T-Dub

Im sure they will use the clock review consistently and not as another means to hand teams do-overs when they don't like the outcome of a play.

And iirc you could count his missed starts on your fingers

Almost.

Probably the smart move when your draft room is one big bowl of questionable coleslaw away from also serving as your family reunion.

He's managed one full season in the past 5 years. Based on his average availability it works out to about half a mil per start. Until I know who will be playing RT the 2nd half of the season I'm gonna have to pump the brakes on all that backslapping just a bit.

Was anyone really impressed with OB Jr last year? For all the yap he seemed pretty average to me. I guess the party line is to blame Volson but I'm not convinced. Maybe its those "wide zone concepts" that seem to mean shuffling your feet while looking confused & not actually blocking anyone.

I agree last year was last this year and this year they are less last year for next year. Last year they are this year starting next year's last year better.

Always a few guys at each position that end up being good in the pros but aren't really on the media radar, usually because they're not at one of the football factory schools. Unfortunately for us they tend to get scooped up by teams with good scouting departments.

& then when handed this generational talent they let the likes of Jonah Williams play out of position to save $6-8M on the way to letting their franchise QB be the most-sacked QB in the NFL (for the 2 seasons he's managed to stay on the field.) Kinda like being handed a gold mine and building an outhouse over the mine shaft. I think the younger generation of ownership may have learned something from their past but the fact remains they're only in that ownership position due to a genetic lottery.

Good thing he's going to the modern NFL where holding isn't really a concern most of the time.

Have to figure he was a 4th round pick for a reason. If teams thought he was ready to start he would've gone higher.

This is the sort of thing that has me down on Pollack despite only having late-round picks to work with.* His OL very clearly does not like to employ wide zone concepts. They suck at wide zone concepts. Wide zone concepts send the QB to IR. Wide zone concepts can't run the ball effectively. Who gives a shit what the coaches like? A concept never blocked a blitzing LB. The system needs to fit the players they have, not some ideal roster in their heads.. Guessing this also tilts their draft board, overvaluing guys who fit this pet scheme instead of being flexible enough to take the BPA and adjust. He's gone after these smaller "athletic" linemen in the past that get absolutely ragdolled by AFCN DL's. Ditto Zac as our OC to an extent. At time he seems to be calling plays that only looked good on paper & don't seem to be playing to their strengths. Starting with the OL's inability to execute them, assuming as a group they do have strengths to play to hidden somewhere. *Carman is a notable exception as a 2nd round pick but the Bengals are not a good fit for a young player lacking motivation. This is a franchise where players can just show up and smile a lot or whatever & know they're going to play out their contracts. The coaches aren't scaring anybody because they're in that same boat no one seems willing to rock. Talked about it before, it's a cultural problem that I think stems from the nepotism. Regardless of why, lazy players & ineffective coaches both seem to feel comfortable here & Carman is only the latest example.

Because I doubt they want to tag Higgins a second time and there's not anyone else like him on the roster waiting to take his place. The 2 they drafted last year were both late round picks & neither are that type of player. I don't think they necessarily need to use the first pick to replace that, but they might. Again if it's a choice between the 3rd or 4th best WR in the class or the 7-8th best OT it follows that the WR is probably the better overall value. I don't have to like it but I can't deny their board could easily work out that way. When you're drafting in the bottom of the round it's about taking the best of whoever is left, they're probably not going to be looking at a dozen A-grade prospects.

Wondering if his value might go up the closer they wait until the trade deadline on Halloween. Fine with holding out for a relevant pick next year.

The more I hear about which OT we're drafting the more I expect a WR.

Chances are at least a couple of these guys are going to be busts but I don't see that on the list? It'd be nice if it wasn't whoever the Bengals draft, for a change.

Yeah she's 1000 years old and rich af besides, I'd wear sweats everywhere

More about creating competition rather than having 5 hopeful starters on the roster and calling it a day.

Why is the OL set? Neither Volson nor Cappa are untouchable and the new RT is on a 1 year deal. There's no reason at all they shouldn't be drafting OL early and often, and no reason why those guys couldn't earn a starting position right away.

Don't have a problem with any of that, the roster is a different subject. I'm simply tired of hearing the players reference a Super Bowl 2 years ago that they lost. They barely managed 9-8 last year. I think they could win one this season if they can lock it in and quit talking like they've already done it. Seem a little too up on themselves for a group that just lost every division game that mattered. There's not going to be a postseason to worry about if they can't beat AFCN teams. This idea they can just tank 6 losses like it doesnt matter because the Chiefs.. Im sorry, what? Some of y'all are on some heavy copium with that line...

I used to give the same excuse actually but who has he made better, FA or draft pick. The big name FA's have kind of fizzled, they look average at best here. Carman himself seems to have all the tools but zero motivation, content to remain a backup. We could point to Volson as a later pick that Pollack has developed into a starter, but should he really be starting? They let the position coaches be draft scouts and then they end up with these pet project types wasting everyone's time. Pollack's OL has underperformed across the board, it's not just poor drafting. In either case though no one will be held responsible.

Don't have a problem with any of that, the roster is a different subject. I'm simply tired of hearing the players reference a Super Bowl 2 years ago that they lost. They barely managed 9-8 last year. I think they could win one this season if they can lock it in and quit talking like they've already done it. Seem a little too up on themselves for a group that just lost every division game that mattered. Think Zac needs to sit them down day one of camp and give them a reality check. They were average last year. That's what all the yapping earns them.

Perhaps why they've had to bring IOL in as free agents. After watching Cappa on tape getting abused by our new DT I'd call it mixed results at best. Volson was a 4th round pick and a marginal starter. Maybe they should try drafting them earlier and see how that goes? The bigger concern to me is that Pollack is their primary OL scout. I'm starting to see that as a problem regardless of the round they're being drafted. Believe most teams would've fired him by now.

In the vids I watched Rankins was mostly lining up at NT but this keeps coming up, is the expectation he'd be rotating in only for passing downs here?

You know Ol' Musty loves those ivy leaguers.. They're gonna logic and reason right down the field.