Non-Bengal Free Agents

[sparky151]

I'd say the Bengals are more likely to sign Trevathan or Pierre-Louis of the Bears free agent LBs. Trevathan is past his prime but played at UK and Pierre-Louis is unestablished but played well amidst more talented players. 

 

The Bengals have plenty of money to spend this offseason. We're about 48 mil under the cap at the moment but can easily add another 40 mil in dropping some bad contracts. So we can not only tag AJ but go after top dollar free agents. But I'm not holding my breath. 

[theJ]

4 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

I'd say the Bengals are more likely to sign Trevathan or Pierre-Louis of the Bears free agent LBs. Trevathan is past his prime but played at UK and Pierre-Louis is unestablished but played well amidst more talented players. 

 

The Bengals have plenty of money to spend this offseason. We're about 48 mil under the cap at the moment but can easily add another 40 mil in dropping some bad contracts. So we can not only tag AJ but go after top dollar free agents. But I'm not holding my breath. 

I think they're likely to try to bring in some outside help and spend money.  The question is whether any of the people they're interested in are interested in them.

[SmittyBacall]

8 minutes ago, theJ said:

I think they're likely to try to bring in some outside help and spend money.  The question is whether any of the people they're interested in are interested in them.

Zac is a players coach who can talk the talk and sell his vision. I think he can get players on board. The money has to be right, though.

If Burrow hits like I think he will, we shouldn’t have too much trouble convincing outside FAs to play here in the future - again, as long as the money’s fair.

[Beck Bristow]

1 hour ago, SmittyBacall said:

Zac is a players coach who can talk the talk and sell his vision. I think he can get players on board. The money has to be right, though.

If Burrow hits like I think he will, we shouldn’t have too much trouble convincing outside FAs to play here in the future - again, as long as the money’s fair.

This may not be the offseason to overspend.  If we look like an up and coming team next season,  a higher caliber free agent might be interested. 

[sparky151]

It will be hard to look like an up and coming team if we're rolling Hart and Vigil out there as starters. 

 

If Burrow has a good rookie year, he'll be a middle of the pack NFL starter. If we don't upgrade the O-line, he'll struggle because any NFL veteran QB would struggle behind it. 

[SmittyBacall]

30 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

If we don't upgrade the O-line, he'll struggle because any NFL veteran QB would struggle behind it. 

The line looked much better the final half of the year and should only improve with Jonah starting at left tackle. If we can bring in a competent starter at left guard the line shouldn’t be an issue. I’m not overly concerned about it.

[THE DUKE]

11 minutes ago, SmittyBacall said:

The line looked much better the final half of the year and should only improve with Jonah starting at left tackle. If we can bring in a competent starter at left guard the line shouldn’t be an issue. I’m not overly concerned about it.

Given recent comments from Callahan, it sounds like if Fred Johnson outplays Hart, he could wrest the starting RT job from him.  And even if the Bengals sign a high prices OG in FA, they can still be grooming Jordan to take over for Miller next year or even this year as Miller was average at best last year (which made him by far our best interior OL last year, but I digress...)

[sparky151]

3 hours ago, SmittyBacall said:

The line looked much better the final half of the year and should only improve with Jonah starting at left tackle. If we can bring in a competent starter at left guard the line shouldn’t be an issue. I’m not overly concerned about it.

 

The second half of last year was pretty meaningless. The games that matter more are when the team is in contention. Winning a couple of games after starting 0-11 is of no significance at all and it's foolish to believe they are representative of the team's baseline ability. We have a not very talented roster held back by poor coaching and a bad front office. The sooner the team faces those facts, the better but they seem to still be in denial. 

[SmittyBacall]

48 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

 

The second half of last year was pretty meaningless. The games that matter more are when the team is in contention. Winning a couple of games after starting 0-11 is of no significance at all and it's foolish to believe they are representative of the team's baseline ability. 

I don’t understand this take at all.

You’re going to have to explain this one to the class.

Edited February 28, 2020 by SmittyBacall

[SmittyBacall]

 

[Johnny Nix]

1 hour ago, SmittyBacall said:

 

The transition to the 3-4 has begun...

[sparky151]

1 hour ago, SmittyBacall said:

I don’t understand this take at all.

You’re going to have to explain this one to the class.

There is a long Bengals tradition of stinking most of the season, then playing well for the last couple of games. Then Mike Brown seizes on a late season win and thinks everything is on course.  This basically describes the 90s. Marvin brought some credibility and more importantly accountability to the team. But that seems to be fading. Not firing any coaches after a 2-14 season is shocking. Tobin has already been out trying to condition fans not to expect too much from free agency. It won't be too long before Hobson proclaims us up against the cap. Dehner says the team might go with Finley and Dolegala as Burrow's backups. That's inexcusable.

[INbengalfan]

53 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

There is a long Bengals tradition of stinking most of the season, then playing well for the last couple of games. Then Mike Brown seizes on a late season win and thinks everything is on course.  This basically describes the 90s. Marvin brought some credibility and more importantly accountability to the team. But that seems to be fading. Not firing any coaches after a 2-14 season is shocking. Tobin has already been out trying to condition fans not to expect too much from free agency. It won't be too long before Hobson proclaims us up against the cap. Dehner says the team might go with Finley and Dolegala as Burrow's backups. That's inexcusable.

Funny thing tho.  The LBs and CBs sucked last year.  Guess which two coaches "moved On" to other "opportunities"?  You want them called out publicly with calling it a firing?  Whatever.  Mike Brown shows more class and lets a guy leave with dignity.  I have no problem with that.

 

Tobin has already said that we will be more active in outside free agency.

 

I have no problem with Dolegada and Finley as backups, at least this year.  We're a year away anyway.

 

 

I agree with putting too much into late season wins in otherwise bad seasons.  And the salary cap spin.

[theJ]

1 hour ago, sparky151 said:

Dehner says the team might go with Finley and Dolegala as Burrow's backups. That's inexcusable.

Gives them money to spend on other positions. Backup vet QBs are not cheap. It's smart. 

[SmittyBacall]

3 hours ago, sparky151 said:

There is a long Bengals tradition of stinking most of the season, then playing well for the last couple of games. Then Mike Brown seizes on a late season win and thinks everything is on course.  This basically describes the 90s. Marvin brought some credibility and more importantly accountability to the team. But that seems to be fading. Not firing any coaches after a 2-14 season is shocking. Tobin has already been out trying to condition fans not to expect too much from free agency. It won't be too long before Hobson proclaims us up against the cap. Dehner says the team might go with Finley and Dolegala as Burrow's backups. That's inexcusable.

This doesn’t answer how the second half of the year “meaningless”. Whether or not the team is in contention they’re playing to win and putting forth the effort to improve,  just like the teams they’re lining up against.