Jump to content

Mel Kiper: Bengals low free agency grade(obviously) insider


Recommended Posts

http://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/19015966/free-agency-report-cards-all-32-nfl-teams-2017#CIN

 

Cincinnati Bengals

Grade: D

Key moves: re-signed CB Dre Kirkpatrick and WR Brandon LaFell; signed LB Kevin Minter and RT Andre Smith; lost G Kevin Zeitler, LT Andrew Whitworth, DL Domata Peko, RB Rex Burkhead and DL Margus Hunt; released LB Rey Maualuga

 

The Bengals' championship window opened and closed without the team winning a playoff game. While injuries played a leading role in Cincy's recent postseason defeats, free agency keeps knocking down the offense. One year after struggling to fill the losses of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, the Bengals will have a tough time recovering from losing Whitworth and Zeitler.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how is this a B:

 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Grade: B

Key moves: re-signed OLB James Harrison; signed DL Tyson Alualu, CB Coty Sensabaugh; lost LB Lawrence Timmons and WR Markus Wheaton

The Steelers re-signed Harrison at a bargain price, kept RB Le'Veon Bell with the franchise tag and worked out an extension with WR Antonio Brown. They supplemented at cornerback and behind Cameron Heyward along their defensive line. There was nothing flashy, but there didn't need to be anything flashy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the others:

 

Baltimore Ravens

Grade: C

Key moves: re-signed DT Brandon Williams; signed S Tony Jefferson; lost RT Rick Wagner, FB Kyle Juszczyk, DT Lawrence Guy and WR Kamar Aiken

The Ravens prioritized keeping Williams while taking a low-key approach to the market. That approach would serve them better if they were effectively replenishing through the draft. Unfortunately for Baltimore, the team has missed on too many recent picks to sustain an approach to free agency that leans conservative both by philosophy and out of necessity after the team paid a ransom for QB Joe Flacco.

cle.png?w=110&h=110&transparent=true

Cleveland Browns

Grade: C-

Key moves: re-signed OLB Jamie Collins, G Joel Bitonio and P Britton Colquitt; traded for QB Brock Osweiler; signed G Kevin Zeitler, WR Kenny Britt and C JC Tretter; lost WR Terrelle Pryor and FS Jordan Poyer

The move to acquire Osweiler would look better if the Browns had been able to flip him for another draft choice while unloading some of his salary. Until that happens, his $16 million salary is too high a price to pay for the second-round pick netted in the deal. The money spent for Zeitler was easier to justify, especially given how much other teams have spent for offensive linemen whose credentials pale by comparison. But the team lost offensive playmaking when Pryor departed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who was going to take Osweiler on after the Texans had to spend a 2nd rounder just to dump him? It was pretty clear the Browns were taking him since they had the cap space and going to drop him/give him a tryout.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, turningpoint said:

This shit is so stupid, it's like it's 2011 all over again.

Except with a horrible offensive line, with no OT's on the roster that have shown capable of playing at a high level for a full season I don't see how this team is going to be projected to be a good team. Maybe Mike and Marvin know something that the rest of the NFL doesn't know, but those two guys don't have the best track record for success. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, PatternMaster said:

Except with a horrible offensive line, with no OT's on the roster that have shown capable of playing at a high level for a full season I don't see how this team is going to be projected to be a good team. Maybe Mike and Marvin know something that the rest of the NFL doesn't know, but those two guys don't have the best track record for success. 

I really think the O-line will be fine, call me crazy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, turningpoint said:

I really think the O-line will be fine, call me crazy.

Really...I won't call you crazy, but I don't have the same level of faith that you do. I don't have faith in Alexander to develop Ogbuehi enough so that he's not a turnstile, I don't have faith in Ogbuehi to get strong enough in one offseason and pass a PED test to improve his functional strength so he's at a level where he can go against the best pass rushers in the NFL. 

The O-line will have 3 new starters, all of whom are suspect at best. 

Why do you have so much faith in the personnel and coaching staff based on their previous performances?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, PatternMaster said:

Really...I won't call you crazy, but I don't have the same level of faith that you do. I don't have faith in Alexander to develop Ogbuehi enough so that he's not a turnstile, I don't have faith in Ogbuehi to get strong enough in one offseason and pass a PED test to improve his functional strength so he's at a level where he can go against the best pass rushers in the NFL. 

The O-line will have 3 new starters, all of whom are suspect at best. 

Why do you have so much faith in the personnel and coaching staff based on their previous performances?

CedO did 23 reps at the combine, which i don't think is weak, he needs to rebuild the legs, and i don't thik that's easy after taking 6-9months off to recover from his ACL, I think he also got his ass kicked last season and just wont let that happen, I refuse to believe this guy is just going to let himself suck, and is going to push himself to be a top tackle.

