Bengals Had Kroft As The Top-Rated TE

[BFritz21]

(06-01-2015, 11:49 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Ok, this is what I mean.  I get it, optimism feels good but our offense "giving defenses nightmares" has been stated as an inevitability for each off-season I can remember.  Does our offense give defenses nightmares?  Can we at least give them an unpleasant daydream first?

I may have stated it when we had Eifert and Gresham, but we just never used them properly.

Using them properly, along with AJ and Hill, would give defenses nightmares.

[BengalChris]

(06-01-2015, 09:07 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I may have stated it when we had Eifert and Gresham, but we just never used them properly.

Using them properly, along with AJ and Hill, would give defenses nightmares.

That's been an ongoing problem.

Just not sure if it was Gresham or the play designs or the play calling. My guess is that  Gresham just didn't have his head in games.

In the playoff game in Jan 2013 against Houston Gresham was suppose to be a big part of the offense and AJ was a decoy for most of the first half. The team then started going to AJ in the second half after the first half sucked. The offense only scored 3 points in that game.

I believe Gresham was given a lot of opportunities to step up and just didn't, at least not compared with some other TEs around the league. Maybe with Eifert and Kroft the offensive game plan will include more TEs work. Going to have to wait and see. Wondering if Gresham is going to find a team this year.

[bonesaw]

(06-01-2015, 12:01 PM)djs7685 Wrote: It's probably my favorite part of the offseason when people (Brad) make the most absurd claims about our offense. Every post is filled with how "unstoppable", "unbeatable", "uncoverable" so and so are going to be.

I mean, defenses will have to put extra guys on the field because who can cover these guys?!

I don't know, but I'd guess that most NFL defensive coordinators have it figured out. There have been some high powered offenses to come through the NFL over the years, but every one has been stopped and covered by a defense at some point. Excuse me if I'm just ignoring some facts here and completely missing the point, but when has the recipe for offensive success ever been an average QB, 1 top tier WR, a WR with half of a season of playing time under his belt, a guy with the dropsies, an unproven TE, a rookie TE, and a pair of RBs with 560 career carries??

MLJ is a talented kid and I have high hopes for Eifert, but there's no need to pretend this group of guys is unquestionably going to run rampant leading the NFL in every offense based category.

[quote pid='9361' dateline='1433170895']
I like when all the teams act like they got all these guys that they consider steals of the draft.  You know like us saying we had Kroft ahead of Max WillIams
[/quote]

[*Nately120*]

(06-01-2015, 09:43 PM)BengalChris Wrote: That's been an ongoing problem.

Just not sure if it was Gresham or the play designs or the play calling. My guess is that  Gresham just didn't have his head in games.

In the playoff game in Jan 2013 against Houston Gresham was suppose to be a big part of the offense and AJ was a decoy for most of the first half. The team then started going to AJ in the second half after the first half sucked. The offense only scored 3 points in that game.

I believe Gresham was given a lot of opportunities to step up and just didn't, at least not compared with some other TEs around the league. Maybe with Eifert and Kroft the offensive game plan will include more TEs work. Going to have to wait and see. Wondering if Gresham is going to find a team this year.

Part of me wonders if 4-6 TDs per season really is "stepping up" as far as Bengals TE's are concerned.  We might miss Gresham.

[grampahol]

They haven't even put on pads yet and a few make this team sure fire super bowl champs, but truth be told is nobody knows. Nobody knows if so and so will break a leg first day of practice or if some kid nobody has ever heard of takes the league by storm or if everything clicks or nothing clicks. One thing we ALL know is Hobson will spin it so that this team is going to be the juggernaut of the ages because that's what he's paid to do and to make sure we know how often players go to church. . Well golly Hobs.. They pray to win. .

[3wt]

(06-01-2015, 11:21 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Part of me wonders if 4-6 TDs per season really is "stepping up" as far as Bengals TE's are concerned.  We might miss Gresham.

There's no doubt we'll miss his talent.   He could do it all at a really high level when he had his head in the game.

It says a lot about whatever problems he may have had when coaches are willing to forgo his kind of talent. 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(05-31-2015, 08:46 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Gresham might be a physical specimen, but he was never really overly physical (nothing ever stands out in my mind).

Huh?

You're joking, right?

[*bengalfan74*]

(06-03-2015, 02:12 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote:

Huh?

You're joking, right?

Let's hope

Gresham can shove some of the best DE's in the game around by himself ! Problem is on the next play he isn't even sure what play is being run.

[BFritz21]

(06-03-2015, 02:12 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote:

Huh?

You're joking, right?

Show me a few plays where he physically just plowed guys over (without fumbling) or just used his size to his advantage to push people around.

