Bengals offseason losers?

[Tiger Stripes]

I was flipping through the channels and on espn they had sunday night countdown on and meril hodge picked cinci as his offseason losers. i disagree i wouldnt say we were winners but i also wouldnt say we were losers i thought we did aight. this guy is a pud!

[CJBestInAFC]

Yeah that is a terrible statement by Mr. Hodge. Is it because we couldn't get Sapp. That guy needs to take his head out of his you know what. They upgraded just about every position. Secondary is so much better. Not to mention we no longer have the services of Mr. Burnt Toast Hawkins. The Bengals will contend this year that is a fact.

[mello2dope]

mrs. hodge likes it doggy style.. so we dont miss coundown im meryl hodges biggest fan it crushed me when he said that bout the bengals. so i bent her over smacked her ass and sang who dey! :player:

[WhoDeyNow]

Can you really blame the guy for saying this? Not that I agree with him, but we did fail numerous times to land the big free agent to "boost us over the top." And we are entering the season with a QB who doesn't have any experience on the playing field.

Are we offseason losers? No, IMO. Who, of big value to this team, did we lose? Nobody (that includes Dillon).

Are we offseason winners? No, IMO. What big free agent(s) did we land? None.

Personally, I think we stood pat this offseason, with a gradual step in the right direction, which is certainly not a bad thing.

[JPW]

We did more to Improve our Team than any other team in our division.

Play-Offs in 04....

[walzav29]

Screw the concussion king. The only reason they say that is because of starting Carson Palmer. People can blah blah blah all they want about him being a rookie but you can't tell me a whole year of grooming, not missing a mini-camp, and being named the starter in March that he is like a rookie coming out of college. I wonder how many starts did Kurt Warner have before Trent Green blew his knee out. Tom Brady, Dante Caulpepper. There are alot of guys who took the time to learn and flourished the first time they started. The thing I like is no one is picking them. Great, just like no one picked the Panthers and Patriots last year.

[TradeDillon]

You're right walzav, Merrill's only rationale was that Palmer will be starting in place of Kitna. I think they've improved tremendously - additions such as Webster, Herring, and O'Neal on Defense (not to mention Hardy moving back to SAM) - also it'll be their 2nd year with this defensive scheme.

Offensively, Palmer can take them to the next level. Kitna had a career year and could only muster up an 8-8 record. With weapons like CJohnson, Warrick, and Washington not to mention Rudi and Dillon's replacement, Perry, I think we upgraded this off season. Screw Hodge!

[The Brew Man]

Agree with most of whats been said. Hoge was likely basing that statement on the fact that we didnt sign the big names we were "in the hunt" for. The Sapps, Taylors, Gardeners and Vincents of the world arent Bengals. Of course, its not about the big names, but the team.....

[HoosierCat]

Can you really blame the guy for saying this? Not that I agree with him, but we did fail numerous times to land the big free agent to "boost us over the top." And we are entering the season with a QB who doesn't have any experience on the playing field.

Are we offseason losers? No, IMO. Who, of big value to this team, did we lose? Nobody (that includes Dillon).

Are we offseason winners? No, IMO. What big free agent(s) did we land? None.

Personally, I think we stood pat this offseason, with a gradual step in the right direction, which is certainly not a bad thing.

I agree. The Bengals made -- at least on paper -- some incremental improvements, but don't appear to have (again, on paper, since the cleats have yet to hit the turf) stepped up from mediocre to the good or elite level.

If Palmer pans out, and if Marvin can find 2 corners and a safety he can count on in man coverage, thus allowing Frazier to load 8 men in the box to stuff the run and harass the QB, we just might go somewhere come January. Palmer & (primarily) O'Neal. They're the keys.

[Vulture]

I think his tie and shirt was affecting his brain...my word, he must have had a concussuion when he was getting dressed.

[Barbarian]

I was flipping through the channels and on espn they had sunday night countdown on and meril hodge picked cinci as his offseason losers. i disagree i wouldnt say we were winners but i also wouldnt say we were losers i thought we did aight. this guy is a pud!

Ok, let me be the one to totally AGREE with Mr. Mellon-Head (concussion). The Bungles have failed in Free Agency and they had a very iffy draft.

Once again, the Bungles had a NEED at DT--they didn't get it--thus, electing to stay with what they had--which is CRAPOLA!!!!

The Bungles D isn't stopping anything on the ground this year.

[jditty47]

barb, u didnt even need to post ur opinion on this one, everyone already knew it

[JPW]

I'll say it again....

I think that The Bengals have done more to Improve themselves this off-season than any other team in our Division.

The Ravens did next to nothing.

They were a good team last year and will be a good team again this year.

But really didn't do anything to Improve.

The Steelers got a steal will Big Ben.

But he is the future and it will be a big mistake if they try to play him this year.

Their Big Hope for 2004 is that their OL will play better.

The Browns are hanging their hopes on Garcia and Winslow.

And by the way, if you want to see some Real "Homer Posts" drop by the Watercooler site.

In their mind it is a "Given" that Garcia will return to Pro-Bowl form and that Winslow is the Best TE Ever.

One post talks about how Winslow could hold out till week 5 of the regular season and still Step Right In and be the best TE in the league.

Winslow Should be a good TE in the NFL but he has Not shown that he is all of that.

Hell he might end up being more trouble than he is worth.

I am not sold on Garcia being a Pro-Bowl QB for the Browns either.

The truth is, he seems to have Peaked in 2000 and has been on a slow slide since.

And he will no long be in a West Coast offense nor will he have anybody even close to a TO to throw to this year.

