Armon Binns is terrible.

[flamingrey]

I'm a big fan of Leon Hall, but I think he might struggle this year. That was a tough injury he had to deal with and I wouldn't be shocked if it took a year for him to get his feet back under him.

The other DBs are below average. Jones has good moments when he is healthy (rarely), Clements is about 3 years beyond his prime, same for Neuman, and I'm not sure Jason Allen was ever any good. I guess we're waiting for Swag to save us!

But on the bright side, the team gets an 'A' for their offseason grade for "improving" the team, especially CB's and G's.

[\sarcasm]

Agree on Leon. I'm a big fan, but expect him to have an inconsistent season.

 

[Be Weary of Query]

But on the bright side, the team gets an 'A' for their offseason grade for "improving" the team, especially CB's and G's.

[\sarcasm]

Agree on Leon. I'm a big fan, but expect him to have an inconsistent season.

Not trying to be argumentative but they did...

Cornerback

Added: Jason Allen and Terrence Newman via free agency

Drafted: Dre Kirkpatrick (1st round) and Shaun Prater (5th round)

Retained: Brandon Ghee and Adam Jones

Not retained: Kelly Jennings, Rico Murray



Offensive Guard

Added: Travelle Wharton

Drafted: Kevin Zeitler (1st round)

Not retained: Nate Livings, Bobbie Williams


The case could be made to have added Tracy Porter (takes both side to agree) or whomever but they did attempt to upgrade at the two aforementioned position groups. Now...you could grumble about the personnel that was added/retained but it's not like they stood pat and did nothing.

Doesn't help matters that three of the 'adds' are now on IR and three have yet to play in the preseason.

 

[cincygrad]

The guys that were added weren't wanted by anyone else. Jason Allen was a third corner last season and Terrance Newman was basically run out of Dallas. Trevelle Wharton was cut by the Panthers. Adam Jones hasn't had a good, full season in his entire career.

Yes, we added players..... But given our finances (plenty of cap space), one could easily make the argument that they could have done more.

 

[flamingrey]

The guys that were added weren't wanted by anyone else. Jason Allen was a third corner last season and Terrance Newman was basically run out of Dallas. Trevelle Wharton was cut by the Panthers. Adam Jones hasn't had a good, full season in his entire career.

Yes, we added players..... But given our finances (plenty of cap space), one could easily make the argument that they could have done more.

Bingo! The point is we did not pick from the first tier of players available in our 2 positions with glaring needs. This team could be so much better than it is now even with those additions. They either picked from the bottom tier or players that were not wanted by other teams, and while it's an improvement from what we had before, it was never going to be enough to have any kind of serious impact.

Our o-line is in shambles right now. There is no way you can believe that a player (Wharton) cut by another team at a position where teams just don't cut players with talent would turn the entire thing around.

Newman obviously isn't very good and Jason Allen never was or hasn't been in a long time.

 

[Be Weary of Query]

The guys that were added weren't wanted by anyone else. Jason Allen was a third corner last season and Terrance Newman was basically run out of Dallas. Trevelle Wharton was cut by the Panthers. Adam Jones hasn't had a good, full season in his entire career.

Yes, we added players..... But given our finances (plenty of cap space), one could easily make the argument that they could have done more.

[devil's advocate]

$ in the position group for 2012:

Hall - $1.6 million ($5 million roster bonus paid in March)

Clements - $4.3 million

Kirkpatrick - $390,000 ($4.9 million signing bonus)

J. Allen - $4.1 million?...2 year contract at $8.2 million

Adam Jones - $700,000 ($250,000 signing bonus)

Terence Newman - $850,000

Shaun Prater - $ ? (did get a $185,000 signing bonus...contract is 4 years at $2.285 million)

Brandon Ghee - $540,000

That's an estimated (give or take for a few unknowns) of $22.79 million invested in the position group just for 2012.


[/devil's advocate]

 

[DanBengalfan]

just not enough good meat on the menu I guess.

