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State of the Franchise: Bengals a sneaky sleeper in 2019?


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State of the Franchise: Bengals a sneaky sleeper in 2019?

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  • By Adam Rank
  • NFL.com Writer
  • Published: June 11, 2019 at 01:21 p.m.
  • Updated: June 11, 2019 at 06:35 p.m.
  •  
 
 

 

 

Where does your franchise stand heading into 2019? Adam Rank will set the table by providing a State of the Franchise look at all 32 teams over the next few weeks, zeroing in on the key figures to watch and setting the stakes for the season to come.

Members of the Bengals organization, fans of the team and those who remember Cris Collinsworth as a damn good receiver rather than the dude who slides in next to Al Michaels:

It's a time of change in Cincinnati. Longtime coach Marvin Lewis has moved on to new ventures. Like a lot of retirees, you can find him in the Phoenix area, where he joined his friend Herm Edwards on the Arizona State football staff.

So before we begin, we really should show some appreciation for Lewis. Obviously, the last couple of years have not played out like one would have hoped. But let's not overlook what he meant to the organization. When Lewis took over as coach of the Bengals in 2003, the team hadn't been to the playoffs since the 1990 season. The club finished 8-8 (its best record since 1996) in his first season and he led Cincinnati back to the playoffs in 2005. He led the Bengals to seven playoff appearances in 16 seasons and should be granted your deference for what he was able to do.

How the Bengals got here

 

Let's take a quick look at the ups and downs of 2018:

The highs:

-- Started out 2-0 when everyone was healthy and went into the bye week at 5-3. I mean,Randy Bullock kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Bucs in Week 8 and you started thinking, Hey, maybe this team is on to something.

-- Geno Atkins was selected to his fifth straight Pro Bowl. Good, old, reliable Geno. He continued to crush it as the team fell apart around him.

The lows:

-- Finishing with a losing record for the third straight season. Which is not great, Bob.

-- Winning only one game in the second half of the season. Maybe they thought the season had ended after beating the Bucs and were surprised they had more games to play. OK, probably not. But they did lose five consecutive games coming out of the bye.

-- Parting ways with Lewis after the season.Although it almost seemed like he was going to return, which would have been wild, given the team's decline.

2019 VIPs

 

Head coach: Zac Taylor. The Bengals' hiring of Taylor checked all of the boxes you want to have checked by a head coach these days. And those boxes are: a) He was born in the 1980s. And b) He's friends with Rams coach Sean McVay. Taylor served on McVay's staff for the last two years and was theRams' quarterbacks coach in 2018. He just celebrated his 36th birthday. Boom, you're now an NFL head coach. But he does have some other credentials. You might remember Taylor as the quarterback at Nebraska in 2005 and 2006. In fact, he was the 2006 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

The early reviews for Taylor are great. Bengals players are reportedly having a lot more fun with Taylor, which seems about right. I mean, I love Marvin Lewis as much as the next person and find him to be delightful. But fun? Loveable curmudgeon, sure. And let me just put this out there about being fun: I seem to remember a time on "Saved by the Bell" when Zack, Slater and Kelly were having a good time with substitute teacher Rod Belding before he bailed on them before their rafting trip. And poor Mr. Belding had to come in and save the day. It's not going to come to that in this case, though. This looks like a pretty good hire.

Quarterback: Andy Dalton. His best season came in 2015, when he threw for 25 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. That came under the direction of Hue Jackson. Dalton hasn't quite looked the same since. He was off to a pretty good start last season, although a thumb injury landed him on injured reserve in November. He finished with 21 TD passes and led the Bengals on four game-winning drives as the team got off to that 5-3 start. It looked like it would easily be his best post-2015 season, but there were concerns even before the wheels fell off on Cincinnati's season. There was the unpleasantness on Sunday night against the Chiefs during a 45-10 loss in which he was held to just 148 yards against the porous Chiefs defense (much to the dismay of those who streamed him in fantasy). There was also the four-interception game against the Panthers a month earlier, too. So we don't know quite where he stands.

I thought there was a chance the Bengals could look at Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins (who went 15th overall to Washington) in the draft, considering Dalton's injury and the fact that he turns 32 this season. The team did draft N.C. State QB Ryan Finley in the fourth round, but he shouldn't be considered a threat to supplant Dalton in the short term.

