Post-Draft Whinging & Moaning Thread

[AMPHAR]

I don't think Burton or Jones are unquestionable locks for the roster.    Different reasons.   Jones is small and has trouble staying healthy.  Burton is a knucklehead.

Talent wise, I think Burton will be tough to beat out.   Now if he is still falling asleep in meetings etc.  Different story.

 

[ArmyBengal]

I see what you did there...

However, Burden is a complete idiot that I hope got some sense knocked into him during the offseason.
Seriously, I would have like to have heard a story how TJ Houshmandzadeh went full ape shit crazy kicking the shit out of him in the middle of the road outside of PayCor stadium one night.  One of those where every time he kicks or hits him, he says another word.

"Don't-you-ever-do-some-shit-like-that-and-embarrass-me-again-you-punk-ass-mother-fucker"

Him and Jones are exactly the reason I would have had no issue with drafting a WR this year.
Bengals front office just lulling everyone to sleep this year for when they take a 1st round WR next year and shock the world.

[HoosierCat]

By all reports, Burton has been in the building regularly during the offseason. It seems that he's realized his million-dollar meal ticket is in jeopardy if he doesn't at least pretend to do the bare minimum. To what extent this represents a real change in attitude, who knows? I'm not counting on anything, but we'll see.

[ArmyBengal]

36 minutes ago, HoosierCat said:

By all reports, Burton has been in the building regularly during the offseason. 

What's the over/under for how many bitches he choked out before coming to the building regularly?
I'm putting it at 4.

[WelshBengal]

On 4/27/2025 at 4:56 PM, HoosierCat said:

Twitter says we picked this guy off the udfa pile. One for the UK Bengals fans.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nfl/article-14610335/amp/Dante-Barnett-football-escape-tragedy-2025-draft-brink-NFL.html

Will be the IPP player for the Bengals this year.  I doubt he sees the field, possibly pre season to see what they have in him. 

I found this on him for his pro day.

The Bengals exited the 2025 draft without selecting a defensive tackle. Howard Cross III and Eric Gregory are joining the fray as fellow UDFAs along with Barnett, but there are snaps to be had at the position throughout OTAs and training camp. 

Barnett himself is also an exceptional athlete. During USF's pro day back in March, he was clocked running a 4.69 40-yard dash at 6-1 and 275 pounds according to Dane Brugler's "The Beast" NFL Draft guide for The Athletic.

He's athletically gifted hence why the Bengals picked him up.  I will be keeping my eye on this dude in camp.

[AMPHAR]

The Bengals dropped  1 spot to 12th on the Power Rankings post draft.    Basically leaped by the Broncos.  So they are in tight 4th or 5th in pecking order in the AFC.   Opinions on this Power Ranking have Ravens as AFC Favorites,  Chief, Bills, Broncos, and Bengals.

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but the Bengals can't be forgotten as one of the more talented outfits out there.

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it felt more like an indirect statement on what happened in 2024, which was a cavalcade of drama, disputes and unrealized expectations in what became a more chaotic situation in Cincinnati.

 

[AMPHAR]

The only thing I'll say about draft grades nationally.   For example Chad Reuter from NFL.com.    Gave Bengals a B day 1.  OK.    However in his mock he had them picking an Edge (Mykel Williams) who was gone at 17 in the real draft.   Then had the Shemar Stewart going 19 in his mock.   

If those were your beliefs pre-draft then the grade of "B" sounds a little weak.      By virtue of your own mock there wasn't much separation of Williams and Stewart and the Bengals hit the need you identified. 

[HoosierCat]

McShay and Muench liked the draft.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/allbengals-insiders-plus/one-of-my-favorite-players-in-the-draft-todd-mcshay-praises-bengals-2025-selections-01jt10md3bcs

Their biggest complaint is that they thought a few of the picks were too early, but at the same time didn't think they would have been there in the next round for the Bengals. We hear that every year and it always strikes me as weak tea.

