more scouts

[flamingrey]

Frostee Rucker was vastly overpaid. He had one productive season and he's suddenly worth a ton of money? Nope. I agree on Porter but Bush Is not light years better than BJGE. It's very close. I'm happy with that. Nicks got 60 million. Not interested. Too much. WRs also overpaid and not many good fits anyway. I'm ok with that if we get one in the draft early. Was it the best offseason. Of course not. But it wasn't bad. Guess who else didn't go crazy an bring in Nicks or overpay WRs or DEs. Green Bay, New England, Pittsburgh, Baltimore. Build with the draft and fill holes in free agency. If you're having to go sign a bunch of starters in FA you need to reexamine what you're doing.

LOL. That's a line STRAIGHT out of Hobson's articles. You guys make this too easy.

Newsflash: we have way too many holes to be able to just fill through the draft. There's a reason those teams don't go crazy in the offseason: they draft extremely well and they don't lose their own free agents. Neither of which applies to the Bengals.

Bush brings another element to the offense in the passing game that BJGE does not. That changes the entire dynamics of the offense when ONE RB is a dual threat.

 

[flamingrey]

Also, indications are the Bengals like Green-Ellis more than Bush due to his blocking ability and to quote Marvin "ability to catch". He was the target all along.

Ahh, another gem. If the master of coach-speak says it, then it must be true.

Of course BJGE was the target all along. He's not as talented so he'd come cheaper. Low expecations does not make it a better signing.

 

[flamingrey]

They're right, too.....Bush will put it on the ground, and while he's a decent receiving option, he's not a real good pass blocker.....Green-Ellis is a huge improvement over the thug, Benson......

He has a whopping 4 fumbles in his career. 1 fumble in the last 2 seasons.

And based on his numbers last year, he averages 1 fumble every 293 touches. For a fulltime RB that gets 20 touches a game, that's 1 fumble every 14.5 games.

Yup, he's a guy that will "put it on the ground".

Bush isn't the best pass blocker (not sure how good BJGE is), but the additional dynamic he adds to the offense being a very good receiver out of the backfield severely outweighs any "issues" he has blocking.

 

[ckhokie]

WR: Robert Meachem was a guy everybody wanted. He got $6 mil/yr and a chance to play for pass-happy SD. Mario Manningham got up to $10 mil over 2 years. Mike Wallace wants Larry Fitzgerald money. Marginal WRs like Eddie Royal might have been signable, but aren't really #2 guys anyway. I'd much rather just draft Floyd or Wright.

It's a passing league now (especially with the RBs we have) and we did nothing to sure up our WR corps. We have the money to at least make a play on Mike Wallace or even act interested. And guys like Eddie Royal or Josh Morgan would have been huge helps and definite upgrades over Caldwell and Shipley - who is a question mark at this point.

I don't see where we will draft either of those guys now, either. How many guys can we really draft that we expect to play right away. Are we really going to get an OG, S, CB, and WR that are all able to start first year?

 

[cincygrad]

Please stop bringing New England into your argument Geoff..... They were a super bowl team. They had some issues at receiver. In order to correct these issues they went out and signed Brandon Lloyd and kept Wes Welker from hitting the market. In order to ensure depth they took a chance on Anthony Gonzalez and Donte Stallworth and restructured Chad's contract. They re-signed their key offensive line free agent, added another guard (Gallery) and added a defensive end (Fanene) and some safety help.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore can't move this offseason - They have cap difficulties. In year's past Baltimore has not been shy about adding key veterans to a good nucleus of players.

 

[flamingrey]

Excellent points.

 

[DanBengalfan]

The goal of the Cincinnati Bengals is not success, neither are they complacent with being bottom dwellers anymore.

Their goal is mediocrity, and I think they are working very hard towards that goal. I have to give them credit for being so persistent.

 

[bengaldoug]

He has a whopping 4 fumbles in his career. 1 fumble in the last 2 seasons.

And based on his numbers last year, he averages 1 fumble every 293 touches. For a fulltime RB that gets 20 touches a game, that's 1 fumble every 14.5 games.

Yup, he's a guy that will "put it on the ground".

Bush isn't the best pass blocker (not sure how good BJGE is), but the additional dynamic he adds to the offense being a very good receiver out of the backfield severely outweighs any "issues" he has blocking.

Four fumbles in 632 carries is significantly worse than zero fumbles in 500+ carries......and you don't know if Green-Ellis can catch the ball out of the backfield, as that wasn't his role with the Pats.....he says he can, but we'll find that out soon.....he has a very good rep in protection, which Bush doesn't have......we're arguing fairly nitty points here, I would have been happy with Bush too, but I think Green-Ellis will do a good job here....time will tell.....

 

[cincygrad]

It goes beyond simply looking at a list of free agents. Good teams find creative ways to acquire players. Look at the Eagles acquiring Ryans or the Bears acquiring the wife beater. .... Our only creativity with regards to signing players is to buy guys that have legal troubles or that have failed in the past.

 

[flamingrey]

Four fumbles in 632 carries is significantly worse than zero fumbles in 500+ carries......and you don't know if Green-Ellis can catch the ball out of the backfield, as that wasn't his role with the Pats.....he says he can, but we'll find that out soon.....he has a very good rep in protection, which Bush doesn't have......we're arguing fairly nitty points here, I would have been happy with Bush too, but I think Green-Ellis will do a good job here....time will tell.....

