The franchise tag will be over $21M. Doesn't make sense for many reasons. They will have to use a First Round pick on a QB next year, and probably have to trade up, if they want someone better than Dalton in 2015, and they still probably won't get that.
They're stuck with Dalton now. Pay him now. It's going to cost $5M more per season later.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
And, he can certainly be right about that. To put all your eggs in one basket,..."that Andy Dalton is going to figure out in his 4th year or beyond to perform adequately under pressure (playoff games or any other kind of pressure)", is not a good way to run a franchise. It's way too much risk versus the opportunity that the Bengals have right now based on the rest of their roster, which has been primed for a Super Bowl run the last two years and for another three to four years (the A.J. Green/Geno Atkins/Burfict years).
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Gio was my #1 rated RB going into last year's draft and Hill was my #1 rated RB going into this year's draft. Couldn't be happier on that front. I am disappointed that we lost our 3rd best Offensive Lineman to Free Agency without replacing him. I hope we draft an OT in the First Round next season (Free Agency is never an option for Bengals' fans).
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
You're right. It shouldn't make any sense to stay away from a school like Ohio State just because some players didn't pan out in the past. I doubt if West Virginia was serious about his comment. There is something, though, in staying away from USC Wide Receivers. There's a prima-donna mentality that goes with the school and the position that's proven to be a recipe for failure in the NFL. Their Receivers have been a very lazy, unmotivated group of individuals (as have many of their Quarterbacks, Carson Palmer not included).
Some Universities, because of their Head Coaches alone, have their players more pro-ready, while some schools, because of their Head Coaches or situation (USC) have their players less pro-ready.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
It has always seemed like they've passed on in-state players after Archie Griffin proved to be such a flop. I question their in-state scouting abilities, though I am very pleased with what Tobin has accomplished ever since he was finally given a legitimate staff to work with (four scouts instead of two scouts so he could truly be a "Director" of scouting). I was perturbed when they whiffed on Pierre Garcon. That was a no-brainer at the time for me, and to let next-door neighbor Indianapolis steal him from them was an "asleep-at-the-wheel" moment. Just as the 49er's didn't miss on Kaepernick, the closest in proximity NFL franchise to his school, the Bengals should have been on top of Garcon from Miami (though Cleveland had as good of a chance).
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
We haven't been drafting for need, necessarily, for a couple of seasons now. It's accepted league-wide that the Bengals have been one of the most talent-laden teams in the league.
Last year we snagged Eifert as he fell to us, though TE was not a need...not in the first round anyway. We also got the ideal RB in the 2nd Round, where we could have easily waited until the 4th Round for a RB that fit the team, but Gio, too, was there and we had to take advantage of that. Hunt was a pure "high reward" gamble, though LB was a greater need right there, where we could have snagged Brown (we were also hoping that Thomas Howard was going to get healthy before the start of the season, but it just never happened, and the same was true with Travelle Wharton, so we passed on Guard, too).
This year, we got the gift of Dennard. Had Dennard not been there, we might have gone OT in the 1st. Then when Hill was still available in the 2nd, something I certainly didn't see happening, another opportunity for an OT or a QB went by the wayside, as Hill was just too, too good to pass up at that spot. Then the third round came around and a highly coveted Center was available, causing the Bengals to do something rare for them...move up in an early round to grab a player they coveted. He has to be very highly rated for them to make that move. So, another opportunity at an OT and QB went by the wayside. At this point, there was no longer any QB they valued worthy enough to trade up to get. They clearly didn't feel the same way about Savage as I do, and I think they kind of desperately went with McCarron in the 4th Round. I think they'll regret that move as they passed on 100 players who were more worthy of being picked. McCarron will never start a game for the Bengals (or at least be effective if he does), and that will make it a completely wasted pick, where someone who would contribute on Special Teams would have been a better choice.
So, because the draft fell into line really well for the Bengals, I believe they just rolled up their sleeves on the OT and QB positions and said to themselves, "We did great this season...let's give it a go next year on these two positions and pray to God that Dalton figures out how to handle pressure and that our O-Line holds up and improves at run-blocking".
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Marshall Newhouse won't make the team. He's horrible, not worthy of being on an NFL roster. It wasn't a mistake bringing him in as he gets no guaranteed money, but he won't be on the roster September 1st.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
That's because they had no scouting department. They knew little to nothing about players from around the nation, simply because they didn't have the time to investigate very many very thoroughly. What they knew was partial information.
They still don't have much representation in the West. I was hoping that the hiring of UCLA's former director of player personnel before the last draft as the Head of West Coast scouting would change this, but it doesn't seem to be the case. That said, for them to have gone with a University of Arizona player, to me, means that he is very highly regarded on the scouting department, and I believe they probably nailed this one. Tobin has done a very good job since he was relieved of the duties of pure scouting and got to become a full-time Director. He seems to be more valuable at Directing a whole team than he was to us before as a pure scout.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Kingspoint,
I'm having trouble squaring up your posts.
Then when I counter that they used to have too many in-state players, you agreed(sort of)It has always seemed like they've passed on in-state players after Archie Griffin proved to be such a flop. I question their in-state scouting abilities, though I am very pleased with what Tobin has accomplished ever since he was finally given a legitimate staff to work with (four scouts instead of two scouts so he could truly be a "Director" of scouting).
That's because they had no scouting department. They knew little to nothing about players from around the nation, simply because they didn't have the time to investigate very many very thoroughly. What they knew was partial information.
Hill has much less wear and tear than Hyde.
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