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[ATL96Steeler]

There are a lot of what ifs for the Bengals, but I don't think the Bengals are in that bad of a position to at least compete on a weekly basis.

I know every team deals with injuries, some better than others, but the Bengals were pretty nicked up.

LT Gleen
LG Boling
C Price (second year)
RG Miller (big improvement)
RT Hart (no upgrade here, all we can hope for is our new OL coach can get the most out of him)

Dalton will be back and healthy.
Green will be back and healthy.
Eifert, hopefully he can stay healty.

Boyd coming off a 1000 yard season.

Mixon over 1100 yards rushing and led the AFC in rushing yards.

I know the defense os the big question mark and a whole new coaching staff. The defense carries over some really good players still in Dunlap, Atkins, Brown, Jackson, Bates, Williams. Hubbard came on last year. Lawson was hurt all last year and had like 8 sacks his rookie year. We kept Dennard and added Webb to our secondary to team with Kirkpatrick and Jackson. Bates had an outstanding rookie year. Billings wasn't too bad last year.

We can use improvement on defense no doubt, but there are many pieces on that defense that are still around from a defense that was ranked in the top 10-15 previously. Just need a better scheme, guys to stay healthy, and others to step up. All before the draft.

I am not saying we are anywhere as good as our 12-4 season a few years ago, but we have a decent QB, (2) 1000 yard receivers, a 1000 yard back who led the AFC in rushing with what was a porous line at times, and he has good hands. If our TE could ever stay healthy, he is one of the best in the NFL. Great playmakers on defense. Just need a good scheme, and guys to stay healthy I think. If that can be had, I think the Bengals are not out of the realm for competing in this division.

I mean hell the Ravens have Lamar Jackson at QB, better than Flacco but still. No real pass threat weapons, they lost Suggs, Mosely and Weddle. They did sign Thomas, but at a massive contract and who knows how he is going to be at 30 with his injuries. They still have a pretty damn good secondary no matter how you cut it but I wouldn't call them a powerhouse.

Then you have the Steelers and while Conner was really good last year, made you forget about Bell, the loss of Brown is going to really hurt. JuJu I think is an excellent secondary WR, but I don't see him as a #1. I think he is a lot like Tyler Boyd of the Bengals. Without Brown, there is going to be a lot of pressure on JuJu, and an aging Roethlisberger to make plays. There was a lot of lost talent on the Steelers offensive side of the ball. Then you have their defense, which is pretty good, but not like they used to be. Significant drop off in the secondary, LB core that is okay.

The Browns do seem ripe to strike, but so many of these kids are young on the Browns, all new coaching staff, so many strong personalities on that team and they weakened a part that I thought was their strength last year, their offensive line when they traded Zeitler away for an oft injured pass rusher, someone they didn't really need with all their emerging talent on the oline.

I thought the Beckham deal with great, but I personally think they hosed themselves on the Zeitler deal that sent him to the Giants.

I can see how the Browns are favored right now, but I think it is anyone's division still.

Good post.

BAL...they tend to look rag tag and with Jackson officially taking the reins now at QB, they have questions to see how much of a passing game they will have this season. Idk exactly how many rushes per game he had, but I expect them to curb that this season. For the 1st time seemingly since their inception Suggs will not be lining up on the edge. Production wise they shouldn't have a problem replacing him, but in his absence new leaders will need to step up....on paper the Ravens should finish last in the DIV, but I probably said something similar LY and they finished 1st so we shall see.

CIN...I think they will bounce back as well. I really wonder if Dalton has peaked now. The core of the DEF is back, but my gosh it was an unexpected drop off on that side of the ball. Still as we've said for years, the Bengals have one of the better rosters in the AFC, much less the DIV....health is always factor, sometimes you have it, other times you don't.

CLE...hard not be excited or at least optimistic if you're a Brown's...all 3 of the main decision makers are in new roles with the team...may not go as smooth as they expect early. Playing with the expectations of winning the DIV is a whole lot different than sneaking up on you.

PIT...I'm less concerned about Brown than most I guess. Correct on Juju being the focus now so others will have to step up, but a lot of that is game planning...as good as Brown was, imo Ben and Fichtner were just too reliant on WR1/2 that made them a little predictable at times and easier to defend...that won't be the case this yr. Moncrief obviously is not Antonio Brown, but a good vet WR, coupled with Washington, Rogers, and Switzer. The key will be the same as it was LY...CB opposite Haden, and the Mack LB spot. Barron is a much better stop gap than Bostic...and we'll have to see what the draft holds.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

The face of this division just seems so different now.