 

 

This will be a big season for Dalton, who is signed through 2020. He's certainly not the project Jared Goff was when McVay and Taylor arrived in Los Angeles. But this season will give Taylor the chance to see if this remodel will be worth it, or if he will go in an entirely different direction with a new quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft. My conjecture is Dalton rebounds with a really strong effort. In fact, I think it will be his best season to date, especially when you look at what Dalton will be working with this year ...

Projected 2019 MVP: A.J. Green, wide receiver. Green is going to bounce back this season after a toe injury limited him to just nine games in 2018. He was having a pretty strong campaign prior to the injury, and he's still the only receiver in NFL history to start his career with seven consecutive Pro Bowlnods. Honestly, they should have given him his eighth trip last year just because his on-pace numbers were pretty good. Green, who's in his contract year, has given his endorsement of Taylor, as well, comparing the new coach to former Bengals offensive coordinator (and current Redskins head coach) Jay Gruden.

2019 breakout candidate: John Ross, wide receiver. He was reportedly on the trading blockduring draft season, but I'm glad he's going to be given the chance to work in Taylor's offense. It's funny. Ross ran a record-breaking 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2017, and most anticipated he would become the kind of field stretcher the Bengals needed. But he ended up scoring five red-zone touchdowns last season, which tied him with guys like Julio Jones, Larry Fitzgeraldand Odell Beckham Jr. In fact, all five of Ross' red-zone TDs came inside the 10-yard line, which was the second-highest total in the league, just behind Michael Thomas, Mike Williams and Davante Adams. Taylor will find a more creative outlet for him.

And let's not forget: Tyler Boyd, wide receiver. He had his own little breakout last year with 76 receptions for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns. The Bengals could have the low-key best receiving corps in the business if things go well. Just putting that out there for all of you fantasy enthusiasts. And it shows you that Dalton has plenty of receivers to work with.

New face to know: Jonah Williams, offensive tackle. He was the first O-lineman selected in this year's draft. I know it's never exciting when your team takes a lineman in the first round. You always want a sizzle pick. But this was a great move for the Bengals, who needed help on the offensive line.

The 2019 roadmap

 

The competitive urgency index is: THE LOWEST IN THE NFL. Lewis was on the job for 16 seasons. The Bengals' front office has the patience of a driver's ed instructor.

Will the Bengals be able to ...

 

 

Play some defense? The Bengalswere last in yards allowed in 2018 (413.6 per game), including being dead last in passing defense (275.9 yards per game). They also allowed 28.4 points per game last season to rank 30th in the league. But there is some help on the horizon, as second-year players Sam Hubbard and Jessie Bates made some strides during their rookie campaigns.

Stay healthy? Every team has injuries. And every fan of every team feels like their team had it the worst. But theBengals, man. They had 18 players on injured reserve by season's end, including some of their most valuable guys: Dalton (thumb), Green (toe), Boyd (knee), TE Tyler Eifert (ankle), DE Carl Lawson(knee), CB Dre Kirkpatrick (shoulder) and LB Preston Brown (knee). Further, 20 of the 46 Bengalsplayers active on opening day missed at least two games.

Improve on the offensive line? This was the second consecutive year the Bengals used a first-round pick on an offensive lineman (Williams in 2019; Billy Price in 2018). They ranked 24th in pass-blocking efficiency last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Their ranking from Football Outsiderswas a little bit higher, but it still shows plenty of room for improvement (hence drafting linemen in back-to-back years).

Three key dates:

-- Week 3 at the Bills. The Bills are also trying to make a leap after a 6-10 season, so this is the perfect type of barometer game to judge the process. The Bengals are going to be tested away from home quickly -- they play on the road in four of their first six games.

-- Week 8 at the Rams. REVENGE GAME! Wait, does this count for Taylor and McVay?

-- Week 17 vs. the Browns. What if the Bengals had a chance to ruin the playoff hopes of the (rightly) much-hyped Browns? The two teams square off twice from Week 14 on.

One storyline everyone is overlooking: Taylor could be great for the running game. We are no doubt excited about Taylor working with Dalton, but don't forget about Joe Mixon. He led the AFC with 1,168 rushing yards and was 11th in the NFL with 1,464 scrimmage yards. It wouldn't be shocking to see him make a leap like Todd Gurley did with the Rams during his third season in the league (his first in McVay's system). And let's not forget my guy Giovani Bernard, who is still one of the best pass-catching backs in the league.

