if you have Williams, Carman, Collins, and Fant.
Also, I think you're discounting Fant too much.
Yes, he wasn't a great pass blocker this past year, but the season before he was 75.1 with just 1 sack allowed all season. The year before that, 61.8 with just 3 sacks allowed. So yes, I think he's still better than Adeniji.
I prefer Hernandez over Davis because of the pass blocking. Davis has had poor pass blocking grades 2019-2021.
If the goal is to have someone backing up both OG spots who isn't a potential liability in pass blocking, Hernandez over Davis for me.
So respectfully, I disagree with your assessment of my OL FA selections.
I'm not sure I understand your assessment on Schoonmaker? What do you mean replacement for both of those guys? When I put "Sample/Wilcox replacement," I mean one or the other. Doesn't really matter who. I think Schoonmaker can be a solid TE2.
As for the RBs, I don't want to see 2 draft picks spend on RB. The Bengals have too many other needs, IMO. Johnson isn't slow by any means anyway.
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
Zac Taylor 2023: 9 wins despite losing Burrow half the season
Zac Taylor 2024: Started 1-4. If he can turn this into a playoff appearance, it will be impressive.
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(02-20-2023, 11:08 AM)ochocincos Wrote: There's no room to have an OT if you have Williams, Carman, Collins, and Fant.
Also, I think you're discounting Fant too much.
Yes, he wasn't a great pass blocker this past year, but the season before he was 75.1 with just 1 sack allowed all season. The year before that, 61.8 with just 3 sacks allowed. So yes, I think he's still better than Adeniji.
I prefer Hernandez over Davis because of the pass blocking. Davis has had poor pass blocking grades 2019-2021.
If the goal is to have someone backing up both OG spots who isn't a potential liability in pass blocking, Hernandez over Davis for me.
So respectfully, I disagree with your assessment of my OL FA selections.
I'm not sure I understand your assessment on Schoonmaker? What do you mean replacement for both of those guys? When I put "Sample/Wilcox replacement," I mean one or the other. Doesn't really matter who. I think Schoonmaker can be a solid TE2.
As for the RBs, I don't want to see 2 draft picks spend on RB. The Bengals have too many other needs, IMO. Johnson isn't slow by any means anyway.
My question with Fant is age, is he washed or is he just not a good LT and needs to stay on the RT?
I dont disagree with Hernandez' history as a pass blocker, Davis is only 26 and I like that his passing has trended up and he is a good run blocker.
One issue with Hernandez is that as 2nd round pick the guy he lost his job to another rookie and was a backup into his 4th year. Appears he played well this season, not sure why Cards fans are 'meh' when it comes to bringing him back?
Whereas the Titans are making Davis a priority, he is considered extremely underrated at OG. That said he has had some injuries as well and likely more expensive.
I wouldnt dislike a Will Hernandez pickup at all.
As to Schoonmaker, I definitely dont mean both of those guys, I meant Im not big on replacing either (terrible wording on my part), this kid is fine Im just concerned that if TE1 is still up in the air these other two cover some areas for us as a combo, neither is good enough alone. And if Im being totally honest I am just hoping that we get a pass catcher at TE or a freak like Washington. Mayer, Kincaid, Musgrave, LaPorta, possibly the Purdue kid. But Schoonmaker has played vs some tough competition and wouldnt be bad whatsoever.
2 picks at RB is a bold move and only if we were to move on from Mixon (we wont) I would like it. Although Roschon isn't slow, he is not a receiving back, the guy is a thumper between the tackles that can scoot. That said I would Achane/Spears paired with Mixon and Perine.
Lastly, I wasnt trying to blast your opinion, I just typed it fast and it came across more matter of factly than intended.
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(02-20-2023, 12:58 PM)casear2727 Wrote: My question with Fant is age, is he washed or is he just not a good LT and needs to stay on the RT?
I dont disagree with Hernandez' history as a pass blocker, Davis is only 26 and I like that his passing has trended up and he is a good run blocker.
One issue with Hernandez is that as 2nd round pick the guy he lost his job to another rookie and was a backup into his 4th year. Appears he played well this season, not sure why Cards fans are 'meh' when it comes to bringing him back?
Whereas the Titans are making Davis a priority, he is considered extremely underrated at OG. That said he has had some injuries as well and likely more expensive.
I wouldnt dislike a Will Hernandez pickup at all.
