Have the Bengals really changed?

[Arkansas Bengal]

By Mike Florio

 

Published November 9, 2024 09:14 AM

 

 

They wisely refused the overtures of the Dolphins for the ability to draft Joe Burrow. And, once it became clear that Mike Brown’s stubbornness had given them a keep, they seemed to accept that, to get the most out of their franchise quarterbacks, things had to change.

 

They seemingly did. After years of intransigence, Brown sold the naming rights to the stadium that had been named for his father, the legendary Paul Brown. Then, after Burrow completed only three NFL seasons, the Bengals busted the juke-a-box, giving Burrow a market-level contract.

So they’ve changed, right? Right?

 

Maybe not. And we’ve got three (likely soon to be four) reasons for it.

 

First, safety Jessie Bates III. They drafted him, developed him, tagged him, and intended to replace him with first-rounder Dax Hill. The problem is that: (1) Bates has gotten even better in Atlanta; and (2) Hill has struggled to fill Bates’s shoes, to the point where he’s already been moved to a new position. And they did it because they didn’t want to pay Bates what he deserved.

 

Second, running back Joe Mixon. Like the Giants, the Bengals underappreciated their workhorse tailback. They were going to cut him. They ended up trading him (the existence of trade interest should have been a clue/warning). He’s performing very well in Houston. And the Bengals don’t have the rushing attack to complement Burrow and the passing game.

 

Third, receiver Ja’Marr Chase. They’ll eventually give him a market-level deal. But they wanted to kick the can to 2025, because that meant paying one of the best receivers in football a measly $4.8 million in 2024. And while the structure of his rookie deal kept him from holding out ($3.8 million was paid in the form of a roster bonus due early in camp), the failure to give him a new contract prompted him to hold in, to miss most of camp and all of the preseason, and to seriously contemplate not playing in Week 1.

 

Behind the scenes, it was uglier than anyone realizes, with fights over fines and a belief by Chase that they’d broken their promise to pay him by offering a contract that looked good on the surface but that had a very bad structure.

 

Look at how Chase played on Thursday night. What would he have done in Week 1 against the Patriots and Week 2 against the Chiefs if he’d been fully prepared and committed and ready to roll?

 

Fourth, receiver Tee Higgins. They’re continuing their proven habit of using the franchise tag for one year before letting the player walk away. (The only player whom the Bengals tagged and then gave a multi-year deal was Carl Pickens, and then they cut him after the first year of it.) And Higgins has missed five of 10 games due to injury. The injuries are real, but he has no reason to play at anything less than 100 percent when he has no financial security beyond this year, because the Bengals used their CBA-guaranteed mechanism for keeping him from getting fair value on the open market.

 

Next year, he will. And Andrei Iosivas will become the new Higgins. Four years, maybe a fifth, and out the door.

 

Lather, rinse, repeat. The way they’ve always done it.

 

So, yes, they’ve changed as to Burrow. Otherwise, they haven’t. And there’s nothing Burrow can do about it until 2030, at the earliest.

 

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/cincinnati-bengals

[UncleEarl]

I agree about Bates and Chase.  They missed badly on Bates.  His value was way underestimated.  I also think you shouldn’t screw around with players that are foundations of your franchise like Chase.  What they did with Whitworth is another example. 
 

On the other hand I can’t agree about Higgins and Mixon.  Higgins is a great WR, when healthy.  Unfortunately, that looks like an ongoing issue with him.  They seem to be playing that correctly.  Mixon is a good back, but was he worth all that dough along with his off the field issues?  No.  RB has not been a problem this season.  
 

Iosivas?  Good Lord…the guy is barely relevant.  Let’s see him perform consistently before we blame the Bengals for going cheap on him. 