Sure we won't have a top 10 O-line, but I think it's capable of keeping Dalton on his feet for 3-4 seconds and that's all he should be given. A healthy Efiert and a more seasoned Tyler Boyd will only help Dalton. I think our defense will be much improved, especially if we pick, Hooker, Barnett or Foster, Plus adding MJ3 and hopefully a healthy Dennard should help our back half of the defense. Williams will also be more experienced at Safety. Our defense was terrible last year, that was our bigger issue and It will be much improved now that they have finally seen the light and unloaded some of the baggage(peko and mauluga)

I'll be annoyed when this team passes on Hooker and Foster and draft's a DT or DE that for some reason they had a Levi Jones hard on for, and the answer will be simple.....

"We only had 33 Sacks in 2016, with 2 players getting 17 of those sacks, we feel like if we can create more pressure on the QB all of our defense will improve, we feel :Insert player name drafter: will help us accomplish our goal of getting the QB to have to rush his decisions." Just be prepared for this from Marvin and his 1st round presser.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really...I won't call you crazy, but I don't have the same level of faith that you do. I don't have faith in Alexander to develop Ogbuehi enough so that he's not a turnstile, I don't have faith in Ogbuehi to get strong enough in one offseason and pass a PED test to improve his functional strength so he's at a level where he can go against the best pass rushers in the NFL. 
The O-line will have 3 new starters, all of whom are suspect at best. 
Why do you have so much faith in the personnel and coaching staff based on their previous performances?

Hes at that mma football camp. Guess who else is there? Whit. There was some videos of him as well. He on his one game at left tackle proved to not be a turnstile. With another offseason of working as he said to stop the bull rush he should be a middle of the pack left tackle. Fisher imo will prove to be an elite rt. Smith is a downgrade but will be okay. Ive said it a lot but will say it again. Oline runs through the centwr. He needs replaced. Grt a elflien or pocic in this draft a day one starter and the oline will easily be a top 10 unit.

Sent from my 2PYB2 using Go-Bengals.com mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Jpoore said:


Hes at that mma football camp. Guess who else is there? Whit. There was some videos of him as well. He on his one game at left tackle proved to not be a turnstile. With another offseason of working as he said to stop the bull rush he should be a middle of the pack left tackle. Fisher imo will prove to be an elite rt. Smith is a downgrade but will be okay. Ive said it a lot but will say it again. Oline runs through the centwr. He needs replaced. Grt a elflien or pocic in this draft a day one starter and the oline will easily be a top 10 unit.

Sent from my 2PYB2 using Go-Bengals.com mobile app
 

Lol

We didn't have a top 10 line last year. 26th in sacks allowed, 11th in pressure%, 26th in getting RBs to the 2nd level. Didn't pass "the eye test" for a top tier unit. Okay, so we're starting out by acknowledging that in 2016 we didn't have a top 10 line and thennnnnnnnn

We lost our best pass blocker (who was our second best run blocker) and our best run blocker (who was our second best pass blocker), signed Andre Smith and made no other changes to the line. Yeah, all we need to do is add Elflien and we'll EASILY be a top 10 unit!!!!

Please say no to drugs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, omgdrdoom said:

Lol

We didn't have a top 10 line last year. 26th in sacks allowed, 11th in pressure%, 26th in getting RBs to the 2nd level. Didn't pass "the eye test" for a top tier unit. Okay, so we're starting out by acknowledging that in 2016 we didn't have a top 10 line and thennnnnnnnn

We lost our best pass blocker (who was our second best run blocker) and our best run blocker (who was our second best pass blocker), signed Andre Smith and made no other changes to the line. Yeah, all we need to do is add Elflien and we'll EASILY be a top 10 unit!!!!

Please say no to drugs.

LOL

you could argue this 20 different ways, CedO was playing out of position.....our Center sucked as well.

All he is saying if we can get a really good center this unit could be a top 10 unit, and I'm not sure how that is laughable, with a solid player at the Center position, I agree this O-line could and should be a top 10 unit.  

 

Tut tut looks like rain, maybe believe there's experts out there on the bengals that actually know what they are doing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, turningpoint said:

LOL

you could argue this 20 different ways, CedO was playing out of position.....our Center sucked as well.

All he is saying if we can get a really good center this unit could be a top 10 unit, and I'm not sure how that is laughable, with a solid player at the Center position, I agree this O-line could and should be a top 10 unit.  

 

Tut tut looks like rain, maybe believe there's experts out there on the bengals that actually know what they are doing!

I just don't see how a line that wasn't a top 10 unit minus their 2 best linemen with the addition of a good C prospect and no other changes....

That's "EASILY" (not could be, he said easily) a top 10 unit?

