I thought it would be cool to have a thread that showcases Bengals stuff that our members have (for example, SheBengal's Christmas ornaments). I also thought that maybe this thread could sort of become a way to show everyone their new Bengals swag and even find cool deals or collectibles online.

So i started digging into the changes we have made so far and what those look like on paper.

I think its both fair and realistic to assume the rookies and young players who were able to settle in should start at LEAST where they finished last season, if not a slight improvement off the jump.

SO Knight not blitzing off the edge anymore, will allow him to better master and grow at his LB specific role, the team has said as much, with Stewert and Trey down they regrettably forced knight to rush off the edge and that was a mistake, but its what we had. Carter should just generally improve to a solid contributing role player who can occasionally make a play. Every roster needs these. Our new Wilson/Pratt type guy. just be solid for 6 years please.

Then the Dax Hills who seemed to finally settle into a role and performed at a high level in that role to finish the last half of the season.

So lets peak at the biggest upgrade span on the defense Geno Stone to Bryan Cook.

Cook was the best safety on the market in free agency, that said cook is a 7-7.5/10 safety. he is good, he isnt great.

Stone was roughly the worst safety in the sport, so going from bottom feeder to good, is a hell of an upgrade, i just dont want to overblow who Cook is as a player.

PFF Overall:

Stone: 54.3

Cook: 83.5

Coverage Grade:

Stone: 50.7

Cook: 84.3

Run Defense Grade:

Stone: 53.9

Cook: 80.1

Pass Rush Grade: (Neither player was really used in this way often, but fair is fair so here is the data)

Stone: 72.8

Cook: 58.3

Then add that you brought in a veteran who was a 2x Superbowl champion, has pride in being from Cincinnati and part of Ohio. those things bring their own value. Stone was given a tough break in Cincinnati, Lou used him against his skillset and then he was in a new system around youth and mistakes and other issues, so he was set to fail, and boy did he ever fail. I wouldnt be surprised if he plays much better in Buffalo, but he is who he is, an average-at-best safety

Summery: This is a huge addition, what does this move alone translate to in wins? how many first downs was stone responsible for? How many scores? 10? 15? 20? how many games did we lose by 1 score? you could tell me this move earns us a single win, you could argue this move secures us 3-5 wins based on last years shortcomings, and it would be hard to argue.

For the sake of post length, I will put the next comparison in the replies.

Demetrius Knight and Barret Carter were over their skis all year until the very end when at least Carter seemed to settle in a bit. They shouldn’t both start next year if either.

Oren Burks was the veteran of the group and he has another year left on his deal. He played ok at times but he could be released saving 1.6M and eating 375K.

Shaka Heyward played little on defense but he’s become a special teams constant and will likely be back in that role.

Joe Giles Harris played just 32 snaps on defense but was graded especially high in his limited play. He re-upped quickly this year after having 19 tackles on special teams.

Brian Asamoah didn’t play any snaps from scrimmage this year but had 58 special teams snaps. He’s a free agent.

Liam Anderson signed a futures contract after bouncing around the Colts roster for two seasons.

Need

Two starters but my fear is they will think one year will make things better and that this season was an investment. They are solid in the 3-4-5-6 spots but could really use at least one new starter. I’d like them to get a big name and then take a flyer on another guy who would be ok rotating somewhat with Carter and/or Knight.

Candidates

There are a ton of very solid free agents that fit the bill. I separated them into Young and Old. The young ones will probably cost quite a bit. The old ones not so much.

Young

Devin Lloyd might be the prize of free agency. He’s just 27 and had 5 interceptions this year and a passer rating of 57.1 when targeted. This was after three years of over 100 tackles each.

Leo Chenal seems to be the most common name connected to us. He’s 25 and has started 44 games. The Chiefs have money tied up in two other linebackers so it’s unlikely he stays.

Devon Bush has had two solid years in Cleveland. He’s started 78 games over his career. Last year he had 125 tackles, 8 passes defensed and 3 interceptions. He was at Michigan when Kovacs was there.

Nakobe Dean was the other LB in the 2022 draft. His career hasn’t mimicked Lloyds but he has 27 starts. He’s likely out in Philly with both Baun and Campbell there.

Tremaine Edmunds is the last of the under 30 LBs that seem particularly interesting. He’s just 28 and was released by the Bears after a year in which he had 112 tackles, nine passes defensed and four interceptions.

-------------

Old

Demario Davis doesn’t fall anywhere near our normal age criteria at 37 but he’s a team captain with 213 career starts. He also played for our LBs coach Hodges for many years in New Orleans. He would come in and immediately be a leadership presence on a team that desperately needs it. He’s also coming off a 2 year 17.5M deal so he’d be relatively cheap.

Bobby Wagner might not have the coverage skills to make as big an impact as we’d like, but at 36 and with 217 career starts he would be a settling force on a defense badly in need of it. In 2025 he had 162 tackles. He played on a one year 9 million dollar deal last year.

Kaden Elliss is another player coached by Hodges in New Orleans. He has since moved to Atlanta where he started 17 games last year and had 107 tackles with 10 for loss. He is coming off a 3 year 21-million-dollar deal and is 31. He was a team captain.

Alex Anzalone is 31 and played for Hodges in New Orleans before moving to Detroit. This year he was a captain and had 95 tackles and nine passes defensed in 15 starts.

Old Flyers

Shaq Thompson started out hot last year but showed his age by the end of the year. He will be 32 by the start of the season. He finished starting six games and with six tackles for loss playing on a league minimum deal.

Bobby Okereke has started 95 games and had 143 tackles last year. That didn’t stop the Giants from releasing their captain. He was on a 4-year 40M contract. He will be 30 this year

Lavonta David is another ancient LB who will be 36 next year. He’s also another captain who had 215 career starts. Last year he had 114 tackles.

Denzel Perryman started 10 games last year for the Chargers and had 47 tackles. He’s 33 and played for Al Golden in Miami.

Devin White is 28 and had 174 tackles last year and 11 for loss. His PFF scores are amongst the worst in the league.

--------------

Flyers

D’Marco Jackson is yet another former Saints LB. He played sparingly in New Orleans before moving on to Chicago last year. In Chicago he had solid PFF scores on his most snaps of his career. He had the only four starts of his career and had 43 tackles with a great coverage rating from PFF and a passer rating when targeted of just 35.4. He’s 28.

Mykal Walker didn’t play much in his sixth year with the Jets but PFF graded him well. He has 30 career starts and was on a league minimum deal last year. He will be 29 in the fall.

Cole Holcomb had some big years in Washington before heading to Pittsburgh. He was out all of 2024 due to injury and then had an illness that kept him out much of 2025. In his limited snaps he had 37 tackles and PFF graded him well. He’s 30.

Justin Strnad is 30 as well and had a decent year with 58 tackles, 5 for loss and 4.5 sacks. He’s buried a bit in Denver although he has had a bunch of snaps the last two seasons.

Troy Andersen is just 27. The former second rounder didn’t play in 2025 due to a knee injury. He has 11 career starts

Malcolm Rodriguez is one of my favorite flyer options. He played just 72 snaps last year, coming off injury and PFF hated him. However, the undersized backer graded well in 2024. He’s always been buried in Detroit and could look for a fresh start.

Former Bengal Akeem Davis-Gaither was released after a season in Arizona. He’s 29 in the fall and played ok in Arizona. He could be back as a known commodity depth piece.

I’d want two of these players. One in the starter category of young or old and then one in the flyer category. In this case probably Ellis and Rodriguez.

The Safety spot should see some turnover, if not complete turnover. Jordan Battle will probably be back to start. He was ok but not a star. There is a world where he isn’t on the team in 2027. He’s only 25 and will be a free agent after this year. There is talk of extending him but that shouldn’t come until the preseason and should be dependent on who else is has been added.

Geno Stone won’t be back. He’s already signed off on Instagram. Too many missed tackles and too little playmaking.

Tycen Anderson is a pro bowl level special teamer that just doesn’t get a chance from scrimmage. He has 65 total snaps. I am betting that doesn’t change this year but I would also bet that the free agent is back.

Daijohn Anthony and PJ Jules are two guys with some upside. Jules made the roster last year and played well in limited snaps. He looked like a solid athlete in the preseason. Anthony played rarely due to injury this year and will be remembered for his penalty against the Chiefs.

Russ Yeast has been in the league for years but is just 27 years old. He has 10 starts for the Rams years ago.

Need

The need is clear. Replace Stone and maybe replace Battle. I say maybe because you have to replace Stone and then you probably take a safety early in the draft.

Candidates

Stars

Bryan Cook is the top player in the free agency safety group. He’s 27 in September, has great PFF scores. He has 47 career starts and 85 tackles this year. He played primarily free safety but also the box and slot. He is a former University of Cincinnati player as well as being from Cincinnati. My biggest concerns are poor coverage grades in previous years and a passer rating against of 128.5 this year.

Minkah Fitzpatrick is still under contract with the Dolphins but rumors of his trade or release are rampant. He’s an impact playmaker still at 29. Last year he played primarily in the slot but over his career he has played mostly at free safety. His base salary is 15.6 so a trade seems unlikely.

Kevin Byard would be an ideal addition. Although he’s 33 he is a captain who played for Desai in 2023. He has started 155 games in his career and had seven interceptions last season. He was on a two year 15-million-dollar deal in Chicago.

Jaylyn Hawkins is 29, has started 47 games over his career and had four ints this year. He played primarily at free safety but also in the box and slot. 2025 was his best year per PFF. It was also his most snaps.

Jalen Thompson is my favorite of the group. He is 28 with 87 career starts. His snaps were split pretty evenly between the slot, free safety and the box. He’s coming of a three year 36 million dollar deal. His PFF tackling grades are excellent.

Starters

Alohi Gilman bounced over to the Ravens this season. He started 12 games with snaps mostly coming across free safety and the box. He had six passes defensed but no interceptions. In his six year career he only has five interceptions.

Coby Bryant is another former UC player from Ohio. He’s just 27 and played primarily free safety this year however he played mostly in the slot as a rookie. This season he had 4 interceptions. He had an extremely low tackle rating per PFF.

Jaquan Brisker is only 27 as well. He has started 52 career games and might have the most diverse snap profile as he also played some DL. His coverage grades aren’t great but his tackling grades are. He only has 5 career interceptions.

Andre Cisco has started 55 career games over his career in Jacksonville and New York. During that time he has eight career interceptions and 25 passes defensed. He is just 26.

Nick Cross is a player that we have been tied to. He will be 25 in the fall and has 38 career starts including 17 this season. He had bad coverage scores and overall scores for PFF across 1111 snaps. Like Brisker he saw time at DL. Overall he had 120 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 5 passes defensed.

A’rdarius Washington was out much of this season before returning late. He is also 26. When her returned this year he played primarily in the slot. He had solid coverage and overall grades as a starter in Baltimore in 2024. Size is a question as he is listed at just 5’8 177.

Andrew Wingard has 44 career starts, 16 of them this season. He is 29 and has six career interceptions. PFf has him as being bad in coverage but good against the run.