[New Jersey Bengal]

Teams cannot keep everyone that's a fact and they cannot afford both higgins and chase so they had better sign Chase and we all know Florio is a squealers homer they don't spend ridiculous money on players they just replace them with good drafting something we have been unable to do queefs follow the same blueprint and give me a break on mixon good back but not great

[Whodeyman]

1 hour ago, UncleEarl said:

I agree about Bates and Chase.  They missed badly on Bates.  His value was way underestimated.  I also think you shouldn’t screw around with players that are foundations of your franchise like Chase.  What they did with Whitworth is another example. 
 

On the other hand I can’t agree about Higgins and Mixon.  Higgins is a great WR, when healthy.  Unfortunately, that looks like an ongoing issue with him.  They seem to be playing that correctly.  Mixon is a good back, but was he worth all that dough along with his off the field issues?  No.  RB has not been a problem this season.  
 

Iosivas?  Good Lord…the guy is barely relevant.  Let’s see him perform consistently before we blame the Bengals for going cheap on him. 

I actually like chase brown type of back better than Mixon.  Mixon also rushed behind a putrid offensive line his entire career with Bengals. Brown quicker and more of a receiving threat.  Smaller but more effective in Bengals offense.  Better resign Jamar chase soon.  Not a lot of players getting over 200 yard receiving performances.  Tee Higgins not going to be on Bengals and going to another team next year and Bengals will get no compensation besides the comp picks from losing player.  Tee great but injury make him a goner

[T-Dub]

They absolutely could afford Higgins and Chase both, as things stand.  After seeing them without Tee I think they're OK without him, but until I see them invest that money elsewhere on the roster I'm not buying the budget arguments.

[Jamie_B]

3 hours ago, UncleEarl said:

I agree about Bates and Chase.  They missed badly on Bates.  His value was way underestimated.  I also think you shouldn’t screw around with players that are foundations of your franchise like Chase.  What they did with Whitworth is another example. 
 

On the other hand I can’t agree about Higgins and Mixon.  Higgins is a great WR, when healthy.  Unfortunately, that looks like an ongoing issue with him.  They seem to be playing that correctly.  Mixon is a good back, but was he worth all that dough along with his off the field issues?  No.  RB has not been a problem this season.  
 

Iosivas?  Good Lord…the guy is barely relevant.  Let’s see him perform consistently before we blame the Bengals for going cheap on him. 

 

RB isnt a problem? We're near the bottom of the league in both yards and ypa?

 

Now I am a big believer that it's largely the Oline and that's why Mixon is having such a good year in TX and we're are not running the ball well. But our backs are both 3rd down backs IMO, neither would be starters on most teams.

[T-Dub]

1 hour ago, Jamie_B said:

 

RB isnt a problem? We're near the bottom of the league in both yards and ypa?

 

Now I am a big believer that it's largely the Oline and that's why Mixon is having such a good year in TX and we're are not running the ball well. But our backs are both 3rd down backs IMO, neither would be starters on most teams.

 

 

Yeah that's not going to matter until the run blocking improves.  Even as 3rd down backs they're mostly in there for added pass protection because the OL isn't exactly killing it in the department either.

 

Pay Chase and keep drafting OL, the rest can be had as free agents at a reasonable price.

[claptonrocks]

1 hour ago, Jamie_B said:

 

RB isnt a problem? We're near the bottom of the league in both yards and ypa?

 

Now I am a big believer that it's largely the Oline and that's why Mixon is having such a good year in TX and we're are not running the ball well. But our backs are both 3rd down backs IMO, neither would be starters on most teams.

I believe Chase Brown would be a rotation back with alot if teams.

Yes it's the ineffectually play of the boys up front.

 

[Jamie_B]

42 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

Yeah that's not going to matter until the run blocking improves.  Even as 3rd down backs they're mostly in there for added pass protection because the OL isn't exactly killing it in the department either.

 

Pay Chase and keep drafting OL, the rest can be had as free agents at a reasonable price.

 

For me this next draft needs to be about both lines in the first two rounds, and adding another 3tech later. The following year when Moss is gone, go WR and RB then.

