SI: Bengals tell Taylor staff changes coming

[Cincyfan78]

Interesting. Seems like whoever is calling the shots has told Taylor he will return, but he will have to make changes to his staff. Maybe a step in the right direction? No more of the "Well, we won those last 2 games, 3 games - we're right there with who we have" statements? I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.

Sources: Bengals Planning Major Shakeup to Zac Taylor's Coaching Staff

The organization plans to part ways with multiple assistant coaches following Sunday's season finale

www.si.com

 

[cincygrad]

I'll believe it when I see it. I hope it's not one of these situations where we replace the linebackers coach and defensive quality control assistant, while retaining everyone else. It seems to me that you should keep the OC and QB coach if Burrow was happy with them. But whether it's his fault or a lack of talent, I don't think you can retain Jim Turner. They need to go in a new direction with that unit.

As for the D.... Tough call. Though I haven't been impressed with Lou A, his unit has been decimated with injury and saddled with old guys that don't care (Dunlap and Atkins). You could make a good argument that he didn't have any real chance to succeed. That said, this is the NFL - Guys get fired from coaching jobs all the time even when they aren't to blame. This is a bottom line business.... Maybe the Bengals are waking up to this?

Obviously Darrin Simmons stays. That guy has quietly put together an excellent career in Cincinnati. Think back to how terrible we were on ST all through the 90s.... Aside from not having great place kickers, his unites have been a bright spot.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

Ben Baby just confirmed it. Jim Turner and others are gone. More changes likely to follow. It appears not even the Brown family can put blinders on to the fact that the misevaluation of the OL led to maybe the most catastrophic player injury in franchise history.

Hopefully Lou is canned as well. The entire staff needs overhauled. Although with Zac sticking around, I’m skeptical of who they’ll be able to hire.

Although the two late season wins saved his job, it appears Year 3 with a new staff is the make or break for Zac Taylor.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

Interesting. Seems like whoever is calling the shots has told Taylor he will return, but he will have to make changes to his staff. Maybe a step in the right direction? No more of the "Well, we won those last 2 games, 3 games - we're right there with who we have" statements? I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.

Sources: Bengals Planning Major Shakeup to Zac Taylor's Coaching Staff

The organization plans to part ways with multiple assistant coaches following Sunday's season finale

www.si.com

Not even the Bengals are this dense. The injury to Burrow forced these changes. There would be a fan revolt if they rolled out the same band of losers in 2021.

 

[cincygrad]

The job could be appealing to an offensive assistant.... Particularly if they are given a commitment to spend money in FA. Franchise QB, some cash to burn in FA, and some talent at the skilled positions. The offense should improve over the next few years.

Can't imagine the d-coordinator position or any of the position coaches on that side of the ball being very appealing at this point. But, there are only 32 teams in the NFL.

 

[Be Weary of Query]

Mike Zimmer returns as Defensive Coordinator if he is termed by the Vikings??

You would have Zimmer coming back to re-establish himself in the league with ownership that he is familiar with. He had such a difficult time getting a head coaching gig the first time around...one would think his quickest pathway back to being a head coach would be with the Bengals.

It would also allow for Zim to be the "head coach" of the Defense while Zac focuses the majority of his time on the offensive side of the ball. Additionally, he would have familiarity with Trae Waynes and Mackenzie Alexander (if they re-sign the latter).

And...think of all the headlines Hobs can have saved in his drafts with 'Zac and Zim' word play.

 

[DanBengalfan]

I think Zimmer being an assistant under Taylor is like a college professor working under a junior high science teacher.

why would he do that?

 

[futballiscool]

I think Zimmer being an assistant under Taylor is like a college professor working under a junior high science teacher.

why would he do that?

I think it's likely he stays in Minnesota as I heard they gave him and Spielman extensions last offseason. Even if he was fired I could see a team like the Chargers or Texans keeping most of their offensive staffs in place and making Zimmer HC. The Vikings defense has been terrible this year and the team will have a losing record overall but Zimmer led a team QBed by Case Keenum to the NFC Championship game and before this year he's had top 10 caliber defenses since the Obama administration

If hes not a head coach here are some reasons I can see him as a DC for the Bengals..

1. Brown family loyalty. Its a frugal organization but for someone who meant as much to the team as Zimmer I can see them making an exception and paying him top coordinator money.
2. He has a home in Kentucky so this can be his last stop until retirement
3. Taylor's a young offensive-minded HC so Zimmer will get full control over his side of the ball.
4. If the team doesn't make the playoffs within the next season or two he'd be in line as the next HC

 

[futballiscool]

And...think of all the headlines Hobs can have saved in his drafts with 'Zac and Zim' word play.