Reed Blankenship had a very down year after two solid years starting in Philadelphia. His coverage grades were Abysmal this season. He just turned 27 and has 50 career starts and 9 career interceptions.

Flyers

Jimmie Ward didn’t play in 2025 but he has 99 career starts. When he played in 24 he had solid tackling and coverage numbers. He is 35.

Harrison Smith is even older at 37. He started 12 games last year for the Vikings and has 203 total. In 2025 he broke up 10 passes but his PFF tackle score was poor.

Elijah Hicks didn’t play much in 2025 but was solid in his first three years. He is just 27 and has played primarily free safety. In his limited snaps he has no interceptions and just 2 pass break ups.

The Bengals need to get someone from the Starts or Starters list to pair with Battle. The tea leaves say that’s Nick Cross but I would much rather have Thompson or Byard.

He's a top 10 G in the league (top 5 in pass protection in my view) and Mims is really blossoming playing next to him.

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Dax Hill and DJ Turner are two of the brightest young corners in the league. Both are just 26 and entering their final years. I am hopeful we can get a deal with both of them. Hill finally found his spot after bouncing around from safety to nickel. He was solid all year, but pretty spectacular at the outside corner. DJ Turner went from being benched to the best player on the defense. We have money to spend, and the corner can be a strength.

Jalen Davis took over at nickel corner late in the season and played fantastically as well. He’s back and on a very team-friendly league minimum deal. He will be in the mix in the slot.

Rounding out the returning roster are DJ Ivey and Josh Newton. Newton has had his ups and downs, being lauded for his professionalism and play in 2024 but having a down year in 2025. Ivey is still fighting for snaps, but has shown well in the few he has had. His role might be best shadowing tight ends.

Cam Taylor Britt is a free agent and destined for another team. He flashed early in his career but was exposed at times last year. Marco Wilson could be back, but after playing gust 22 snaps last year, it’s probably unlikely. He played just 30 special teams snaps.

Bralyn Lux was a college free agent last year, and the team is high on him. He played well in the preseason, and his PFF scores were great for the 19 snaps he played. He primarily played in the slot and could be an option there long term.

Jalen Kimber was signed to the practice squad this December after starting the year on the Bills practice squad after spending camp with the Titans.

Needs: In 365 days this position could be barren. As of now it’s loaded at the top and with potential. A veteran to pair with Davis in the slot and backup the two starters on the outside could be ideal.

The Candidates:

Kader Kohou was out all of last year with an ACL tear. He played 453 snaps in the slot and 187 outside in 2024 with 9 starts. He has 38 over his career. He is 27

Alontae Taylor might be out of our price range. He has 53 starts with 16 coming last year when he had 83 tackles, 7 for loss, 11 pass break ups and two interceptions. He’s split time inside and out.

Dee Alford has played primarily inside for the Falcons. He started seven of his 23 games last year. In 2025 he had 67 tackles, six for loss, 13 passes defensed and three interceptions. Last year he did play 143 snaps on the outside.

Amik Robertson is 28. His PF scores were atrocious but were better last year. In 2025 he had 52 tackles, 12 passes defensed and one interception. He’s played more outside than in over his 35 career starts.

Noah Igbinoghene is just 26. He has 17 career starts. Last year he started two games. He played for Charles Burks in Miami. While he’s played mostly slot over the last few years he played outside early in his career.

Of this group I think that Kader makes the most sense. He is coming off an ACL he tore in July, is still very young with upside and has played inside and out.

Reynolds-Jets: Taylor Rams

Berrios-Texans: Golden-Miami

TE

Higbee-Rams: Taylor Rams

Stoll-Saints: Walters UCF

Deguara-Cards: Taylor Cincy

OL

Levin-Titans: Rascati 17

Pocic-Browns: Peters Browns

Bitonio-Browns: Peters Browns----Captain

Tomlinson-Ravens: McCarthy 17

Teller-Browns: Peters Browns

Hance-Titans: Peters Browns

Jones-Seahawks: Casey Houston U

Quessenberry-Rams: Rascati 23

Udoh-Titans: Rascati 22

Lamm-Dolphinis: Peters 20

Willis-FA: Peters Browns

DT

Tonga-Pats: Desai 23

Ekuale-Stealers: Montgomery 24

Clark-Cowboys: Montgomery 16-23

Ashawn Robinson-Panthers: Golden 18-19

Harris-Browns: Desai 23

Gallimore-Colts: Desai 24

Campbell-Cardinals: Captain

DE

Mack-Chargers: Desai 19-21-----Captain

Bosa-Bills: Captain----Burrows friend

Jordan-Saints: Captain

Mafe-Seahawks: Desai 22

Graham-Eagles: Desai 23

Gary-Packers: Captain

Crosby-Raiders: Captain

Chubb-Dolphins: Captain

Greenard-Vikings: Captain

LB

Davis-Saints: Hodges Saints-----Captain

Jackson-Bears: Hodges Saints

Elliss-Falcons: Hodges Saints----Captain

Anzalone-Lions: Hodges Saints---Captain

Gay-Dolphins: Hodges 24

Dean-Eagles: Desai 23

David-Bucs: Captain

Perryman-Chargers: Golden Miami U--Captain

Walker-Packers: Captain

Okereke-Giants: Captain

S

Byard-Bears: Desai 23-----Captain

Bryant-Hawks: Desai 22----UC

Wilson-Cowboys: Captain

Blankenship-Eagles: Captain----Desai 23

Smith-Vikings: Captain

CB

St Juste-Chargers: Kovacs 18

QB

Willis-Packers 27

Fields-Jets 27

Wilson-Dolphins 27

Lance-Chargers 26

Howell-Eagles 26

RB

Walker-Seahawks 25

Chestnut-Titans 25

Pacheco-Chiefs 26

Allgeier-Falcons 26

White-Raiders 26

Pierce-Chiefs 26

Brightwell-Bengals 27

Dobbins-Broncos 27

Etienne-Jaguars 27

White-Bucs 27

Gainwell-Stealers 27

Carter-Cardinals 27

Robinson-49ers 27

Davis-Cowboys 27

Ford-Browns 27

Rivers-Rams 27

WR

Robinson-Giants 25

Pierce-Colts 26

Doubs-Packers 26

Moore-49ers 26

Burks-Commanders 26

Brown-Jaguars 26

Fehoko-Cardinals 26

Thorntons-Chiefs 26

Moore-Broncos 26

Metchie-Jets 26

Dotson-Eagles 26

Atwell-Rams 26

Moore-Vikings 26

Young-Seahawks 27

Davis-Bills 27

Tolbert-Cowboys 27

Austin-Stealers 27

Wallace-Ravens 27

Nailor-Vikings 27

TE

Bellinger-Giants 25

Likely-Ravens 26

Dulcich-Dolphins 26

Morris-Jaguars 26

Fitzpatrick-Packers 26

Quitoriano-Falcons 26

Okonkwo-Titans 27

Otton-Bucs 27

Calcaterra-Eagles 27

Woods-Jets 27

Kolar-Ravens 27

Parkinson-Rams 27

Heyward-Stealers 27

OL

Neal-Giants 25

Linderbaum-Ravens 26

Burford-49ers 26

Johnson-Chargers 26

Faalele-Ravens 26

Walker-Packers 26

Ezeudu-Giants 26

Mays-Panthers 27

Hoffman-Cowboys 27

Parham-Raiders 27

Jones-Cowboys 27

Penning-Chargers 27

Paul-Commanders 27

Vera Tucker-Jets 27

Ingram-Texans 27

Curhan-Panthers 27

Lowe-Patriots 27

Jones-Bears 27

Forsythe-Raiders 27

Borom-Dolphins 27

Wills-Free Agent 27

DT

Hall-Bucs 26

Hinish-Texans 27

Lynch-Titans 27

Tufele-Jets 27

Ridgeway-Saints 27

Ford-Bears 27

DE

Thomas-Browns 26

Ossai-Bengals 26

Enagbare-Packers 26

Ojulari-Eagles 26

Dimukeje-Giants 26

Ojabo-Ravens 26

Phillips-Eagles 27

Ebiketie-Falcons 27

Oweh-Chargers 27

Mafe-Seahawks 27

Chaisson-Patriots 27

Paye-Colts 27

Epenesa-Bills 27

Williams-Cowboys 27

Tryon-Bears 27

Rumph-Saints 27

Malone-Falcons 27

Turner-Cowboys 27

LB

Chenal-Chiefs 25

Dean-Eagles 25

Harris-Texans 25

McFadden-Giants 26

Sanborn-Cowboys 26

Walker-Packers 26

Lloyd-Jags 27

Cochrane-Chiefs 27

Hummell-Ravens 27

Andersen-Falcons 27

Britt-Dolphins 27

Murray-Cowboys 27

Rodriguez-Lions 27

S

Belton-Giants 25

Cross-Colts 25

Cisco-Jets 26

Washington-Ravens 26

Pinnock-49ers 27

Cook-Chiefs 27

Burgess-Saints 27

Curl-Rams 27

Hicks-Bears 27

Bryant-Seahawks 27

Brisker-Bears 27

Adams-Jets 27

Melifonwu-Dolphins 27

Blankenship-Eagles 27

CB

Flott-Giants 25

Elam-Titans 25

McReary-Rams 26

Igbinohhene-Commanders 26

Williams-Chiefs 26

Newsome-Jax 26

Emerson-Browns 26

Kohou-Dolphins 27

Taylor-Saints 27

Stokes-Raiders 27

Brown-Jax 27

Wright-Bears 27

Womack-Jets 27

Woolen-Seahawks 27

Evans-Panthers 27

Armour-Davis-Titans 27

Taylor-Jets 27

By Mike Florio

Published February 15, 2026 07:29 PM

The NFL filed a grievance over the NFL Players Association’s annual report cards in order to keep the NFLPA from publicizing criticisms of teams and owners. The NFL won a ruling preventing the NFLPA from doing so.

Still, the 26-page ruling from arbitrator Scott E. Buchheit, a copy of which PFT has obtained, makes it clear that the next wave of report cards may be disseminated to all players.

The opinion also includes a full list of the criticisms about which the NFL complained from the 2025 report cards.

Here’s the full content of relevant portions of Buchheit’s written decision.

“As to the individual comments contained within the Report Cards that lead to the letter grades, the NFLMC has richly detailed that they do contain numerous criticisms. These include, but are not limited to, the following examples from the 2025 Report Card that are contained in its brief:

“New York Jets: The Union said Players complained that ‘management responded to feedback [from prior Team Report Cards] by making conditions worse,’ including cutting the food budget and not retaining a long-time dietician after poor food grades the prior year. The Union also graded owner Woody Johnson an F — the lowest owner rating in the league, 5.58 out of 10 — which, according to Players, resulted from his perceived unwillingness to invest in facilities. . . . Players cited ‘perceived top leadership issues, with some describing issues as “top-down problems”'—reflecting ownership concerns.

“Cincinnati Bengals: The Union again criticized treatment of families, stating that Players called it a ‘major concern’ and saying there is ‘little to no effort’ to support families. ‘One player describes the treatment of families as “‘almost disrespectful,”’ resulting in a grade of F-minus.