 

 

One storyline people are overthinking: The Bengals wasted a pick on Drew Sample. Everyone was kind of surprised when the Bengalsselected Sample in the second round of the draft. Our own Chad Reuter said they might have picked him a couple rounds too early, and yes, he's more highly regarded as a blocker than receiver right now. But Sample fits this system as a guy who can block while on the move (and he has a chance to become a nice combo tight end!). With the injuries and bad luck the Bengalshave had at the position, this could end up being a standout pick.

For 2019 to be a successful season, the Bengals MUST ...

 

-- Get some answers about the future of Dalton. It seems like it's time to start thinking about the quarterback of the future, but Dalton could alter the narrative with a career year.

-- At least be competitive. Finishing .500 would be awesome.

In closing

 

I'm approaching the Bengals' season much in the same way I approached going to see "Aquaman" in theaters. I wanted to believe and have optimism, but I didn't get my hopes up. The good news for theBengals is the division-rival Browns have taken all the hype and attention away from them. Taylor is not under major pressure in Year 1.

And the Bengals weren't that bad last season before the injuries piled up. Taylor might be able to mimic the success McVay had right off the bat with the Rams, and the Bengals might just find themselves in the playoff hunt. I mean, stranger things have happened. And I loved "Aquaman."

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001033098/article/state-of-the-franchise-bengals-a-sneaky-sleeper-in-2019

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A sleeper team?  In order to be a sleeper team nobody cares or pays attention to you. So basically there are only a few teams that can ever be considered sleeper teams.  Cleveland was one of them for over a decade but Baker Mayfield and OBJ.  

 

Let me guess, the other sleeper teams are Detroit, Miami and Tennessee?  

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Interesting...sleeper indeed...was reading some BS NFL prediction article at lunch today.  They had Cleveland and SanFran in the Top10 as their "turnaround" teams.  They had the Bengals at #30 since we are woefully and deeply rebuilding this year.

 

Good times.

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1 hour ago, esjbh2 said:

Interesting...sleeper indeed...was reading some BS NFL prediction article at lunch today.  They had Cleveland and SanFran in the Top10 as their "turnaround" teams.  They had the Bengals at #30 since we are woefully and deeply rebuilding this year.

 

Good times.

Yep, deep rebuilding mode. Replacing all of our starters except for what 19 of them?

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2 hours ago, gupps said:

It's not like it could've been a whole lot worse.

 

 

People seem more inclined to blame Dalton but I think our previous offensive schemes were designed to limit the OL's exposure.   I wonder if AD will regain some of that mobility we saw earlier in his career if he's provided with a pocket to move around in instead of taking 2-step drops.  

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This is the article from the Athletic. So you don’t have to get their app to read it. Good read.

 

CINCINNATI – The question asked by nearly everyone even remotely interested in Bengals football this offseason stems back to an original root question:

How will Zac Taylor make the Bengals different?

Answering the question ranges from difficult to impossible. He’s yet to go through a training camp, much less a game as an NFL head coach. Nobody really knows what he will be like or how this team will perform under his direction.

As for where he’s taken this team and its players, only seven people can provide the most accurate view of the dynamics at play within the Bengals right now.

They call themselves The Mobile 7.

They are the seven holdover coaches from the last staff: quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, quarterbacks/wide receivers assistant Dan Pitcher, special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons, special-teams assistant Brayden Coombs, secondary coach-safeties Robert Livingston, secondary coach-corners Daronte Jones and wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell.

Those seven represented the Bengals at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, in January while the organization was in limbo awaiting Taylor’s arrival and the establishment of the rest of his staff.

They all still had one year on their contracts and nobody knew exactly what was coming next — only that they would be here for it.

They stood with their feet squarely on the ground as the Bengals organization underwent arguably the most dramatic transformation in club history, a process that swept through like a tornado. The Mobile 7 were then joined by 16 others, led by Taylor, and began the rebuilding process together.

I talked to each about how the process played out and what they’ve witnessed from the moment Marvin Lewis was let go through the final practice of minicamp Thursday. The conversations filtered into five main buckets: Effect of the unique fallout, Taylor’s traits and impact, a focus on situational football, tangible impact on players and an interesting view of the future.

This is an oral history of six months of dramatic change from those at ground zero.


The Mobile 7 formed on the trip to the Senior Bowl the week of Jan. 21. Taylor was hired Feb. 4. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was hired on Feb. 21. The entire staff didn’t meet together for the first time until the NFL Scouting Combine a week later.

