Last edited Sun Feb 6, 2022, 09:40 PM - Edit history (1)
... Marvin Lewis was hired, and only started getting some decent free agents within the last couple years after Zac Taylor was already their coach.
Father Paul Brown died in 1991, the same year that the Bengals last won a playoff game until this season, and then son Mike quickly cut their better veteran players.
Some teams "tank" for better draft position and more salary cap space in the future, but the Mike Brown plan seemed to be building a team entirely through the draft every year... then not retaining their better drafted players (such as OL Andrew Whitworth) because they're more expensive after being eligible for free agency.
If the Bengals let Burrow and Chase get away in a few years, which won't totally surprise me despite how daughter Katie seems to be running things now, then they'll still be fools.
Also, they spent more money than previously when Marvin Lewis was the coach. Such as hiring more than ONE scout for the team. 
There's some who think Mike Brown's long-term plan was to keep gaining a bigger share of team ownership over the years (mission accomplished) because of what happened to his father with the Cleveland Browns... a team that got their name from Paul Brown in the first place. Paul supposedly warned Mike to never let control of the Bengals slip out of his hands.
EDIT: The Brown family went from 10% ownership of the Bengals to now owning 500 of 586 shares (85%) in the team, largely because of Mike Brown.
He acquired an additional 30% in 2011, for example:
https://www.si.com/.amp/nfl/2018/07/20/cincinnati-bengals-owner-mike-brown
Edit history
= new reply since forum marked as read