The way the Cincinnati Bengals go about building their roster every single year never ceases to amaze. It's an exercise in futility, shortsightedness, and avoidable, audacious stupidity.
It's happening again in real time. Rather than nipping a position of obvious need in the bud, with plenty of salary cap space to get it done, the Bengals enter the month of the NFL Draft banking on hope as a legitimate strategy.
Or at least that appears to be the way, based on what head coach Zac Taylor said at the NFL Annual League Meeting.
Bengals are in lockstep about key roster weakness — and not in a good way
Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com reported on several Taylor remarks, but the most notable was his take on Cincinnati's linebacker situation. Bottom line: Rising second-year starters Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. are entrenched in their spots until further notice.
"It doesn't mean that we don't prioritize it. It just means, at the moment, the fit has been somewhere else, and so we've identified that and added to it...We are excited about our two young guys that played a lot of snaps for us last year, and the development they're going to continue to see."
Yeahno.
Name the last time a historically awful rookie starter improved to even be a passable, replacement-level player in Year 2. The "hope" strategy is that at least one of Knight and Carter take that near-unprecedented step.
Another tenet of the "hope" strategy is that a linebacker comes via the draft who is an instant upgrade. The Bengals love to draft succession plan players in the first round, so it's doubtful they'll go for a linebacker with the 10th overall pick. If they do pass on Ohio State's Sonny Styles, though, inanimate objects will hurtle toward my TV set.
It'll just never make sense to me or other ball-knowing fans why Cincinnati's brass likes to sit on their collective hands when action is required.
OK action isn't required, but if you're actually serious about winning a Super Bowl, and want to show the fans that much, you'd sign a veteran linebacker. Plenty of options exist on the open market. Then you could at least enter the draft knowing you have a mentor/backstop/stopgap starter in place, rather than, say, counting on a rookie to compete with Knight and Carter on likely limited reps.
Why are the Bengals are hitching their wagon to a fourth-round linebacker like Carter? His draft status alone suggests a future on special teams, as does his on-field performance.
Sticking it out with Carter just feels like a desperate attempt to validate the draft pick. He and Knight will be given every chance to keep their jobs. And the entire defense will pay the price for it. So will Joe Burrow and the offense. So will Taylor, whose win-loss record is bound to be impacted.
Remember last year, when Dalton Risner signed in late August because Cincinnati realized Lucas Patrick wasn't the answer at right guard? Then the offensive line took too long to jell, and ultimately cost Burrow another major injury?
Many of us begged for the Bengals to sign Risner for literal months. They finally did. He responded well after the Burrow injury, only for Cincinnati to low ball him but still keep him.
Could've signed Risner way sooner and gotten the o-line on the same page sooner. Same thing is happening here at linebacker.
And hypothetical development is fine to believe in for some teams. The Bengals don't have that luxury. Burrow is demanding a trade if Cincinnati misses the playoffs. There is no time to let Carter or Knight "develop." Or to go on the (working title), "Myles Murphy Middle of Year 3 Light Finally Turns On Plan."
Here's how I see it playing out in the end...
Expect a last-minute linebacker signing in August when the Bengals realize Knight and Carter can't hack it. Cincinnati still tries to start that pair, only to bench one of them when it blows up in their face. The vet will take too long to get acclimated, and by too long, it could only be a single game or two. But by then, the damage is done. The Bengals are off to yet another slow start. Clawing uphill just to get back into the playoff picture.
You feel that creeping sense of dread too, don't you, dear reader? Because you know that sounds about right. And Zac Taylor is out here parroting these company line talking points without a care in the world.
Fine to do that now, Zac. Report back to us in late September when Knight and Carter are costing you games.