“Buffalo Bills: The Union dropped the Club in the overall rankings from prior years because ‘issues . . . previously raised [by Players] . . . have not been addressed and thus have become greater concerns[.]’ The Union claimed Players were concerned that ‘current [training] staffing is inadequate to help them recover,’ and ‘travel continues to be the worst part of their experience’ because they ‘do not have a comfortable amount of space when traveling and the travel schedule itself is a source of significant dissatisfaction.’

“Arizona Cardinals: The Union ranked the Club last overall based on Player feedback, criticizing the treatment of families (lack of family events, limits on pregame sideline access, poor in-game family accommodations), and a so-called deficient locker room, training facilities, and weight room. The Union stated that Players also faulted owner Michael Bidwill, saying he ‘slightly contributes to a positive team culture’ and is only ‘somewhat committed to building a competitive team[.]’

“Philadelphia Eagles: The Union highlighted that Players ‘are frustrated that mealtimes overlap with the organization’s business staff, leading to crowding and limited seats,’ and ‘feel they should get first class seats on team flights instead of the coaching staff.’

“Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Union published that Players criticized the locker room, lodging ‘several complaints about cleanliness, including poor ventilation and a persistent bad smell.’

“Jacksonville Jaguars: The Union gave the Club an F for treatment of families; ‘Players believe that many changes need to be made,’ including more access to sideline passes, a family room during the game, and upgrades to the post-game family area.

“Kansas City Chiefs: The Union said Players ‘continue to express the need for renovation and upgrades to the locker room’ and criticized the home game hotel as the ‘lowest in the league,’ remarking that it is ‘outdated,’ the beds are ‘uncomfortable,’ and the floors are ‘dirty and sticky.’

“Carolina Panthers: The Union continued to cite Player criticisms of owner David Tepper for using ‘turf instead of grass, perhaps because it is cheaper to maintain,’ and complained about travel due to the ‘new coaching staff moving players from first class last season and placing them in smaller, coach seats.’

“New England Patriots: The Union gave the Club a failing travel grade and singled out the ‘team plane’ —'Players specifically responded that “our plane is the worst thing – size, space, [and] safety,”’ and ‘it is not conducive to preparedness for athletic performance,’ because, among other things, ‘it lacks Wi-Fi and still has ashtrays in the seats.’ One player also referred to the carpeting in the locker room as ‘dingy with pieces missing.’

“Indianapolis Colts: The Union stated that Players complained of travel arrangements, noting that they ‘don’t feel like they have enough personal space on flights. They want more access to first-class seating.’

Those are the full complaints from the 2025 report cards that were included in Buchheit’s decision. Eleven teams in all were mentioned, with three owners identified by name — Woody Johnson, Michael Bidwill, and David Tepper.

The complaints listed in the 26-page ruling come from not from the to-be-released report cards but from the report cards prepared and published in 2025. It’s inevitable, however, that one of the many NFLPA members who’ll receive the 2026 report card will disclose them, to someone. Once they’re leaked (to PFT or to another outlet), we’ll post them here in full.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/cincinnati-bengals

the 2026 contest will happen.

By Bryan DeArdo

7 hrs ago•2 min read

Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Stealers did not fare well in the NFL Players Association's annual team report cards. For the first time, the Stealers came in last place, according to ESPN, which obtained the survey results after the league won a grievance to stop the NFLPA from making the report cards public.

The survey -- based on responses from 1,759 players -- had the Miami Dolphins ranked first, the Minnesota Vikings second and the Washington Commanders third. For a second straight year, the Cleveland Browns ranked 30th among the NFL's 32 teams. 

Miami reportedly ranked fourth overall in home field due to the quality of the natural grass at Hard Rock Stadium. Former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel (now the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers) received a B grade a year after getting an A+ in the survey. 

"Players identify scheduling, communication, and leadership as key areas for head coaching improvement, presenting an opportunity for [new head coach Jeff] Hafley next season," the survey said of the Dolphins' coaching situation. 

Elsewhere, the Stealers reportedly received low grades in several categories, including having the lowest-rated home field in the NFL "by a wide margin." 

Pittsburgh shares its home field with the University of Pittsburgh and plays on a field that hosts high school playoff games. All of that activity typically leads to less-than-ideal playing surfaces for the Stealers and their opponents. 

The Stealers' locker room received an F, as players stated that it "has only five bathroom stalls for the entire team." Stealers president Art Rooney ranked last in the league for "willingness to invest in facilities, a trend reflected in the Stealers' poor facility ratings across the board." 

In the past, Rooney has downplayed the NFLPA's annual survey. 

"It doesn't get presented to us, it gets presented to the media, so as far as I'm concerned it's a media opportunity for the players association as opposed to a serious effort of constructive criticism," Rooney said in 2024. 

In its grievance, the NFL stated that the survey violated the collective bargaining agreement. An arbitrator agreed while stating that the report cards violated the CBA by "disparaging NFL clubs and individuals." The NFLPA said it would continue to collect responses from the report cards even if it was unable to publish them. 

A spokesperson for the NFLPA declined to comment to ESPN. An NFL spokesperson also declined to comment while stating that, like the last four years of the NFLPA's report cards, the league had no knowledge of the survey.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nflpa-report-cards-dolphins-Stealers-annual-team-surveys/

I’m on an island here but I’m not a huge Trey Hendrickson guy. He only has a bull rush and his back is constantly nagging him. He’s 31 and played sparingly in 2025. I’m hopeful for a tag and trade for anything we can get, but I’m not upset we are closing the door.

Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample are both free agents as well. Ossai had five sacks again. I’m sure he would be welcomed back at the right price, but some places say around 11 million per. He’s just 26 and still rising. Sample is 26 as well but played just 234 snaps coming off an injury. He might be back on a league minimum deal but isn’t a pocket pusher.

Myles Murphy finally lived up to his draft promise near the end of the year. They will need to make a decision to pick up his fifth year option and it’s likely they do so. Murphy had 5.5 sacks but his motor and impact was evident.

Shemar Stewart will be back after an injury plagued year kept him off the field. He didn’t make an impact but he flashed a bit playing both outside and inside on passing downs. His versatility is interesting.

I have always been a fan of Cedric Johnson. He had 207 snaps and two sacks. Isaiah Foskey will be back after playing just 34 snaps. The former Notre Dame defensive end played for Golden in South Bend. Finally,

Antwaun Powell-Ryland was added to the offseason roster as well. He was a 2025 Eagles 6^th rounder who had 16 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries during his final season at Virginia Tech.

Needs: Progression from their young pass rushers and at least one more impact pass rusher. In a deep pass rushing draft there is almost certainly going to be one drafted but the free agency class is deep and diverse as well. We should be able to get a veteran bargain.

Options

There are two distinct types of DEs available to meet our needs. Young and Old….and amongst each are impact players and flyers

Young-Impact

Maxx Crosby reportedly is on the trading block, and we have the rights to the best pass rusher available, not named Maxx Crosby. Crosby is 29 and signed through 2029 at 30M, 29M, 26.5M and 27.4M. He’s affordable and impactful. Last year had had 10 sacks and 31 hurries but most impressive for me is 73 tackles and 28 tackles for loss.

Jaelan Phillips might be the second most sought after free agent pass rusher. He’s just 27 and while he has only had 32 career sacks, PFF credited him with 57 hurries last year.

Arnold Ebiketie was the most realistic option should we not go all in Crosby. A former early second rounder who had seasons of 6 and 7 sacks, Ebiketie is 27 and seemed to fall out of favor in Atlanta after they chose James Pearce and Jalon Walker in the first-round last year. But Pearce was arrested on five felony counts. These situations could fall anywhere between nothing happens to he’s out of the league. Regardless, it’s more likely now that Ebiketie returns to Atlanta.

Odafe Oweh is 27 and had 7 sacks this last year. He’s averaged 30 hurries a season in his five-year career. The former first rounder for Baltimore. Has been mentioned by Paul Dehner as being at the top of this class, but I don’t really see what makes him stand out over Ebiketie.

Boye Mafe is another name Dehner has mentioned. He only had 2 sacks this year but has had seasons with nine and six. The last year years he has had 42-36-36 hurries. He’s also just 27.

Kwity Paye is the last of the high end young defensive ends to hit the market. He didn’t have a great year with just four sacks, but that number was the lowest in his five year career. He is 27 as well and a former first rounder.

Rashan Gary is a rumored cap casualty in Green Bay where they will save 10M with his release. He is 28 and played for our defensive line coach in Green Bay for several seasons. He’s averaged 8 sacks and 35 hurries over his last six seasons.

Joseph Ossai, who is 26, probably falls in this list for teams outside of the Bengals.

Young-Flyers

Josh Uche is just 27 and had the best PFF numbers of the free agent class but he’s failed to produce over his career. He has 22 sacks in his six year career that included one season with 12. He’s never played over 373 snaps in a season.

Malcolm Koonce rebounded from an IR stint in 2024 to grab five sacks in 2025. He’s 28 now and might be worth a flyer if his market doesn’t materialize.

Sam Williams is only interesting in that he was decent in was decent in 22 and 23 before an IR stint in 24 and he might come very cheap. He’s 27

DJ Wonnum is 28 and has had 32 sacks over his stops in Minnesota and Carolina. He’s very lowly rated by PFF but had three sacks and 25 hurries this season.

Old-Impact

Khalil Mack is 35 but he had great PFF numbers to go with 5.5 sacks. Mack is a team captain who made 18 million last year. He was coached by Desai 2019-2021. Over his career, he’s had 119 career sacks and 552 hurries.

Joey Bosa might be a real option in Cincinnati given his relationship with Burrow. He had five sacks las year playing on a 12-million-dollar deal. He was also a captain. Bosa had 30 hurries last year to go with 29 tackles. He’s 31.

Jadeveon Clowney is my favorite of the group. He played on a one year 3.45 million dollar deal last year and had 8.5sacks, 4 passes defended and 29 hurries. He’s 33 and has had 70 career sacks with 39 coming over the last five years. He had 41 tackles.

Dante Fowler is another Dallas free agent. He had three sacks and three passes defensed but just 15 tackles. He’s 32 and has 66 career sacks. Last year he made six million.

Cameron Jordan is the oldest of the olds at 37. Yet he checks off every other box. He was a captain last year and cheap at one year 6.5million. He had 47 tackles, 10.5sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 21 hurries.

Al Quadin Muhammad had a breakout year last year with 12 sacks. He had 16 total the rest of his seven years. He is 31 and was just on a 1-year deal for 1.4Million.

Von Miller is 37 and still impactful with 9 sacks last year. He also had 22 hurries.

Old-Flyers

Jihad Ward had terrible PFF grades. He’s 32 and had 5 sacks last year with 22 hits and 21 hurries. What makes him interesting is that he was still impactful on a one year 1.4 million dollar deal.

