From Charlie Goldsmith re

Dugger signing…

https://open.substack.com/pub/charlieschalkboard/p/kyle-dugger-gives-the-bengals-better?r=vikmq&utm_medium=ios

Interesting they're targeting DBs. Seems they really have convinced themselves they're fine at DL & LB? I mean, just look at how they played against the Arizona Cardinals!

Delulu

8 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

Interesting they're targeting DBs. Seems they really have convinced themselves they're fine at DL & LB? I mean, just look at how they played against the Arizona Cardinals!

Delulu

Bringing in Dugger to mentor Caleb Downs for a year?

51 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

Interesting they're targeting DBs. Seems they really have convinced themselves they're fine at DL & LB? I mean, just look at how they played against the Arizona Cardinals!

Delulu

Ja’Sir Taylor is a dog on ST’s, he improves that group day one and has a chance to compete for the nickle. Duggar raises the floor of the safety room quite a bit. Nice, low key upgrades.

43 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

Interesting they're targeting DBs. Seems they really have convinced themselves they're fine at DL & LB? I mean, just look at how they played against the Arizona Cardinals!

Delulu

I don’t know that they’re convinced of anything being settled on defense. Dugger is a good signing and should help improve an area of weakness from last season. At the very least he will give us depth and an experienced option if Battle struggles.

It seems fairly obvious that teams league-wide are waiting out the remaining free agents and focusing on the draft in a few weeks. Lots of time between now and training camp and some guys are content to sign after missing all or most of the preseason stuff. As recently as last year they signed Risner in late August and by all accounts that was his choice.

1 hour ago, spicoli said:

Ja’Sir Taylor is a dog on ST’s, he improves that group day one. Duggar raises the floor of the safety room quite a bit. Nice, low key upgrades.

Nothing against them but also, woohoo, great - special teams.

The whole defense was kinda dogshit* but the problems not named Stone were mostly up front. I still don't see a proven difference-maker anywhere in the front 7 & the strategy of assuming we can go draft those gave us the 2 worst LBs in the NFL last year.

Their approach feels like that "definition of insanity" meme but I guess that's just me

*all year

10 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

Nothing against them but also, woohoo, great - special teams.

The whole defense was kinda dogshit* but the problems not named Stone were mostly up front. I still don't see a proven difference-maker anywhere in the front 7 & the strategy of assuming we can go draft those gave us the 2 worst LBs in the NFL last year.

Their approach feels like that "definition of insanity" meme but I guess that's just me

*all year

Awesome 👍

1 minute ago, spicoli said:

Awesome 👍

Nah that would've been signing one of the several good, vet LB's that were available. We're into the "OK" portion of FA now and they still haven't got one, then there's Zac talking about how hard it is for rookies - as though starting the pair of them was some unforeseeable act of God. IDK man.

Yeah, awesome. 👐

10 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

Nah that would've been signing one of the several good, vet LB's that were available. We're into the "OK" portion of FA now and they still haven't got one, then there's Zac talking about how hard it is for rookies - as though starting the pair of them was some unforeseeable act of God. IDK man.

Yeah, awesome. 👐

They have plenty of time to address the LB room. For all we know they’ll come out of this draft with Sonny Styles. Plus there will be plenty of vet options available between now and training camp.

3 minutes ago, spicoli said:

They have plenty of time to address the LB room. For all we know they’ll come out of this draft with Sonny Styles. Plus there will be plenty of vet options available between now and training camp.

They could draft 3 Sonny Styles and still need to sign a vet LB. It's that reliance on rookies that's the issue, not who they draft or the potential to sign some C-grade jobber LB in August. They needed real, immediate help at DT & LB but are more concerned with hanging on to a potential day 3 comp pick. It's absurd... and then telling everyone how they're "always all-in"? That means they're never all-in. Keep it real.

👍

They need a vet, they don’t need a superstar vet. A good solid pro is what they’re in need of and there will be plenty available between now and TC.

4 minutes ago, spicoli said:

They need a vet, they don’t need a superstar vet. A good solid pro is what they’re in need of and there will be plenty available between now and TC.

I can believe that, though they have to actually go do the thing.. Who do you have in mind? What good, solid pro LB's are still out there?

& same question, but DT?

Bobby Wagner and DJ Reader.

Honestly though, I think they’d bring in another vet edge before they would a DT.

4 hours ago, spicoli said:

Bobby Wagner and DJ Reader.

Honestly though, I think they’d bring in another vet edge before they would a DT.

That'd be fine, too. In case Murphy isn't really an awesome DE that was only napping until now, maybe even push Stewart down the depth chart until he learns the game.

But still kind of pathetic at DT & LB.

16 hours ago, High School Harry said:

Bringing in Dugger to mentor Caleb Downs for a year?

Downs could probably mentor Dugger. Seriously though, Downs should be alright and Dug gives some depth besides being very good on STs..

16 hours ago, spicoli said:

Ja’Sir Taylor is a dog on ST’s, he improves that group day one and has a chance to compete for the nickle. Duggar raises the floor of the safety room quite a bit. Nice, low key upgrades.

Dugger bad boy on st as well.

Both have played 1000 snaps on ST.

Coach Simmons gotta be happy

19 hours ago, T-Dub said:

Nothing against them but also, woohoo, great - special teams.

We need to replace Tycen Anderson.

21 hours ago, T-Dub said:

They could draft 3 Sonny Styles and still need to sign a vet LB.

I wanted them to pick up a veteran LB in FA too, but if they somehow stumble into Sonny Styles at pick 10 I promise not to complain about the LB position again. I won't need to. Styles will be a star from opening day. He's that talented and ready to play from the jump.

8 hours ago, Shebengal said:

We need to replace Tycen Anderson.

Yeah he might do that much & that's good. Meanwhile the middle of the defense looks like this

2 hours ago, dex said:

I wanted them to pick up a veteran LB in FA too, but if they somehow stumble into Sonny Styles at pick 10 I promise not to complain about the LB position again. I won't need to. Styles will be a star from opening day. He's that talented and ready to play from the jump.

If I had a nickel for every time I've heard that one... Maybe he's the exception, which is why he won't last until 10 either.

10 hours ago, T-Dub said:

If I had a nickel for every time I've heard that one... Maybe he's the exception, which is why he won't last until 10 either.

Yep. Agree. The only way they get him is to trade up which is doubtful.

Go tits to the wall to get Caleb Downs even if it does meant trading up a spot

or two if the first nine morphs into something Caleb hungry.

Still think one of the reasons behind picking up Kyle Dugger (besides the obvious)

is to mentor Downs a bit.

One of the things I got from the highlight clips when we first signed him was his pick 6's

were from knowing or anticipating the play from the snap.

Teaching Dugger the keys would be a big help.