Will We Ever Go All-In On Our O-Line?

[007BengalsFan]

Im not sure what you think is "all in" The Bengals have drafted several offensive linemen the last few years in rounds 1-4. They have brought in free agents that were well regarded. They had one of the top paid offensive lines in the NFL. They have tried.

[*pally*]

(Yesterday, 09:09 PM)puddycat Wrote: Zac Taylor was a college QB, a QB coach, and now is a QB head coach. The farther a position is from directly affecting QB play the less he knows. This means he knows jack about the offensive line or the entire defense. He is entirely at the mercy of however he hires a DC or OL coordinator. and isn't even helpful if they come to him with concerns because he doesn't speak their language.
The Bengals tried the money and free agent route after their Super Bowl loss and have worked their way around to the draft route. But no, the Bengals will never have an elite OL so long as their head coach knows nothing about the offensive line.

That is a rather interesting take considering the performance of the offensive line directly impacts QB play

If your theory was correct then we should have had a lousy OL under Marvin Lewis whose entire career until he became a head coach was on the defensive side of the ball

[samhain]

(Today, 01:15 AM)007BengalsFan Wrote: Im not sure what you think is "all in"  The Bengals have drafted several offensive linemen the last few years in rounds 1-4.  They have brought in free agents that were well regarded.   They had one of the top paid offensive lines in the NFL.  They have tried.

It's kind of a worst of two worlds scenario.  Zac brought in Turner when he arrived.  Turner was hired because Zac was his buddy and coaches love hanging out with their buddies.  It's just as Willie Anderson said.  Generally coaching hires have a lot more to do with personal familiarity and the good ol boy network that actual effective methods.  That went about like you would expect.

Next, the team took the lead and brought Pollack back.  Another guy that they knew pretty well.  I'm unsure of his actual level of suck.  What I am sure of is that whatever he wanted in terms of philosophy didn't match up with Zac's offensive vision.  So square peg, round hole, more non-development of players.

The common thread is the horrific track record of player development.  Anyone worth his ass on this line was good before they got here.  Brown for sure.  Karras.  Mims heavily credited OBJ and Trent Brown for his development last year.  

Maybe this Mr Miyagi fourth degree black belt hands registered lethal weapon king of the cage catch as catch can Dana White acolyte Joe Rogan supplement nicotine pouch pounding 27th deadliest man in Ohio Peters actually knows something about a sport played with a funny shaped pigskin ball as well.  Maybe he's a retread.  Idk.  Something has to break their way at some point. 


  

[bengalfan47]

(06-06-2025, 11:25 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 1. No because the Bengals never go all-in, and also they don't financially value IOL.
2. We just set the record last year for most losses while scoring 33+.

Wouldnt a better offensive line help the defense more than one player though? 

I want Hendrickson back and it pisses me off that he isnt signed yet. There is no excuse for it.

Having said that, how many sacks/drives would it save if we could actually run the ball consistently? It is maddening to watch this team line up for
3rd/2nd and short and have to do a trick play or pass to get a first down. If Burrow had a decent line that could just be average to above average run blockers then this team could be like the Eagles. Instead its just hope the other team messes up more than we do.

[*bfine32*]

(Today, 01:15 AM)007BengalsFan Wrote: Im not sure what you think is "all in"  The Bengals have drafted several offensive linemen the last few years in rounds 1-4.  They have brought in free agents that were well regarded.   They had one of the top paid offensive lines in the NFL.  They have tried.

This is where I'm at. We've invested a lot of draft capital and draft choices in O-line during Zac's tenure here, we've just failed to get it right. Hopefully the coaching move we made this year will help more than throwing $/picks at it. 

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(7 hours ago)bengalfan47 Wrote: Wouldnt a better offensive line help the defense more than one player though? 

I want Hendrickson back and it pisses me off that he isnt signed yet. There is no excuse for it.

Having said that, how many sacks/drives would it save if we could actually run the ball consistently? It is maddening to watch this team line up for
3rd/2nd and short and have to do a trick play or pass to get a first down. If Burrow had a decent line that could just be average to above average run blockers then this team could be like the Eagles. Instead its just hope the other team messes up more than we do.

That's a scorpion and the frog situation right there if you think we'd actually do that even if we could. Throw the ball and then throw the ball again is Zac Taylor football.