With a deep draft I think that you probably target a defensive end in one of the first rounds. That likely means you don’t also target a high end young long term defensive end. I’d welcome a Raiders trade for Maxx Crosby but I think it’s more likely this group is improved by an early pick and someone like Jadeveon Clowney. A unit of Murphy-Clowney-Stewart-Draft Pick is probably impactful. And Clowney can be the leader the young group needs.

Look, I love Jay Morrison, Jay is a voice for Bengals coverage that i have admired for an incredibly long time.

Jay lost his wife a few weeks ago, a routine medical procedure turned for the worst ( which is how i lost both of my parents so its hitting home for me a little extra).

Jay has stepped away from the sport for a while, but i fdound today there is a gofundme for supporting her celebration of life and all those things associated.

"On December 22, 2025, Nicki Morrison passed away with a final act of donating her organs, leaving this world as a hero.

Since Nicki's husband, Jay, shared the news publicly, dozens of his listeners, readers, followers and friends have reached out to ask what they can do to support him. This fund can hopefully serve as a small way for the community to show their love and support for Jay and his children as they plan Nicki's celebration of life, which in Jay's words will be "a party worthy enough of the most beautiful, caring, bad-ass rocker chick" he shared a life with for 37 years."

If be stoked if those of you who donate here, skipped donating here forever and donate a nice chunk to Jay for this cause.

Jay is a wonderful person, a cincinnati legend and if you followed Jay at all you know he loved his wife more than anything.

I BEG of you to go support.

https://gofund.me/1e18268fa

I tossed $100 so far. I will toss af ew hundred more in a few days once im back from traveling.

• Ben BabyJan 19, 2026, 06:05 AM ET

CINCINNATI -- By the time the Cincinnati Bengals reached halftime of their Week 6 game against the Green Bay Packers, half of the team's plan to attack the season was in shambles.

Cincinnati was without star quarterback Joe Burrow, who was recovering from a turf toe injury that forced him to miss nine games. But the other half of the plan was about to fall apart, too.

Trey Hendrickson, the team's star defensive end, left the game early because of what was initially deemed a back injury. Over time, the nature of the injury became increasingly vague. But what it meant for the future was not.

He missed 10 games because of what was later ruled to be a core injury that required surgery. And with the former All-Pro and Pro Bowl player set to enter free agency, Cincinnati will spend the offseason figuring out how to retool its pass rush. And that is top of mind for Bengals de facto general manager Duke Tobin as the team prepares for a critical 2026.

"Pass rush is king," Tobin said in his end-of-year news conference Jan. 9. "You always need to be layering in pass rushers."

When the Bengals mapped out 2025, Cincinnati envisioned Hendrickson continuing his trajectory as one of the game's best pass rushers -- for at least one season. The spring was filled with acrimony between Hendrickson and the Bengals, resulting in a contract dispute that stretched into training camp and was eventually settled with a substantial raise that set his salary at $29 million.

But once the Week 6 injury occurred, the plan unraveled. Hendrickson attempted to come back two weeks later in Week 8 against the New York Jets. But he aggravated the injury, which frustrated Hendrickson, causing him to leave that loss early. Those 23 snaps in a stunning 39-38 loss were his last of the season -- and potentially his Bengals career.

His injury was cited as a reason for the team's 6-11 campaign, which caused Cincinnati to miss the playoffs for the third straight season and increased scrutiny on Tobin, coach Zac Taylor and all the key decision-makers inside the organization.

"The highest-paid guy on both sides of the ball weren't out there for us," Tobin said. "You need your closers, and you need your aces when it comes down to the fourth quarter and you need a stop."

Should Cincinnati move on from Hendrickson, as expected, the Bengals could chart a few paths. One could include re-signing defensive end Joseph Ossai, who wrapped up his fifth year with the Bengals and is set to cash in after a one-year "prove it" deal with the team that drafted him in 2021.

While posting five sacks for the second straight year, Ossai saw an uptick in pressure rate, pass rush win rate and sacks created. That should merit him a much bigger contract than the one that paid him $6.5 million last season.

"I think I did all right for myself," Ossai said with a smile the day after the season ended. "I'm very critical of myself, so there's definitely a lot more that I wanted to do. A lot more I could have done."

Should the Bengals and Hendrickson part ways, Cincinnati will have to account for $6.5 million in dead money for next year's cap, according to OverTheCap.com. But with an estimated $56.1 million in cap space for 2026, Cincinnati has the room to find effective pass rushers.

"We've seen some of that start to develop from within our team," Tobin said. "And then I think we need to find some from external sources as well."

Getting improved play from Myles Murphy, the team's 2023 first-round pick, was a major boost for the Bengals at the end of the season. That helped offset Hendrickson's loss to a degree. Shemar Stewart, the team's first-round pick who missed nine games last season because of injuries, is still a major unknown.

The Bengals will also have the 10th pick in April's draft, the team's highest draft position since 2021 and a byproduct of the Bengals' worst record since the start of the decade.

Cincinnati has no shortage of routes to explore in improving its defensive front this offseason. But if the Bengals want to be a playoff team again, Cincinnati must be aggressive in finding the right path forward -- with or without Hendrickson.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47640620/cincinnati-bengals-trey-hendrickson-free-agent

Joe Burrow says the ball has to get to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins no matter how they're being defended. Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images

• 

  Ben BabyFeb 15, 2026, 06:00 AM ET

CINCINNATI -- One big thing the Cincinnati Bengals did in 2021, when the team reached the Super Bowl, was something the best teams this season also had in common.

They created big plays.

Three of the four teams that reached this year's conference championships were among the league leaders in percentage of plays that gained 20 or more yards. That included the Seattle Seahawks, who took down the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX.

But since that 2021 season, Cincinnati hasn't been nearly as explosive. The Bengals' rate of big plays has plummeted, even when quarterback Joe Burrow has been healthy. Opponents have limited Burrow's ability to find star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on downfield targets.

And finding ways to manufacture those plays again could help the Bengals get back into the postseason.

"You can't just let teams double them and then say, 'Those guys are out of the game plan now,'" Burrow said at the end of last season. "They're too good of players to think that way. You still have to find ways to get them the ball."

Burrow praised the way coach Zac Taylor and his staff have been able to find ways to get Chase and Higgins the ball. Both players had productive seasons coming off massive contract extensions. Chase had 125 receptions on a league-high 185 targets and was named an All-Pro for the second straight year. Higgins led the AFC with 11 receiving touchdowns and was named to the Pro Bowl as a replacement

Opponents have made it a point to make it difficult for the Bengals to find those big plays that they feasted on during that 2021 campaign, Cincinnati's best season in 33 years. As a rookie, Chase had eight touchdowns on receptions of 25 or more yards. The next-closest player had five.

Then teams started to adjust and started double-teaming him.

"Until [teams[ physically played against him and felt how physical he was, they thought they could stop him," Taylor said in November. "And then once [defensive backs] ran back to their coordinators saying, 'He's too strong,' then that was where we saw a shift."

The numbers bear that out. In 2021, Cincinnati was sixth in the NFL in percentage of offensive plays that gained 20 or more yards, according to ESPN Research. The rankings following that season -- 17th, 27th, 21st, 20th.

ESPN defines explosive plays as carries that are 10 or more yards or receptions of 20 more yards.

Defensively, there is no doubt that Cincinnati struggled to keep teams from posting explosive plays. The Bengals surrendered 122 of them last season, two fewer than the league-worst New York Giants.

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase ranked third in the NFL in receptions and fourth in receiving yards in 2025. 

But a further look at the data showed that what the offense does perhaps play a bigger role than what the defense gives up.

In 2025, teams that had six or more explosive plays in a game won 63% of the time.

When Cincinnati built its current version of the roster, it invested heavily in putting pressure on teams with its passing trio of Burrow, Chase and Higgins. All three have received lucrative contracts that are a combined $551 million in total value and $250 million in total guaranteed money.

And opponents are making sure that the Bengals don't win with big plays to their top receivers.

"Teams that haven't showed that on tape will throw that out there against us, and it's because nobody can cover those guys one-on-one unless they have some kind of help somewhere in funneling them," Burrow said in December.

Cincinnati still found ways to score. But the deeper numbers show that the big plays haven't materialized like in previous years. This year's playoffs, and the heights Cincinnati experienced in 2021, showed that the teams that stretch the field are the ones that have the best shot of winning big.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47910462/cincinnati-bengals-joe-burrow-big-plays

A great close friend (general acquaintance) and hilarious comedian from cincinnati, Josh Sneed, has a killer t shirt company that has tons of amazing shirts. they do stuff for companies, sports teams, he also runs a fieldhouse for youth sports over the river in kentucky. Josh is one of my favorite people that i have only met 3-4 times.

business had hit some slow times, like anyone else in business i am assuming here, that rising costs of doing business and local sports teams having tough years lately tend to slow down the trendy funny sports tees and things.

Back when i just had my two kids, was in an apartment in blue ash starting my family and spending way too much time on here, josh and cincyshirts was one of my first sponsors, his funds to put hi banner on the site covered the $200+ server bill for many many months while i was spending all of my money on baby formula and baby wipes running on hopeum caffeine and 5 hrs sleep a night. So there will always be a soft sport in my soul for cincyshirts, and josh's comedy.

A huge portion of their gear supports a non profit or charity associated with the subject matter of the t shirts and things.

so if youre feeling in the mood to buy some cool sports gear or cincinnati related gear.. grab some stuff.

ill post some of my favorites in here..

got some pants and leggings for the wife, a candle for my office at work cause it looks cool, and a cincinnati shirt.

they also have in person stores, one in loveland and one somewhere else (lol).

By 

Skyler Caruso

Published on February 10, 2026 07:14PM EST

Joe Burrow attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party hosted by Michael Rubin on Feb. 7 in San Francisco.Credit : 

Cindy Ord/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Joe Burrow debuted a new hairstyle at the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party hosted by CEO and founder Michael Rubin in San Francisco on Saturday, Feb. 7

• The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback spoke with PEOPLE exclusively about the inspiration behind his look, including a message of "hope" to fans who have thoughts about it

• The invite-only affair was star-studded, attracting the biggest names across sports and entertainment like Tom Brady, Cardi B, Jay-Z and more

Joe Burrow is expressing himself.

Now that a helmet doesn't have to be worn amid the NFL offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals star, 29, is having fun with his hair by mixing up his look once again as seen on the Fanatics Party red carpet ahead of the 2026 Super Bowl.

PEOPLE asked Burrow about his new 'do and what prompted the change as he made his way inside the invite-only event, which made its anticipated return to the Super Bowl scene with a stacked guest list of stars and A-list performances on Saturday, Feb. 7.

Joe Burrow attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party.

Aaron J. Thornton/WireImage

"I'm trying something new today," the Bengals quarterback told PEOPLE of his greased-up hair while simultaneously pushing the front of his curls away from his face while walking the red carpet of the Michael Rubin-hosted event in San Francisco on the eve of the Big Game.

Burrow's hair was a stray from his typical blonde, shaggy flow. This time, he slicked it back with hair gel — using so much that his locks appeared dark brown (and nearly black in different lighting).

The tendrils, though, stole the show. Two long strands dangled down over his eyes and hung by his cheeks, failing to stay slicked behind his head no matter how many times he attempted to push them back.