[dex]

3 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

 

RB isnt a problem? We're near the bottom of the league in both yards and ypa?

 

Now I am a big believer that it's largely the Oline and that's why Mixon is having such a good year in TX and we're are not running the ball well. But our backs are both 3rd down backs IMO, neither would be starters on most teams.

Anyone know how Mixon is doing with Yards After Contact with his new team? He struggled with that in Cincinnati, which was one reason why he was traded. Just wondering if he was doing better with that stat in Houston.

[claptonrocks]

55 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

 

For me this next draft needs to be about both lines in the first two rounds, and adding another 3tech later. The following year when Moss is gone, go WR and RB then.

Id like to see something like that as well but the other needs may be prioritized.

Pass Rusher, CB, WR could all be taken in first 2 rounds 

 

Just depends on what players value to them are on the board..

[|High School Harry|]

Different way of looking at Bengals Really Changing (not)

The gawd awful thing they have for not trading draft choices for players

like at the trade deadline earlier this week.

Kansas City and Baltimore, the Crown Jewels in the NFL crown, make trades

to improve.

The Stealers add Mike Williams wide receiver for their area of need and...

a few minutes ago he scores the winning (by a point) touchdown with 2:28 left in the game.

 

The Bengals... add a former free agent running back for a 7th round draft pick.

The new and highly touted (lol) rb fumbles the first and only time he touches the ball.

 

The Bengals way of doing things seems to fit the definition of insanity of doing the same

thing over and over again and expecting different results.

 

Fuck this season.

[Randle P McMurphy]

51 minutes ago, High School Harry said:

Different way of looking at Bengals Really Changing (not)

The gawd awful thing they have for not trading draft choices for players

like at the trade deadline earlier this week.

Kansas City and Baltimore, the Crown Jewels in the NFL crown, make trades

to improve.

The Stealers add Mike Williams wide receiver for their area of need and...

a few minutes ago he scores the winning (by a point) touchdown with 2:28 left in the game.

 

The Bengals... add a former free agent running back for a 7th round draft pick.

The new and highly touted (lol) rb fumbles the first and only time he touches the ball.

 

The Bengals way of doing things seems to fit the definition of insanity of doing the same

thing over and over again and expecting different results.

 

Fuck this season.

 

Your last sentence should read:  Fuck this franchise/ownership group!

It's called Karma.  You reap what you sow.  You make a half assed attempt to better your team, you get half assed

results.  It's only a matter of time before Burrow pulls a "Carson Palmer," and gets himself out of this hellhole that's

IF injuries don't do it for him.  ONLY the Bengals would have a Joe Burrow fall into their laps and allow the team to

get worse and worse year after year.  Marvin got 17 years just for making the playoffs so I'm guessing Zac will get

to coach as long as he wants for 5 playoff wins!  4 wins playing a last place schedule and I wouldn't be shocked if

the Bengals announced Taylor getting a 5 year extension next week! 

 

 

 

[-GoBengals-]

ah yes Mike Browns deep involvement in the joe Burrow draft. Like 10 years after he stepped away from a main role in the organization.

 

Florio is a dumbfuck.

[T-Dub]

22 hours ago, dex said:

Anyone know how Mixon is doing with Yards After Contact with his new team? He struggled with that in Cincinnati, which was one reason why he was traded. Just wondering if he was doing better with that stat in Houston.

 

 

Below average.  Tied for 12th in total YAC (289) but mid-20's for YAC/attempt (1.9) with 9 broken tackles. (ie, he's getting more carries than a lot of backs - 10th in rushing attempts despite missing 3 games.)

 

For comparison, Derrick Henry is one of the overall leaders.  496 YAC, 2.7 YAC/att, 16 broken tackles.

 

Chase Brown is in the 30's for YAC/att but tied with Najee Harris for 6th with 12 broken tackles.  This suggests to me that Brown is breaking tackles behind the line for minimal gains.  Harris has about 150 more YAC than Brown.

