We are kicking tires!

[cincygrad]

Jacoby Jones is in the house! A 4th receiver and kick-returner..... At least it would mean that Tate is gone.

More importantly, the Bengals are kicking some tires! Hobs is thrilled.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

Jacoby Jones is in the house! A 4th receiver and kick-returner..... At least it would mean that Tate is gone.

More importantly, the Bengals are kicking some tires! Hobs is thrilled.

We can't afford him. There'd be no money left to sign the rookies. We also need 30 mlllion left to pay for Gatorade and meals during training camp. And urinal cakes ain't cheap either.

 

[DanBengalfan]

they are hoping he has slowed down a bit so we can get him on the cheap.

Before the Bengals invest in passing targets, they need to find an effective passer. Dalton only does well against shitty defenses, and still generally just dinks and dunks and throws garbage passes hoping the receivers bail him out.

honestly, what is John Kitna up to right now that he can't do what Andy Dalton does?

 

[Be Weary of Query]

Hobspin already laying the blueprint for disappointment:

If there’s a free-agency road map to follow, it could be the busy one the Bengals used three years ago. During the 2012 offseason, they re-signed starting safety Reggie Nelson and key reserves Adam Jones at cornerback, Pat Sims at defensive tackle, and Anthony Collins at tackle while inking several second- and third tier free agents to fill roles.

It will be recalled that’s when they went under the radar and signed running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and left guard Travelle Wharton for starting jobs and then wrapped up a trio of former first-rounders for defensive depth in ends Jamaal Anderson and Derrick Harvey and cornerback Jason Allen. All before the NFL meetings opened that year in Palm Beach Fla.

At 31, Wharton was the only one older than 30, and Anderson, 26, and Harvey, 25, were young enough and talented enough to get another shot in a rotation.

The meetings open this year on March 22 in Phoenix and while they may not be as active as that, that’s pretty much their model. Build through the draft and plug in free agency with guys that are ascending or have a chance to ascend rather than playing out the string.

But it’s hard enough to cash in on free agency whether you’re looking for a starter or backup, which is pretty much a 50-50 gamble. The Bengals quote the stat that half the free agents signed to seven-figure deals don’t play as long for their new team as they did their old ones and look what happened in ’12.

Wharton, with an ACL tear on the third pre-season snap, and Anderson, with a muscle tear in the regular season’s second game, went down early and never played for the Bengals again. Harvey got cut after the first week of training camp. Allen suffered nagging injuries and played in just four games.

And look at Collins, the tackle they re-signed for two years before the ’12 season. He signed a five-year, $30 million deal in Tampa last year and is now reportedly on the trading block.

Model free agents

Whoo boy...citing an offseason comparable to signing the ones I bolded above is going to be exciting. Or the opposite.

It was key to bring back Reggie Nelson but he damn near went to the Jets since the Bengals went with their "let them test the market" strategy.

 

[cincygrad]

No kidding..... We basically dared Reggie to leave. I honestly have no idea why he came back except that maybe he was comfortable in our defense and he didn't want to chance being a disappointment in two places (Jax and NYJ).

We always go dumpster diving for former first round busts...... Sometimes it even works. I'll expect to be underwhelmed and hope to be pleasantly surprised when these guys suit up.

 

[alf8478]

Hobson's Choice: free-agency up for debate again

The Bengals say it every year. The winners in March don’t match the winners in January.

Since the Bengals don't win in any of those months, you'd think they might consider changing their approach.

 

[cincygrad]

Hobs' best work is yet to come...... In a few weeks when we sign 3 low-priced free agents, Hobs will write that we are basically up against the cap for the coming year, and that we might be able to sign AJ but that would be about it. He should be a fucking politician the way he can work a budget.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

I read that Hobs drivel yesterday. Made me wanna puke. It's disgusting how little respect the Bengals PR has for the fans intelligence. We know they're cheap. We know they aren't committing to winning. No need to gift rap an elephant turd with sheets of Egyptian cotton. Let's be real, the Bengals aren't interested in doing what's absolutely necessary to win.

The building through the draft and not over spending in FA is the right blue print to win. I'm glad they at least acknowledge that. Problem is, they don't have the management or coaching to see that plan through to fruition. They haven't won diddly poo in January. Not in 25 years. Why they keep peddling this bullshit out like that isn't an universally known fact is insulting.

