The O-Line

[BengalChamps]

I know we've been through this a hundred times but we have got to get this o-line signed soon. The uncertainty is going to drive the locker room nuts. Well, maybe it will just drive me nuts.

You saw what happened to Brett Favre and the Packers when their OLine was allowed to fall apart. We cant let CP look bad because of no protection.

Its OBVIOUS that Whitworth was drafted to take Willie's place. I hate to see Willie go because of his respected leadership in the locker room. He's been to the Pro-Bowl 3x? in a row. He has got tread left on the tires. I thought he looked awesome in the Pro-bowl. Unfortunately it doesnt look like he is going to give us the hometown discount. Looks like he might have a Richmond Webb-type end to his career.

I'm going to assume that Steiny signs a long term deal, since you dont want to pay a guard Franchise tag money. Lets pay him now so we dont have to go through camp and the season with a million more questions about it. Whats not to love? He mobile and interchangable. The Bengals have had him for way below his market value for 3something years now. Time to pay the piper.

Levi may be the best unknown player in the league. The Bengals may have to franchise him for several years, a la Orlando Pace. Although, if were going to pay him that type of money, he better start makin some Pro-bowls.

The only reason I think they might let 2 of the 3 walk is because our backups are so good. Stacy Andrews and Whitworth could probably start for other teams. Maybe even Guycheck and Kooistra could start for some other team.

7-11 cant do his "entertaining" without them(he should show them a little more love). I dont want any of them leaving. The Packers showed us what can happen to an entire team when you let the OLine walk.

[icehole3]

Levi is a absolute must, finding a great LT is about as hard as finding a good cover corner. You finally get one, you lock him up for his career. Thats how important Levi is. I love Steinbach and Willie, but Levi is the most important of the 3 IMO.

[JaxonFord87]

It was a combination of things that went wrong in green bay. First the offensive line fell apart, but not wasn't the main problem. The main problem was that nothing was done to get anybody to replace who left. The packers pretty much ignored their offensive line. They were more worried about trying to help their defense. The reason they were trying to improve their defense so much, was because they believed that brett farve could carry thier offense. Brett is no longer what he used to be. I agree that he was great at once, but times have changed.

[walshfan]

yawn.

[BengalPappaw]

Your example of the Packers might be good -- but one closer to home was the last time the Bengals had a GOOD O-Line with Max Montoya and Anthony Munoz.

AND we let Max go to the Oakland Raider, because Mikee tried to get tricky. After Max left that line struggled and finally fell apart.

I believe Katie is smarter and will give us a good effort to keep a GOOD O-Line. At least I hope she does.

Your are right for CJ and Rudi and TJ and .. the rest of the offense to be effective, we need a good O-Line.

Carson MUST be protected to be his best.

[derekshank]

The O-line is the most important aspect of the offense, and we need it to be strong to keep our franchise QB's knees in tact, as well as have a good running game... but I disagree that the entire offense would fall apart. There is way too much talent from the skill position players for that to happen.

The Packers lost their top 2 WR's and their top 3 RB's, You can't blame their woes entirely on the O-Line. If you doubt me, look no further than the Arizona Cardinals. They had no running game to speak of (at least partly because of no good RB)... but Kurt Warner and those two WR's put up their numbers nonetheless. They had the most passing yards in the NFL, and were 8th overall offense... with a terrible O-Line!

Our backups are better than their starters on the O-line, so if it came down to having to overpay both Steiny and Levi, I think you have to let one of them walk. At some point we need to start spending some of our money on the defense, and if we pay 2 linemen more than their market value, we're going to continue having a bad defense. I'd rather have to draft another O-Lineman next year in the 2nd round than to keep putting all our cap money (eggs) in the offense (one basket).

When it comes down to it, we have enough depth to cut it. Bobbie Williams is signed. Kooistra is good. Wilkerson can play guard, as I'm sure Ghiaciuc could too. We just drafted an awesome replacement for Willie, who happened to play LT in college, so he's capable, and I still have high hopes for Kieft... not to mention the dancing bear project.