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2024/rushing_advanced.htm

[sparky151]

On 11/10/2024 at 10:07 AM, New Jersey Bengal said:

Teams cannot keep everyone that's a fact and they cannot afford both higgins and chase so they had better sign Chase and we all know Florio is a squealers homer they don't spend ridiculous money on players they just replace them with good drafting something we have been unable to do queefs follow the same blueprint and give me a break on mixon good back but not great

 

Not being able to afford everyone is a strawman. The team must choose wisely who to pay. Bates is making 16 mil per year in Atlanta and playing at a level that justifies it. Bengals don't have any highly paid players in their secondary but do have one of the most highly paid D-lines in the league. Yet only have 1 good pass rusher. The combination of Bates+Kris Jenkins makes less money than the combination of Geno Stone+ Sheldon Rankins. It's simply a matter of poor evaluations by the Bengals front office. 

 

22 hours ago, GoBengals said:

ah yes Mike Browns deep involvement in the joe Burrow draft. Like 10 years after he stepped away from a main role in the organization.

 

Florio is a dumbfuck.

 

Wait, are you claiming Mike Brown wasn't heavily involved in drafting Burrow and in fact made the final decision? 

[LostInDaJungle]

2 hours ago, sparky151 said:

Not being able to afford everyone is a strawman. The team must choose wisely who to pay. Bates is making 16 mil per year in Atlanta and playing at a level that justifies it. Bengals don't have any highly paid players in their secondary but do have one of the most highly paid D-lines in the league. Yet only have 1 good pass rusher. The combination of Bates+Kris Jenkins makes less money than the combination of Geno Stone+ Sheldon Rankins. It's simply a matter of poor evaluations by the Bengals front office. 

Bates' cap hit blows up to $22M next year. Geno stone is $7.25M.

I'm sure Zac is one of the nicest coaches in the league. He's not stressed out about being fired. Let's just play hard boys and hope something good happens. S'all right, we'll get 'em next time. Why play starters in the preseason? He'll probably get in more trouble for breaking one of the Boss' toys than losing a game or two. Just finish hot.

The expectations are set from the top. And frankly, year after year, Mike and Katie prove they don't want it as much as the other guys. They'd rather own all of Daddy's legacy than have cash on hand to pay Chase.

The Bengals haven't changed. They have a little bit more money since they're not actively buying back the team anymore, and I think Katie is a slightly better judge of talent than Mike McGoo. Which isn't saying much.

I've said it before... If Jerry Jones was one play away from winning a Super Bowl, he would have mortgaged the future to take a run at it next year. Not the Brown family. They have the 2032 salary cap to think of. And the fans buy into it with their fantasies about Tee and Chase taking a discount to stay together... That year it was "If we sign Bates, how will we resign these two great players who love working with Burrow so much they'll give us a discount??"

The Bengals have $65M in cap space next year. With a team they thought had it's best chance, period, this year. Tee's last year... Instead, they've had plenty of cap space every year we've been looking at that window close. When exactly are they planning on going all in? Instead, they're trying to win the antes and folding every time the stakes get too high.

 

They've always been willing to pay QB's and WR's. And they've always nickeled and dimed everywhere else. They're proud of their 1980's way of doing business back when the cap was $35M dollars. They buy a nice Prime Steak and pair it with store brand mac and cheese and a wilty salad kit they got on manager's special because it expired 2 days ago. Served with stale wonder bread and Sam's Choice cola. And they tell us they're smart, because they can still afford steak next week. "Oh, look at him with his fancy bottle of wine and green lettuce... He'll be eating a Select Steak next week! Ha, ha, ha..." Mike Brown could take a once in a lifetime trip to Vegas and stay in his hotel room because he has to save his money to get his gutters cleaned when he gets home.

