Bengals Related News & Notes

[Mag]

The Bengals actually have drafted very well in stretches, but they have 4 major flaws:
1. They rely too heavily on draft and develop. No team can draft so well they can completely ignore FA to fill holes. This would cause stretches of big need and not having enough good players to fill a need. This forced the team to use premium picks to reach on a position of need. (See Billy Price).

2. The team gave certain players too much time to develop without giving them competition (Russell Bodine, Bobby Hart). Or to feel so settled at a position that you ignore BPA (Andy Dalton).

3. Putting too high of a value on certain position groups. Had a 10 year stretch, we seemed to draft a CB in the first round nearly every other year. While many turned out to be solid players, it left other position groups neglected. Many of our first round CBs sat the bench for their first year or two. That's a waste.

4. They make the occasional head scratcher pick. It's either a high ceiling player the coaches have no plan to use adequately (Ross, Gio) or a player that has major flaws or were major reaches (Sean Brewer, Ogbuehi, Price, Sample). Ross, it was obvious ML didn't want him and didn't know what to do with him. Gio is a good player, but he's been grossly underutilized his entire career. Brewer smoked a pack of cigarettes per day and should never been drafted. I had a 3rd round grade on Ogbuehi and thought him a high upside project at best. I had a 3rd round grade on Price, but most mocks had him as a second. I loved him as a potential solid starter, but he should never have been a 1st rounder. Sample was just insanity. No words for that.

This team has drafted extremely well at times and extremely bad at times. It's Jeckel and Hyde.

2001: Justin Smith, Chad Johnson, Rudi Johnson, TJ (4 pro bowlers and 2 fringe HOF candidates)
2003: Palmer, Steiny, (2 pro bowlers)
2005*: Pollack, Thurman, Henry, Tab Perry
2007: Joseph, Whit, Frostee, Peko (2 pro bowlers, 2 fringe HOF candidates, 4 ten year plus quality starters)
2010: Gresham, Dunlap, Atkins (3 pro bowlers, one eventual HOF)
2011: AJ, Dalton, Boling (2 pro bowlers, one fringe HOF, 3 long time quality starters).

*2005: There is a group of fans looking back at this season and this draft via Twitter on what could've been. The talent level of this draft could've set this team up for a high level of success. Pollack was that edge LB that Lewis looked for since he had in Boulware and Arrington, but never found on Cincy. Pollack caused the team to start experimenting with kicking Justin Smith (a position that made him an All Pro). Thurman was a beast, Henry was uncoverable, and Perry was a solid player who could've developed into a starter. It all fell apart in 2006 after Pollack broke his neck. Then it all fell apart for this class in the most tragic ways.

Now the team also have had significant misses in the draft. Most of the 90s. 2014 and 2015 have zero players make it to long term extensions.

[4256 Hits]

5. Drafting players that are hurt or were hurt last year in college thinking since they are hurt they got a draft steal even if they can't play their rookie year.

[MeatHeadbengal]

The Bengals actually have drafted very well in stretches, but they have 4 major flaws:
1. They rely too heavily on draft and develop. No team can draft so well they can completely ignore FA to fill holes. This would cause stretches of big need and not having enough good players to fill a need. This forced the team to use premium picks to reach on a position of need. (See Billy Price).

Ok this needs to stop, Everyone hindsight is 20/20, but listen EVERYONE of us was excited about the Billy Price pick in 2018. It wasn't a reach at the time and if you go back and look at draft grades most gave us decent scores. It's easy to sit here and nitpick over this and that but to flat out say we reached when we were all excited about the pick is just wrong. I'll admit I loved Price that year and I was super excited to have him on our roster, I am super upset I have to sit here and eat crow but I'm not the only one that should be having a serving of it!

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/04/26/cinci ... ons-grades

https://www.pff.com/news/pro-draft-recap-2018-bengals

https://lastwordonprofootball.com/2018/ ... ft-review/

[MeatHeadbengal]

5. Drafting players that are hurt or were hurt last year in college thinking since they are hurt they got a draft steal even if they can't play their rookie year.

Not always true recently yes but take into account Carlos Dunlap fell to us in the second round because of injury.

The point I'm trying to make is sitting here complaining about Draft picks that didn't pan out is the exact same as buying a scratch off lottery ticket and complaining you didn't win. The Odds are probably better on the scratch off honestly.

[skycruiser]

i thought dunlap fell because he was passed out drunk at a stoplight in his car?

[MeatHeadbengal]

i thought dunlap fell because he was passed out drunk at a stoplight in his car?

Aww forgive me, my memory was wrong on Dunlap you are 100% correct. He was suspended for the SEC championship game at the end of his junior season and that's why he fell.

[Mag]

The Bengals actually have drafted very well in stretches, but they have 4 major flaws:
1. They rely too heavily on draft and develop. No team can draft so well they can completely ignore FA to fill holes. This would cause stretches of big need and not having enough good players to fill a need. This forced the team to use premium picks to reach on a position of need. (See Billy Price).

Ok this needs to stop, Everyone hindsight is 20/20, but listen EVERYONE of us was excited about the Billy Price pick in 2018. It wasn't a reach at the time and if you go back and look at draft grades most gave us decent scores. It's easy to sit here and nitpick over this and that but to flat out say we reached when we were all excited about the pick is just wrong. I'll admit I loved Price that year and I was super excited to have him on our roster, I am super upset I have to sit here and eat crow but I'm not the only one that should be having a serving of it!

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/04/26/cinci ... ons-grades

https://www.pff.com/news/pro-draft-recap-2018-bengals

https://lastwordonprofootball.com/2018/ ... ft-review/

I liked Price, but I never thought he was a 1st rounder. He was often in my mocks, but I never had him higher than a second rd pick. Lacked the arm length and athleticism to be a first rounder. I was shocked when he was taken in round 1, but I ended up being ok with it because Buckeye centers usually become solid starters at least. But looking at ML's reactions to him are telling.

[Joe Bananas]

i thought dunlap fell because he was passed out drunk at a stoplight in his car?

Gawd I love this team!

[Joe Bananas]

The Bengals actually have drafted very well in stretches, but they have 4 major flaws:
1. They rely too heavily on draft and develop. No team can draft so well they can completely ignore FA to fill holes. This would cause stretches of big need and not having enough good players to fill a need. This forced the team to use premium picks to reach on a position of need. (See Billy Price).

Ok this needs to stop, Everyone hindsight is 20/20, but listen EVERYONE of us was excited about the Billy Price pick in 2018. It wasn't a reach at the time and if you go back and look at draft grades most gave us decent scores. It's easy to sit here and nitpick over this and that but to flat out say we reached when we were all excited about the pick is just wrong. I'll admit I loved Price that year and I was super excited to have him on our roster, I am super upset I have to sit here and eat crow but I'm not the only one that should be having a serving of it!

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/04/26/cinci ... ons-grades

https://www.pff.com/news/pro-draft-recap-2018-bengals

https://lastwordonprofootball.com/2018/ ... ft-review/

But as my article stated previously, not drafting an all pro in the last 6 years and as Mag pointed out, before this year we never really did anything in free agency.

So the last 6 years = not drafting good

The last several year = not being active in free agency

= 2-14 and thats where we are right now.

Its simple math. 2 things to make it in this league and prior to this year the last 6 years we haven't been doing either. Its a recipe for disaster.

[Bengals1]

i thought dunlap fell because he was passed out drunk at a stoplight in his car?

I thought that was you Sky!?!