"I hope people like it," he added.

For his outfit, the NFL star kept it simple. He slipped on khakis and a black T-shirt to attend one of the hottest parties of the weekend, which attracted fellow stars like Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner, Cardi B, Kevin Costner, Alix Earle, Jamie Foxx, Machine Gun Kelly and more.

Burrow's hair racked up the comments on social media. While some were in favor of the strand switch-up, others felt otherwise.

"Is Joey fighting some demons?" joked one user on X in response to a photo of the athlete at the party.

Watch Joe Burrow Face Off with His Hair as It Falls in His Face Multiple Times During a Press Conference

Joe Burrow during a December 2024 game.

Cooper Neill/Getty

"This hair…no," commented another.

"That boy had blisters from rubbing his hair back 😂 if you drink everytime he does that youd be 6 feet under," penned a third on Instagram.

"Did you dry your hair?" a content creator asked the QB in a video that's gone viral.

As for the praise Burrow received, one X user simply wrote: "thank u for ur service."

Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals in August 2024.

Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty

"QB or hair model?" wrote another.

This isn't the first time Burrow's do sparked conversation.

In early January, the Bengals star went viral during a post-game press conference when his menacing tendrils kept falling in front of his face multiple times.

Joe Burrow on the sidelines before an October 2025 game.

Dylan Buell/Getty

Burrow, who spoke with the media after the Bengals lost 18-20 to the Cleveland Browns on Jan. 4, seemed bothered by his 'do from the start, sitting down at the mic and instantly raking his lengthy bangs back with his hands.

The athlete ran his fingers through his hair 10-odd times before reporters even asked him a question. Then he continued to push his hair back while answering a question about his thoughts on the game, a loss to end the season.

https://people.com/joe-burrow-shares-1-message-to-fans-about-his-divisive-greased-up-hair-transformation-exclusive-11903665

State of the Position: There is talk of cutting both BJ Hill and TJ Slaton. I don’t really understand that. Hill would save just 4.7M, and we would have 7.4M in dead cap. He also played well overall with 4 sacks and is a leader on the defense, although he’s 31. Slaton is a different story. He struggled for much of the year but came on over the last six games. He’s in the final year of a 2-year contract. If he were released, the team would save 6.6 million and have 2.5 in dead cap. Can the team find an upgrade at nose tackle for 6.6 million in a weak NT group?

Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson failed to make an impact in their second years. Like Slaton, Jackson didn’t really come on until the end of the year, and he finished with just 129 total snaps and seven tackles. Jenkins was lauded in camp by Golden and then failed to do much of anything as well. He will be back in the rotation after starting four games in 2025.

Jordan Jefferson was a former Jaguars 4^th-rounder in 2024, picked up by the Bengals in October after his release from the 49ers. He played sparingly his rookie year with 151 snaps and 25 this year with us. Howard Cross played for Golden in South Bend and was a captain. He’s back on a futures contract

Need: The team needs a Difference maker at the position. Even if they return everyone, they need someone who can push the pocket and create chaos.

Candidates

High Priced

The draft appears thin at DT, which will make it nearly essential that the team dives into free agency for an impact player.

David Onyemata is 33, but his PFF grades are off the charts. He had 62 tackles last year, 7 for loss and 19 hurries. While he only had one sack, he has 34 over his career. He’s coming off a three-year, 35M dollar deal.

Sebastian Joseph-Day had 41 tackles with 1.5 sacks and 15 hurries. He’s 31, and his PFF scores were solid. He’s bounced around the league for a bit before signing his one year 6.5M deal to return to the Titans this year.

John Franklin Myers might see the biggest payday amongst this group. He had eight sacks this year with 23 hurries. Those hurry numbers are consistent over his career, and he already has 37 career sacks. He’s completing a two-year 15M contract and is 29.

Logan Hall was someone I was excited about when he was coming out in the draft. At just 26 he is the youngest of this group by far. He was the #33 overall pick in 2022. He had just 1.5 sacks this year, but he also had 26 hurries to go with it.

Kenny Clark is a potential cap casualty for the Cowboys, where they will save 21M with his release. The Cowboys are in trouble with the cap as well.  He’s 31 and had another solid year rushing the passer with 4 sacks and 34 hurries. Clark is probably the most likely player to be added, as he played for our defensive line coach in Green Bay from 2016 to 2023.

A’Shawn Robinson would have to be a cap casualty as well. The Panthers would save 10.5 million with his release. Golden coached in Detroit when he was there in 2018 and 2019. Robinson started 16 games this year and had 65 tackles, 22 hurries, and three sacks. He played more nose tackle than he ever did this year, but is primarily a three technique. He’s 31.

Mid

Neville Gallimore didn’t score well overall in PFF, but his pass rush grade was excellent. He had 38 tackles, 10 hurries, and 3.5 sacks. He played for the Rams in 2024 and was coached by Sean Desai. He was on a 1 year 1.3M deal in Indy last year.

Old

Harrison Phillips has been someone I have liked since he came out. He is a potential cap casualty in New York, where they would save 7.5M. He’s 30 and had 60 tackles, two sacks, and eight hurries this year. He’s more of an undersized run stuffer than a pocket pusher.

Javon Hargrave is another potential cap casualty, with the Vikings potentially saving 11 million by releasing him. This year, he had 52 tackles with 24 hurries and four sacks. He’s 33.

Shelby Harris is the oldest of the group at 35, but he might be the best fit. He’s coming off a very reasonable two-year 9-million-dollar deal and is still making an impact with 32 tackles, 7 for loss, 2 sacks, and 14 hurries. He was coached by Desai in 2023.

Nose

DJ Reader is well known here. There is a very real possibility that he and his leadership return. He’s 32 now, and his play has declined somewhat, but he is still solid. Last year, he had 28 tackles and 17 hurries. He’s coming off a 2 year 22-million-dollar deal. If they can get him for around 6.6M he could slide right into Slaton’s contract and position.

Roy Lopez played for the Lions as well this year. He played primarily over the B gap but has historically played more of the Nose. He’s 29 and had 30 tackles with three sacks and eight hurries this year. He was on a one-year 3.5 million deal.

Andrew Billings is another ex-Bengal who will be on the market. He started 14 games for the Bears this year and had 31 tackles, including six for loss. PFF ranks him very low, but his pass-rush grade was ok. He’s finishing up a two-year, eight-million-dollar deal and is 31.

Although we would be getting older, I could see a world where we send out Slaton and bring in both Kenny Clark and DJ Reader. Reader would be remedying a mistake, and Clark is a known commodity who could create push in the middle.

I also havent been shy on the generalization of why she has those relationships with those agents, but what do i know? lol im sure its all tradition journalism...

anyway..

this assclown just popped out trying to be clever to future slam the bengals on a fictional scenario that chase brown will be the next in line to be a disgruntled bengal contract wise, as she knows his agent (lololol) and the bengals wont give him what he is worth.

this dumb bitch.

first of all, chase brown isnt that fucking good, everyone needs to calm the fuck down, he is the RB ON A TEAM WITH NOTHING BUT FEAR for the QB and WR's, chase brown is the least concern to defenses, he is talented, smart, improves, a great fit... chase brown on the browns is out of the league in a few years.. im not knocking chase brown, he is a good fit, and a fun player, he is also beefiting from his circustances, as he should, again, im not knocking it..

look at perine and his career, he is a nobody until he realized pass protection and latching onto pass header QB star offenses was his road to success, he also benefits from being the forgotten weapon.

anyway... Conway is trying some GOTCHA journalism predicting the team wont pay brown his worth and he will leave for greener pastures..

why the FUCK would the bengals pay chase brown?

why IN THE EVER LIVING FUCK WOULD THEY DO THAT? if he wants to be here for obvious reasons and take reasonable money, theyll pay him that, like they did mixon, hell they overpaid mixon.

would you rather have brown or joe?

would you rather have brown or jamarr?

would you rather have brown or Tee?

would you rather have brown or Mims?

so even here, at BEST, brown is the 5th most vital guy on the offense.. thats if you ignore the other linemen

if its extend brown or re-sign Risner? whats your call? 90% here will say Risner id bet.. so 6th?

Karras might even be a toss up if he were a few years younger..

so a roster thats offense HEAVY on spending.. not paying or overpaying for a RB who can clearly be obtained in late rounds, is in. no way a shortcoming of that franchise or front office, its logic, common sense and reason.

he isnt derrick henry, he isnt lvin kamara, no one in the building is losing sleep over chase brown.

anyone notice Perine playing far more with Joe back in the lineup? joe prefers perine in several situations.. fans bitching that zach isnt playing Chase Brown, lol, yeah man zach taylor wanted less ofa. weapon out there with joe back... thats it...

Brown is an asset, a contributor, a fun and really good player, a fun fit for the offense, and can make some plays...

what chase brown is NOT, is vital to this team or offense. if someone wants tooverpay him, he will have to go chase that money elsewhere, he is only WORTH reasonable dollar amount here when that time comes.

Like Uzomah and Hayden Hurst Helmsley, the stars here will make guys look good and they can go get overpaid soemwhere else..

it is sad and sucks sometimes.. but thats the ame and the business of the NFL.

after all the fanebase doesnt want to just pay more for the same roster? right?

Landon Belote|13 hours ago

Dec 28, 2019; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; LSU Tigers passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Joe Brady looks on before the 2019 Peach Bowl college football playoff semifinal game against the Oklahoma Sooners. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

You would be hard pressed to find someone who has as much respect for Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase as new Bills head coach Joe Brady.

During a sitdown on the Fitz & Whit podcast, Brady went as far as to say he could have closed his eyes while calling plays for the 2019 LSU Tigers given the talent lineup of Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and of course Justin Jefferson.

"I could have closed my eyes and called those plays right?" Brady said. "It's like one of those things where you're it might actually be better if they're not good NFL players and maybe I was a better coach.' That's what happens, it's the three highest paid players in like NFL history."

While Burrow and Chase surely are just that talented to carry a team regardless of coaching, Brady still deserves his flowers for how he helped develop Burrow and Chase, and the Bengals stars made that clear when asked about Brady.

"Joe and I go way back, way back at this point," Burrow said in December. "He was great for my career. We did some fun things together. We’ve got  a great relationship. I look forward to seeing him and talking to him."

Burrow even doubled down on these comments by explaining how his former offensive coordinator prepared him for the NFL.

"Bringing in all of the NFL concepts to what we were doing at LSU, fortunately my strength is being able to read and react and get the ball out quickly and find the right guys," Burrow said. "That’s what that offense was about. That’s what this offense is about.

It’s what a lot of offenses are about in this league. We did some special things together. We went through a lot of problems and solved a lot of problems. That’s what great players and coaches do. That was a special time."

Chase's thoughts echo that of Burrow when he elaborated himself on how the former LSU offensive coordinator prepared him for the pros.

"He taught me a lot, if I'm being honest," Chase said of Brady. "Taught me a lot about offense, concepts, defenses. He really broke the game down for me in a way that I could really understand and it helped."