He is a 34 year old QB who likes to run and he will be working behind the worst OL in the Division.

The Bengals may not have picked up any "super-stars" but what they did DO is Improve at almost every position.

I have to laugh when I read about the Lost of CD, getting rid of him was a Gain for the Team not a lost.

My bet is that even the running game will be better Without him.

The OL is looking to be even better than last year.

With KW having a year of experience under his belt and with PW Finally Fitting into his role, the WRs should be even better than last year.

The LBs are made better by having a Real MLB on the team and having Hardy back outside where he belongs.

I think that The Bengals are better at Safety this year than last year.

I would be surprised if Anyone doesn't think that we have Improved at CB over last year.

The big thing is that we picked up Players who Fit into ML's scheme.

And ML is Insisting that Everybody Will Play In The Scheme this year.

The biggest Improvement of all may be how the Defense plays as a Unit this year.

No "super-stars" but the Bengals have made more Improvements than any other team in our Division.

Palmer has not taken one snap in the NFL so there is no way to Rate him yet.

But I won't be surprised if, by the end of the season, we find that The Bengals also Improved at QB in 2004.

[WHO DEY AGAIN?]

Are we offseason losers? No, IMO. Who, of big value to this team, did we lose? Nobody (that includes Dillon).

Are we offseason winners? No, IMO. What big free agent(s) did we land? None.

Correct, but we upgraded. The only thing missing is a Dt. BTW, nice name. I'll consider you a fan.

Ok, let me be the one to totally AGREE with Mr. Mellon-Head (concussion). The Bungles have failed in Free Agency and they had a very iffy draft.

Your so positive. I love reading your comments. They make me laugh.

[WhoDeyNow]

I'll say it again....

I think that The Bengals have done more to Improve themselves this off-season than any other team in our Division.

The Ravens did next to nothing.

They were a good team last year and will be a good team again this year.

But really didn't do anything to Improve.

The Steelers got a steal will Big Ben.

But he is the future and it will be a big mistake if they try to play him this year.

Their Big Hope for 2004 is that their OL will play better.

The Browns are hanging their hopes on Garcia and Winslow.

And by the way, if you want to see some Real "Homer Posts" drop by the Watercooler site.

In their mind it is a "Given" that Garcia will return to Pro-Bowl form and that Winslow is the Best TE Ever.

One post talks about how Winslow could hold out till week 5 of the regular season and still Step Right In and be the best TE in the league.

Winslow Should be a good TE in the NFL but he has Not shown that he is all of that.

Hell he might end up being more trouble than he is worth.

I am not sold on Garcia being a Pro-Bowl QB for the Browns either.

The truth is, he seems to have Peaked in 2000 and has been on a slow slide since.

And he will no long be in a West Coast offense nor will he have anybody even close to a TO to throw to this year.

He is a 34 year old QB who likes to run and he will be working behind the worst OL in the Division.

The Bengals may not have picked up any "super-stars" but what they did DO is Improve at almost every position.

I have to laugh when I read about the Lost of CD, getting rid of him was a Gain for the Team not a lost.

My bet is that even the running game will be better Without him.

The OL is looking to be even better than last year.

With KW having a year of experience under his belt and with PW Finally Fitting into his role, the WRs should be even better than last year.

The LBs are made better by having a Real MLB on the team and having Hardy back outside where he belongs.

I think that The Bengals are better at Safety this year than last year.

I would be surprised if Anyone doesn't think that we have Improved at CB over last year.

The big thing is that we picked up Players who Fit into ML's scheme.

And ML is Insisting that Everybody Will Play In The Scheme this year.

The biggest Improvement of all may be how the Defense plays as a Unit this year.

No "super-stars" but the Bengals have made more Improvements than any other team in our Division.

Palmer has not taken one snap in the NFL so there is no way to Rate him yet.

But I won't be surprised if, by the end of the season, we find that The Bengals also Improved at QB in 2004.

Oh, I'm not disagreeing with you at all. But just because we were arguably the best offseason winner within our division, doesn't make us an overall winner.

[WhoDeyNow]

Correct, but we upgraded. The only thing missing is a Dt. BTW, nice name. I'll consider you a fan.

The acquisitions we acquired came with big "ifs" though.

-Deltha O'Neal was converted to a WR and wasn't doing well at CB in Denver

-Nate Webster was never a starter and he's lacking size

-Bobbie Williams was the weak link in the Eagles' O-Line last season

-Kim Herring is getting older and is coming off a serious injury

I mean, it's not like any of those guys are like Warren Sapp or Troy Vincent. They all come with some questions and they all aren't nearly as talented?

Did we upgrade? Perhaps. But if we did, at all, it was very minimal, IMO.

[schweinhart]

WTF "Big if's".

Burnt Toast was no "Big If". He flat out sucked and will be one of many reasons why the one-hit Panthers will be dead last in the NFC South this year.

Score an upgrade w/ O'Neal.

Adrian Ross was as slow as they come at LB. Tough and good guy with all that rah-rah BS but just not good in no uncertain terms.

Score an upgrade w/ Webster and the strongside switch for Hardy.

Mike Goff...Can't say a thing bad about Goff. Wish they would have re-signed him. But since they didn't Williams looks like a good pick-up at a lot less cap hit.

Score a cap bargain w/ Williams.

Mark Roman. So long. Not much drop off there from K2. Kim Herring is the kind of backbone UFA pick-up that will make ML. You better believe he's coming with his game face on. This guy is going to knock the living slop out of people this year. Plus he's going to be smart about it and be valuable for his team leadership.

Sapp and Vincent?

That would've been sweet.