Flacco is gone, Bell is gone, Brown is gone, Burfict is gone, Suggs is gone, Mosely is gone, Marvin Lewis is gone, the Browns will not suck this year more than likely. I just don't know what to make of this division this year. haha

Not a bad thing, just a different thing.

FA this year in the NFL was unprecedented, and crazy!

 

[cincygrad]

Baker Mayfield is the real deal. As long as he is healthy and commanding the offense in Cleveland, they will be a playoff threat. I just wonder sometimes if they are getting a little inpatient with the process.... Adding more flash and less substance. We'll see. Mayfield is a winner though and that's a good leader to have for the next number of years.

 

[cincygrad]

I'm guessing that all of the preseason buzz will be about the Browns winning the division. Those that don't buy the Browns will predict a rejuvinated Pittsburgh team without the drama. I get a sense that people are really doubting Lamar Jackson after the playoff turd - There is some merit to those doubts, but it is not as dire as some folks predict. As ATL said.... Last year they looked like they might be a last place squad and they won the division. It's hard though to not notice how much leadership they've lost. The Bengals will basically be written off..... I think their defense will struggle. But if healthy, that offense is dangerous. The Bengals could be in some shoot-outs and I wouldn't be surprised to see Dalton put up big numbers next year.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Baltimore will always be a threat so long as John Harbs is still around. He is by far the best coach in the division. Even when they appear to be devoid of talent, they are still winning above .500. Last time they dipped lower than that was 2015 when they were ravaged by injuries. That was a tough year. This year will be interesting to see how they handle their offense. I don't think they can get away with their RPO/run-heavy offense much longer. That's a dangerous game to play putting your QB at risk like that. But if they can successfully grind out wins with teams stacking the box against them, then look out.

Definitely a very different makeup to the division this year. I have a feeling that early on we will see both Cleveland & Cincy being more successful, while Pittsburgh & Baltimore have some growing pains while they establish new identities. I simply do not have confidence in Mike Tomlin anymore. He'll keep them competitive in the playoff race, but I don't think he has it in him to dominate the division anymore. They typically struggle early in the season, then come on strong down the stretch just to fall flat on their faces come January. Rinse & repeat. Oh and don't forget losing at least twice a season to sub-.500 teams. Those are always fun to look forward to.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Baltimore will always be a threat so long as John Harbs is still around. He is by far the best coach in the division. Even when they appear to be devoid of talent, they are still winning above .500. Last time they dipped lower than that was 2015 when they were ravaged by injuries. That was a tough year. This year will be interesting to see how they handle their offense. I don't think they can get away with their RPO/run-heavy offense much longer. That's a dangerous game to play putting your QB at risk like that. But if they can successfully grind out wins with teams stacking the box against them, then look out.

Definitely a very different makeup to the division this year. I have a feeling that early on we will see both Cleveland & Cincy being more successful, while Pittsburgh & Baltimore have some growing pains while they establish new identities. I simply do not have confidence in Mike Tomlin anymore. He'll keep them competitive in the playoff race, but I don't think he has it in him to dominate the division anymore. They typically struggle early in the season, then come on strong down the stretch just to fall flat on their faces come January. Rinse & repeat. Oh and don't forget losing at least twice a season to sub-.500 teams. Those are always fun to look forward to.

While I think the FO kinda forced Jackson on Harbaugh and he did what the kid was best at in yr one, they will have to be more balanced in year two. With Flacco now in DEN, the Ravens don't have him as a parachute in case of injury. Jackson can throw the ball, but needs a mental approach to the game more like Russell Wilson...distribute the ball 1st, make plays 2nd.

My issue with Tomlin is he seems to be hell bent on proving that he can be a good X & O HC that other parts of his job have slipped....the way Art II is moving it's pretty much a lock that MT will finish out his term (2020 season is his last). If they go deep into the playoffs I expect them to extend Tomlin again. As far as this season, I'm not predicting gloom and doom...I expect PIT to be a playoff caliber team and if that happens, we shall see.

The DIV as a whole will be much tighter top to bottom this year...defending the home turf in DIV will be critical for all the teams...I still see Ben as the QB most likely to get a win on the road in the DIV.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

While I think the FO kinda forced Jackson on Harbaugh and he did what the kid was best at in yr one, they will have to be more balanced in year two. With Flacco now in DEN, the Ravens don't have him as a parachute in case of injury. Jackson can throw the ball, but needs a mental approach to the game more like Russell Wilson...distribute the ball 1st, make plays 2nd.

My issue with Tomlin is he seems to be hell bent on proving that he can be a good X & O HC that other parts of his job have slipped....the way Art II is moving it's pretty much a lock that MT will finish out his term (2020 season is his last). If they go deep into the playoffs I expect them to extend Tomlin again. As far as this season, I'm not predicting gloom and doom...I expect PIT to be a playoff caliber team and if that happens, we shall see.