As to Schoonmaker, I definitely dont mean both of those guys, I meant Im not big on replacing either (terrible wording on my part), this kid is fine Im just concerned that if TE1 is still up in the air these other two cover some areas for us as a combo, neither is good enough alone. And if Im being totally honest I am just hoping that we get a pass catcher at TE or a freak like Washington. Mayer, Kincaid, Musgrave, LaPorta, possibly the Purdue kid. But Schoonmaker has played vs some tough competition and wouldnt be bad whatsoever.
2 picks at RB is a bold move and only if we were to move on from Mixon (we wont) I would like it. Although Roschon isn't slow, he is not a receiving back, the guy is a thumper between the tackles that can scoot. That said I would Achane/Spears paired with Mixon and Perine.
Lastly, I wasnt trying to blast your opinion, I just typed it fast and it came across more matter of factly than intended.
Well the mock called for Hurst to be re-signed, so TE1 is locked up in this scenario.
Schoonmaker would be a backup TE along with either Asiasi, Wilcox, Sample, or some outside vet FA.
What do you mean Roschon isn't a receiving back?
56 receptions in college isn't enough to be considered a decent receiving back?
That's nearly the same amount as Bijan Robinson, but remember Roschon was playing limited snaps spelling Robinson.
I'm confident he'd be just fine in an expanded role.
And my goal with selecting Roschon is someone who can be a 3-down RB if needed - not just a specific role guy. He can run, catch, and block.
That way, the Bengals could re-sign Perine and rotate Perine and Roschon without worrying much about telegraphing plays.
Roschon should also have more juice than Perine, making him a more exciting guy.
For Fant, what do you mean is he washed up and can only play RT?
He primarily played at LT in 2021 and it was his best season.
He was very effective at RT in 2020 as well.
Many players have a down season, so it's important to look at the past few seasons to see if the previous season was more of an anomaly vs a trend.
Given he had a phenomenal season in 2021, I'm inclined to say he'll be better than his 2022 showed.
Also, whether we like it or not, Fant has played for Pollack in the past, so that familiarity is there already for Pollack. I wouldn't be surprised to see Pollack pound the table for Fant to get a solid swing OT who has proven experience and ability starting if an injury occurs.
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
Zac Taylor 2023: 9 wins despite losing Burrow half the season
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(02-20-2023, 01:11 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Well the mock called for Hurst to be re-signed, so TE1 is locked up in this scenario.
Schoonmaker would be a backup TE along with either Asiasi, Wilcox, Sample, or some outside vet FA.
What do you mean Roschon isn't a receiving back?
56 receptions in college isn't enough to be considered a decent receiving back?
That's nearly the same amount as Bijan Robinson, but remember Roschon was playing limited snaps spelling Robinson.
I'm confident he'd be just fine in an expanded role.
And my goal with selecting Roschon is someone who can be a 3-down RB if needed - not just a specific role guy. He can run, catch, and block.
That way, the Bengals could re-sign Perine and rotate Perine and Roschon without worrying much about telegraphing plays.
Roschon should also have more juice than Perine, making him a more exciting guy.
There are a couple write-ups on his receiving, I wasnt aware of either, if I get the chance I'll try to find them. But one thing was defintiely drops early in the season and maybe limited to flat passes? I like the kid a lot, pretty sure I was the first to mention him here.
Im all good with a rookie and Perine, especially Roschon.
Edit: Forgot about Fant, I dont disagree guys have a bad season but later in the career was it an anomaly or a hint of things to come? I know Fant has played both sides and did well last year after moving to RT with Becton's annual season ending injury..... I would like to do better at RT1, but Fant is not terrible and if he can regain his form we will be better than what we had, of course we would be better as well if Collins would regain his....
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(02-20-2023, 01:21 PM)casear2727 Wrote: There are a couple write-ups on his receiving, I wasnt aware of either, if I get the chance I'll try to find them. But one thing was defintiely drops early in the season and maybe limited to flat passes? I like the kid a lot, pretty sure I was the first to mention him here.
Im all good with a rookie and Perine, especially Roschon.
I've seen snaps of Roschon making catches other than in flat routes.
But even if it's primarily just flats, that's what the Bengals use their RBs mostly on anyway.
They don't have their RBs going on a variety of routes, especially non-short routes.
Make no mistake - I don't think Roschon Johnson is going to be one of the top pass-catching RBs.
But most of the top pass-catching RBs are specialists. They aren't guys who can also run it well, especially between the tackles.
I see Roschon Johnson very similar to Perine in his skill set.
He'd be one of the (few?) well-rounded RBs who is kind of a jack-of-all-trades currently.
