2020 Cincinnati Bengals Thread Part 2: The Joe Burrow Era is Almost Here!

[Redhook]

I know we don't believe it - but the Bengals are clearly comfortable with the improvement the line made last half of last year - and adding in Jonah Williams and Sua-Fila at LT and RG and letting Hart and Fred Johnson battle it out that they are going to be fine. We shall see. Really, after Isaiah Wilson went at end of first round, not sure that there was someone left who would immediately be a starter anyway...

I hear what you’re saying, but being comfortable and being good is drastically different, especially in Bengal terms. Their line will/should be better this season, but it’ll still probably be in the bottom 10 in the league. I just wish they would’ve signed one legit starter in FA to address the right side. But, that being said, I love the fact they’re taking BPA’s instead of reaching.

The team is starting to look pretty good for 2021. They should win 5-8 games this year and 9+ in 2021.

[Redhook]

I wonder if there’s any way they could restructure Dalton’s contract to 2-3 more years so they could trade him for a starting offensive lineman?

[membengal]

I hear what you’re saying, but being comfortable and being good is drastically different, especially in Bengal terms. Their line will/should be better this season, but it’ll still probably be in the bottom 10 in the league. I just wish they would’ve signed one legit starter in FA to address the right side. But, that being said, I love the fact they’re taking BPA’s instead of reaching.

The team is starting to look pretty good for 2021. They should win 5-8 games this year and 9+ in 2021.

They are clearly higher on Sua-Fila than you are. Or other observers like Goodberry. But they seem to think they addressed it with that signing.

[WrongVerb]

Dalton for Thuney just seems there for the taking.

[Boss-Hog]

Dalton for Thuney just seems there for the taking.

After free agency and the draft, I don't think they can make it to the season carrying Dalton's salary as is, so as much as I'd like it, I don't see how Thuney's contract fits. I think they'll either restructure Dalton, which they never do, and keep him as a backup or more likely release him.

[Todd Gack]

Fred Johnson played in 6 games last year.

6 games!

He only played in more than 15% of snaps in the last two games against Cleveland and Miami. Please tell me they aren't basing their positive assessment of the guy on those two games.

[redsfandan]

I'm hoping the Bengals take at least one offensive lineman. Could still happen, maybe a guy that's a little bit of a project.

[membengal]

After free agency and the draft, I don't think they can make it to the season carrying Dalton's salary as is, so as much as I'd like it, I don't see how Thuney's contract fits. I think they'll either restructure Dalton, which they never do, and keep him as a backup or more likely release him.

I imagine they'd be open to re-structuring - question is - would Dalton?

[Todd Gack]

I'm hoping the Bengals take at least one offensive lineman. Could still happen, maybe a guy that's a little bit of a project.

The thing is, even if they do, it's not like he's going to start. We just drafted a supposed franchise quarterback and we're protecting him with Bobby Hart and a guy who missed an entire year of football because of injury. NOthing against Jonah Williams as I'm sure he'll be fine, but I can't imagine going into the season with those guys are you book-end tackles and then even question marks at the other OL positions with almost no quality depth. It's scary AF.

[membengal]

LT Williams - Prince back-up
LG - Jordan - Redmond/Price back-up
C - Hopkins - Price back-up
RG - Sua-Fila - Redmond back-up
RT - Hart - Johnson back-up

Where does a draft pick after first round immediately get a starting spot? When Isaiah Wilson went at 29 I think that last ship basically sailed. So for better or worse, any OL draft pick is depth and working to challenge for starting time at some point at best.

Johnson showed a lot in his cameo last year and the Steelers were pissed to lose him. I trust the Steelers eval on linemen, so there's that. I think Johnson can beat out Hart. That will be a legit battle. I would like it if Muti is still there in 5th if they pull the trigger, unless his injury issues are just so extreme that he will never really be able to play...

[Boss-Hog]

I imagine they'd be open to re-structuring - question is - would Dalton?

Right. Unless he stands to make more in restructuring here than he expects to get on the open market, I'm not sure why he'd want to stick around. If they cut him, he stands a better chance of going somewhere with a shaky QB situation whereas the only chance here is in the event of injury, which I don't even want to think about.

[Redhook]

They are clearly higher on Sua-Fila than you are. Or other observers like Goodberry. But they seem to think they addressed it with that signing.

I’m sure they are. And, they were higher on Bobby Hart than everyone else. Sua-Fila is an improvement for them, but doesn’t appear to be a league average lineman. The line is a bunch of IFs right now. And if those IFs work out, they still will have a line that’s below average.

As it stands right now, their RG and RT will probably be the worst combo in the NFL. It’s almost a guarantee bottom 5. It’s a shame because if they had an all-pro RT and league average RG, I would argue they’d have a pretty good chance at winning over 8 games. Easier said than done, obviously.

Look, overall, I’m thrilled with their offseason and draft. They had tons of holes and have addressed most of them. Huge improvement. But, keeping Burrow upright is pretty darn important as well.

[redsfandan]

The thing is, even if they do, it's not like he's going to start. We just drafted a supposed franchise quarterback and we're protecting him with Bobby Hart and a guy who missed an entire year of football because of injury. NOthing against Jonah Williams as I'm sure he'll be fine, but I can't imagine going into the season with those guys are you book-end tackles and then even question marks at the other OL positions with almost no quality depth. It's scary AF.

Right, they're placing too much faith in the guys they have now to be better. One or two could be better. But, betting that all of them will be better is asking a lot.

[Todd Gack]

LT Williams - Prince back-up
LG - Jordan - Redmond/Price back-up
C - Hopkins - Price back-up
RG - Sua-Fila - Redmond back-up
RT - Hart - Johnson back-up

Where does a draft pick after first round immediately get a starting spot? When Isaiah Wilson went at 29 I think that last ship basically sailed. So for better or worse, any OL draft pick is depth and working to challenge for starting time at some point at best.

Johnson showed a lot in his cameo last year and the Steelers were pissed to lose him. I trust the Steelers eval on linemen, so there's that. I think Johnson can beat out Hart. That will be a legit battle. I would like it if Muti is still there in 5th if they pull the trigger, unless his injury issues are just so extreme that he will never really be able to play...

If the Bengals plan was to do nothing in FA (aside from signing X to a backup contract) and then hope Wilson falls to them in the 2nd round, then it's a very poor plan. Higgins is a sexy pick and like the guy, but dang. Our OL and the decision to not upgrade it is going to be a huge storyline and put a lot of pressure on them.

[membengal]

For better or worse, some of keeping Burrow upright is going to fall on...Burrow. QB does control some of that with pre-snap reads and understanding where pressure is coming from. That was never one of Andy's strengths. It IS one of Burrow's strengths. He was PFF's top QB when pressured last year and his numbers were remarkable. He made LSU's line look better than it probably was. Can that translate? I hope so. I think it will need to. But it is also a thing. Great QBs elevate their lines. I think an improvement to 6+ wins is reasonable. Maybe if we are all under-estimating the line and their faith in it, better than that. I still have so much more hope than I did. And it wasn't all going to get fixed in one off-season, but they've made huge strides.