Offseason To-Do List

[PlayerFormerlyKnownAsMousecop]

So with the season officially over after Pittsburgh finally being eliminated, and after much deliberating over my fanhood of this organization, like an abused housewife that keeps coming back, I'm still here.

What a junk season this was. Watching the team consistently lack toughness in key moments was probably the most difficult part for me. In a game that is centered around violence, teams that are not tough stick out like sore thumbs.

My To-Do List for this offseason would have started with firing Marvin Lewis, Ken Zampese, and giving Pauly G the option to leave or stay. Now that that clearly isn't going to happen, I suppose we should move on....

So here goes:

1) Re-sign Zeitler and other key players at all costs

If this means losing Whitworth, then so be it. But with the current state of this garbage offensive line, we need all the young talent we can get. I would throw the kitchen sink at Zeitler with our cap space and see what sticks.

2) Nail free agency at all costs

I'm still not completely sure what this would entail, but certain players like Le'veon Bell and Eric Berry are up for new contracts. Does this mean that I think we will/can/should sign these top tier guys? No. But the only way that we will be back into contention within the next couple of years is if we kick it into gear and bring in quality players from other teams (not the Karlos Dansbys of this years market). Look at the difference Alex Mack made for the Falcons and Matt Ryan this year.

3) Pick up an impact player at 9

Don't trade down. If anything, trade up. But we need Mike Williams, Reuben Foster, or Dalvin Cook if any of these guys are on the board when we pick IMO. I'm a little skeptical of taking an LB at 9 due to the Keith Rivers debacle, but Foster seems like a game changer and I've had little fantasies in my mind about him and Burfict on the field at the same time.

Besides that, Williams and Cook need to be priorities. We can get o-line depth in later rounds as well as secondary depth, and this run of 1st round corners needs to end as the results have been underwhelming. I truly believe that Willims and Cook will be elite players at their positions as soon as this year with the right players around them.

I'm open to other options here, but this draft needs to give us immediate impact players. Enough with this wait and see BS.

4) Revamp the F.O. and Let Tobin do his thing

This won't happen, but this front office is seriously lacking and during down years the lack of cohesion and organization on this team is glaringly obvious.

Overall, with the right moves, there is plenty of talent on this team for a 10 win season or more. No reason we can't pick up right where we left off before Dalton went down in 2015.

But if this F.O. continues to lallygag, the talent will be wasted and we will continue to lull in the AFC's bottom tier of franchises.

Now's the chance to make a difference and show your true mettle, Cincinnati Bengals. Young fans like me with their lives ahead of them will only put up with so much before we begin to flock to proven winners. And that's a promise.

[Mer]

For the most part, I agree with you. Unfortunately posting these things and hoping the organization changes is like writing a letter of frustration and putting it in the drawer. It makes us feel better but nothing will happen.

[milksheikh]

I agree with everything except the not trading down part.

Although I don't want us to trade down, I don't think it would a bad idea if the guy we wanted isn't there and we drop a few picks down and pick up more picks to add more depth.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

I agree wholeheartedly.  You have a top 10 pick, make it a gamebreaker type of player.  Quit screwing around.  I like either of your three choices.

[CageTheBengal]

Getting rid of our elite LT does not help our o-line, I'd rather keep Whit who didn't even have a drop off in play. (Who could still move into the interior if he decided to play long enough.) We chose not to re-sign Andre Smith and just threw the rookies in there and Andy got killed. That was just the right side of the line not his blind side. So what do you think happens when we let Whit walk? The young guys were flat out incapable of holding down the RT position and replacing Andre Smith who Whit is light years ahead at a more important position.

With Whit anchoring the left side of the line and Boling in place our left side is locked and a non-issue. Letting Whit walk in place of Zeitler leaves us in the exact same position we were in last season but without our shutdown LT. So now the right side and the left side need to be addressed. Makes no sense.

Also a young guy like me isn't flocking anywhere. Bengals for life.

[THE PISTONS]

(01-27-2017, 02:13 PM)Wyche Wrote: I agree wholeheartedly.  You have a top 10 pick, make it a gamebreaker type of player.  Quit screwing around.  I like either of your three choices.

Basically, I see the draft like this:

IF we stay at the spot we're at...we should go skill player like Mike Williams, Fournette, or Cook. These are the type of guys that we don't have a shot at in free agency and they are gone before our late teens to 20's pick. Rueben Foster is another consideration here.

IF we want to go defensive or offensive line...trade down.

Cook vs Fournette is a tough decision. Fournette will run over guys but he doesn't really make guys miss. Cook is GREAT at that plus he's a receiving threat. He's more Edgerrin James which I think would be good in our offense. He also has off-the-field concerns.