However, he has a higher ceiling than Perine, IMO.
I expect Roschon Johnson to outperform Perine's Combine in nearly every category except for probably the weigh-in.
I'm predicting low-mid 4.5s in the 40, better than 9'6" in the broad, 35"+ in the vert, probably around Mixon's numbers in the agility drills (under 4.30 in shuttle, ~7.1 in 3-cone). That'd be solid for a RB who is likely going to weigh above 220 lbs and measure just above 6'.
We'll find out next week how close to these numbers I am.
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Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
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(02-20-2023, 01:21 PM)casear2727 Wrote: There are a couple write-ups on his receiving, I wasnt aware of either, if I get the chance I'll try to find them. But one thing was defintiely drops early in the season and maybe limited to flat passes? I like the kid a lot, pretty sure I was the first to mention him here.
Im all good with a rookie and Perine, especially Roschon.
Edit: Forgot about Fant, I dont disagree guys have a bad season but later in the career was it an anomaly or a hint of things to come? I know Fant has played both sides and did well last year after moving to RT with Becton's annual season ending injury..... I would like to do better at RT1, but Fant is not terrible and if he can regain his form we will be better than what we had, of course we would be better as well if Collins would regain his....
For the Bengals to "do better" at RT, they'll have to pay $10+ mill for a guy like McGlinchey (will they knowing they can't move Collins off the books until he's healthy?) or gamble on a draft pick that could immediately come in and play at the NFL level without struggling. Would fans be accepting if Collins is put on PUP such that he can't play for 6 weeks, thus putting a rookie RT in for that time and the rookie struggles? I would imagine quite a lot of fans would be frustrated if that happened and wish/demand the Bengals had gotten a vet OT to start instead. Although they'll be frustrated even if a veteran struggles too.
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
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(02-20-2023, 01:40 PM)ochocincos Wrote: For the Bengals to "do better" at RT, they'll have to pay $10+ mill for a guy like McGlinchey (will they knowing they can't move Collins off the books until he's healthy?) or gamble on a draft pick that could immediately come in and play at the NFL level without struggling. Would fans be accepting if Collins is put on PUP such that he can't play for 6 weeks, thus putting a rookie RT in for that time and the rookie struggles? I would imagine quite a lot of fans would be frustrated if that happened and wish/demand the Bengals had gotten a vet OT to start instead. Although they'll be frustrated even if a veteran struggles too.
I think fans would be a lot more patient with a rookie struggling than they would with Jonah or LC, or another vet.
We eventually have to hit on a damn draft pick tho. We cannot survive on FGAs with the route our cap is heading, and it is beyond time for this scouting department to step up, a decade is too long to go without a decent draft pick on the oline.
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(02-14-2023, 11:44 AM)ochocincos Wrote: 3) Roschon Johnson, RB Texas (6'2", 223 lb) - Hoss of a RB who unfortunately played second fiddle to arguably the best RB in the draft class, Bijan Robinson. This is a dude who can run, catch, and block. While he's not a blazer, I think he'll run under 4.60 (probably 4.55 or a bit lower), showcasing his speed for his size. It's been reported he has reached 22.6 mph, making him one of the Longhorns' fastest players on the team. I like the idea of cutting Mixon, re-signing Perine, and pairing him with Johnson to form a solid tandem where both guys can run, catch, and block.
Note: If Mixon is not cut, I'd replace the RB in Rd 3 with Henry Bainivalu, OG Washington and not sign Will Hernandez (and Morgan Fox).
Bijan Robinson is the best offensive player in the draft class and the only other player that might be able to make an argument for that title that is Jordan Addison.
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(02-20-2023, 05:23 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I think fans would be a lot more patient with a rookie struggling than they would with Jonah or LC, or another vet.
We eventually have to hit on a damn draft pick tho. We cannot survive on FGAs with the route our cap is heading, and it is beyond time for this scouting department to step up, a decade is too long to go without a decent draft pick on the oline.
Fans probably would be more patient with a draft pick, but the Bengals are (or should be) in win-now mode.
Giving patience for development is something rebuilding teams should be doing.
Teams competing for Super Bowl need starters who can play well right now.
If a draft pick, it's much easier to give patience if the guy isn't a starter. If starting, many people will expect solid-or-better play while out there.
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
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(02-20-2023, 05:34 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Fans probably would be more patient with a draft pick, but the Bengals are (or should be) in win-now mode.
Giving patience for development is something rebuilding teams should be doing.
Teams competing for Super Bowl need starters who can play well right now.