Bottom line, immediate post-draft grades are just empty content to kill time between now and the next NFL "event," the schedule reveal on the 15th. All the team sites have a countdown clock for that up now lol. By next week the draft will be forgotten as select games start to be "leaked" to build interest in the big reveal. Spain here we come? Stay tuned!

[ArmyBengal]

I don't buy most of the talk about why a player is or isn't taken.
With every year that goes by, I think the thing which matters most to them is simply which player is a person they like.
Maybe not because of the stats, not because they were a captain or an All American, but are they likeable.

It's like they hide behind "fit" when it's really "like". 
As simple as them all meeting the same guy and one coach says, "I didn't like him" or "I really liked him".
If they get more liked than didn't like, they take him.  If that means they take him early, who cares, they liked him.

Granted, I'm probably overstepping to a degree, but it really feels like that to me.
How many times have we said, "Boy that's someone you can really root for" ??  There it is.

[ArmyBengal]

I'm just not getting over Demetrius Knight instead of Tate Ratledge any time soon.

I simply don't know how you look at those two players and draft Knight.
This isn't a popularity contest on my part either.  I like Knight, think he will be at least what Pratt was and hope he does well.
I can like him, while simultaneously disliking the pick.

Follow up the Mims pick by having Ratledge right next to him and the right side is solid for the next 4-5 seasons.
It's like moving up to take Jackson Carman instead of Creed Humphrey all over again.
Ratledge going to the Lions sickens me.

[COB]

2 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

 

Ratledge going to the Lions sickens me.

My past sickens me.

[HoosierCat]

Looking at the two linemen they did take, I think it's clear the Bengals were focused on the left guard spot in the draft and feel comfortable with their options at right guard. I assume it will be some combination of Patrick, Ford and Kirkland battling for the starting job there. My guess is it will be Patrick but I am rooting for Jaxson.

[ArmyBengal]

3 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

I think it's clear the Bengals feel comfortable with their options at right guard.

Maybe their definition of comfortable differs from mine because those options blow.

[COB]

Just watched Chris Simms talk about our two defensive picks, the edge and LB.  It was on Rapien’s podcast.  He was pretty convincing.  Thinks the picks were solid, particularly the edge.  

[ArmyBengal]

Apparently Luke Kuechly liked the pick of Stewart as well.
Talking about his flexibility to play inside and outside in the C gap like a true defensive end.
Also mentioned he thinks his ceiling is the highest of the DE's in the draft.

There was more, but outside of being from Cincinnati, he doesn't have a vested interest in the Bengals.
I liked hearing his perspective.

[HoosierCat]

As always, it’s a crapshoot. Just have to see how it goes.

[HoosierCat]

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This is a good read.

https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article/bengals-moaning-season-is-upon-us-again/

Some nice bits:

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Stewart (aka The Menace) has been labeled a “boom or bust” prospect, but it’s hard to imagine him busting. His floor is likely a long if unspectacular career a la Denico Autry, now with Houston. The optimistic comparison is former Bengal Carlos Dunlap, with better character and a much higher motor. Dunlap affected the game in a variety of ways beyond merely rushing the passer, including swatting down passes and being a sturdy run defender. Stewart has that in him; what he won’t have that Dunlap did is Geno Atkins (or a reasonable facsimile) collapsing the pocket from within.

Also:

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Many fans were sick the Bengals didn’t take Fairchild’s teammate, Tate Ratledge, in the second round instead. I’m no UGa insider, but I live in Atlanta and am therefore bombarded 24/7 with Dawg news and insights. The consensus here was that all three Georgia interior lineman—Ratledge, Fairchild, and Jared Wilson—were considered basically equivalent prospects, and professional success would be, as it usually is, dependent on scheme-fit, coaching, and luck. It’s not like Ratledge is Max Montoya and Cincinnati settled for Jackson Carman. Indeed, UGa’s passing attack took a noticeable step forward when Fairchild entered the lineup.