I'm not even saying that isn't practical, but guys like that rarely get movies made about them. They don't get the girl. They don't win the trophy. Heck, they don't even get to enjoy being Billionaires. Because cocaine and hookers just isn't fiscally responsible. They wear Walmart clothes and eat at Applebees. They drive Chevys. They give out McDonald's gift certificates for Christmas. They worry about the price of Velveeta.

You don't make a gourmet meal with discount ingredients. Getting a "value" FA after the top ones are all gone... Let's not fool ourselves, that's what Rankins and Stone were. There's a reason they we're still available three weeks into FA. Rankins wasn't even the run stuffer we needed. If you buy Prego because you think Rao's is too expensive, you're not going to ever have good spaghetti. I don't care how much you spent on the meatballs.

[T-Dub]

3 hours ago, LostInDaJungle said:

Bates' cap hit blows up to $22M next year. Geno stone is $7.25M.

I'm sure Zac is one of the nicest coaches in the league. He's not stressed out about being fired. Let's just play hard boys and hope something good happens. S'all right, we'll get 'em next time. Why play starters in the preseason? He'll probably get in more trouble for breaking one of the Boss' toys than losing a game or two. Just finish hot.

The expectations are set from the top. And frankly, year after year, Mike and Katie prove they don't want it as much as the other guys. They'd rather own all of Daddy's legacy than have cash on hand to pay Chase.

The Bengals haven't changed. They have a little bit more money since they're not actively buying back the team anymore, and I think Katie is a slightly better judge of talent than Mike McGoo. Which isn't saying much.

I've said it before... If Jerry Jones was one play away from winning a Super Bowl, he would have mortgaged the future to take a run at it next year. Not the Brown family. They have the 2032 salary cap to think of. And the fans buy into it with their fantasies about Tee and Chase taking a discount to stay together... That year it was "If we sign Bates, how will we resign these two great players who love working with Burrow so much they'll give us a discount??"

The Bengals have $65M in cap space next year. With a team they thought had it's best chance, period, this year. Tee's last year... Instead, they've had plenty of cap space every year we've been looking at that window close. When exactly are they planning on going all in? Instead, they're trying to win the antes and folding every time the stakes get too high.

 

They've always been willing to pay QB's and WR's. And they've always nickeled and dimed everywhere else. They're proud of their 1980's way of doing business back when the cap was $35M dollars. They buy a nice Prime Steak and pair it with store brand mac and cheese and a wilty salad kit they got on manager's special because it expired 2 days ago. Served with stale wonder bread and Sam's Choice cola. And they tell us they're smart, because they can still afford steak next week. "Oh, look at him with his fancy bottle of wine and green lettuce... He'll be eating a Select Steak next week! Ha, ha, ha..." Mike Brown could take a once in a lifetime trip to Vegas and stay in his hotel room because he has to save his money to get his gutters cleaned when he gets home.

I'm not even saying that isn't practical, but guys like that rarely get movies made about them. They don't get the girl. They don't win the trophy. Heck, they don't even get to enjoy being Billionaires. Because cocaine and hookers just isn't fiscally responsible. They wear Walmart clothes and eat at Applebees. They drive Chevys. They give out McDonald's gift certificates for Christmas. They worry about the price of Velveeta.

You don't make a gourmet meal with discount ingredients. Getting a "value" FA after the top ones are all gone... Let's not fool ourselves, that's what Rankins and Stone were. There's a reason they we're still available three weeks into FA. Rankins wasn't even the run stuffer we needed. If you buy Prego because you think Rao's is too expensive, you're not going to ever have good spaghetti. I don't care how much you spent on the meatballs.

 

 

So we would be the croutons here or....

 

I just think they're ultimately more interested in maintaining the lifestyle to which they're accustomed than the record of their football team from year to year & are therefore extremely risk-averse.  They pay for QBs and WRs because a pair like Joe & Ja'Marr are enough to keep fans invested and the team no worse than .500(ish) most seasons.

