Roster situation

[Walrus]

53 minutes ago, AMPHAR said:

I hope he's right but in order for AJ to be unrestricted there would have be some reason that the 2014 season wouldn't count towards eligibility.    If you are on IR or PUP that counts unless it's non-football related. 

 

His should injury was listed as non-football early on... 

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-sign-rookie-DT/562eb264-0e13-4893-b3b9-493e573132e8

Quote

Listed on active/non-football injury with injuries not received with the team are wide receiver  Marvin Jones (ankle) and rookie quarterback  AJ McCarron (shoulder), as well as cornerback  Onterio McCalebb (knee). Indications are Jones’ injury is a tweak and the move is precautionary. McCarron is apparently still being heavily scrutinized after missing the first portion of the spring workouts with shoulder tightness.

http://www.espn.com/blog/cincinnati-bengals/post/_/id/9776/bengals-aj-mccarron-alabama-rest-shoulder-injury

Quote

McCarron couldn't pinpoint specifically to what the arm tightness can be attributed to, but it seems that it may simply be a case of soreness from his final college season that needed to be worked completely out. 

 

[AMPHAR]

1 minute ago, Walrus said:

His should injury was listed as non-football early on... http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Bengals-sign-rookie-DT/562eb264-0e13-4893-b3b9-493e573132e8

Excellent.

[ArmyBengal]

Well, if that is in fact the case and they can squat on him, I will reiterate they have no reason to trade him unless a monster deal is offered too good to turn down.

[HoosierCat]

I stand corrected.

[ArmyBengal]

All good, wasn't trying to be right. 

I just recalled reading the link recently on my Cincinnati.com app (no plug intended) and thinking there was no reason to let him go cheaply.
McCarron could easily start for either the Cowboys or Vikings and more than likely have a very good season considering those teams.
Well, that is if he could learn their playbook and build that chemistry quickly.  That being said, both of those teams can run the ball well.

[HoosierCat]

While we're on the subject of future contracts, Owczarski gives us this depressing look at the likelihood the Bengals keep Zeitler or Kirkpatrick after 2016.

Quote

Clint Boling agreeing to terms in 2015 was an anomaly; really, as few linemen re-sign with their team once they are allowed to reach free agency. Of the 12 highest paid guards in NFL, a group that includes Boling, he joined Baltimore’s Marshal Yanda and Green Bay’s Josh Sitton as the only ones to stay with the team that drafted them. And those two deals were struck before the year was over.

Since the new CBA began in 2011, only seven of the 21 offensive linemen selected in the first round have gotten extensions from their original teams after either year three or year four. And all four offensive linemen picked in the first round of 2012 are playing under a fifth-year option, a group that includes Zeitler, Pittsbugh’s David DeCastro, Minnesota’s Matt Kalil and Detroit’s Riley Reiff.

As for where that puts the Bengals, can they afford two of the highest paid guards in the league? Currently, the top 20 guards in football make at least $4 million annually, but only the Packers, Cardinals, Vikings and Washington are paying at least that much for two of them.

Kirkpatrick has seen the same thing happen in his class and his position, albeit with players selected after the first round.

Of the 10 corners selected in the first round from 2011-13, just two have received extensions to date. Prince Amukamara and Morris Claiborne have signed one-year “prove it” deals.

From Kirkpatrick’s class of 2012, fellow first-round pick Stephon Gilmore and Buffalo haven’t come to terms on an extension, so it looks like he’ll play out the final year of his deal making over $11 million.

This is why the WJ3 injury sucks so much. We'll have no real idea about him in the big leagues before it's time so crap or get off the pot with Kirkpatrick, and IMO the jury is still out on Dennard. Again IMO, it's looking depressingly likely that we'll be talking about a first round corner again come next April...

As for Zeitler you can see them grooming Westerman for that spot. If I had to bet on keeping one of the two, it'd be Dre. I think Kevin is playing elsewhere in 2017.

[AMPHAR]

The next wave of Offensive line will be interesting.    The draft has provided them some good building blocks it's just a matter what pieces stay and where they fall.

IMO, Bodine must improve alot if they are going to consider not signing Z.   There's been so much switching/help in interior pass pro, any downturn in RG could be problematic if the performance of C remains the same.    

[TJJackson]

Question: is there a thing with the CBA that if you sign a vested veteran before the season officially starts, his salary is guaranteed?

I am thinking something like this is what is stopping teams (including but not limited to ours) from signing John Sullivan

[Walrus]

3 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

Question: is there a thing with the CBA that if you sign a vested veteran before the season officially starts, his salary is guaranteed?

Yes. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/08/31/refresher-on-the-vested-veteran-guarantee/

Quote

 

If a so-called “vested veteran” is on a team at the start of the season and thereafter is released, he has the right to collect the balance of his base salary for the season — even if he later signs with another team. 

Each player may do this only once in his career.

For vested veterans signed after the season starts, the available termination pay drops dramatically.  Each player is entitled to the balance of the first 25 percent of his base salary or one week’s pay based on the minimum salary for players with 10 or more years of service, whichever is greater.