The DIV as a whole will be much tighter top to bottom this year...defending the home turf in DIV will be critical for all the teams...I still see Ben as the QB most likely to get a win on the road in the DIV.

I hope you're right. Really do. Like I said, I just don't have faith in Tomlin, or Butler. Just feels like no matter how good they could possibly be, those 2 will inevitably let them down.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I hope you're right. Really do. Like I said, I just don't have faith in Tomlin, or Butler. Just feels like no matter how good they could possibly be, those 2 will inevitably let them down.

Don't take my post as a vote of confidence in MT...(I'm willing to give Butler a little bit of a pass with MT as involved as he appeared to be)...I just don't think there will be repeat of LY. As much as they won't admit it, the Bell thing was unprecedented, that had to be a distraction up until he was no longer eligible to play. Where the AB situation went of the rails, I'm not sure, but he's gone now as well.

It's entirely possible they were not used to the best of their talent level, but the DEF trotting Burns/Sensabaugh, out there week in week out along with Burnett struggling it just snowballed into a bad season. Butler's 1st yr on the job he showed he can call a DEF, if Tomlin will get out the fucking way...he's got more proven players at the weakest positions. Of course Randy and Ben need to learn how to spread to wealth on OFC and I think they will be okay.

Looking at the schedule I see no reason why they can't rebound to at least a 10-6 type squad next year and that should be in the mix for the north.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Ex-Canes star Mark Walton shot by police Taser, then arrested for third time this year

Marvin would have probably extended this kid... Times are changing in Cincy

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Shoveled it out for him. Better hope he stays healthy.

 

[Wamu]

 

[Wamu]

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

2 days in the books... let’s check in

Baltimore
1.25 - Marquise Brown, WR Oklahoma
3.85 - Ferguson, Edge Louisiana Tech
3.93 - Miles Boykin, WR Notre Dame

Thoughts: Clearly they are makin a statement this offseason with their offense. Acquiring Mark Ingram and drafting 2 top notch WRs. Wisely got their edge guy before getting too carried away. Interested to see if they grab a TE or bolster their interior OL. Both are still high needs for them. Brown is a boom or bust WR for me. But I love Boykin.

Cleveland
2.46 - Greedy Williams, CB LSU
3.80 - Sione Takitaki, LB BYU

Thoughts: Don’t know how Greedy fell that far, but Cleveland got a gift. He & Denzel Ward are going to frontline a good looking secondary in the AFCN for many years. Takitaki came on my radar last month after combine interviews. Many scouts & GMs were blown away by the kids’ knowledge & smarts. Didn’t grade very well at the combine but he makes up for it with his cerebral game. Solid picks for the Browns, but would have liked to see them grab an O-lineman. After shipping Zeitler off in a trade, they need to shore up the line.

Cincinnati
1.11 - Jonah Williams, OT Alabama
2.52 - Drew Sample, TE Washington
3.72 - Germaine Pratt, LB NC St

Thoughts: Not really loving their Williams pick. He had fallen way out of consensus ranking leading up the the draft. Now that really doesn’t mean much in terms of good or bad, just typically means there were a bunch of red flags. Florida’s Jawan Taylor was highly regarded as the best OT in the draft, but Williams isn’t far behind. Lot of people are going to call it a knee-jerk since it appeared the Steelers pulled the rug out from under them, but I don’t think that’s the case. Yes LB was a need for them, but their O-line was higher IMO. They needed to get help in the trenches. Sample was a curious move. Not really a sexy pick, but an under the radar grab. Dalton loves his TE’s. Pratt was a great grab in the 3rd. Made some noise late in the pre-draft process, and we mocked him to the Steelers in Nos’s Hoop Mock. Solid, rangy ILB with good coverage skills. Pretty sure we’ll see more trench players from them in the next few rounds.

Pittsburgh
1.10 - Devin Bush, LB Michigan
3.66 - Dionta Johnson, WR Toledo
3.83 - Justin Layne, CB Michigan St

Thoughts: Excellent trade value for grabbing Bush. Really hope he pans out, but on paper they got a steal in terms of trade up value. They’ve been scouting this kid for multiple years, and were foaming at the mouth to draft him. Can’t fault them for pulling the trigger when Denver didn’t demand more than what they did. Johnson took a lot of us by surprise. But we know better than to doubt Colbert & his WRs. Tape looks like an AB clone. Love the Layne pick. Very surprised to see a handful of CBs go off the board before Layne. Should be able to push for reps in year 1. TE, RB & OLB are still needs. Hell they could even make cases for K & P so watch out!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

2 days in the books... let’s check in

Baltimore
1.25 - Marquise Brown, WR Oklahoma
3.85 - Ferguson, Edge Louisiana Tech
3.93 - Miles Boykin, WR Notre Dame

Thoughts: Clearly they are makin a statement this offseason with their offense. Acquiring Mark Ingram and drafting 2 top notch WRs. Wisely got their edge guy before getting too carried away. Interested to see if they grab a TE or bolster their interior OL. Both are still high needs for them. Brown is a boom or bust WR for me. But I love Boykin.

