[Keeping our enemies close: 2024]

The Cowboy, 49er, and Buccaneer don't look very manly or tough. 

[Frustration emerges over Bengals stadium lease negotiations]

The Bengals don't have much leverage in this situation. They aren't going to privately finance and build their own stadium and can't move to another city without the Brown family losing control of the team. 

[Trey Hendrickson requests a trade !]

This is a relatively weak draft for edge rushers. Bengals could probably get a late first round pick from a team like the Lions (if they have any cap space left after extending St Brown and Sewell). They're also looking at a Goff extension. The Commanders have cap space and a need at DE so maybe they offer their 2nd rounder or something. The problem for the Bengals is they couldn't get as good a player at that spot. So trading Trey doesn't make much sense.

 

Trading Tee on the other hand might, depending on what is offered and who we can replace him with. This is a good WR draft so saving the 22 mil and using it for Uno's extension makes sense. 

2 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

 

 

If the Bengals agreed in good faith and are reneging now that is going to hurt them with other guys they want to sign long term.

I really hope this isn't true and we are not slipping back into our old way of doing business.

 

The Bengals added a year to his previous deal and gave him a raise on his 2023 salary. It amounted to 21 mil in new money for an additional year. That's not ripping him off. 

[Random 2024 Bengals related stuff]

13 hours ago, Bleeds Orange said:

 

Thank you very much! I knew they had him for at least this season, because that was pointed out last year when people on Twitter started screaming "He'll be a starter somewhere next year!" But I didn't realize it was two more seasons. Good to know, good for the Bengals, and maybe not so good for him.

 

In two years, Browning would then be a restricted free agent rather than an exclusive rights free agent. As a RFA, the team can extend a tender to him that would require another team signing him to give up a draft pick. The Bengals would likely tender him at the 1st round level, which would be worth several million dollars to Browning. Whether another team signs him and offers up the pick (the Bengals would still have the right to match) or not will depend on his play until then and how desperate the other team is. 

[Random 2024 Bengals related stuff]

The team isn't going to trade him and under the CBA, he can't afford to hold out. So unless some other team wants to offer us a haul, he isn't going anywhere. 

[Trey Hendrickson requests a trade !]

Hard to believe that's for real. The team just gave him a raise on an extension before last season. 

[Who is your Puke Pick @ 18? 🤮]

On 4/24/2024 at 5:07 PM, alleycat said:

You overlook the value of a dominant, starting OT in this league. First, a competent swing, particularly behind an oft injured player, is a vital need (that isn’t currently on the team). Second, it is ABSOLUTELY worth taking a high upside OT this year EVEN IF he sits and learns and develops behind the staters. The long term value is too great. I’m not loookong to win a Super Bowl. I’m looking for Super Bowls. 
 

I’ll be happy with any player that makes us a better, more complete team (for example, I’m amazed at how seldom people are talking about our LB needs, even in later rounds), but to say OT should not be a major target in this draft (or by the same logic IOL given our situation next year), is a major overstatement. 
 

protect the franchise. 

 

Nobody objects to protecting Burrow, except perhaps Duke Tobin and Frank Pollack. If we get a good RT in round 1, that will be fine. But there will also be good tackles available in rounds 2 and 3. It's about getting the best combination of players. 

[Who are your options in Round 1?]

How is Latham a safer pick than Mims? Latham is the guy who declined to do the standard athletic testing. It's hard to think of a reason for that other than the results would hurt his draft stock. He's also the latest in a long line of flops from Alabama O-linemen. Maybe this time it's different, but that's not the way to bet.

 

Mims on the other hand has plenty of tools and his tape is good. The only complaint is that there isn't enough of it. Wah. He has no reason to stay in school for another year, he's ready for the NFL. 

[2024 NFL Mock Draft]

When negative stuff about a player, ie Brian Thomas's "medical issue" comes out, it's usually a team that wants him hoping he falls to them. It's not called "lying season" for nothing. 

[2024 NFL Mock Draft]

4 hours ago, texbengal said:

If true re OT and if 4-5 QBs go in the first half too… that would potentially leave guys like Murphy or even one of the elite WRs available… like Odunze. Here’s 19 names, including 5 QBs, 5 Ts, and 4 WRs who could all go in the top 20. Depending on the order, or if there’s someone unanticipated like Barton or Powers-Johnson who slips in there… could be a find for the Bengals. Ya never know. 
 