We know we're getting "A Zimmer of Hope" article within a week of the hire

 

[alf8478]

Are you guys all related to Mike Zimmer or something?

Hey, Jay Gruden is gonna get canned later today, let's bring him back too!

 

[futballiscool]

Are you guys all related to Mike Zimmer or something?

Hey, Jay Gruden is gonna get canned later today, let's bring him back too!

He's not Paul Brown but he's an excellent Defensive Coach who actually likes coaching for the Bengals. If it's not Zimmer himself it'd be next to impossible to get someone with his pedigree as DC here.

 

[cincygrad]

Are you guys all related to Mike Zimmer or something?

Hey, Jay Gruden is gonna get canned later today, let's bring him back too!

To be honest, I think Jay Gruden is underrated. I mean the work he did with Dalton to make that offense good enough for a playoff birth with a rookie Andy Dalton at the head is pretty good stuff. An aside from AJ Green, he didn't exactly have much receiving talent until Marvin Jones and Mo Sanu started coming around several years later. Heck, in 2012 we went with Armon Binns as the second receiver. He also got a lot out of Kirk Cousins in Washington.... No, he didn't win much in Washington, but nobody has in the past 20 years. Hell, even Mike Shanahan ruined his own coaching legacy there.

Back to the original point. Zimmer might not be a savior. But, who has done it better for us over the past 2 decades? And who could we get that would be better than him?

 

[alf8478]

Just because he was the best defensive coordinator for the bengals does not mean:
A-that he’s a great defensive coordinator; and
B- that he should come back

And, why would Zac hire a guy who could potentially take his job?

Also, have you seen the Vikings play defense recently? Just as bad as the bengals.

I don’t have a specific name to give you as an alternative, but I’d prefer a fresh voice.

To be honest, I think Jay Gruden is underrated. I mean the work he did with Dalton to make that offense good enough for a playoff birth with a rookie Andy Dalton at the head is pretty good stuff. An aside from AJ Green, he didn't exactly have much receiving talent until Marvin Jones and Mo Sanu started coming around several years later. Heck, in 2012 we went with Armon Binns as the second receiver. He also got a lot out of Kirk Cousins in Washington.... No, he didn't win much in Washington, but nobody has in the past 20 years. Hell, even Mike Shanahan ruined his own coaching legacy there.

Back to the original point. Zimmer might not be a savior. But, who has done it better for us over the past 2 decades? And who could we get that would be better than him?

 

[cincygrad]

Just because he was the best defensive coordinator for the bengals does not mean:
A-that he’s a great defensive coordinator; and
B- that he should come back

And, why would Zac hire a guy who could potentially take his job?

Also, have you seen the Vikings play defense recently? Just as bad as the bengals.

I don’t have a specific name to give you as an alternative, but I’d prefer a fresh voice.

Definitely true that Zimmer's current D sucks. He called them the worst he's ever had. And heck, it's possible that he's given too much control to his son and that his son isn't qualified.

I'm generally in the fresh voice camp. Heck, I was happy with the Taylor, Callahan, Lou A cluster because they were outsiders to the Bengals. I hoped for the best. But a fresh voice really only works if the guy is qualified. I think we're finding that they aren't.

At this point, I'm guessing we're not getting a known commodity. Maybe we'll get lucky.

 

[cincygrad]

6 wins in two years and we fire the line coaches. That will do it.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

Had a feeling that’s what they’d do. Blame it all on Jim Turner and call it a day. Not that he shouldn’t be gone. He’s fucking awful.

Meanwhile the HC (also the playcaller) who insisted on having his rookie QB sling it 45+ times per game, while also on pace to break Carr’s sack record, gets another year. The same guy who insisted all season that Mike Jordan was the second coming of Max Montoya. This even after he matadored a defender into his QB’s knee. Essentially the Brown family is giving ZT the benefit of the doubt because of the injury he helped cause..

The moment Taylor was coming back, the coordinators were back too. No sense on firing them now with a HC on the hot seat. Nobody worth a shit would take the job knowing they would be on the street again this time next season.

Best to just double down on the madness for another year. Knowing full well this staff will bomb catastrophically, and we’ll be having this same discussion next January. But at least Mike Brown doesn’t have a hole in his payroll!

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Had a feeling that’s what they’d do. Blame it all on Jim Turner and call it a day. Not that he shouldn’t be gone. He’s fucking awful.

Meanwhile the HC (also the playcaller) who insisted on having his rookie QB sling it 45+ times per game, while also on pace to break Carr’s sack record, gets another year. The same guy who insisted all season that Mike Jordan was the second coming of Max Montoya. This even after he matadored a defender into his QB’s knee. Essentially the Brown family is giving ZT the benefit of the doubt because of the injury he helped cause..