There isn't 20 different ways to argue it. It's pretty simple actually. Projecting the worst RT in the NFL in 2016 to be better than Whit played in 2016 is a huge stretch. Boling playing better in 2017 is definitely a good possibility. Andre or whoever else they're going to put at RG being anywhere near Zeitler's 2016 is another huge stretch. Fisher or Andre should be better at RT than Ced was last year though. Take all of that plus a good center prospect and "easily a top 10 unit" is 100% laughable. There are some people on here that make way too many extreme claims. Not every player is easily "elite" and "a beast" as so many casual fans like to put it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd love our QB to be #1 in the league, our line to be #1 in the league, our RBs, WRs, and every other position group as well. I want them all to be #1, but they're not. I'm a Bengals fan, and I WANT the line to be a top 10 line, but I'm also at least somewhat realistic.

Whit/Boling/Bodine/Zeitler/Ced wasn't a top 10 line

Ced/Boling/rookie/Smith/Fisher certainly doesn't project to be a top 10 line

Take the orange glasses off for a second, be an objective observer instead of a Bengals homer for 5 minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Jpoore said:


Hes at that mma football camp. Guess who else is there? Whit. There was some videos of him as well. He on his one game at left tackle proved to not be a turnstile. With another offseason of working as he said to stop the bull rush he should be a middle of the pack left tackle. Fisher imo will prove to be an elite rt. Smith is a downgrade but will be okay. Ive said it a lot but will say it again. Oline runs through the centwr. He needs replaced. Grt a elflien or pocic in this draft a day one starter and the oline will easily be a top 10 unit.

Sent from my 2PYB2 using Go-Bengals.com mobile app
 

You are the most hyperbolic poster in the history of message boards, this is so ridiculous on so many levels. 

You say he wasn't a turnstile in the one game he played LT last year, but he gave up 2 sacks in that one game , which is pretty horrible especially if you extrapolate that to 16 games. Just because you get beat up by retired MMA guys in the offseason doesn't mean it will help you be a LT in the NFL, I don't recall Munoz, Pace, Ogden, or any other HOF LT training with Jay Glazer to get better at playing football.

How in the world is Fisher going to be an elite RT, based on what exactly? His inability to beat out 35 year old Eric Winston for playing time? Can he improve and be a non-liability, hopefully but let's see if he can play 16 games without getting benched or hurt before you start calling him elite.

Please explain how an oline that was one of the worst last year and lost it's two best players can become a top 10 unit by adding a 2nd or 3rd round pick. 

33 minutes ago, turningpoint said:

LOL

you could argue this 20 different ways, CedO was playing out of position.....our Center sucked as well.

All he is saying if we can get a really good center this unit could be a top 10 unit, and I'm not sure how that is laughable, with a solid player at the Center position, I agree this O-line could and should be a top 10 unit.  

 

Tut tut looks like rain, maybe believe there's experts out there on the bengals that actually know what they are doing!

It's laughable because there is absolutely no evidence to support these claims. Our OT's are huge liabilities until proven otherwise and to assume Bodine is the weak link laughable. He's the 2nd best player on the oline behind Boling, who is a solid starter at best.

To diminish Ced's struggles to him playing out of position is delusional, he admittedly doesn't have the functional strength to play at the NFL level and spending a month getting balled up by retired MMA guys under the tutelage of NFL gossip girl Jay Glazer is not the recipe for success. The one game he played OT he gave up 2 sacks, so if that is his natural position then based on what he showed last year the Bengals are in trouble, without  a contingency plan in place.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, omgdrdoom said:

Lol

We didn't have a top 10 line last year. 26th in sacks allowed, 11th in pressure%, 26th in getting RBs to the 2nd level. Didn't pass "the eye test" for a top tier unit. Okay, so we're starting out by acknowledging that in 2016 we didn't have a top 10 line and thennnnnnnnn

We lost our best pass blocker (who was our second best run blocker) and our best run blocker (who was our second best pass blocker), signed Andre Smith and made no other changes to the line. Yeah, all we need to do is add Elflien and we'll EASILY be a top 10 unit!!!!

Please say no to drugs.

IIRC Andy was the 2nd most sacked QB behind Tyrod Taylor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Jamie_B said:

IIRC Andy was the 2nd most sacked QB behind Tyrod Taylor.

Yep but they did a reasonable job not giving up tons and tons of pressures (not top 10 though) and some teams/lines that had multiple QBs play gave up more sacks. Browns, Bills, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, Colts, and Arizona all had 41 or more but a lot of those teams played more than 1 QB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, omgdrdoom said:

Yep but they did a reasonable job not giving up tons and tons of pressures (not top 10 though) and some teams/lines that had multiple QBs play gave up more sacks. Browns, Bills, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, Colts, and Arizona all had 41 or more but a lot of those teams played more than 1 QB.

It's shocking that McCarron didnt get playing time last year as much as Andy got hit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...