 

 

[Wraith]

What is stopping teams from signing Sullivan?  He is a shell of his former self.  Persistent back problems have robbed him of his strength.  To keep the back pain under control he has slimmed down which has made the problem worse.  It would not surprise me if he retires.  This coming from the heart of purple country.

[redsbengalsbucks]

On August 30, 2016 at 10:01 PM, HoosierCat said:

1 series max for the starters and any of them with as much as a bad haircut sit.

zero plays for the starters max

[Stripes]

Yeah I don't want to see the starters at all.  Maybe let Bodine out there to kick around some scrubs and give him confidence.

[TJJackson]

21 hours ago, Wraith said:

What is stopping teams from signing Sullivan?  He is a shell of his former self.  Persistent back problems have robbed him of his strength.  To keep the back pain under control he has slimmed down which has made the problem worse.  It would not surprise me if he retires.  This coming from the heart of purple country.

That all may well be true, Wraith, but geez, let's pay for the guys plane ticket and have him come in here for a looksee.  Do the due diligence, try to see if we can improve at this spot, which honestly shouldn't be all that hard given how shitty Jeffro is

[TJJackson]

If they like James Wilder Jr better than Bronson Hill or Tra Carson - he's available, just cut by the Bills

[membengal]

It amazes me that Margus Hunt likely still has a job. He sure looked like absolute NFL trash in every game I saw him in, this pre-season. Not even disappointing, just bad, really. 

[TJJackson]

The Cincyjungle article on PS game 4 says Margus consistently pressured the QB and successfully covered a screen pass

http://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/9/1/12760606/bengals-vs-colts-preseason-week-4-erickson-shines-again-in-bengals-13-10-loss-final-score/in/12492353

[membengal]

Maybe so - I didn't see last night's. Did see the first three when he was going against 1st and 2nd team players and he was crap. 

[AMPHAR]

The perception of Hunt from fans is skewed because of his draft spot and 2013 Hard knocks. He's a complete let down and a draft bust.

However,  there's no way he's "trash" or "just bad".     He pressures the pocket almost always from the DE spot.  He's more inconsistent from the DT spot but has gotten push from there as well.    I don't see how his roster spot can be questioned.  Definitely struggles to finish plays.  

Now, is he gonna be awesome?  I doubt it.   Looks a whole lot better than Devon Still ever did at any position and that guy is starting in Houston, I believe.

If he starts to get more snaps along the side of Geno, I wouldn't be surprised if surpassed Gilberry's impact. 

 

[membengal]

I can say it. I have eyes. He's stiff, he's slow off the ball, he gets completely dominated when squared up. These are all things that shouldn't be happening this far into his career. He also still badly misreads plays and assignments. He's been bad, he remains bad. I wish they had a replacement for him. The drop-off when he comes into the rotation is staggering.

[AMPHAR]

14 minutes ago, membengal said:

Maybe so - I didn't see last night's. Did see the first three when he was going against 1st and 2nd team players and he was crap. 

Minnesota brought TE help to Andre's side in the first preseason game.   You specifically see it on the Bridgewater long TD.     I'm not charting his snaps vs 1, 2s or 3s.   But I do know I've seen him walk a tackle back into the QBs lap with 1 arm this preseason.   I believe I saw him do it last year in SF.

He's just not the all star he was projected to be and probably a draft bust.   Rotational D-line player he fits.     

 

[HoosierCat]

Yeah, I haven't watched last night's game but Hunt hasn't impressed me so far this year. I think Clarke has passed him (tho Clarke isn't anything special either). 

But that's how the draft goes. Sometimes you hit...sometimes you roll the dice and crap out. Twitter tells me the Titans are letting Bishop Sankey go. He got drafted ahead of both Hyde and Hill in 2014.

[GapControl]

Hunt actually played well in preseason 4.  It's the first time this year I can see why the coaches aren't cutting him.

[AMPHAR]

16 minutes ago, membengal said:

I can say it. I have eyes. He's stiff, he's slow off the ball, he gets completely dominated when squared up. These are all things that shouldn't be happening this far into his career. He also still badly misreads plays and assignments. He's been bad, he remains bad. I wish they had a replacement for him. The drop-off when he comes into the rotation is staggering.

No more staggering than Gilberry or Still coming in.    Those guys are still in the NFL.    Depth is what it is in the NFL. 

[membengal]

Gilberry was 100 times the defensive lineman than Hunt is. Shocking that you would compare the two. 

[COB]

  Hunt can't get off blocks.  He can shove the blocker into the backfield, which is a valuable skill, but then once he's there he can't disengage and make the play.  

Saw him last night do that exact thing, and Munoz commented on it, said something like Hunt needs to disengage and tackle that running back, the guy ran right by him.  

At this point he is the luckiest guy in the NFL, because he's a second round draft pick with the Bengals and they don't generally let those guys go during their first contract.  

One thing that would help him is learning to raise his arms when pursuing the QB.  A couple times last night he was running right at the quarterback and the guy just dumped it off.  Hunt's like 6'8" with long arms, he'd really be effective at knocking down passes.  I never want to see him part of the regular rotation, but when guys are tired or nicked up, I'd say he can do the job short term.  Also waiting for his vaunted kick-blocking skills to be displayed.