Brady, Burrow, and Chase dominated at LSU, becoming undefeated national champions, and cementing themselves as one of the greatest teams in college football history. Burrow would enjoy an all-time Heisman-winning season as well where he tossed 5,671 yards, and totaled 65 touchdowns to just six interceptions.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/onsi/news/joe-brady-makes-bold-admission-about-coaching-joe-burrow-jamarr-chase-lsu?utm_source=gol

if i did that right..

Modified Jan 22, 2026 16:14 GMT

To many long-time NFL fans, Andy Dalton is one example of how a player's reputation

can start sky-high and end up in the dumps. The former perennial Cincinnati Bengals playoff quarterback and current Carolina Panther backup quarterback took some heat from one of his former teammates on a recent podcast episode.

In a Wednesday "Game with Names" podcast clip posted on X, Pacman Jones believed the problem was the quarterback's inability to handle pressure.

"Red Rifle could not take the pressure," Jones said. "When that pressure get on him...Even in ('15) when Andy got hurt, we should have just stuck with McCarron. Should have never went back to Andy."

Julian Edelman asked what Jones' team was thinking at halftime in games.

"Andy, don't fuck the game up. Please, Andy....Red Rifle was fucking horrible, Jones said.

Between 2011 and 2014, Dalton had a four-season run without a missed game. He had a winning percentage above .500 in each year. However, his healthy streak came to a close in 2015 when he suffered an injury and played just 13 games. Still, he managed to finish the year with a 10-3 record.

Dalton made the playoffs between 2011 and 2014, but the quarterback hasn't played in a post-season game since. In those four playoff years, he failed to win a playoff game, Since 2015, Dalton has not finished the season with a record above .500.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-pacman-jones-mince-words-andy-dalton-bengals-stint

NE at DEN 3pm CBS

NFC Championship

LAR at SEA 6:30pm FOX

State of the Position: Jamarr Chase is an All-pro, Tee Higgins had 11 touchdowns in another solid year. Both are signed long term. The rest of the position is messy but interesting.

Andrei Iosivas has failed to take the next step with too many drops at inopportune times. He’s a fine fourth receiver and in a sense that’s what he is. Mike Gesicki plays 78% of his time in the slot. The two of them are a fine tandem at the 3-4 receiver. Charlie Jones was a solid kick returner this year but is often dealing with injuries and hasn’t provided much on offense. Jones and Iosivas are free agents after 2026.

Then we enter into a trio of guys that I am really excited about. Mitch Tinsley flashed although he caught just eight of his 28 targets. He’s 26 but just entering his second year in the league. The team grabbed Dhonte Meyers from the CFL earlier this offseason. Meyers, also 26, caught 65 balls for 1,056 yards last year in Saskatchewan. I am most excited about Ke’Shawn Williams. Williams, a 24-year-old rookie, was picked up by the Bengals in December after being released by Pittsburgh. He wasn’t active on offense but returned both punts and kicks for both teams in 2025. What strikes me most about Williams is how much his skillset matches the team needs. In college he was excellent at turning short passes into big plays, something this offense is missing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTRD0HOS5fo. His return ability likely makes him a prime threat to take Jones roster spot.

Xavier Johnson and Jordan Moore fill out the offseason roster. Johnson was added midseason. The former buckeye caught just 25 passes in Columbus buried on deep WR units after a switch from running back early in his career. An early walk on Johnson had 899 career special teams snaps and 14 tackles at OSU. He will be 27 in May. Moore has solid size and decent production at Duke after switching from QB. 28-year-old Kendric Pryor was not retained after the season.

The Need: This group is top-heavy but has a lot of potential throughout. Because Gesicki is used more as a wide receiver there is no need for a heavy investment in a third wide receiver. The team could use a third option that could play in the slot and turn short passes into big plays. Joe Burrow has to be a draw for veterans trying for one last year and former high draft picks trying to resurrect or get their career rolling. The team should take advantage of that in week two or three of free agency. It wouldn’t surprise me if Tinsley-Williams or Meyers wrestled that third spot away from Iosivas by season’s end and this is all moot.

The Candidates

The Veterans

Christian Kirk is coming off a huge 4 year 72-million-dollar deal that he hasn’t lived up to after a stellar first season. He did just have a 9 catch 144-yard game against the Stealers in the playoffs. For the regular season he had just 29 catches for 239 yards and a score. A strong playoff run could lead to a decent contract that he won’t get here. He’s 29 years old.

Tyler Lockett will be 34 next September and is winding down a stellar career. His 2025 season was split between the Titans and the Raiders. He caught 32-291 and a score. He primarily played in the slot in 2025. Lockett was on a 1 year 1.25million deal.

Need to do Moore

Skyy Moore is a former Chiefs 2^nd rounder who was traded to the 49ers in the offseason. He has just 48 career catches grabbing just five over the last two years. Moore ran a 4.41 forty at the combine. He returned kicks and punts for the 49ers this year.

Elijah Moore will be just 26 next year but he’s already on his fourth team and is just on the Broncos Practice Squad. The former second round pick ran a 4.35 forty at the combine. His best years were in Cleveland, and they were still frustrating.

Rondale Moore is coming off his second August ACL tear in a row. The 26 year who ran a 4.32 40 also dealt with hamstring injuries while at Purdue. He was solid in Arizona before a trade to Atlanta (for Desmond Ridder).

Might cost a little more

Jahan Dotson is a former 16^th overall pick whose best years came in Washington before a trade to the Eagles. He’s played inside and outside at both stops. He averaged 12.6 yards per catch during his career. Dotson ran a 4.43 forty at the combine. He will be 26 next season. He’s started 42 games over his career.

Tutu Atwell has been one of my favorites for some time. He re-upped with the Rams on a one year ten-million-dollar deal and got hurt, finishing the regular season with just six catches but for 192 yards and a 32-yard average. He’s played in the slot and outside in his five years. The former second rounder played at nearby Louisville.

Jalen Tolbert was a former third rounder for the Cowboys where he started 30 games in his four year career. In 2024 he started 15 games catching 49 passes for 610 yards and seven scores. The Cowboys are in cap trouble and are more likely to focus on paying George Pickens.

This is another position where you wouldn’t sign a player until a few weeks in or maybe even after the draft and the most likely scenario might be a late round pick who competes. With that said I want a veteran at every position and I think Burrow will be a draw for someone to come on a league minimum deal. I’d land on the injury prone Rondale Moore who could come cheap and have a decent upside.

State of the Position: The Bengals had the best overall line play and health since Joe Burrow has been in Cincinnati. Both guard positions finally settled in and the unit has some interesting depth.

Ted Karras started all 17 games at center. He will be entering his age 33 season but is still solid and a leader on the team. Dylan Fairchild took over the left guard position as a rookie starting 15 games. Orlando Brown started all 17 games at LT and was a bit maligned but it would be tough to replace him. He will be 31 and entering the final year of his deal. Dalton Risner took control of the RG position after struggling in the first few games. He started from week 12-18 and played well. He’s a free agent that the team would like back. He started 11 games in total. Amarius Mims showed exceptionally well in his second year. He started all 17 games and looks like a special player at RT.

The team was lucky to be healthy along the OL last year and will need some steps taken with their depth pieces. Jalen Rivers will be back after starting seven games as a rookie. He wasn’t exceptional but there is something to build off. Lucas Patrick is a free agent and played just 23 snaps, but the team was high enough on him to expect him to start at RG. He can be the primary backup at all three interior spots if he returns. Cody Ford played 73 snaps but has been noted as the most likely player to be released this offseason. The team would save 2.9M by cutting him and have 500K in dead money. He’s started 42 games in his career and has had snaps at every position but center.

The Depth at center consists of both Matt Lee and Jacob Bayer. Lee was well thought of in the preseason but hasn’t had any snaps this year. He may or not be a long-term option at the position but it’s unknown due to his lack of snaps in his first two seasons. Bayer was added to the Bengals Practice squad in November and the roster in January. He is a rookie who started 46 games combined at Lamar and Arkansas St. He bench pressed 32 times at his pro day which we tend to love. Failing to secure Seth McClaughlin for 2026 might be a mistake.

Two veterans are wildcards at guard. Cordell Volson’s injured shoulder kept him out the entire year. He started 48 games his first three season for the team. He’s a free agent but there is some thought he could be back on a minimum deal as a project who could learn center under Peters. Jaxson Kirkland was on practice squad IR this season but he flashed a bit prior. He still hasn’t been added to the offseason roster.

At tackle Javon Foster and Andrew Coker were given futures contracts for the offseason. Foster is a former fourth round pick for the Jaguars in 2024. He was released in August of 2025 and picked up on the Bengals practice squad. He started 41 games at left tackle at Missouri. Coker was added to the Bengals practice squad in October of 2024 and remained this season. He started 46 games at RT at TCU.

The Need: A starting RG is the biggest need. That can be solved by simply re-signing Risner. He only made 1.37M this year but that’s likely to jump to as high as 10 million per. If it rises that high, hopefully that number is okay for a team that has previously been reluctant to pay guards.

Future starters at both left tackle and center are the next need. Lee and Bayer are at least interesting at center. Left tackle is baren behind Brown. An early pick is likely to be made to serve as a swing tackle this year and maybe take over for Brown next. That could come as high as round one if the top defensive players are off the board.

Candidates

Center

I fully expect Patrick back but if not, this could be a position where they look for a veteran with similar versatility.

Corey Levin has spent six years in Tennessee but has only started seven games. He’s played primarily at center but did see time at LG early in his career. He was coached by Rascati in 2017.

Ethan Pocic has started 97 career games including 57 for the Browns over the last four seasons. At 31 it’s likely he is still able to find a starting role in the league, but if not, he has similar versatility, having played both guard spots early in his career. Peters coached him in 2022 and 2023.

Guard

Guard is only a need if they can’t reach a deal with Risner. If so, there are two tiers at the position. The first are players who are young enough to solve the position for years to come. The second is a group of veterans nearing the conclusion of their careers.

Long term

Brock Hoffman is particularly interesting. He’s just 27 and will be a restricted free agent after going undrafted. He started primarily at C this year (7 of his 16 career starts) but played 387 snaps last year at RG where PFF had him playing his best. He could even be a target with Risner’s return because of his versatility to play C.

Dylan Parham might be the most interesting long-term option. He’s going into his fourth year and started this year at LG for the Raiders where he started in 2022 and 2023. He started at RG in 2024 and PFF scored that as his best season. He has 63 career at just 27.

Alijah Vera Tucker was taken 14^th overall by the Jets in 2022. He started 63 games at RG, LG and RT but was injured all of 2025 with a torn triceps. It was his third season ending on IR (2022-torn triceps, 2023-Achilles) He might get the best deal of this guard class.

Ed Ingram played for Rascati in Minnesota before being traded to the Texans this past offseason. He has 55 career starts including 14 in Houston this season all at RG. PFF has him scoring much better as a run blocker than pass blocker. He’s just 27.

Teven Jenkins landed in Cleveland on a one year three-million-dollar deal after playing for the Bears for four years. He started four games in Cleveland at right and split his 38 starts at Chicago between left and right guard. He’s just 28.