[Shake n Blake]

Here's what I'd like to see:

1. Draft Fournette or Cook at #9. Dump Hill.
2. Re-sign Whitworth and Zeitler. Sign FA RT. Draft C in 2nd round
3. Resign DreKirk and LaFell.
4. Sign veteran pass catching TE. Dump Kroft.
5. Look for speed at LB and pass rushers in FA as well as rounds 3-4 of draft
6. Cut Pacman. Let WJIII start. Find CB depth in draft or FA.
7. Fire Paul Alexander yesterday.
8. Have an open kicking competition with Bullock, Brown and a late rounder.

If they did all of this, I think we'd go right back to being a dominant AFC power. Still hard to see a playoff run with Marv at HC though.

[Bengalholic]

I think they should cut both Adam and Maualuga. That adds another 10m to the cap... which means they should have no problem signing Whit, Dre and Zeitler.

I could also see them looking at a guy like RT- Menelik Watson in free agency. While he's had injury issues with Oakland, his talent was never really in question. When healthy, he's played pretty well. He's also a guy the Bengals scouted heavily and were said to have been ready to pick if Andre hadn't re-signed. Because of the injury history and having only 17 career starts...a team will probably get him for a very reasonable deal. It just seems like a Bengals type of signing. 

As far as the draft...my two 1st round favorites right now are Fournette and Thomas, but I also really like Foster and Williams as well.

[*rfaulk34*]

My off-season "to do" list is, to forget about this team on the field and the asshats that run it, until August, and then see if i have any energy to root for them once they start playing again. 

That energy has been dwindling more and more with each passing season.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(01-27-2017, 02:26 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Basically, I see the draft like this:

IF we stay at the spot we're at...we should go skill player like Mike Williams, Fournette, or Cook. These are the type of guys that we don't have a shot at in free agency and they are gone before our late teens to 20's pick. Rueben Foster is another consideration here.

IF we want to go defensive or offensive line...trade down.

Cook vs Fournette is a tough decision. Fournette will run over guys but he doesn't really make guys miss. Cook is GREAT at that plus he's a receiving threat. He's more Edgerrin James which I think would be good in our offense. He also has off-the-field concerns.

Agreed.  The off field concerns with the battery are kinda iffy.  A third party at the scene said there were no punches thrown, which is why the charges were dropped.  His teammate, Deondre Johnson was banned from the team for his battery. There was the BB gun fight though.

(01-27-2017, 02:48 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Here's what I'd like to see:

1. Draft Fournette or Cook at #9. Dump Hill.
2. Re-sign Whitworth and Zeitler. Sign FA RT. Draft C in 2nd round
3. Resign DreKirk and LaFell.
4. Sign veteran pass catching TE. Dump Kroft.
5. Look for speed at LB and pass rushers in FA as well as rounds 3-4 of draft
6. Cut Pacman. Let WJIII start. Find CB depth in draft or FA.
7. Fire Paul Alexander yesterday.
8. Have an open kicking competition with Bullock, Brown and a late rounder.

If they did all of this, I think we'd go right back to being a dominant AFC power. Still hard to see a playoff run with Marv at HC though.

I'm on board 100%.

(01-27-2017, 03:16 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: I think they should cut both Adam and Maualuga. That adds another 10m to the cap... which means they should have no problem signing Whit, Dre and Zeitler.

I could also see them looking at a guy like RT- Menelik Watson in free agency. While he's had injury issues with Oakland, his talent was never really in question. When healthy, he's played pretty well. He's also a guy the Bengals scouted heavily and were said to have been ready to pick if Andre hadn't re-signed. Because of the injury history and having only 17 career starts...a team will probably get him for a very reasonable deal. It just seems like a Bengals type of signing. 

As far as the draft...my two 1st round favorites right now are Fournette and Thomas, but I also really like Foster and Williams as well.

Adam, Hockaloogie, and Peko should be gone.

(01-27-2017, 03:37 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: My off-season "to do" list is, to forget about this team on the field and the asshats that run it, until August, and then see if i have any energy to root for them once they start playing again. 

That energy has been dwindling more and more with each passing season.

I feel your pain my friend.

[THE PISTONS]

I'm leaning towards letting Kirkpatrick go. He had essentially 1.5 good years here after doing nothing for a long-time. He's 27 now.

Guys like Amakumara would likely cost less. Ross Cockrell would be a decent add.

Pacman makes this a wildcard. Lose Jones and you almost have to keep Kirkpatrick.

[Derrick]

(01-27-2017, 02:48 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Here's what I'd like to see:

1. Draft Fournette or Cook at #9. Dump Hill.
2. Re-sign Whitworth and Zeitler. Sign FA RT. Draft C in 2nd round
3. Resign DreKirk and LaFell.
4. Sign veteran pass catching TE. Dump Kroft.
5. Look for speed at LB and pass rushers in FA as well as rounds 3-4 of draft
6. Cut Pacman. Let WJIII start. Find CB depth in draft or FA.
7. Fire Paul Alexander yesterday.
8. Have an open kicking competition with Bullock, Brown and a late rounder.

If they did all of this, I think we'd go right back to being a dominant AFC power. Still hard to see a playoff run with Marv at HC though.

Gotta agree with this.