QB - 5 - Caleb, Daniels, Maye, Penix, McCarthy

WR - 4 - Harrison, Nabers, Odunze, Thomas 

TE - 1 - Bowers

OL - 6 -  Alt, Fashanu, Fautanu, Fuaga, Latham, Mims

DL - 2 - Turner, Murphy 

DB - 2 - Arnold, Mitchell 

 

I think Verse and maybe Latu will go before pick 18. 

[2024 NFL Mock Draft]

14 hours ago, Kingspoint said:

That's got to be mis-information.  Why would John Schneider reveal that type of information that could leak out to anyone?  Makes zero sense.

 

That comes from the player's agent. Same thing with the claim that Mims and Thomas are moving up team's boards. 

[5 round mock I would love]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

Requires a couple of slides but nothing ridiculous. 
1.Mims. Love his size and upside

2.Hall. Young. Long. Fast. Nickname Little Aaron at OSU

3. Xavier Leggette

3. Theo Johnson. Developmental guy with athletic upside. 
4. Audric Esteme

5. T’vondre Sweat would they take him if he fell this far? Clearly the best NT in this draft. 

 

1 Mims is fine

2 Hall would be a poor pick for the Bengals. We'd still need a NT and don't need to use such an early pick to replace Carter

3A Leggette will probably go before 80 and that's good for the Bengals. He's as much RB as WR and not very polished.

3B Pretty early for Johnson. He's a good athlete but not a good TE.

4 Ok but I'd swap your 4th and 5th rounders. Sweat is the best NT while there are more RB options if Audric is picked by 149. 

[Who are your options in Round 1?]

Bowers, Q Mitchell, Arnold, Thomas, Mims, Fuaga, Fautanu

 

Maybe JPJ or DeJean

[Random 2024 Bengals related stuff]

3 hours ago, Griever said:

 

 

That's not a very attractive proposal for the county. The team wants the county to pick up 86% of their requested improvements in exchange for a 5 year lease extension. No word on whether the rent under the extension covers the county's operating costs.

 

The county should remind the team that threats to move don't carry much weight. Under the Modell law the county can force a sale of the team to a local owner with the price either set by negotiation or if that fails by a jury via the standard eminent domain process. 

[Who is your Puke Pick @ 18? 🤮]

19 hours ago, I_C_Deadpeople said:

We would be better served with a DT or OT at 18 and a WR later. I would not like at either though, I think any stretch pick , like a Barton at 18 would be puke worthy. Any pick that we could have traded back and still got is a puke pick for me. Or any QB lol. 

 

We have a pair of good 3Ts with Rankins and Hill. We don't have a good NT at present. The top DTs in this draft (Newton, Murphy, and Fiske) are 3Ts and wouldn't make sense for the Bengals, unless Anarumo plans to change his scheme. We can get a NT in round 3 or later. So D-line shouldn't be on the menu in round 1. I agree the Bengals don't need to trade up or reach for a player. There will be good ones on the board at 18 who can help the team.

 

19 hours ago, dex said:

I like Thomas a lot but I don't think he could start as a slot receiver this season. Great outside vertical threat but doesn't have anywhere near enough of a route tree right now imo. So that would mean Chase in the slot nearly all the time. Chase can certainly do it, but I'm not sure I'd want him to do it 80 percent of the time. But Thomas could definitely replace Higgins as an outside receiver in 2025. 

 

There are at least 5 slot or inside/outside WRs who the Bengals could take on Day 2 who could start immediately in Boyd's slot though. I different podcasts both Mike Potts and Steve Radicevic were pretty vague on positions and rounds in the draft...except for WR. They love the WR options in the 2nd and 3rd round. Would be shocked if the Bengals didn't draft a WR with one of those Day Three three picks.

 

We don't know if Thomas can play the slot since he didn't need to in college. But we do need to replace Boyd's snaps as well as prepare for Tee's departure. There are more slot receiver types in this class than top outside receivers. We can get by for a year without drafting a receiver at all. Gesicki, Jones, Irwin, and Iosivas can cover Boyd's snaps. But Tee has missed a lot of time himself, never playing more than 800 snaps in a season. We don't seem to be close to extending Tee and if we are open to trading him, then drafting Thomas would make a lot of sense. Even with all 3 of Chase, Higgins, and Thomas on the roster, we'd be in good shape weapons wise. 