[3wt]

(06-03-2015, 02:42 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Show me a few plays where he physically just plowed guys over (without fumbling) or just used his size to his advantage to push people around.

I won't deny that he had a fumbling problem, but I can think of a lot of plays when he was dragging 3-5 players another 5 yards.   He was very strong against DEs and he whipped defensive backs around like they were sacks of paper.

He just didn't know how to secure the ball and how to keep up with what was going down on the field.   I don't know if it was just his mind or his emotions.  But he had the potential to be the best complete TE in the game.  His physical skills were elite.

[BFritz21]

(06-03-2015, 07:00 PM)3wt Wrote: I won't deny that he had a fumbling problem, but I can think of a lot of plays when he was dragging 3-5 players another 5 yards.   He was very strong against DEs and he whipped defensive backs around like they were sacks of paper.

He just didn't know how to secure the ball and how to keep up with what was going down on the field.   I don't know if it was just his mind or his emotions.  But he had the potential to be the best complete TE in the game.  His physical skills were elite.

Dragging defenders doesn't make someone a physical player.

I was talking about using his body to get position and enforce his will on defenders.  I never remember seeing him just bulldoze into any linebackers or anything.

[Toy Cannon]

I think he is going to be a very good player.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

I think Kroft will be everything we wanted from Gresham.

Consistent, good hands, big target, good blocker etc.

Perfect dude to compliment Eifert who is obviously the more talented pass catcher and playmaker.

[Joelist]

If Kroft is alert and focused on the play at hand consistently he is an upgrade right there.

[3wt]

(06-04-2015, 02:53 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I think Kroft will be everything we wanted from Gresham.

Consistent, good hands, big target, good blocker etc.

Perfect dude to compliment Eifert who is obviously the more talented pass catcher and playmaker.

I hope you're right Nate.   I just think we've underestimated Gresham's abilities all the way around and this guy is a rookie.   I've heard negatives about both Kroft's hands and his blocking (I've heard positives too).

I'll be tickled pink if he is, and I don't really know what to expect.  It will have an impact on our offense which ever way it goes.  

I'm just not sold.   I know he wasn't as talented, but I liked the guy out of Florida State better.  He's just a player - tough and clutch.

Hope that's how Kroft turns out - with the additional athleticism

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(06-04-2015, 03:00 PM)3wt Wrote: I hope you're right Nate.   I just think we've underestimated Gresham's abilities all the way around and this guy is a rookie.   I've heard negatives about both Kroft's hands and his blocking (I've heard positives too).

I'll be tickled pink if he is, and I don't really know what to expect.  It will have an impact on our offense which ever way it goes.  

I'm just not sold.   I know he wasn't as talented, but I liked the guy out of Florida State better.  He's just a player - tough and clutch.

Hope that's how Kroft turns out - with the additional athleticism

We will see but everything i have heard about Kroft is he is just plain solid in
all of the categories you mention being weaknesses. He is just a rookie you're
right but i think with Eifert healthy it really opens up things for him and takes
a lot of the pressure off.

As long as Dalton can hit the man when he is open IMO. He does need to get
a littler buffer and add some athleticism for sure though bro.

[WhoDeyWho]

(06-04-2015, 03:00 PM)3wt Wrote: I hope you're right Nate.   I just think we've underestimated Gresham's abilities all the way around and this guy is a rookie.   I've heard negatives about both Kroft's hands and his blocking (I've heard positives too)...

I thought he was a HS WR?  His hands should be decent.  

[3wt]

(06-04-2015, 03:18 PM)WhoDeyWho Wrote: I thought he was a HS WR?  His hands should be decent.  

I'm thinking you're right.  I know he put on a lot of weight at Rutgers.   I've heard reports (I don't remember which draftnik - NFL.com, Rang or who) that he catches with his body too much.  I know the Bengals thought he was the best of the group.  But they also picked Gresham over Gronk and Graham.

I've also heard that he has excellent hands.  I'm a glass half empty kind of guy when it comes to expectations - I'm not proud to say.

I want him to be a stud though.

[Bengal Dude]

(06-04-2015, 04:46 PM)3wt Wrote: I'm thinking you're right.  I know he put on a lot of weight at Rutgers.   I've heard reports (I don't remember which draftnik - NFL.com, Rang or who) that he catches with his body too much.  I know the Bengals thought he was the best of the group.  But they also picked Gresham over Gronk and Graham.

I've also heard that he has excellent hands.  I'm a glass half empty kind of guy when it comes to expectations - I'm not proud to say.

I want him to be a stud though.

I know people like to bring up picking Gresham over Gronk and Graham, but look at the situation at the time. Gronk had a back injury and no one knew how his career was going to go.

As for Graham, do you realize that these two would've been his coaches?





Do you think he would've succeeded here?