A few of us wanted to draft 2 CBs right away, we kind of got the picture that Kirkpatrick and Hall wasn't enough and we needed some depth.

 

[cincygrad]

23 million buys you what we have? Good grief. Why wasn't J-Joe franchised again?

 

[Be Weary of Query]

23 million buys you what we have? Good grief. Why wasn't J-Joe franchised again?

Great question.

Maybe he groused enough privately about not getting free Gatorade that they knew they couldn't sign him long term?

 

[flamingrey]

Jabar Gafney, Donte' Stallworth cut by Patriots - NFL.com

Gaffney is available again. Don't know what health issues they're referring to, but if healthy, I'm making another pitch to go after him.

 

[cincygrad]

Knee issue? Perhaps signing a veteran wouldn't have helped our situation anymore than keeping our own (Simpson) or playing our rookies. But I hope we're not seriously considering Brandon Tate as the 2nd receiver. There was a reason Belicheck let him walk even though he was young and proven on ST.

 

[jwil007]

Tate and Binns would not be a drop off from Simpson...Sometimes people here act like players cant improve and get better.... They are still young...I see upside in both Tate and Binns...We will see hot it plays out....

 

[ckhokie]

There's only so much 'upside' to guys that we'rent even that good in college (in a bad league), go undrafted, and are life practice team players that get bumped to the team solely because of management incompetence.

 

[jwil007]

Again some of us will be right and some us will be wrong...If Im wrong I always MAN UP about it...Soon we will all see and come back and discuss....

I think both will be fine or 1 of em is going to make some plays....

 

[BKBroiler9000]

I just don't see what the coaches see in either of these guys. Binns is nothing but a glorified run blocker and a product of hobpsin. Tate hasn't been bad, but as a number 2? Really? There aren't any vets available better suited then him? The Patriots couldn't cut this guy fast enough, no we're starting him. Sanu and Jones will rot away on the bench like all of our promising young guys do.

 

[jwil007]

Jones and Sanu are going to play THIS YEAR

 

[cincygrad]

I just don't see what the coaches see in either of these guys. Binns is nothing but a glorified run blocker and a product of hobpsin. Tate hasn't been bad, but as a number 2? Really? There aren't any vets available better suited then him? The Patriots couldn't cut this guy fast enough, no we're starting him. Sanu and Jones will rot away on the bench like all of our promising young guys do.

You hit the nail on the head..... As our passing game struggles, Marvin will continue to roll Jones and Sanu out in ProShop gear so they can watch from the bench.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Everyone can forget about it.

Marvin has said they are "happy" with who they have because they have been able to teach them "right".

If that doesn't seal the deal..no matter how crappy these guys turn out (and I for one, think they will be fine) then I don't know what does.

This team is not making any changes at WR.

 

[DanBengalfan]

I think there is a psychological fear of success present in this football organization. They see other clubs doing the things it takes to win, but they are unable to reproduce their behavior.

The thing with fear of success is, that success is an unknown, they are used to dealing with failure, failure is a known, failure is comfortable to them. If they started winning, then they would have to deal with the attention that comes with winning, it would be an unknown, something they aren't familiar with, and thus, would cause Marvin Lewis to have a freaking heart attack. Mike Brown would have a fire sale trading our guys away rather than pay for success, and we'd be rebuilding all over again.

 

[cincygrad]

I think there is a psychological fear of success present in this football organization. They see other clubs doing the things it takes to win, but they are unable to reproduce their behavior.

The thing with fear of success is, that success is an unknown, they are used to dealing with failure, failure is a known, failure is comfortable to them. If they started winning, then they would have to deal with the attention that comes with winning, it would be an unknown, something they aren't familiar with, and thus, would cause Marvin Lewis to have a freaking heart attack. Mike Brown would have a fire sale trading our guys away rather than pay for success, and we'd be rebuilding all over again.

I think Mike Brown is a dick.

That is all.

 

[bengaldoug]

I think Mike Brown is a dick.

That is all.

Second the motion........