[Soonerpeace]

(Yesterday, 09:09 PM)puddycat Wrote: Zac Taylor was a college QB, a QB coach, and now is a QB head coach.  The farther a position is from directly affecting QB play the less he knows.  This means he knows jack about the offensive line or the entire defense.  He is entirely at the mercy of however he hires a DC or OL coordinator. and isn't even helpful if they come to him with concerns because he doesn't speak their language.
The Bengals tried the money and free agent route after their Super Bowl loss and have worked their way around to the draft route.  But no, the Bengals will never have an elite OL so long as their head coach knows nothing about the offensive line.

There’s a lot of truth here but you maybe overselling it. Zac probably has the least control of his team and staff as 20% of NFL coaches. But he was allowed to hire his staff. After the Turner debacle he agreed with the Pollack hire. The players liked Pollack but Zac wasn’t high on his instruction and development. The scouting department also relies on the coaches opinions in drafting a lot. Pollack was retained way too long. It will be interesting as there’s no question the depth and competition is the best in a very long time. But there are plenty of benefits to a QB head coach. 

[XsandOs]

(6 hours ago)bfine32 Wrote: This is where I'm at. We've invested a lot of draft capital and draft choices in O-line during Zac's tenure here, we've just failed to get it right. Hopefully the coaching move we made this year will help more than throwing $/picks at it. 

I would add that we tried to buy the Bucs interior O-line and succeeded in getting only Cappa, and added Karras from Pats.

[Ell Prez]

(06-06-2025, 11:24 PM)sandwedge Wrote: I think that time is coming soon Brad. I think we have the makings of a good line. I believe people will be surprised at a decent Patrick

I would argue he’s not going to be decent. We paid him backup money on the open market. Chances are he’s a decent back up. But let’s assume he is decent. How is that going all in on the O line? We don’t need decent. We need an All pro or at least 2 pro bowlers on the O line to be elite. We most likely didn’t upgrade the O line this offseason. If an O line is what truly separates us from 9-8 to a Super Bowl team, are you happy with our big move being adding Patrick?


This same logic can be applied to the defense. If a good defense is all we needed to take us from 9-8 to Super Bowl team, does adding a rotational DT and back up LB get you there?

How are we better this year? I could actually make the argument we’ll be worse this year. I pray I’m wrong, but here we go:

There’s a chance this o line is worse. We got rid of Cappa for Patrick or possibly 3rd pick. Cappa could very well be better. Same goes for Volson if he’s benched. It’s possible he’s better. Rest of offense is the same, but I would argue Chase had a historic year, triple crown winner. Is he repeating that? What’s more likely, he outs up slightly better numbers or slightly lower (won’t say worse bc either way his numbers will be great)? Higgins- was hurt a lot, what if he is hurt again or even worse?

Defense- Hendrickson may sit out the whole year. Murphy is probably not making that giant leap everyone is hoping for. Stewart hasn’t even practiced and he may not even get on field until half the year is over.

LB- ok we possibly got better with Knight. Hard to say yet.

Secondary- where did we improve? We had our starters the benning of last year and they got torched early and often (Washington game).



Of course everything I’m saying is a what if. But so is the case for us being better. It’s all speculative at this point. Which is why I simply think, what’s the more likely scenario we’re saying 6 games in to the year: omg we’re so good now, Patrick, Murphy, Stewart are freaking amazing. Or, omg we’re so bad, it’s no wonder we are, we signed Patrick and prayed a couple young DE were going to be pro bowlers…and they’re not.


The best argument for us being a better team this year is a softer schedule. But that’s highly speculative because there’s always teams who are good when they were bad. Overall, I simply do not think we did anywhere near enough this offseason to compete with the chiefs, ravens, bills, eagles, lions. Much less to be able to beat a combination of 4 of those teams, most likely on the road without losing 1.

[*bfine32*]

(6 hours ago)XsandOs Wrote: I would add that we tried to buy the Bucs interior O-line and succeeded in getting only Cappa, and added Karras from Pats.

We can thank Tom Brady for Ted Karras. The Bengals were prepared to make Ryan Jensen the first signing of the 2022 FA period. Brady un-retired and motivated Jensen to stay in TB. Jensen never took another snap in the NFL and Karras has not missed a game since we signed him. 

[XsandOs]

(5 hours ago)bfine32 Wrote: We can thank Tom Brady for Ted Karras. The Bengals were prepared to make Ryan Jensen the first signing of the 2022 FA period. Brady un-retired and motivated Jensen to stay in TB. Jensen never took another snap in the NFL and Karras has not missed a game since we signed him. 

Yes, Brady getting Jensen to go back to Bucs is public knowledge . Not sure if signing Jensen would have precluded Karras signing to LG.