Soul Rebel

There's no way you look at Linderbaum's play over the past couple of years in the B10 and worry about his arms at Center, IMO. Dude is a generational talent and I prefer him over Cross/Penning for pushing the needle on our OL. Kalil was an anchor that defined our OL (along with Gross) for over a decade. Don't overthink it....take Linderbaum.

When Thibodeaux drops to 6, and Rhule has to choose between Thibs, Pickett and an OL, true colors will show.

Or Darnold's $18M would also solve that issue....or at least contribute about 85% towards signing two OL.

I'm seeing Winston trending lately and some decent stats to back it up. Pre-injury last year he was putting together a very solid season. He's also a year removed from eye surgery as well. While all QB-needy teams are looking for the next Stafford-LAR evolution, would Jameis be that guy here? Draft Cross/Lindebaum at 6, bring in a premier FA OG and roll it back with Winston under center.

This is concerning. I've seen two different highly touted draft insiders mocking Gardner to us at 6, and now this. Brown over Wirfs was frustrating, but excusable. Coming back the next year with Horn over Slater is not learning from your mistakes. Taking Sauce Gardner at 6 over Cross/Lindebaum is a fireable offence, IMO. Horn-Bouye-Henderson-Taylor is a good core of CBs. Only DB worth taking a swing at is Hamilton. Build The Damn O Line !!!

Rhule has final say on roster decisions. Rhule-Pickett connection already established from Temple days. Carolina was rumored to be very high on Pickett at Senior Bowl. Seems like a no-brainer at this point.

That $18M for Darnold would look so much better in OL investments.

Wow....the Buffalo North continues. We really, really screwed the pooch since we fired Getts. Re-hired Hurney in '17, and Beane goes to Buffalo. McD leaves for the HC gig and has been 49-32 since....along with some playoffs sprinkled in. We both went to the playoffs in '17 and lost in the first round. We haven't been back since, and they've been back the past three years. Dorsey was our QB coach and we kept him in that role. McD and Beane are smart enough to promote him to OC, we've got McAdoo. We did snag Dan Morgan away from them. I hope we see the value there and don't piss away his talent. I'm sure Joe Brady will be there OC in a few years when Dorsey moves on to be a successful HC. Beane is 45, McD is 47, Dorsey is 40. Frazier was a wise hire as well by McDermott. We've had Wilks, Washington and Snow. Utter. Failures.

Jimmy G is exactly what we don't want. Instead of 5-12, we'd be 8-9.....worse draft pick to actually find a QB/OL in '23 and saddled with another QB on a high contract. He's better than Darnold and Teddy, but in a way that a Hyundai is an upgrade over a Kia (no offense to any Hyundai/Kia drivers). Pass.

I want Gilmore and Reddick back for sure, but have concerns for what they're asking for. Don't care about re-signing DJax.....he's going to want Bradberry money. Bigger conversations are going to be if guys like Gilmore, Reddick, Luuvu, etc. are a better financial investment than guys like Scherff, Robinson, Norwell or Jensen. We need to make a FA OL splash AND a draft selection in order to help this offense.

I was happy taking Pickett at 6, but this hand stuff does have me very concerned. If it was just on the cusp of what's "acceptable" or "the norm" for NFL QBs, I wouldn't sweat it....just like Slater's measurables didn't concern me. These measurements coming out are real poor. No way this staff can say what they have about Slater and Christensen, and turn around and take a potentially all-time smallest-handed QB. Just looked up Pickett's fumbles, and he had 19 in 3 years. This article puts it in full perspective - https://www.profootballnetwork.com/is-kenny-pickett-qb1-in-the-2022-nfl-draft/2/ Not an end-all-be-all because he has succeeded in college. However, his hand size is in the 99% of smallest ever measured and could be a full inch smaller than Burrow/Mahomes at 9" and 9.25". Add in that the NFL ball size is slightly larger than college and it could be a real serious issue.

TBF, last time we had selections similar to what lined up for Cincy recently, we got Cam and Luke. Now, could Pickett/Corral be Burrow? I think Fields will.

If we re-sign DJax over Gilmore and let Reddick walk ..... woooooo, we are fugged. I wanted Gilmore > Jackson, but truthfully, Gilmore is a luxury that we shouldn't pay for. Adding at least one premier OL in FA and re-signing DJ & Reddick makes way more sense than a soon-to-be 32-year old CB. Love Gilly, but we could be swimming in top-5 draft status next year...doesn't seem fiscally responsible. Horn/Bouye/Taylor/Henderson is solid enough to kick the tires on for a year.

Rock bottom as a franchise right now. A Texans ….. A Houston freaking Texans Passing Game Coordinator just told us to kick rocks for an OC gig. Don’t blame him at all - we are a dumpster fire.

I want zero to do with all of the potential traded QBs. Cousins Wilson Jimmy G Watson Mayfield Tua Some are better than others, but none give us what we need....a long-term answer at QB except for Watson...and that's in jeopardy. They all have their warts and I really hope we stay the F away. That being said, Rhule is about to get the Jazz from Uncle Phill treatment in '22, so I'm sure he's banging the table for one of these guys to save his ass.