That’s a lot of moving parts. Coaches hanging in limbo happens across the NFL every January. So, as distinctive as the Bengals’ situation was this year, it was also an understood — if dreaded — part of the gig. Van Pelt pointed out that his high school-age daughter wrote a paper about how challenging January can be on coaches and their families. They get it.

Van Pelt: It’s never a comfortable situation when you aren’t quite sure what is going to happen. There’s about a four-week period of hell for coaches and coaches’ families where you are not quite sure what is going on. That was typical. Lot of emotions and just uncertainty.

Pitcher: We joke about it. It felt like we were in limbo for a really long time. Fortunately, I’m grateful I had a chance to stay. I know the guys that are here feel the same way. It was an uneasy period of time, and it’s hard when you develop close relationships with guys you respect a lot.

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Assistant special-teams coordinator Brayden Coombs. (Isaiah J. Downing / USA Today)

Coombs: That’s hard because those guys are friends and a lot of them are good coaches. It’s part of this business and happens every year with my friends across the league, but it had never happened here for us. So it was the first time going through that. It wasn’t, “You still have a job.” It was, “You are still here until the new coach gets here.” It’s nice to be kept, but a lot of us were getting interviews from other teams. I know of at least three guys that had slips in for them. That part was frustrating. We don’t even have a boss right now and you are not promising me a job, but stopping me from going to this job. That’s part of the business. We signed a contract. You want that contract. But guys were frustrated. It’s hard. It was my first time going through that.

Jones (laughing): There’s only two types of coaches in this world, right? Eventually, you are going to be in that position.

In Mobile, Jon Gruden was coaching the East team, and during a press conference, he mentioned his quarterbacks coach was joining the Bengals as an offensive coordinator. It was the first staff leak as the Mobile 7 still hadn’t officially been told Taylor was the head coach.

Coombs: Mike (Brown) did everything by the book. He would not tell us so we didn’t know. … We had seen (the leaks) and kind of knew, but that’s when we were like, this is where it’s going. When we were all down in Mobile.

Livingston: That trip was a weird trip, and the next few weeks were weird with (preparing for) the draft and free agency. … Granted, once everything got set, there were some long days and you felt like you were behind a little bit. But I think everybody did a great job of knowing this is what is going to have to be done. Was it normal? No. Was it something I will probably always remember? Yeah.


One theme remained consistent as the seven assessed what unfolded during the offseason program that concluded Thursday. A clear emphasis on situational football emerged.

Taylor stressed the need to plant the seed for any type of situation that could present itself during the season. The NFL has never been more situational than it is today, and that’s a key component of the coach’s offseason strategy. 

This goes from a simple situational time-and-score to odd special-teams scenarios to how to throw the ball away to waste the final five seconds of game clock.

Specifically, Taylor added responsibility for Pitcher to be in charge of teaching and working through situations in the offseason and during the year. His specific role on game day hasn’t been nailed down yet, but all signs point to focusing on situation management in the booth.

Pitcher: It’s something I was excited about when Zac asked me. It’s been a good opportunity for me to study some different things and make sure I know this is an area we need to be prepared for and be able to relay that to the team and have a platform to do that has been pretty cool.

Livingston: Those guys are really thorough in how they think about it. They have done a great job in the meeting, showing things. This is 2019, people got to see it. Here is a play from 2015, Raiders versus Chiefs, this is what we are talking about when you do get in that situation. In 2015, the Toro Toro field goal we had at the end of the Seattle game.

Coombs: Do it now, so we have done it and it’s on tape. He’ll be able to refer back all of August saying, “We are going to do this and here’s when we did it before.” Now once they have done it and seen it on tape, next time it should be that much sharper. Refer back to the tape. Boom. Clicks. You can’t do that stuff in Week 1.


Taylor speaks often about communicators and organization, offering buzzwords not often uttered around Paul Brown Stadium in the past. The average age of the staff dropped 10 years per person. That alone made this a new generation at the helm and that meant new ways to get the point across and expectations of ways to keep everyone in the loop.

Coombs: We are way more advanced, technology-wise. We communicate like 30-year-olds communicate.

Still, a positive tone and coaching style stand out above the rest.

