Thomas Howard says "I'm Right on Track"

[gardner30]

It would be wise for the Bengals to get another year or two out of him.

I would suspect he would be fairly cheap to retain on a 1 or 2 year deal.

Just enough time to groom a replacement from this years draft.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/3668/thomas-howard

[McC]

Good to hear. We need him back. Sign him for two years while you look for his replacement.

[Bull Durham]

They will definitely re-sign Howard.

Howard and Lamur will man the WILL LB spot. It gives Lamur another year or two to develop.

[TheLeonardLeap]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

They will definitely re-sign Howard.

Howard and Lamur will man the WILL LB spot. It gives Lamur another year or two to develop.

Lamur played SAM last year, regardless of what the Bengals depth chart says. Lewis doesn't like changing his depth chart mid-season. Hence why Dunlap is listed as a starter even though he only started 1 game.

[Since82]

Good to hear. Get him to a two year deal and line him back up at the will. Slide Burfict over and look for a SAM.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

Originally Posted by gardner30

It would be wise for the Bengals to get another year or two out of him.

I would suspect he would be fairly cheap to retain on a 1 or 2 year deal.

Just enough time to groom a replacement from this years draft.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/3668/thomas-howard

Why is cheap important? The mentality of getting cheap players led to the 1990s. I don't want cheap. I want good. Fans of the best teams do not talk like this.

[TheLeonardLeap]

Looking forward to a 100% Howard coming back. I think some people forget that he was far and away the team's best LB in 2011. In 2012, in just one game that he got hurt in.. he managed to have as many sacks as Maualuga and as many passes defensed as Lawson did...... all year.

With Burfict in the middle, and Howard at WILL, all that's left is to let Moch/Joiner/Lamur/Maybin fight for SAM, and draft a WILL backer of the future for Howard to groom over the next 2 years... which is sadly the one thing I respect about the Steelers organization. They always seem to have high draft pick LBers as backups to be developed so when it's time for a LB to retire, they rarely see much if any drop in talent. (See Lawrence Timmons and Lamarr Woodley, both sat for at least an entire season before getting a single start.)

[AlaskanHero]

Originally Posted by Fan_in_Kettering

Why is cheap important? The mentality of getting cheap players led to the 1990s. I don't want cheap. I want good. Fans of the best teams do not talk like this.

They do if they want to keep a DT who may cost upwards of 60 million and a WR who may cost upwards of a 100 million. Not getting those big names feel kinda cruddy, but when your only FA concern is keeping your own guys and you're still making the playoffs, then you're in a pretty good place. Sometimes cheaper players who fit into your scheme are a better buy than a guy who has a big name but isn't an ideal fit.

Though if a guy like Byrd somehow signed here, I sure as hell wouldn't complain.

[TheLeonardLeap]

Originally Posted by Fan_in_Kettering

Why is cheap important? The mentality of getting cheap players led to the 1990s. I don't want cheap. I want good. Fans of the best teams do not talk like this.

Agreed, I only want Howard back because I think he is good. I already made my feelings clear on what I think about people who think that by just retaining the Bengals' own players, they can't afford anyone good.

http://boards.bengals.com/showthread.php?t=109016

If you don't have cap space, you either signed Mark Sanchez/Kevin Kolb to absurdly large contracts and I laugh at you... or you're simply not very good at managing cap space. The most active teams in FA the last couple years all have plenty of cap space... but of course the Bengals with $55m is "just enough to sign their own" if you listen to some people. Hah

[yellowxdiscipline]

Sign him for 2 more years, draft his replacement (Arthur Brown or Khaseem Green).

[gardner30]

Originally Posted by Fan_in_Kettering

Why is cheap important? The mentality of getting cheap players led to the 1990s. I don't want cheap. I want good. Fans of the best teams do not talk like this.

Originally Posted by TheLeonardLeap

Agreed, I only want Howard back because I think he is good. I already made my feelings clear on what I think about people who think that by just retaining the Bengals' own players, they can't afford anyone good.

http://boards.bengals.com/showthread.php?t=109016

If you don't have cap space, you either signed Mark Sanchez/Kevin Kolb to absurdly large contracts and I laugh at you... or you're simply not very good at managing cap space. The most active teams in FA the last couple years all have plenty of cap space... but of course the Bengals with $55m is "just enough to sign their own" if you listen to some people. Hah

Not sure what is ruffling you twos panties about the cheap comment?

He will be cheap because of the injury and age, not because he isn't good.

Would you rather pay the WILL a bunch of money or spend it elsewhere?

If you have been following the Bengals very long you should know they aren't going to go after Tier 1 Free Agents, nor do they need to.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Originally Posted by TheLeonardLeap

Looking forward to a 100% Howard coming back. I think some people forget that he was far and away the team's best LB in 2011. In 2012, in just one game that he got hurt in.. he managed to have as many sacks as Maualuga and as many passes defensed as Lawson did...... all year.