Veterans

Austin Corbett has started 78 career games, including 11 last season (5 at Center, 5 at RG, 1 at LG) for the Panthers. Over his career he has primarily played RG with 3,719 snaps. He was on a one year 3 million dollar deal last season.

Former Bengal draft pick Kevin Zeitler has started 213 games across 6 teams all at RG. At 36 he is still putting up great PFF grades. He had a one-year contract last year for nine million.

Greg Van Roten is heading into his year 36 season and has compiled 105 starts over his career almost all at RG. He has starts at C and LG as well. He was on a one-year contract for 3.25M last year for the Giants.

Wyatt Teller was coached by Peters from 2020 to 2023 in Cleveland. He has 101 career starts all at RG after playing LG as a rookie in Buffalo. The 31-year-old started 13 games last season.

Matt Pryor has been on fans radar for a while. He played just 122 snaps this year mostly at RT and RG but has 40 career starts and over 1600 snaps at RG. He will be able to play RT and RG at least but has over 400 snaps at LT. His PFF numbers have been great the last three seasons. In 2024 he started 15 games at RG for the Bears. He’s 31.

Tackle

There are a ton of LTs with experience starting but not a ton that stand out.

Vederian Lowe is probably the most interesting lineman possibility. He’s just 27 and started 13 games at LT for Peters in New England in 2024. He has 25 career starts with almost all of his snaps coming at LT. His PFF pass blocking scores were solid in 25 and 24 but his run blocking was below average. He seems like a potential swing tackle for 2026 with potential upside as a starter.

Trevor Penning is an interesting possible swing tackle. He has started 33 games in his four-year career at LG in 2025, RT in 2024 and LT in 2023. He was traded to the Chargers from the Saints during the 2025 season. He’s only 27.

Josh Jones started three games at left tackle this year for the Seahawks and 27 for his career at LT, RG and RT. PFF graded Jones very highly across the board this year. He played for the Houston Cougars when James Casey was there. He was a former third round pick is on his fourth team already.

Justin Skule has started 26 career games, nine at LT for the Vikings in 2025. He has played both RT and RG as well. He is 29 and on his 3^rd team.

Joe Noteboom has started 36 games over his career with over 400 snaps at RT, LT and LG. He’s already 31. He played for the Rams when Taylor was there.

DJ Humphries is 32 and hasn’t played much in the last two years. He has 101 career starts with over 5800 snaps at LT. He did play RT as a rookie

Yosh Nijman has 29 career starts with 4 coming this year split evenly at LT and RT. He’s just 30 and has played in both Green Bay and Carolina.

Evan Neal is just 25 and has 27 career starts all at RT. He sat out 2025 with a neck injury. The former number seven overall pick wasn’t successful in his first three years and would be a reclamation project.

Larry Borom is just 28 and already has 38 career starts including 11 this year at Miami. Borom’s other 27 starts were split between LT and RT with Chicago. He was on a one year 2.5M contract in Miami.

Olisaemeka Udoh played for Rascati in Minnesota. He’s 29 with 22 career starts including three this year, two at RT, one at LT. He started 16 games at RG in 2021.

Kendall Lamm was coached by Peters in 2020. He has 44 career starts at LT and RT but had just seven snaps in 2025.

Kelvin Beachum is 37 with 172 career starts. He Has been in Arizona since 2020 and started 11 games in 2025.

Perhaps the biggest wildcard could be Jedrick Wills. He was out of the league in 2025 rehabbing a knee injury from 2024. His five seasons in Cleveland prior were a disappointment after being drafted 10^th overall. Peters coached him all but his final year in Cleveland. Wills started 57 games at LT.

State of the Position: Mike Gesicki is a Bonafide weapon still heading into his age 31 season. His catch numbers were way down this year but he still played well when healthy and made big plays when counted on. He plays more than 75% of his time in the slot. Drew Sample is his counterpart. He doesn’t make many big plays (8 catches) and PFF doesn’t love his blocking, but the coaches and teammates love him and that’s really all that matters. He only played in the slot 8% of the time in 2026. He lined up in the backfield 119 times.

Noah Fant led all Bengals tight ends in catches and touchdowns. He also had three fumbles all returned for touchdowns in terrible situations. Cam Grandy only played 28 offensive snaps but he’s still just 25 and the team seems to really like him. Tanner Hudson is everything you would want in an end of the bench veteran tight end. 19 catches, 168 yards and 2 scores, a great connection with the QB, wildcat QB and 224 Special teams snaps.

Erick All rounds out the tight ends on the roster. He didn’t play all year after a torn ACL that may have been a result of previous poor surgery of a previously torn ACL. If healthy he’s a starter level do everything tight end. His injury and solid play keep the position captive in a sense.

The Need: A healthy Erick All style player. The question will be if they give up on All and invest in a new starter or roll with what they have. I am assuming they give up on Fant, who is a Free Agent, after his fumbles.

The tight end position should be very interesting overall this offseason. Free Agency is loaded with current starters including Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz, Cade Otton, Isaiah Likely, Chig Okonkwo, Kyle Pitts, David Njoku, Darren Waller, and Dallas Goedert and potential cap casualties in TJ Hockensen and Cole Kmet. Many of those players would be interesting additions but most will have primary pass catcher roles or are more Gesicki than All.

The teams that might need starting tight ends are Miami, Kansas City, Washington, Minnesota, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia,

The Candidates

The Long-Term Starters

Jeremy Ruckert would have been high on this list but he recently re-upped with the Jets on a two-year ten-million-dollar deal that might be a blueprint for the two players below.

Charlie Kolar has been buried on a deep Ravens team for years behind Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews. Andrews has re-signed and Likely is a free agent but that doesn’t make his role any clearer. Kolar has just 30 catches in his career but caught 168 catches in his college career. His run blocking grade last year was excellent, and he played primarily inline. If he wants to be a bigger part of a passing offense, we can probably offer that.

Daniel Bellinger is another player who might be looking for greener pastures. He was buried a bit in the Giants offense behind Theo Johnson. His pass blocking was excellent this year, much improved over his first three years. He played in the backfield for 133 snaps. He’s just 25 and has 88 career catches. He might be in high demand in a new system under John Harbaugh.

The Veterans

Tyler Higbee will be 33 and had a decent season both catching passes and blocking while playing primarily inline. The Rams seem to really like him but they have Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson all returning. There are worse ways to end your career than catching passes from Joe Burrow.

Mo Alie-Cox has always been on my list as he consistently outplays his contracts. The former VCU basketball player has shaped himself into a very solid blocker playing primarily inline. He’s still a solid pass catcher although his numbers aren’t special. The Colts have invested heavily at the position and could move on. He’s already 32 and wouldn’t be a long-term solution.

Robert Tonyan might be the most realistic hedge at the position. He only caught one pass in 2025 but he had solid blocking numbers playing primarily inline. He is the kind of after the draft signing where you are hopeful you get some semblance of the huge seasons he had in Green Bay. He will be 32.

Foster Moreau played with Joe Burrow at LSU in 2018 catching 22 passes. He only caught seven balls this year while fighting injuries but had 32 catches last year. He’s primarily played inline and while his pas blocking grades were solid his run blocking wasn’t. He’s 29.

It all comes back to All. If they assume that he is done a player like Ruckert, Bellinger or even Higbee make sense. If they think he’s back, I still like adding a player like Moreau or Tonyan to hedge. Tight end seems very similar to wide receiver in that it’s a position where players might come to play with Burrow. Like RB and WR I expect TE won't be addressed until after a few weeks into free agency or after the draft....if at all.

I don't disagree, but for me missed tackles is THE biggest issue.

If you have others name them in your comments.

BUF at DEN. 4:30pm

SF at SEA. 8:00pm

Sunday

HOU at NE. 3:00pm

LAR at CHI. 6:30pm

Judy Battista

Senior National Columnist

There is no NFL divide more dramatic than the one playing out in 32 buildings across the league right now -- the 14 haves who are preparing for the postseason and the 18 have nots, who are confronting disappointment and massive decisions about the future. When owners make head-coaching changes, it's worth realizing that the success of some of the haves inspires them. The hires last offseason of Ben Johnson, Mike Vrabel and Liam Coen transformed the Bears, Patriots and Jaguars, respectively, making contenders of also-rans in the space of a few months. That is what every owner who jettisons a head coach imagines happening for his or her team.

That it so often does not work out that way is a testament to how difficult these decisions are and how much goes into making a regime successful. Who could have imagined that the Raiders' hiring of Pete Carroll would result in a disaster of a season, especially after he was reunited with quarterback Geno Smith? Or that the Cowboys' unconventional route -- they did not interview any of the other top candidates last season, and chose a coach who had last been seen as a hot candidate 15 years ago -- would lead to what was apparently the right hire? Brian Schottenheimer navigated Dallas' pre-season trade of Micah Parsons and the in-season death of Marshawn Kneeland with toughness and humanity, all while boosting the offense into the league's top five.

There were seven openings after the 2024 season and eight following the 2023 season, so nearly half the league has turned over a head coach in the last two offseasons. That's a lot, but hope springs eternal. Here are the available jobs this year and how they stack up.

Rank

1

Baltimore Ravens

2025 record: 8-9

The Ravens stunned the NFL by firing John Harbaugh, who led he franchise to 12 playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title over 18 seasons. But in Lamar Jackson’s seven seasons, the Ravens had gotten no further than the AFC Championship Game. And this year, with Jackson battling a series of injuries, they badly underachieved, ultimately being eliminated from playoff contention on a gut-wrenching missed field goal against the Stealers as time expired in the final game of the regular season. All season, there had been whispers of a potential disconnect between Jackson and Harbaugh and questions about whether Harbaugh would survive anything less than a deep playoff run.

Harbaugh immediately becomes the most attractive candidate for the other six teams seeking head coaches, and the Ravens immediately rocket to the top of the list as the most attractive available job. It’s more than just having a two-time league MVP as the quarterback. It’s that owner Steve Bisciotti is known to be extremely patient -- 18 years with one head coach! -- and a non-meddler. It will be interesting to see who emerges with this job -- whoever it is must have a specific plan for how to maximize and protect the most unique player in the game. 

Rank

2

New York Giants

2025 record: 4-13

Perhaps the most attractive opening of this cycle. Why? They are the Giants, the flagship franchise of the NFL, with ownership that -- despite the on-field struggles of the last decade -- is respected around the league for a management style that doesn’t meddle in coaching and personnel decisions. And they have a promising quarterback, 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart. 

Maximizing Dart and a handful of other young talented players on both sides of the ball will be the mandate for the next coach, but providing steady leadership and sustained success will be just as imperative. With the exception of Brian Daboll’s first season, which yielded a playoff berth and a first-round win, the Giants have been largely adrift since Tom Coughlin left 10 years ago, cycling through coaches at a clip that team president John Mara has long said is not the way to build a winner. Most of the Giants’ recent hires have been first-time head coaches, including the recently ousted Daboll, so it’s fair to wonder if they will turn toward experience this time, and whether coming from the offensive side of the ball is a must. Another draw for this job? The Giants’ draft position, which gives them the fifth overall pick in Round 1. It’s difficult to know how this will end up. General manager Joe Schoen is leading the coaching search, a signal he is likely to be retained, although there has been no such official announcement from the team yet. Mara is undergoing cancer treatment, and it is unclear to what extent he will be involved in the hunt.

