sparky151

Those contract numbers get reported at their max value. It takes a few days until they are filed with the union for the actual numbers to come out. Sort of like how Gesicki was supposedly making 8 mil from the Pats last year when it was 4 mil plus incentives.

Dehner's roster prediction has us signing S Darnell Savage, DT Teair Tart, TE Hayden Hurst, RT Mekhi Becton, CB Kristian Fulton, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, P Tommy Townsend, and RB Zach Moss. He has us drafting JC Latham Ricky Pearsall Kris Jenkins Ben Sinnott Isaac Guerendo Drake Nugent Justin Rogers Darius Muasau https://theathletic.com/5324461/2024/03/08/bengals-53-man-roster-projection-2024/

Dehner's prediction is Moss as the starter plus Brown, CEH, and Guerrendo in the 5th round.

Dehner's roster prediction has us signing Darnell Savage with Hill moving to CB. He has Scott kept around for special teams. Savage is a big hitter but not very good in coverage. I think we need better coverage, ie a FS such as Stone. We won't pay up for a Simmons or McKinney level player but there are a lot of safeties on the market at the moment. We should be able to find an affordable upgrade.

Because that's what they offered Reiff on a 1 year deal. Smith is a better player when on the field than Reiff but has missed 33 games in the last 4 years. Assuming he can pass a physical, a number of teams will want Tyron Smith to be their LT. Chiefs, Jets, and Commanders at the top of the list but maybe others too such as Patriots. He played RT in college but has been the LT for the Cowboys his whole career.

Finally. Jamie, avert your eyes.

Because Smith is rated one of the top free agents available. So he'll have a market and the Bengals won't pay up for a 33 year old player who wants a multi-year contract. Bengals would be happy to sign him to a 1 year deal two weeks into free agency if it was for 5 mil or less. But Smith will get more than that and sign sooner than that.

Bengals should try to sign a no-doubt, quality 4 year starter at either RT or NT. Then sign a vet as a bridge to a rookie at the other. We should just pay Hunter Henry or Gerald Everett their 6 mil along with re-signing Sample, Hudson, and Wilcox if they're cheap. We're not going to pay up for Simmons or Howard but adding at least 1 vet in the secondary is needed. It looks like Mixon is going to be cut, which is the right decision. We don't need to sign a vet RB, get someone younger. We should re-sign Irwin and our backup LBs. Also a backup IOL guy or two. Bengals have plenty of money to sign vets and upgrade a couple positions before the draft. Then we could take the best players each round without having to fill immediate needs.

Wilson will sign cheap if he likes the situation. But he'll want guaranteed money for 2025 or beyond that doesn't count for the Broncos. He may want a 3 year 80 mil contract with the 1.2 mil vet min for 2024 and 39 mil per year the last 2 years with 2025 guaranteed at signing.

Newton's a good player and he or Murphy would be nice additions. But Bowers probably has more impact for the team, both in 2024 and over the life of his rookie deal. Newton would back up Hill or Reader or the vet we sign to replace Reader. Bowers would not only be the starter but would add a dimension to the offense.

Bengals won't go after Tyron Smith, at least in the first days of free agency. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jets sign him. Eluemunor or Fleming, paired with a rookie would be fine. I'd like to get an acceptable vet RT and NT signed before the draft so we are free to take the best players in the draft.

Tobin made a poor decision last year to let Vonn Bell leave on a fairly cheap contract to Carolina. So replacing both safeties and a CB didn't turn out as well as he hoped. I wouldn't be surprised if Nick Scott is cut and replaced by a veteran safety. We should replace Reader but I bet they re-sign him and hope for the best. Hubbard and Hill are safe as are Pratt and Wilson. DJ Turner could use some competition but it's a lower priority than fixing the O-line and perhaps the D-line if Reader can't go at the start of the season. If Burrow wanted to follow the Chiefs blueprint, he could have signed a 10 yr deal.

Dehner's piece in The Athletic showing what the Bengals look for in free agents over the last 4 years. Basically, they want younger, ascending players who don't break the bank. So we'll spread the money around and not take a shot at a Chris Jones type player. https://theathletic.com/5319978/2024/03/06/bengals-2024-free-agent-targets/

No, a team can only tag 1 player per year. Choice of exclusive or non-exclusive franchise tag or transition tag. Teams can tender as many restricted or exclusive rights free agents as they want.

It depends on his contract. Like most players, his has offsets for guaranteed money.

Patriots used their tag on Kyle Dugger (transition tag) so they can't use it on Brown or Onwenu,

Yall are high if you think Sample will be in demand around the league. He's been a free agent multiple times, and ends up re-signing here on 1 year, minimum benefit deals (that count at a reduced number on the cap). I'm sure the Bengals will offer him a deal like that again and maybe the Titans will, but otherwise, there are other, better blocking TEs available and Sample can't run routes.

It was Jason Kelce, the Eagles center who retired, not his little brother Travis, who is Mr Swift.

Yes, Eluemunor played well the last couple of years. He'd started his career at guard, then moved to RT for the Raiders after Leatherwood flamed out. He's been cheap in prior years but has most likely earned himself a decent contract. He'll probably be paid less than Jonah and lacks the All-American and first round pedigree. On the other hand, PFF rates him as the better player each of the last several years and he's durable. My guess is he'll sign somewhere for less than $10 mil per.

He was a backup then. He's pretty young.

We shouldn't overweight the combine, whether for good or ill. I'm not afraid of picking Mims.

There's a pool of players who have been intended to be reserve or swing tackles but who ended up playing well in extended appearances. Guys like Morgan Moses, George Fant, Cam Fleming, Cam Erving, and Jermaine Eluemunor. The latter has probably elevated himself to getting a multi-year contract. The rest have been playing on 1 year deals for a while. There's also the Duane Brown and Jason Peters geriatric set. I'd be ok giving Eluemunor a 3 year deal or such and not using a high draft pick at RT. Or signing one of the others so we don't have to use pick 18 on a tackle. Basically we need to find a multi-year starting caliber player at NT or RT in free agency so we can get the other in the draft. After the combine, it doesn't look likely that T'Vondre Sweat will be off the board by pick 49. Probably not Kris Jenkins either.

Wilkins or Jones would be great additions for Bengals. Madubuike too if he reaches the market. We can afford a $25+ mil addition for 2024 if we're not extending Tee, and especially if we trade him instead of keeping him around.

Stover is a good receiver, not such a good blocker. Better than Irv Smith or Tanner Hudson but he was late and whiffed on a lot of blocks for OSU last season.

Got these results in the PFN mock. Their trade proposals seem pretty random.