Rhule would figure out a way to play him at RG because of calf size. EDIT: Also, this is based off a David Newton post.....meh.

I'll pass on drafting another TE. Thomas has been average and we have Tremble trying to be our diamond in the rough. If we go TE, I'd prefer FA. If we can snag a top-notch LG, drop back a few spots in the draft and still take Linderbaum, I think our OL will be better than a year before. I'd like to see BC at LT with a full offseason as our starting LT. A veteran LG next to him and as near of a can't miss OL as Linderbaum in the middle anchoring down our OL for the next decade. Moton as the vet presence on the right and kick the tires on Brown at RG. Run a lot of packages with Tremble in to help BC on the left and your FA TE as the pass catcher. Maybe actually play TMJ and don't run CMC into the ground. Eh, this all doesn't mean anything because we'll trot out our "rockstar OC" re-tread he will f*ck it all up anyway.

IMO, this is what jumps out about this coaching staff and is holding us back. Rhule, Brady, Nixon, Meyer....and to a lesser degree, Snow. They are college coaches competing against NFL coaching staffs. After enough tape shows up for opposing teams, we have for the most part, been dead in the water. We cannot adjust on the fly, have been outschemed for 2 years and I cannot think of a true "signature" win from this staff.

My concern is our 2022 offseason and how much of an impact Rhule/Fitts have had on it already and will continue to have between now and OTAs. No doubt if Rhule doesn't perform in '22, he will be out midseason. That kind of instability gives me huge pause as we have a top-6 draft pick, no other picks until 105, awful positional coaches/schemes and some heavy decisions to make.... Re-sign Gilmore/DJax/Reddick/Moore? Lots of vet QBs available that we need to stay away from because they will drain more assets: Wilson/Mayfield/Jimmy G/Watson If I was an owner trying to turn a franchise around, I wouldn't bring Rhule back. He's overwhelmed, letting his ego get in the way and his style has not translated over to the NFL. One more awful offseason will set this team back 3-4 years.

I'm fine with Pickett at 5/6. I'd prefer Neal or Ickey there instead, but if Pickett is selected, I think it would be a great selection. People keep saying that if we pick an OL this year that we can get our QB in '23. Can the same argument not be made for OL in '23? Sewell was the cream of the crop last year, but Slater was a helluva "next best". We missed on Wirfs in '20....and he was the third OT taken. I get Pickett isn't everyone's type of QB, but there is a lot to like about him. I was a Lance/Fields guy last year and prefer that type of mobile young QB, but Pickett would do well here in the correct offensive scheme. I don't know if this coaching staff on the hot seat would use a top pick on a QB that is going to take his lumps. Lawrence, Wilson and Fields have all struggled this year and that kind of QB play for a coaching staff that is on the brink of unemployment might not make sense to Rhule & Co. The smart move is Neal or Ekwonu...or even Linderbaum. I think BC can be a good (maybe not great) LT and I'd like to see Brown at RG with a full offseason and starting day 1. If those two can be good, Moton can be your vet stud and Linderbaum can anchor the middle for the next decade. Anyway you slice it, this staff has a huge decision to make come April. It's often the kind of decision that saves or breaks a HC based off the rest of the assets on hand.

Evan Neal would be the dream, but Ickey or Linderbaum would be pretty damn satisfying too. Ekwonu could be a LT or he could be nasty at G. If Christensen can be trusted at LT, then Ekwonu at LG or Linderbaum at C would give us three very solid franchise pieces with Moton locked in at RT. I think Brown will eventually be our RG in '22. If Brown and Christensen pan out, we could in theory have 4/5 OL positions figured out.

Don't get mad when Pickett is our selection at 5.

There's absolutely no reason why after seeing the lack of offensive production, insane pressure rate and lack of moving the ball that our youngsters aren't trotted out the last three weeks. TMJ - WR3 Deonte Brown - RG Brady Christensen - LT I'd also like to see more of Taylor at CB since re-signing Jackson is a luxury that we can't afford. He was solid when called upon for a rookie earlier, but his snap counts have dwindled as Gilly's have gone up.

For as much as I like Fitts, I would lean into him trading back a bit too much last year hurt us as much as it helped us. If Neal/Icky/Lindebaum is there when we're up, one of those three should be the selection. We already gambled away and lost on the two trades we made that put us in this situation. Don't pass on a franchise OT/IOL to make up for it. Basic kindergarten "two wrongs don't make a right" life lessons.

Up until a few weeks ago, I was all for being patient for his third year. The facelift on defense and securing WR/RB and potentially TE of the future, along with Moton in years one and two made me believe that one more offseason to dig in hard on OL would be the difference. Nope. His pressers are becoming unwatchable and if we as fans can see through the BS, no way the players, front office and our Owner doesn't. Bye.