I could give two shits what the Bengals do in FA. The two biggest problem remain firmly entrenched. Marvin Lewis and Andy Dalton. Until that changes, I'm Seacrest out.

 

[cincygrad]

I read that Hobs drivel yesterday. Made me wanna puke. It's disgusting how little respect the Bengals PR has for the fans intelligence. We know they're cheap. We know they aren't committing to winning. No need to gift rap an elephant turd with sheets of Egyptian cotton. Let's be real, the Bengals aren't interested in doing what's absolutely necessary to win.

The building through the draft and not over spending in FA is the right blue print to win. I'm glad they at least acknowledge that. Problem is, they don't have the management or coaching to see that plan through to fruition. They haven't won diddly poo in January. Not in 25 years. Why they keep peddling this bullshit out like that isn't an universally known fact is insulting.

I could give two shits what the Bengals do in FA. The two biggest problem remain firmly entrenched. Marvin Lewis and Andy Dalton. Until that changes, I'm Seacrest out.

It's definitely annoying.... I think we all agree that trying to turn a shitty roster into a playoff roster from one or two free agency periods is not going to work. You need to develop your own players, have some continuity on the coaching staff and hopefully either have a fabulous D, a good QB or an easy schedule. That said, what Hobbs always conveniently ignores is that good teams use FA to address issues that they haven't had luck with in the draft. For example, NE has had a horrible time drafting serviceable corners. So they went the FA route and added a key component of a championship team. The Bengals have had a hard time drafting and developing linebackers.... Wouldn't it be nice to get one or two in FA?

 

[BKBroiler9000]

It's definitely annoying.... I think we all agree that trying to turn a shitty roster into a playoff roster from one or two free agency periods is not going to work. You need to develop your own players, have some continuity on the coaching staff and hopefully either have a fabulous D, a good QB or an easy schedule. That said, what Hobbs always conveniently ignores is that good teams use FA to address issues that they haven't had luck with in the draft. For example, NE has had a horrible time drafting serviceable corners. So they went the FA route and added a key component of a championship team. The Bengals have had a hard time drafting and developing linebackers.... Wouldn't it be nice to get one or two in FA?

There in lies the issue with the big wigs running this team. We have no out of the box thinkers(unless you count converting DEs to TE) Only a one track minded approach that, thus far, has not lead to postseason success. It started out with Mike Brown sacrificing every resource known to man to find a QB. They passed on the taking two years worth of draft picks (just what a 3-13 team needs) because they were hell bent on drafting a QB. Which turned out to be Akili Smith. That worked out great..

Fast forward to now. The approach has changed. All we do is build with the draft now and "develop our own". Which, as we all agree, is the way to build a contender. The problem once again is the refusal to be flexible. Because "this is how the Steelers do it". What they're totally ignoring is the fact that the great teams blend the draft and free agency to maintain a winning team. We have built a solid core through the draft. We have a competitive team. But a college draft isn't enough to put us over the top. We have holes. We need immediate contributors in those spots to win in the playoffs. Not a backup LT or a 5 CB who will play special teams for 3 years.

But instead, they'll continue to make excuses. How they're up against the cap with no room to sign a quality player of note. Even though the entire free world knows we have 40+ million in cap room. They'll continue to tantalize the ignorant sheep with how Marvin Jones and Mo Sanu are stars that we might not be able to keep in 2016 unless we save all this cap room. How we have 18 former first rounders on our roster because Mike Brown is a genius (they were available because they sucked dick on their former team).

 

[JBUCK66]

our grits are besmudged

 

[futballiscool]

Apparently we lost out on the Jacoby Jones sweepstakes to the SD Chargers.

Percy Harvin would be a great fit if his reputation as a malcontent puts his contract numbers in the MB range.

As a low priced FA I really like Denarious Moore from the Raiders. He had a great rookie season under Hue Jackson. He has talent

 

[cincygrad]

Is Brandon Tate still available?

 

[DanBengalfan]

When I think of the Bengals front office, I'm thinking they are not jealous of NE and their success. They are jealous of the Jaguars and their thrifty fiscal responsibility.