Are the Bengals going into full rebuild mode?

With the players they have let go last year and this year, there does not seem to be a commitment to win now.

I prefer to look at it as "refresh" mode. While losing Whit hurts a little he was blocking the development of the young tackles they drafted. Couldn't pay Zeitler what he was going to get in FA. Tried to sign the WR's last year.

I think the fans always want more.

I agree with @NamecipS - It feels more like a Refresh than a Rebuild.

And like a couple of others mentioned in another thread, it is March, I am not ready to push any panic buttons.

Other than Zeitler leaving, I don't think the rest of the players matter much. Maybe Whit a little but he wasn't in our plans as a LT and he didn't want to play guard so the only move was to let him go.

The Bengals were not very good last year with all the players they have let go. Why do we think they would be good this year with the same players. Most of the players let go, weren't very good in the first place or only have a couple years left.

Plus LB Trevor Roach retired.

Plus LB Trevor Roach retired.

Your usage of the word "plus" indicates that you think losing Trevor Roach somehow impacts the overall talent level of this team, and thus, their potential win / loss record. Please tell me that wasn't how you meant it to come across.

They have no depth at LB. They also have no strong side LB.

With the players they have let go last year and this year, there does not seem to be a commitment to win now.

I don't see it as a rebuild at all. With the WR's last year, they weren't able to sign both Sanu and Jones. They targeted Jones, their mistake was not realizing Jones desire to try to be more of the guy. They seemed to figure that as long as they basically matched his best offer, he would come back. However he didn't because he wanted more opportunity to be the guy.

With Reggie Nelson they basically had to decide on him or the younger Illoka. While it may have hurt last year, it was a smarter decision to keep Illoka.

This year I think they didn't expect Whit to get the huge deal the Rams offered. So I believe they thought they once again could match any best deal, and he would return. However for his age, and what the Rams offered, once again probably was smart not to sign him.

As for Zeitler, I do think they messed up in the fact they probably should have at least franchised tagged him. That would have prevented him from getting on the market, and would have guaranteed one more year. Plus would have gave them a chance to work a long term deal. Now with the offer he got, once again IMO they were smart not to sign him, because they do have the likes of Eifert and Burfict as free agents after this coming season.

So while it sucks, I do think the Bengals are trying to refresh as someone said. The Bengals could have kept all these older guys, and then probably been in the same situation as the Reds got themselves in, and having a bunch of older guys who kept losing a step.

Its all a part of the process. Which is why last years picks of Jackson and Billings, and this year draft class is huge. Those two players have to end up being good, and they have to hit on a few in this draft. If they do, they can be set up pretty nice again. If they whiff on a lot of these picks, then we may be in some trouble.

They have no depth at LB. They also have no strong side LB.

Its a good thing then that they rarely use the Sam back.

Its a good thing then that they rarely use the Sam back.

Then why was it so important to sign Dansby?

Its all a part of the process. Which is last years picks of Jackson and Billings, and this year draft class is huge. Those two players have to end up being good, and they have to hit on a few in this draft. If they do, they can be set up pretty nice again. If they whiff on a lot of these picks, then we may be in some trouble.

What @futurecoach said!

Then why was it so important to sign Dansby?

Well probably best Tez was suspended the first few games of last year. Hence the reason why they basically made no attempt to try to keep him this year. The Sam backer spot is a position the Bengals don't use much.

What @futurecoach said!

Bengals don't draft as good as people think.

I don't see it as a rebuild at all. With the WR's last year, they weren't able to sign both Sanu and Jones. They targeted Jones, their mistake was not realizing Jones desire to try to be more of the guy. They seemed to figure that as long as they basically matched his best offer, he would come back. However he didn't because he wanted more opportunity to be the guy.

 

With Reggie Nelson they basically had to decide on him or the younger Illoka. While it may have hurt last year, it was a smarter decision to keep Illoka.

 

This year I think they didn't expect Whit to get the huge deal the Rams offered. So I believe they thought they once again could match any best deal, and he would return. However for his age, and what the Rams offered, once again probably was smart not to sign him.

 

As for Zeitler, I do think they messed up in the fact they probably should have at least franchised tagged him. That would have prevented him from getting on the market, and would have guaranteed one more year. Plus would have gave them a chance to work a long term deal. Now with the offer he got, once again IMO they were smart not to sign him, because they do have the likes of Eifert and Burfict as free agents after this coming season.

 

So while it sucks, I do think the Bengals are trying to refresh as someone said. The Bengals could have kept all these older guys, and then probably been in the same situation as the Reds got themselves in, and having a bunch of older guys who kept losing a step.

 

Its all a part of the process. Which is why last years picks of Jackson and Billings, and this year draft class is huge. Those two players have to end up being good, and they have to hit on a few in this draft. If they do, they can be set up pretty nice again. If they whiff on a lot of these picks, then we may be in some trouble.

You know what I think when I read all that ... Mikey still pinching the change purse.

Sometimes you got to pay up. I call baloney on signing someone to a big contract blowing up your roster pay scale. That is why the Bengals will say they didn't step up - it would be out of line with the other contracts on the roster. Sometimes you have to make exceptions. If you don't have ready and able players on the roster to fill the role of a departing player, then you have to pay extra to keep a player if you want to win. Paul Brown always said not to let a player go until you had a good replacement on your roster.

As to rebuild versus refresh. If it was a rebuild because you weren't winning with the other guys, then Pacman would definitely be gone. Now, that could be a timing thing. They may be waiting to let Pacman go to save cap room or other money. If they cut Pacman and Maualuga, then it starts looking more rebuild than refresh.