Cleveland
2.46 - Greedy Williams, CB LSU
3.80 - Sione Takitaki, LB BYU

Thoughts: Don’t know how Greedy fell that far, but Cleveland got a gift. He & Denzel Ward are going to frontline a good looking secondary in the AFCN for many years. Takitaki came on my radar last month after combine interviews. Many scouts & GMs were blown away by the kids’ knowledge & smarts. Didn’t grade very well at the combine but he makes up for it with his cerebral game. Solid picks for the Browns, but would have liked to see them grab an O-lineman. After shipping Zeitler off in a trade, they need to shore up the line.

Cincinnati
1.11 - Jonah Williams, OT Alabama
2.52 - Drew Sample, TE Washington
3.72 - Germaine Pratt, LB NC St

Thoughts: Not really loving their Williams pick. He had fallen way out of consensus ranking leading up the the draft. Now that really doesn’t mean much in terms of good or bad, just typically means there were a bunch of red flags. Florida’s Jawan Taylor was highly regarded as the best OT in the draft, but Williams isn’t far behind. Lot of people are going to call it a knee-jerk since it appeared the Steelers pulled the rug out from under them, but I don’t think that’s the case. Yes LB was a need for them, but their O-line was higher IMO. They needed to get help in the trenches. Sample was a curious move. Not really a sexy pick, but an under the radar grab. Dalton loves his TE’s. Pratt was a great grab in the 3rd. Made some noise late in the pre-draft process, and we mocked him to the Steelers in Nos’s Hoop Mock. Solid, rangy ILB with good coverage skills. Pretty sure we’ll see more trench players from them in the next few rounds.

Pittsburgh
1.10 - Devin Bush, LB Michigan
3.66 - Dionta Johnson, WR Toledo
3.83 - Justin Layne, CB Michigan St

Thoughts: Excellent trade value for grabbing Bush. Really hope he pans out, but on paper they got a steal in terms of trade up value. They’ve been scouting this kid for multiple years, and were foaming at the mouth to draft him. Can’t fault them for pulling the trigger when Denver didn’t demand more than what they did. Johnson took a lot of us by surprise. But we know better than to doubt Colbert & his WRs. Tape looks like an AB clone. Love the Layne pick. Very surprised to see a handful of CBs go off the board before Layne. Should be able to push for reps in year 1. TE, RB & OLB are still needs. Hell they could even make cases for K & P so watch out!

Baltimore
4.127 - Iman Marshall, CB USC

Cleveland
4.119 - Sheldrick Redwine, S Florida

Cincinnati
4.104 - Ryan Finley, QB NC St
4.125 - Renell Wren, DT Arizona St
4.136 - Michael Jordan, G Ohio St

Pittsburgh
4.122 - Benny Snell Jr, RB Kentucky

 

[SteelersPride]

Da fuq is Baltimore investing in wrs for

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Da fuq is Baltimore investing in wrs for

Don’t they only have Crabs, and that’s pretty much it?

 

[SteelersPride]

Don’t they only have Crabs, and that’s pretty much it?

who vcares htye have 3 TE;s and wanna run run run

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

who vcares htye have 3 TE;s and wanna run run run

Yea I thinks that’s why a bunch of analysts are sad about both of those WRs going to Baltimore.

 

[SteelersPride]

Yea I thinks that’s why a bunch of analysts are sad about both of those WRs going to Baltimore.

i mean i get it, get your young qb some help. And they have no wr's, literally. But they have 41 rb's, your qb is a running back, and you spent two high picks on TE's last year for receiving purposes, and you have a third in place

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

i mean i get it, get your young qb some help. And they have no wr's, literally. But they have 41 rb's, your qb is a running back, and you spent two high picks on TE's last year for receiving purposes, and you have a third in place

Definitely seems like they are gearing up to ramp up their passing game. Now the pressure falls squarely on Jackson to become the QB they want him to be. If not, we could see Baltimore make a trade this season.

They drafted another run-option type QB Trace McSorely from Penn St. So that could allude to Baltimore wanting to stick with the run-heavy/RPO offense. Very confusing!

And their primary backup QB is RG3. Lol