[dex]

16 hours ago, sparky151 said:

 

Not being able to afford everyone is a strawman. The team must choose wisely who to pay. Bates is making 16 mil per year in Atlanta and playing at a level that justifies it. Bengals don't have any highly paid players in their secondary but do have one of the most highly paid D-lines in the league. Yet only have 1 good pass rusher. The combination of Bates+Kris Jenkins makes less money than the combination of Geno Stone+ Sheldon Rankins. It's simply a matter of poor evaluations by the Bengals front office. 

Part of the problem is that the Bengals are very strict about what they consider non-premium positions, and the lesser value they place on them., They do not consider safety to be a premium position, and so Bates was not considered as important to them as they should have.

 

Before the Bates debacle there was the case of Joe Thuney, who made it clear that he wanted to play in Cincinnati if they offered him close to his market value in free agency. But the problem was that Thuney plays offensive guard, a position that the Bengals do not consider to be a premium position. Kansas City, who struggled in the IOL the season before, was determined to upgrade at guard so they signed Thuney. Turned out to be a smart move. Now Thuney has more Super Bowl rings (FOUR) than any other active NFL player. 

 

Every team in the league including the Bengals considers DT to be a premium position. The importance of getting pressure in the middle and collapsing the pocket before QBs like Mahomes and Burrow can climb up to buy more time is not undervalued. So if the Bengals are always in the market for DTs who can get pressure  up the middle, why would they not prioritize OGs who can prevent opponents from collapsing his pocket before he can find a receiver? Apparently the Bengals didn't get the memo after the LG Jordan allowed the pressure that blew up Burrow's knee in his rookie season. Or when Aaron Donald wrecked havoc in the Super Bowl, including the final play where Chase had left the CB in the dust. Guard...still not a premium position in their eyes. Just like safety isn't...

[UncleEarl]

21 minutes ago, dex said:

Part of the problem is that the Bengals are very strict about what they consider non-premium positions, and the lesser value they place on them., They do not consider safety to be a premium position, and so Bates was not considered as important to them as they should have.

 

Before the Bates debacle there was the case of Joe Thuney, who made it clear that he wanted to play in Cincinnati if they offered him close to his market value in free agency. But the problem was that Thuney plays offensive guard, a position that the Bengals do not consider to be a premium position. Kansas City, who struggled in the IOL the season before, was determined to upgrade at guard so they signed Thuney. Turned out to be a smart move. Now Thuney has more Super Bowl rings (FOUR) than any other active NFL player. 

 

Every team in the league including the Bengals considers DT to be a premium position. The importance of getting pressure in the middle and collapsing the pocket before QBs like Mahomes and Burrow can climb up to buy more time is not undervalued. So if the Bengals are always in the market for DTs who can get pressure  up the middle, why would they not prioritize OGs who can prevent opponents from collapsing his pocket before he can find a receiver? Apparently the Bengals didn't get the memo after the LG Jordan allowed the pressure that blew up Burrow's knee in his rookie season. Or when Aaron Donald wrecked havoc in the Super Bowl, including the final play where Chase had left the CB in the dust. Guard...still not a premium position in their eyes. Just like safety isn't...

 

Cappa is the #13 paid RG.  Not high, but he is later in his deal. 

[I_C_Deadpeople]

19 minutes ago, dex said:

Part of the problem is that the Bengals are very strict about what they consider non-premium positions, and the lesser value they place on them., They do not consider safety to be a premium position, and so Bates was not considered as important to them as they should have.

 

Before the Bates debacle there was the case of Joe Thuney, who made it clear that he wanted to play in Cincinnati if they offered him close to his market value in free agency. But the problem was that Thuney plays offensive guard, a position that the Bengals do not consider to be a premium position. Kansas City, who struggled in the IOL the season before, was determined to upgrade at guard so they signed Thuney. Turned out to be a smart move. Now Thuney has more Super Bowl rings (FOUR) than any other active NFL player. 