Van Pelt: I like the way Zac has really slowed down the teaching process. If there is a mistake made, it’s not the end of the world. It’s “Let’s coach through it and make sure everyone is on the same page.” That’s really been the thing that has stood out to me is the way he’s really in the teaching progression. He takes time, goes slow, not in a hurry. We are all going to get it at the same pace.

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Alex Van Pelt joined the Bengals’ staff in January 2018. (Bryan Woolston / AP)

Livingston: The schedule is completely different. We are on the field later. It’s completely streamlined. We all went out there for that first practice and were like, “Whoa.” It was eye-opening.

Coombs: “To me, the entire football operation, everything we are doing now, whether it’s on the field, meetings, practice, schedule, meals, everything we are doing is very intelligent. Everything is very planned out, prepared and there is logical reasoning. This is the specific reason why we are doing this. It’s easy for me. That’s how I’m wired. I don’t just do something because this is how we have always done it or this is the way we are doing it. Then he goes next level and in the meeting explains it to the players. This is what we are doing. This is why. For them, that makes things so easy. You eliminate them saying, “This is stupid, why are we doing this?”

Bicknell: I would never compare. I just know Zac has a really clear understanding of what he wants to do and an unbelievable way of teaching it. Our players really were responding to his overall thought process. He’s a special coach.

Simmons: There’s a very clear and concise vision about what the expectations are. Not that there wasn’t before, but I think sometimes it becomes difficult when you are in the 15th or 16th year of something there is enough carryover from year to year you don’t want to bore the guys who have been here, but when you are talking about vision you are only talking to a select few people. It’s difficult to do when you have heard the same message. It’s all new. So it’s all fresh. So there is a heightened sense of awareness for all those things.


All this minutia goes back to making impressions on the players. Their responses to the changes have been expectedly enthusiastic. There’s been noticeable new energy that you would expect, and a complete remodel of the entrance to the locker room made the feel of the place different from the moment they walked in the building.

Meanwhile, competition at practice and in meetings brought about the Mobile 7 unanimously mentioning the energy in the building. In their minds, there are multiple reasons for it. Some obvious, others not so much. 

Livingston: I walked out of the cafeteria two weeks ago and it’s like, whoa, four new TV screens here. Where the players walk in, it catches their attention. It’s not bland. Zac and the Browns have done a great job of putting money into right here.

Simmons: You don’t always know what’s coming next. Sometimes that’s OK. That’s a good thing. It’s invigorating that way. I think the players have done that also. Because they don’t always know what’s coming next, either. It’s like starting over, square one. A lot of history they developed with the old coaching staff, the skins on the wall with the old coaches, they don’t have those anymore. So it’s out now and they are trying to prove themselves once again. Whether it’s Carlos Dunlap or A.J. Green or Dre Kirkpatrick or whoever it may be. Or a college free agent. They are all trying to come out and work their tail off to impress a new set of eyes.

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This will be Darrin Simmons’ 17th season with the Bengals. (Kareem Elgazzar / USA Today)

Jones: The holdover coaches are much in the same position as the veteran players. It’s new and it’s unknown and then once you get comfortable and get a feel for what is established, here we are all on board. Technically, none of (the veteran corners) went through a coaching change in college, either. Alabama (Dre Kirkpatrick) with Saban. Michigan State, (Darqueze Dennard). Those guys didn’t really go through a coaching change. So, for a lot of those guys, even though you are an eight-year vet, it’s your first experience from college and the pros in terms of a coaching change. So it’s all new to them.

Coombs: High energy. The relaxing on some things that were uptight about before that aren’t necessarily important but just old-school mentalities of things like tuck your shirt in. Taking that stuff off their plate. Now, what you do get from him is laser-focused on football. That’s what you want.

Simmons: He’s been super positive with the players. It’s been very clear the expectations of exactly what’s expected and what’s not expected. That was the same thing when Marvin first came here, too. That’s what sparked this place when Marvin came. I would expect the same thing is going to happen right now. It’s clear, it’s concise, and he’s very positive. That’s something that’s new, refreshing and would stimulate anybody to go out and perform their best. It does the same for me.


Nobody knows how this will turn out. We can break down the new and the old ways of preparing a team for the season, but if Taylor and this staff can’t find a way to win games, nobody will care. And understandably so. 

These coaches feel optimistic about the direction of this team. The opinion was unanimous and is likely universal across the league in June. 

There’s a new sense of excitement over the future circulating, but all were clear to pay due respect to Marvin Lewis. Different is new. Different brings a certain set of issues to deal with, positive and negative. 

