Sometimes one must use a perspective of patience in order to gain an understanding of choice. More to the point, understanding both results. It was reported that the Bengals made a trade for Dewayne Robertson, with the only hold up being negotiations between player and team. No deal was made, and neither was a trade. Bengals fans were frustrated because we clearly needed a defensive tackle. Robertson was later traded to Denver, who subsequently released him ten months later.

The Bengals were in position to draft a defensive tackle with the ninth pick last year. Glenn Dorsey went to the Chiefs and the New Orleans Saints traded up to the eight slot to draft ahead of Cincinnati, selecting Sedrick Ellis. Both defensive tackles recorded 76 tackles combined and five sacks. In seven games, Keith Rivers recorded 50 tackles (Bengals.com) -- or 37 tackles if you use the NFL.com stat. Rivers also recorded an interception and a forced fumble. Pat Sims, in 11 games, recorded 36 tackles (more than Ellis); if you combine Peko's 67 tackles, the Sims/Peko duo recorded 103 tackles and 1.5 quarterback sacks. That's 158 tackles if you use Bengals.com numbers. Not bad when comparing them, along with Rivers, to two first-class defensive tackles drafted in the top-ten. Save for Rivers' freak injury that shouldn't cause any long-term problems, like a knee injury, the Bengals seemed to come out all right. I know, we're only looking back one year and there's plenty of time for this to completely change.

The really bad move last offseason tends to over-shadow the above. When the Bengals agreed to a trade for Shaun Rogers, it was later, very embarrassingly discovered that we didn't fully understand the protocols of trading NFL players. One year later, Shaun Rogers is disgruntled, reports Adam Schefter.

Rogers has grown so disenchanted with the situation in Cleveland that he has asked the Browns not to pick up the $6 million option-bonus payment due to him next month, a source close to the defensive tackle said. Rogers would rather be released after one season with the Browns, despite still being owed another $15 million in guaranteed money.

Granted, situations are worldly different. But we can't help but wonder how we'd react if Rogers were upset with the Bengals, demanding to be released. We'd be ticked, you know it! That's not to say it's an excuse for Mike Brown and company not knowing how to complete the trade. It's not. In fact, Cleveland's situation has vastly changed, with a new head coach and general manager, so it's reasonably argued that if Rogers came to Cincinnati, that he wouldn't react the same way as he is right now with Cleveland.

Still, it's interesting to speculate.