If a draft pick, it's much easier to give patience if the guy isn't a starter. If starting, many people will expect solid-or-better play while out there.
I'm all for winning now, you think Fant is that guy? I dont see them spending big on McGlinchey or Brown, nor am I sure they are worth their asking prices. But they would be indications of "winning now".
Im not sure how a recently injured 30 year old perennial backup who had by far his worst season is a great argument for winning now, anymore than a 1st Round draft choice that has played 4 stellar years in the SEC, with no sacks in the last 19 games, and an efficiency grade over 99.0?
Seriously, which would you really prefer given the choice? Especially if LC will eventually be healthy...
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(02-20-2023, 06:04 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I'm all for winning now, you think Fant is that guy? I dont see them spending big on McGlinchey or Brown, nor am I sure they are worth their asking prices. But they would be indications of "winning now".
Im not sure how a recently injured 30 year old perennial backup who had by far his worst season is a great argument for winning now, anymore than a 1st Round draft choice that has played 4 stellar years in the SEC, with no sacks in the last 19 games, and an efficiency grade over 99.0?
Seriously, which would you really prefer given the choice? Especially if LC will eventually be healthy...
Do I think Fant is a full-time starter, especially an upgrade over Collins? No.
But I don't think the Bengals are going to drop Collins like that, so they will just look for a stopgap filler until he's back healthy.
Fant should still give better immediate play this season than a rookie will.
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
Zac Taylor 2023: 9 wins despite losing Burrow half the season
Zac Taylor 2024: Started 1-4. If he can turn this into a playoff appearance, it will be impressive.
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Are we getting a post-combine mock today from the soothsayer?
Can you successfully get to round 4 or 5 this year?
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(03-06-2023, 10:13 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Are we getting a post-combine mock today from the soothsayer?
Can you successfully get to round 4 or 5 this year?
lol no I probably won't post one until after FA.
It has made me think Schoonmaker won't be there in 5 now, and Roschon Johnson might be available in Rd 4 after an unideal Combine.
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
Zac Taylor 2023: 9 wins despite losing Burrow half the season
Zac Taylor 2024: Started 1-4. If he can turn this into a playoff appearance, it will be impressive.
Sorry for Party Rocking!
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I would take Vegas odds that you are not getting Banks at #60.
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(03-06-2023, 09:20 PM)OSUfan Wrote: I would take Vegas odds that you are not getting Banks at #60.
This was written over 2 weeks ago, so you have to take that into account.
I was going off projections on sites prior to the Combine happening.
His Combine really opened some eyes and he'll likely be a 1st rounder, possibly not even available at 28.
Zac Taylor 2019-2020: 6 total wins
Zac Taylor 2021-2022: Double-digit wins each season, plus 5 postseason wins
Zac Taylor 2023: 9 wins despite losing Burrow half the season
Zac Taylor 2024: Started 1-4. If he can turn this into a playoff appearance, it will be impressive.
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(03-06-2023, 11:22 PM)ochocincos Wrote: This was written over 2 weeks ago, so you have to take that into account.
I was going off projections on sites prior to the Combine happening.
His Combine really opened some eyes and he'll likely be a 1st rounder, possibly not even available at 28.
This was still a nice Mock Ochocincos. The FA would help out the OL with Fant and Hernandez, adding Fox would be great for the
Defense and getting Simpson would be sweet next to Logan Wilson. Agree Banks won't be there, maybe DJ Turner?
Roschon Johnson still might be my favorite RB in the mid rounds even with a poorer combine. He can pass block and has speed
even if his forty didn't reflect it. Really love the Hutchinson and Schoonmaker picks and adding a Punter.
Well done.
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(03-06-2023, 10:46 AM)ochocincos Wrote: lol no I probably won't post one until after FA.
It has made me think Schoonmaker won't be there in 5 now, and Roschon Johnson might be available in Rd 4 after an unideal Combine.
It appears FA is at least slowing down for the Bengals. After reading your post, I had to dedicate time to checking out Roschon Johnson. I'm intrigued about the Bengals going after him to add RB depth or possibly take the RB1 spot.
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(03-21-2023, 10:13 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: It appears FA is at least slowing down for the Bengals. After reading your post, I had to dedicate time to checking out Roschon Johnson. I'm intrigued about the Bengals going after him to add RB depth or possibly take the RB1 spot.
Johnson, Charbonnet and Spears are my top 3 after Robinson and Gibbs. Chase BRown is another one to watch.....about the size of Gio but a little quicker and good in pass pro.
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