Still, the unknown carries a definitive feeling of possibility while the coaches figure this thing out on the fly.

Simmons: You need to learn what his mindset is. What he’s thinking, how he sees things going forward. What is his anticipation of how he wants it to be. It puts a lot of thought through my head because when you have done it the same way for 16 years it’s cool to see a different way, a new way.

Bicknell: There are talented people that are coaching here and the leadership is a very, very positive, energetic environment here right now. So it’s a lot of fun to be around. It’s year to year, you have to stay healthy and all those things have to happen. The talent we have on this team, we stay healthy and do the right things we will have a chance.

USATSI_11067848-1024x772.jpg
Bob Bicknell scurries out of the way of wide receiver Josh Malone during training camp in 2018. (Kareem Elgazzar / USA Today)

Livingston: I will love Marvin for the rest of my life. Paul Guenther, all those guys. They gave me a chance and the Browns have been unbelievably loyal to me. Duke Tobin. They gave me a chance to do what I want to do. Talk about being invested, this is all I have known. You go back to the highs here have been euphoric. I will never forget 2015 when we were rolling. The lows, obviously, were really, really dark. But it keeps you where you can still see the sun. I know what it’s supposed to look like. I have been there when it’s been really good. I know what it would be to get back. Mr. Brown deserves this more than anything and the city. You think back to that playoff game in 2015 and I know it’s like a cuss word now, you aren’t allowed to say it. But this place was rocking. I’ve never heard anything in this place like that playoff game. That’s our challenge, to get back to that and get everybody in and pulling the same direction. This can be a special place. This can be a special building. Obviously, special ownership. Now it’s our job to do that for them.

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They all still had one year on their contracts

 

 

:facepalm:

 

 

Not "the team thought they didn't deserve to be thrown out with the bathwater"

 

Not "these were coaches that Taylor wanted on his team"

 

Not "this group was kept on to provide continuity during the transition"

 

 

Nope.   They had a year left on their contracts.  If only Old Musty could Redeem them for some of those sweet, sweet 6th-round comp picks!

 

Geoff's had a good run but I think he's become little more than a parrot for what he hears at the water cooler.   It's easy to blame Mikey for being tone-deaf towards public opinion, but that's why he hired Hobknob.   It would be nice to get some fresh blood there as well - maybe someone not so Bengalized & in lock step with the FO? 

 

 

 

 

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31 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

:facepalm:

 

 

Not "the team thought they didn't deserve to be thrown out with the bathwater"

 

Not "these were coaches that Taylor wanted on his team"

 

Not "this group was kept on to provide continuity during the transition"

 

 

Nope.   They had a year left on their contracts.  If only Old Musty could Redeem them for some of those sweet, sweet 6th-round comp picks!

 

Geoff's had a good run but I think he's become little more than a parrot for what he hears at the water cooler.   It's easy to blame Mikey for being tone-deaf towards public opinion, but that's why he hired Hobknob.   It would be nice to get some fresh blood there as well - maybe someone not so Bengalized & in lock step with the FO? 

 

 

 

 

Hell, you bitched about the new guys he brought in, and now you're bitching about the ones he Kept!😂😂😂

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19 minutes ago, kennethmw said:

Hell, you bitched about the new guys he brought in, and now you're bitching about the ones he Kept!😂😂😂

 

By "he" do you mean Chief Skips-a-Generation or Taylor?  The only Taylor hire I didn't like was Turner, but this OL needed a kick in the pants so whatever.  Still think guy is a POS though.  Other than him all I've said is that Zap Taylor had to choose from whoever's immediately available and I expect more turnover with his assistants next year.  Can probably add a good 1-2 of ours getting poached.

 

Who do you think kept those 7?  Wasn't the Senior Bowl before Taylor was hired? I'd look it up myself but since you made the argument..

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11 minutes ago, SF2 said:

How often does a team fire every coach?  Why would you do it anyways?  

 

I'm glad AvP was retained at least, not saying they should've marched everyone into the river at bayonet point either. 

 

"They had a year left on their contracts" is the worst reason Hobs could've offered for why they're still here.   For an organization accused of being tightwads (rightly or wrongly OK Ken?) it's a tone deaf thing to say.

 

Offseason sucks huh folks?

 

def_-_1_2_0.jpg?itok=9OJBk5ZH

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