The point is... I'm really hoping we get both Levi and Steinbach signed (and I really believe we will) but if one of them leaves, this team is far from falling apart. So let's get out of panic mode, and get into business mode. Get the deals done... but don't overpay.

[walshfan]

Our backups are better than the Packers starters huh?

ridiculous.

[derekshank]

Our backups are better than the Packers starters huh?

ridiculous.

Actually I was talking about the Cardinals... and while the point is well taken, because it's true that not all of our backups are better than all of their starters, Kooistra and Wilkerson would definitely be starting on both teams. And now Whitworth can be thrown into that category too... so that is 3 backups that would be starters on those teams. Yes, I firmly believe that.

The Packers are basically playing their back-ups at the Guard positions, because they let both of their guards go last year, and decided to just let their back-ups play. So I think we have enough depth on the O-line to say that our back-ups are better than the Packers back-ups. It's a one to one comparison. Starters are only starters because they are the best on their own team. If your team has the worst O-line in the NFL, then you just aren't that good. You wouldn't be a "starter" on almost any other team, so you are compariable to other team's "back-ups"

The Cardinals had the worst run blocking O-Line in the NFL last year. You're saying our back-ups couldn't compete with that, jsut because those guys are "starters" Would the Cardinals or Packers "starters" be "starters" on the Bengals squad. No! Therfore, our "back-ups" and their "starters" are comparable. Kooistra is versatile, and played extremely well when given the chance, and Wilkerson (if healthy) has as much talent as anybody... so it's not as far-fetched as you think. Why don't you try thinking it through before you just write it off as "ridiculous"

[TJJackson]

Its OBVIOUS that Whitworth was drafted to take Willie's place.

To you, certainly. Not necessarily to the rest of us.

He was a LT at LSU and has been taking snaps there in minicamp already

The only reason I think they might let 2 of the 3 walk is because our backups are so good.

Nevermind that little thing known as the salary cap

[GregCook]

Lets get real. Levi and Willie are 1st rounders and Steiny is a 2ed rounder. To think that Stacy, GuyCheck and Wentworth will replace them is wishfullness. We need to sign Levi as job 1. Then work on Steiny for job 2. Willie is job 3. Since none of them have a gun to their heads and can play out 2006 and go for FA, the Bengals got to be ready. Wentworth plugs one hole in 2007 assuming Willie leaves. Steiny will be a tough loss if that happens given his age and ability. But then again, do the Bengals have the $ juice to throw big money at the Oline and still present a decent defense?

[derekshank]

Steiny will be a tough loss if that happens given his age and ability. But then again, do the Bengals have the $ juice to throw big money at the Oline and still present a decent defense?

There lies the rub. We can't continue throwing all of our cap at the offense, or we'll end up being the Kansas City Chiefs. It's hard to watch big names go, but it must be done. We have to choose our guys, and fill the holes the others leave on their way out.

The Colts didn't want Edgerrin to leave, but they knew they couldn't sign both him and Wayne. They chose Wayne, and now James is in Arizona. That's the way it goes. They could keep spending all their money on one side of the ball... but how many championships has that won this so far?

Willie probably has to go because of his asking price and his age. If he's willing to take a home town discount... great, but that doesn't sound likely. We didn't draft a 2nd rounder in Whitworth to let him sit the bench after getting long-term deals done with both Tackles, and if one of them has to go, I'd rather keep the more athletic and youthful Levi... but that's me.

As for Steinbach... I'd hate to see him go too, and I really believe we'll get a deal done with him. However, management does have leverage. We've got adequate back-ups and excellent depth if he is unreasonable. If we can't manage to get him or Levi signed, my guess is we'll tag Levi (which he has voiced he is okay with) and then either draft a guard early, or Wilkerson or Kooistra will play LG, Williams will play RG, and Whitworth will play RT. It will look a lot different than the line we have right now... but it will definitely get the job done.

So like I said, let's not get into panic mode. Getting the O-line signed is still the most important thing for management after getting the rookies signed... but if somehow we can't get deal done with any of them, we'll survive.