With Burfict in the middle, and Howard at WILL, all that's left is to let Moch/Joiner/Lamur/Maybin fight for SAM, and draft a WILL backer of the future for Howard to groom over the next 2 years... which is sadly the one thing I respect about the Steelers organization. They always seem to have high draft pick LBers as backups to be developed so when it's time for a LB to retire, they rarely see much if any drop in talent. (See Lawrence Timmons and Lamarr Woodley, both sat for at least an entire season before getting a single start.)

Lawson was our best LBr in 2011.

We God 300 good coverage snaps out of Howard, and 700 bad running snaps, where Rey was even better.

[khamla]

I would sign him for 1 year, see how his ACL knee holds up.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by gardner30

Not sure what is ruffling you twos panties about the cheap comment?

He will be cheap because of the injury and age, not because he isn't good.

Would you rather pay the WILL a bunch of money or spend it elsewhere?

If you have been following the Bengals very long you should know they aren't going to go after Tier 1 Free Agents, nor do they need to.

I'd rather spend some money to juice up that offense with at least a WR maybe a TE

And drafting some replacements on D for the older guys. Newman / Clements / Allen / Geathers /

[Bull Durham]

Originally Posted by Truck_1_0_1_

Lawson was our best LBr in 2011.

We God 300 good coverage snaps out of Howard, and 700 bad running snaps, where Rey was even better.

No he wasn't. They guy got dominated and blocked by wide receivers. Not physical at all.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

No he wasn't. They guy got dominated and blocked by wide receivers. Not physical at all.

Yes he was, and numbers more than prove it.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by Truck_1_0_1_

Lawson was our best LBr in 2011.

We God 300 good coverage snaps out of Howard, and 700 bad running snaps, where Rey was even better.

Sorry but this is a ridiculous comment.

[SunsetBengal]

Originally Posted by Truck_1_0_1_

Lawson was our best LBr in 2011.

We God 300 good coverage snaps out of Howard, and 700 bad running snaps, where Rey was even better.

I don't doubt the stats that you are using one bit. But, all that goes to show is how bad the Bengals LB corps is, as a unit...

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

Sorry but this is a ridiculous comment.

Sorry, but don't come to the table talking **** without any evidence.

Originally Posted by SunsetBengal

I don't doubt the stats that you are using one bit. But, all that goes to show is how bad the Bengals LB corps is, as a unit...

Indeed you are correct. People singing Burfict's praises this year, don't realise that he wasn;t even in the upper half of WLBs in the league

Our LBers have problems.

[RIPChrisHenry]

did someone really just say Lawson was our best linebacker in 2011. I just puked in my mouth and swallowed it. its people that make comments like that, that keep me off here. I hope to god hes not actually a bengals fan.

[Bull Durham]

Originally Posted by RIPChrisHenry

did someone really just say Lawson was our best linebacker in 2011. I just puked in my mouth and swallowed it. its people that make comments like that, that keep me off here. I hope to god hes not actually a bengals fan.

Nobody with half a brain thinks Lawson was their best LB.

[Jabberwocky]

Originally Posted by XenoMorph

I'd rather spend some money to juice up that offense

That doesn't include deer antler spray, does it?

[ExtraNirvana]

Originally Posted by Truck_1_0_1_

Lawson was our best LBr in 2011.

We God 300 good coverage snaps out of Howard, and 700 bad running snaps, where Rey was even better.

This guy is a football genius!



As long as PFF exists.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Originally Posted by RIPChrisHenry

did someone really just say Lawson was our best linebacker in 2011. I just puked in my mouth and swallowed it. its people that make comments like that, that keep me off here. I hope to god hes not actually a bengals fan.

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

Nobody with half a brain thinks Lawson was their best LB.

Sorry, when half of a guys' tackles are TFL's or sacks, while the other guy makes tons of tackles 9 yards downfield, the first guy is a better player.

[Bull Durham]

Originally Posted by Truck_1_0_1_

Sorry, when half of a guys' tackles are TFL's or sacks, while the other guy makes tons of tackles 9 yards downfield, the first guy is a better player.

Here we go again...

The idiocy of people who evaluate players based on looking at a sheet of paper. This is he kind of thing people who know nothing about football do.

You should also realize that Lawson and Howard played two different positions and had different responsibilities. But that gets into actual knowledge of football and football defensive schemes and responsibilities. You might want to ask Mike Zimmer and our defensive coaching staff how they evaluated our players, rather than your idiot buddies over at PFF. Because our coaches have said on numerous occasions they just laugh at pff because they have no clue.