You're right, we KNOW Bush will add that extra element to the offense. We can only HOPE BJGE can. I would hardly call that a "nitty" point.

A 4 fumble difference in a 600+ carry sample is entirely INSIGNIFICANT. Bush essentially turns the ball over 1 more time than BJGE in an entire season. Not sure in what world that is significant.

 

[Tubbs1518]

Ask Washington fans how well just going out and spending a ton of money works. Balt lost 4-5 starters this offseason, you don't see them going out and signing a bunch of players. The Bengals shouldn't overpay jut because they can. Let's go out and sign Grubbs, Meacham and others to big contracts, spend that money and have no money to sign Green, Atkins, Dalton, etc in a few years. Brilliant.


Also never thought I'd see Cincy fall down to flamings whining level here.

 

[Tubbs1518]

You need your bottle and a nap flaming? Maybe need burped? Jeeze what a baby.

 

[flamingrey]

And the master of projection chimes in.

Btw, every point you've made has already been addressed.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Didn't Bush visit here?

 

[flamingrey]

Yes he did.

 

[DanBengalfan]

The Bengals probably based their decision based on that.... hopefully their vision wasn't clouded by their need for a bargain.

but, knowing what we know, As long as bjge could run, he was going to get signed over Bush.

we can only hope that you are wrong at this point. I was hoping for Bush, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I know they are the higher profile players everyone wanted, but we had a ton of team free agents we have to replace, and while we have a decent amount of money, they is still a lot of free agents to sign in a more expensive veteran market now.

Everyone seems to forget we went to the playoffs last year also with a bunch of weaknesees on this team. WE got rid of our worst players and we have replaced them, we have added some depth, and now we have the draft to look forward to. This seems to be our focus in the last few years is making a good solid draft to build this team from.

Then, after the draft, more expensive veteran free agents get cut for cap space, and we have the room to pounce then also, based on what we could not get in the draft. The team with the most cap room available to sign players, usually decent vets, following the draft once we know what we could not fix through the draft.

This is not the only free agency period of importantce. The second produces good players as well, and they are less expensive. I am satisfied with teh offseason so far, lets see how the draft and second free agency period shakes out.

 

[ckhokie]

Ask Washington fans how well just going out and spending a ton of money works.

There are exceptions to every rule. Congrats on finding one. Other programs figure out ways to move money and spend it the right way. The bengals don't even try.

Balt lost 4-5 starters this offseason, you don't see them going out and signing a bunch of players.

The ravens are also considerably better than the bengals, have a track record of actually signing guys in FA, and will beat the bengals both times again next year.

The Bengals shouldn't overpay jut because they can. Let's go out and sign Grubbs, Meacham and others to big contracts, spend that money and have no money to sign Green, Atkins, Dalton, etc in a few years. Brilliant.

Cincinnati is home to the cheapest people I've ever met and it obviously that has translated to the fans. Rucker signed for what? 4 million a year? Robert Meachem got paid not necessarily because he was in a pass happy offense, but also because HE HAD ZERO DROPS last year. He is a good receiver and will be a good one in san diego.

This is not overpaying. The numbers we've seen in this year's FA are going to be par for the course going forward because of the new agreement, as discussed. What is the point in sitting on cash putting a crap product on the field because you think its 'over paying,' although 31 other franchises disagree?

We have way to many holes than are fixable with the draft right now, and anyone who is content with this year's FA period is just condoning everything that's wrong with Mike Brown

 

[vancelot23]

Fans here wanted Bush because he's from Louisville, and we were interested in him before. He's not significantly better than BJGE. Also, the teams I mentioned NEVER sign big FAs, not just this year. They build the right way, so know what you're talking about before you make ridiculous statements. Yes, Brandon Lloyd went to NE, but he basically recruited himself there to play with McDaniels. I would love to have had Porter, because I think we need another starter. And I'm not a fan of the Harvey signing. I'm OK with the rest. Wasn't big mega-moves that make make less intelligent football fans go OOOOHHHHHH, but we addressed the positions we lost. We brought back some important pieces, and have a few other visits lined up. We have 3 picks in the first 2 rounds and can get a WR, then possibly another guard, CB, or RB. As somebody else said, it was probably a C+ FA period so far, but for fuck's sake, don't act like you don't know football at all and call Michael Bush some kind of savior, and talk like BJGE is useless.

 

[cincygrad]

Ask Washington fans how well just going out and spending a ton of money works. Balt lost 4-5 starters this offseason, you don't see them going out and signing a bunch of players. The Bengals shouldn't overpay jut because they can. Let's go out and sign Grubbs, Meacham and others to big contracts, spend that money and have no money to sign Green, Atkins, Dalton, etc in a few years. Brilliant.


Also never thought I'd see Cincy fall down to flamings whining level here.

It's really difficult for me to understand why you think I'm whining. I'd say I'm probably one of the very few people around here that hasn't resorted to name calling, or complaining about the opinions of other posters. I simply disagree with the assessment of us having a 'good' offseason. I wasn't aware that a 'negative' opinion of our moves so far was 'whining.' In the future I'll be sure to look on the bright side of everything so I can be a more 'objective' fan.