 

Every team in the league including the Bengals considers DT to be a premium position. The importance of getting pressure in the middle and collapsing the pocket before QBs like Mahomes and Burrow can climb up to buy more time is not undervalued. So if the Bengals are always in the market for DTs who can get pressure  up the middle, why would they not prioritize OGs who can prevent opponents from collapsing his pocket before he can find a receiver? Apparently the Bengals didn't get the memo after the LG Jordan allowed the pressure that blew up Burrow's knee in his rookie season. Or when Aaron Donald wrecked havoc in the Super Bowl, including the final play where Chase had left the CB in the dust. Guard...still not a premium position in their eyes. Just like safety isn't...

Very true and it is why we lost Steinbach and Zeitler in the day. 

 

I think a better approach would be to simply pay market value for your best players. Period. Then work around that with other players (younger, less talented, vets etc). Draft, develop and retain. It si not likewe have dozens of our own that need top value contrcats yet the team always seems worried about "need to keep cap space for player X who we wnat to sign in two years". That is a strawman as well. 

 

Bates is essnetially a top 3 safety in the league so he is being paid as one by a team not named the Bengals. I can see not signed 2 elite safeties at the same time (like two WR's) but 1 is doable. 

[T-Dub]

4 hours ago, dex said:

Part of the problem is that the Bengals are very strict about what they consider non-premium positions, and the lesser value they place on them., They do not consider safety to be a premium position, and so Bates was not considered as important to them as they should have.

 

Before the Bates debacle there was the case of Joe Thuney, who made it clear that he wanted to play in Cincinnati if they offered him close to his market value in free agency. But the problem was that Thuney plays offensive guard, a position that the Bengals do not consider to be a premium position. Kansas City, who struggled in the IOL the season before, was determined to upgrade at guard so they signed Thuney. Turned out to be a smart move. Now Thuney has more Super Bowl rings (FOUR) than any other active NFL player. 

 

Every team in the league including the Bengals considers DT to be a premium position. The importance of getting pressure in the middle and collapsing the pocket before QBs like Mahomes and Burrow can climb up to buy more time is not undervalued. So if the Bengals are always in the market for DTs who can get pressure  up the middle, why would they not prioritize OGs who can prevent opponents from collapsing his pocket before he can find a receiver? Apparently the Bengals didn't get the memo after the LG Jordan allowed the pressure that blew up Burrow's knee in his rookie season. Or when Aaron Donald wrecked havoc in the Super Bowl, including the final play where Chase had left the CB in the dust. Guard...still not a premium position in their eyes. Just like safety isn't...

 

 

Don't recall hearing that about Thuney. Boy, does that chafe. Definitely illustrative though.

[Randle P McMurphy]

Have the Bengals really changed?  Yes and No.

 

Yes.  They changed from being SB contenders to a 4 win team with the 4 wins coming against all last place teams!

 

No.  Their idea of mid season improvement is trading for a scrub RB who fumbled on his only carry and signing

another scrub RB to the PS!  

[dex]

1 hour ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

Don't recall hearing that about Thuney. Boy, does that chafe. Definitely illustrative though.

Thuney was born and raised in the Dayton area. Still has a ton of family in the area, many of them long-suffering Bengals fans. Although I guess since he signed with KC, those close relatives are now proud Chiefs fans and not suffering at all.

[LostInDaJungle]

16 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

So we would be the croutons here or....

 

I just think they're ultimately more interested in maintaining the lifestyle to which they're accustomed than the record of their football team from year to year & are therefore extremely risk-averse.  They pay for QBs and WRs because a pair like Joe & Ja'Marr are enough to keep fans invested and the team no worse than .500(ish) most seasons.

We would be the confused guests on Kitchen Nightmares wondering why Gordon Ramsey is screaming so much. Some of you would be "the regulars" who think this slop is actually good.

Zac Taylor is the smug but unqualified "front of the house" manager.

Joe Burrow is the frustrated head chef.

 

Jamarr Chase is the mouthy dishwasher who is always out back smoking weed by the dumpster.