The moment Taylor was coming back, the coordinators were back too. No sense on firing them now with a HC on the hot seat. Nobody worth a shit would take the job knowing they would be on the street again this time next season.

Best to just double down on the madness for another year. Knowing full well this staff will bomb catastrophically, and we’ll be having this same discussion next January. But at least Mike Brown doesn’t have a hole in his payroll!

I fully agree. No coach worth a lick would be willing to take a job now knowing that Taylor may be gone next year and then relagated to starting over again once they get fired with the coach. I can definitely see that.

All in all, I really don't think this is that bad of a team. I think there were times Taylor was forced to throw the ball 45 times a game because the defense couldn't stop anyone, and the running game was pathetic because of the oline and Mixon being out most of the season. Burrow is capable of winning games by carrying this team on his back, and that is what Taylor was trying to do. Let Burrow carry this team kicking and screaming into respectability.

Unfortunate accident. I am not going to blame Taylor for that hit on Burrow, he had no control. I will partially blame Jordan, but that is what offensive lineman are supposed to do when sort of beat, let the defensive linemans momentum carry them while the oline pushed that guy to the ground to get him out of the play. Unfortunately, the side of Burrow's knee was right there.

If you hate Taylor, better get used to him, because Burrow is so fn good, and with any kind of respectable receiving core, he will keep us in most games, and win enough to get us to the playoffs more often than not in my opinion. That will keep Taylor around, because he coached himself into that golden lottery pick.

 

[cincygrad]

If you hate Taylor, better get used to him, because Burrow is so fn good, and with any kind of respectable receiving core, he will keep us in most games, and win enough to get us to the playoffs more often than not in my opinion. That will keep Taylor around, because he coached himself into that golden lottery pick.

Burrow can't win games he doesn't play in... If they don't get him help, he won't play 16 games. Or, he'll play 16 games and not be as effective as he could be if he wasn't so banged up. Look at what happened with Andrew Luck over time - And that dude was pretty damn tough. Only so many times a qb can be hit before breaking. Unless you're Big Ben and getting hit is just part of your game.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Burrow can't win games he doesn't play in... If they don't get him help, he won't play 16 games. Or, he'll play 16 games and not be as effective as he could be if he wasn't so banged up. Look at what happened with Andrew Luck over time - And that dude was pretty damn tough. Only so many times a qb can be hit before breaking. Unless you're Big Ben and getting hit is just part of your game.

I hear what you are saying. I think Burrow is too much about football to give it up, and he is not coming from a Stanford education either. I think Burrow will find things to do post football, but I don't think he is going anywhere from football for quite awhile either. I think we will work on the oline, may not be a complete overhaul like the fans want, but I have to think between getting rid of Turner, and maybe adding a couple guys that things could conceivable improve, especially if Burrow is working with the talent he has around him at the skill positions.

I am kind of getting on the Pitts boat with Cincy78. However, I think if Sewell gets taken prior to 5, it has to be Pitts or Chase, Devonta Smith is not a bad option either, but I prefer the size of Chase. You add one of those guys with Boyd, Higgins, Tate and Mixon, you have plenty of weapons for Burrow to get the ball out of his hands quickly.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I hear what you are saying. I think Burrow is too much about football to give it up, and he is not coming from a Stanford education either. I think Burrow will find things to do post football, but I don't think he is going anywhere from football for quite awhile either. I think we will work on the oline, may not be a complete overhaul like the fans want, but I have to think between getting rid of Turner, and maybe adding a couple guys that things could conceivable improve, especially if Burrow is working with the talent he has around him at the skill positions.

I am kind of getting on the Pitts boat with Cincy78. However, I think if Sewell gets taken prior to 5, it has to be Pitts or Chase, Devonta Smith is not a bad option either, but I prefer the size of Chase. You add one of those guys with Boyd, Higgins, Tate and Mixon, you have plenty of weapons for Burrow to get the ball out of his hands quickly.

Here is the issue with not getting an OL overhaul: If you want to convince fans in an easy manner that you are working to win, you sign no less than 2 top tier F/A. One OT one OG (or now maybe a C).

Signing just one, and then hoping to luck into Sewell, or another later round pick, is not going to bode well for the fan base. This franchise HAS to protect Burrow. It has no other choice but to. Zero.

You sign 2 F/A and then if Sewell drops, you have depth and are stout at the two biggest positions, plus you hedge on either Sewell or Williams maybe not working out as well as predicted. You don't do that, and you miss on Sewell, you are back in the same boat as this year - and you wasted a year, and an injury, to your franchise player.