Rank

3

Cleveland Browns

2025 record: 5-12

Kevin Stefanski, whose Browns teams won just eight games in the last two seasons, is a two-time Coach of the Year winner and is likely to draw plenty of interest from other teams seeking a coach following his departure from Cleveland. He was handed the league's worst quarterback situation this season. First, the team traded for Kenny Pickett, then drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, traded away Pickett, started Joe Flacco, then traded Flacco shortly after Gabriel took over the QB1 job -- which he eventually ceded to Sanders. Oh, and Deshaun Watson, at the center of perhaps the worst trade and contract in which a team has engaged in history, is still there.

There are other holes -- the skill-position players need an upgrade, the offensive line is aging and injury-prone -- that need to be filled to get the Browns back to competitiveness. But the next coach inherits a more hopeful situation. Sanders made some improvement late in the season. The Browns' rookie class looks to be a strong one -- linebacker Carson Schwesinger is a favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year, while running back Quinshon Judkins, defensive tackle Mason Graham and tight end Harold Fannin Jr.. provided good contributions. And the Browns have two first-round picks, so they will have the means to draft one of the top quarterbacks in the 2026 class. Plus, the new coach will only have to deal with the tail end of the disastrous Watson contract. Whoever lands this job must have a strong plan for the quarterbacks, to finally put an end to the circus at the position that the Browns have endured. General manager Andrew Berry will stay in his job. This team is in a rebuild, but at least there are resources. They question is, with no obvious slam-dunk candidates out there this year, which voice will be the one to finally make the right QB decisions and push this team forward? 

Rank

4

Atlanta Falcons

2025 record: 8-9

It’s never a good sign when a consulting firm is brought in to take a look at how an organization works -- it almost always results in change, whether the business is manufacturing widgets or trying to win football games. That’s the case in Atlanta, where a house-cleaning has taken place. Raheem Morris is out after just two seasons, despite winning eight games in each year on the job, plus engineering a four-game winning streak to close out the 2025 campaign. This was an unusually quick hook by Arthur Blank, who is generally considered one of the more measured, patient owners in the game. But the Falcons haven’t been to the playoffs in eight seasons, and general manager Terry Fontenot, who signed Kirk Cousins to a massive contract in 2024 about six weeks before stunning the NFL -- and Cousins -- by drafting Michael Penix Jr., was also fired. The organization announced that two consulting firms will assist in the searches for HC and GM, which will be conducted concurrently.

The Falcons do have a few very attractive pieces -- Bijan Robinson, Drake London, A.J. Terrell, James Pearce Jr. and Xavier Watts, among others. Penix will be coming back from an ACL tear for his third season, and the new coach will have a big assessment to make about whether the erratic quarterback shows enough promise to continue as the starter -- along with a decision to make about Cousins’ future. And another big draw: The NFC South is very winnable. It was won this year by the Carolina Panthers, who finished with an 8-9 record, the same record as the Falcons and Bucs. So a quick move into divisional contention is easily in reach. There is a drawback: The Falcons don't have a first-round draft pick in 2026, because it was traded to move up to draft Pearce last April. Still, if the short timeline offered Morris is any indicator, a new coach will face pressure to make the playoffs quickly to keep the heat off. 

Rank

5

Miami Dolphins

2025 record: 7-10

It took a few days, but the Dolphins opted for a full organizational reset, firing Mike McDaniel while they are already in the middle of a search for a new general manager. It was, though, the only move that made much sense. McDaniel was there for four seasons and the Dolphins made the playoffs in the first two, losing twice in the Wild Card Round. But the team had gone backwards in the last two seasons, and this season, that included the benching of Tua Tagovailoa, to whom the Dolphins gave a huge contract, with McDaniels’ blessing. Worst of all, the Dolphins could never catch the dominant team in the AFC East -- the Buffalo Bills -- and this season watched a new dominant team emerge in New England. With McDaniels’ out, the new general manager and coach can pick their quarterback and build together, although they will also be saddled with the decision -- and the cap hit -- that will accompany whatever they decide to do with Tagovailoa. That’s medicine the franchise needs to take to move on. Because they will get a clean slate and the ability to pick the next quarterback, this is a fairly attractive job. It is very easy to recruit top free agents to South Florida and owner Stephen Ross has plenty of money and is willing to spend it. He is also a largely hands-off owner, which is good for the football brain trust but has provoked the ire of fans who wonder if he pays attention when the team struggles. He paid attention this time. And it is hard to imagine that the sudden availability of John Harbaugh did not play some role in the decision to move on. 

Rank

6

Arizona Cardinals

2025 record: 3-14

Jonathan Gannon was fired after three seasons -- they lost 14 of their last 15 this season -- setting off another period of transition for the Cardinals. Kyler Murray is still there and owed $36.8 million next season, although a change at quarterback appears on the horizon, whether the team is able to trade him or release him. Having Murray out of the picture could enhance the job -- a new coach would be able to select his own quarterback. Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was a candidate for Arizona before Gannon was hired, could again be in the mix, particularly because the Cardinals' defense never got better under Gannon, a defensive coach himself. There is some talent on the roster, including tight end Trey McBride and receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., among others, so a turnaround is possible even in the NFC West, which is the NFL's most difficult division. Despite the churn at head coach here, Michael Bidwill is not viewed as an impatient owner, but candidates have to have a plan at quarterback.

Rank

7

Tennessee Titans

2025 record: 3-14

On the plus side, the Titans have quarterback Cam Ward and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, a high draft pick and an anticipated $100 million or so in cap space this offseason. Those are all powerful draws for coaching candidates who know they will have to quickly turn around the Titans in order to keep their job. And that’s the downside: There has been a lot of turnover at general manager and head coach in recent years, and that suggests a lack of patience and vision from owner Amy Adams Strunk and other top brass. Mike Vrabel’s instant success in New England, just one year after he was fired in Tennessee despite taking the Titans to the playoffs three times in six seasons without an elite quarterback, only reinforces the idea that even competent coaches might not get a long enough leash. On top of that, most of the roster is lacking in top-level talent, and a personnel overhaul is necessary to be competitive. The Titans will have the means to change out big chunks of the roster, and Nashville is an easy city to sell to free agents. But the next coach will be under pressure to win immediately. 

Rank

8

Las Vegas Raiders

2025 record: 3-14

Coming off a completely disastrous season, the Raiders are hitting the reset button again, with the anticipated quick turnaround under Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith failing to materialize. There is plenty of intrigue here, especially surrounding the involvement of Tom Brady, a minority owner, in the coaching search (he was involved before the Carroll hire and is expected to play a key role again) and how pivotal his opinion will be in deciding what to do with the most important thing the Raiders can offer their candidates: the No. 1 overall draft pick. That means the Raiders could take their choice of quarterbacks, though their roster needs go well beyond that position. After the failure of the Carroll experiment, it's reasonable to think the Raiders will go with a younger, offensive minded head coach. Whoever it is, his first order of business should be mending fences with Maxx Crosby, the Raiders' elite pass rusher, who was furious over the Raiders' decision to shut him down with two games to go. But this is a long rebuild -- the Raiders are the worst team in the league by a not particularly close margin, and they are in the AFC West, one of the toughest divisions in the game.

https://www.nfl.com/news/assessing-nfl-head-coaching-jobs-in-2026-hiring-cycle

my son said "bet if we had tomlin we wouldnt be missing tackles" he was incorrect...

just thinking we could have been dead last still and missed like 40 less tackels and been like 11-6 prolly

id like to tsee the game by game and see if that improved..

QB Rate was the first HUGELY flawed data point, then espn QBR came along which was 70% better, which is fine.

As we see the spikes of oddity data happening here or there in a season, and fans just accepting shit data, and media accepting shit data and ignoring reality.

The bengals defense was a victim of this along with a victim of the bad players and key injuries, but the data is also flawed, right?

we gave up 58 points to the opposition while we were on offense. thats an outlier by a mile, the average is in the 15 pt range, so almost quadruple.

So im not here to say "see we were only the 25th worst defense" i dont care about that, i want to go far deeper than that.

Being in Denver the Bo Nox hype is off the rails, and the broncos have possibly the best defense i have seen since the seahawks SB runs?

bo nix has the easiest QB job in the nfl. and it made me start thinking even more about defensive ratings.

here are a few points i think are important in gauging a defense, its shortcomings, etc.

1. Obviously leaving out points given up when they werent on the field, offense and special teams, why isnt this already done?

2. factor what led to points being scored, a turnover, a flubbed punt, a turnover on downs that gives the ball to the other team in scoring position should be weighted. Like a pick thrown at your own 20 yardline, defense gives up 2 yards and a FG on the drive after, thats FLAWLESS defense, and their rating just dropped.

3. Weighting situational football, 3rd down rate giving up 4/4 on 3rd and 1 to tush pushes, vs giving up 4/4 on 3rd and 11 to blown plays or coverage show up the same on the data, this is foolish, is this data "vs probability"? like they give up 70% success of third downs that carry a 30% success rate in the league, they suck, vs "they give u p a 10% success rate on 3rd downs that carry a 80% success rate" they are great...

4. Scoring has to be king in any rating with a defense, which is why #1 is so important, like the QBR not weighing a 40 yard air td pass to tee the same as an andy dalton special dropping the ball into hawkins hands in the backfield he runs for 23 yards TD... some thing for defenses..

5. Lastly, field position over average, a good data point showing hey, this defense gives this offense a way better than average position on the field, showing the bend dont break repercussions on your offense, etc.

I think having some real data would change how some defenses are viewed, and players like Bo nix who are handed turnovers, great field position, and more opportunities than others do, and you do less with it..

this can go deep and insane levels which are unrealistic. the TE issues we had this season are a great example.

we dont have an issue covering TE's nearly as much as we had a pressure on the QB problem, we werent often getting diced up on tempo to TE's play after play.. we werent getting to the QB, they bought time, and the TE is both often covered by the weakest cover guy or in zone time lets you find a hole in zone, and WR are priority, LB safety etc often end up covering TE's.

and on QB's who can move in the pocket and buy time, those are the QB who cant play as much man coverage as backs turned = running lanes, so you play zone and they can buy time and pick apart a zone eventually.

so pass pressure is king with that problem we had..

as you know i hate generalizations and bullshit cliche fan speak.. if we failed lets see where, why and how and realistically address it. real data is key to reality and productive thoughts and conversations.

LAR at CAR 4:30pm

GB at CHI. 8pm

Sunday

BUF at JAX. 1pm

SF at PHL. 4:30pm

LAC at NE. 8pm

Monday

HOU at PIT. 8pm

No surprise that the Stealers get the prime time Monday slot. BUF-JAX maybe a bit undersold in the 1pm Sunday place. CAR getting a gift in the Saturday spot.