 

19 hours ago, soundstreamer said:

Thomas wouldn't be a starter as Jamar and Tee would be ahead of him.  Bowers may start but I don't see him as the generational talent a lot people say he will be and is not worth being picked at 18.  I think Oline needs tons of help and need at least 2 picks in the first 3 rounds.  Need a DT somewhere as well but pickings are slim for a NT.  A WR in the 3rd round may not be a bad choice.

 

Thomas would certainly be the 3rd best WR on the roster and would play ahead of Irwin or Iosivas. Tee wouldn't be good in the slot and Thomas might not thrive there. But Chase certainly can play there a dozen snaps a game. 

 

18 hours ago, claptonrocks said:

How do you think Thomas would start right away?

I don't see it ..

Plug and play is what they'll go for.

 

So that rules out D-line or O-line. Unless you think Barton will beat out Volson or Latham or Mims as a rookie will beat out a healthy Trent Brown.

 

3 hours ago, BlackJesus said:

 

... If Jared Verse slid I think the Bengals would be interested. They met with him as well.

 

I actually like Darius Robinson, but view him more as a DT (he's played both).

 

Taking a DE would be awful. It would be doubling down on last year's mistake, we we drafted Murphy even though our top 5 DEs were under contract. Unsurprisingly, he didn't play much or have an impact. Let's not be stuck on stupid. 

 

 

[Who is your Puke Pick @ 18? 🤮]

2 minutes ago, soundstreamer said:

A few players I really dont want but my top puke pick would be Brock Bowers.  

 

Second would be any WR.

 

Why? Bowers or Brian Thomas would certainly be starters right off the bat and help the offense. We could address the O-line in round 2 and NT in round 3 or later. So taking a good offensive player should definitely be a possibility. 

[Who is your Puke Pick @ 18? 🤮]

Anyone who won't be starting in 2024. We've had a couple of disappointing first round picks in 2022 and 2023. Let's not make it 3 years in a row. It's not as if our roster is so bullet proof we have locked in starters at every position. 

 

So a Quinyon Mitchell would be a better pick than a Byron Murphy or Johnny Newton for instance. 

[Pick 18, what should Bengals do?]

2 hours ago, I_C_Deadpeople said:

Walter Football reporting that the Bills are making calls to move up into the middle of round 1 to target a WR (like Brian Thomas).

 

Anyone have an apettite for that?

 

If you mean trading back with the Bills, not much.  Thomas should be a consideration for us. He'd be a good replacement for Tee. We could even then consider trading Tee to a team that will pay him and has a late first or early 2nd round pick. 

 

1 hour ago, claptonrocks said:

Barton is rated as a plug and play guard...a good one..

Id be disappointed if he was our 1st pick though..

.

 

 

 

Me too. If we're taking a center to succeed Karras, Jackson Powers-Johnson would be the way to go. He could play LG this season.

 

8 minutes ago, BlackJesus said:

 

If the Bengals go CB it better be White Lightning Cooper DeJean! 

 

I would also be ok with Rakestraw if they traded down in Rd 1.

 

But if the Bengals take Wiggins or Arnold I will have to talk myself into the pick like I did Murphy last year (he was not on my wish list). 

 

DeJean's best position is probably FS and we're set there. I'd be happy with Quinyon Mitchell in round 1 as he'd be a top CB prospect in any draft, not just this year's thin group of CBs. No thanks on Wiggins, he's about the same size and speed as Turner but less physical. Arnold would be ok but it's not clear he's fast enough. He went to college as a 5 star safety then became a CB.

 

 

[Draftable players the Bengals have met with]

Using pick 18 on a guy who will be a backup or starting at LG is poor value. Volson isn't our biggest problem at the moment. We should draft a center as Karras and Hill are the only ones signed currently. But it can wait until day 2 or 3. 

[Random 2024 Bengals related stuff]

Here, here ☺️

[Building the Bengals 2024 Edition: Roster at 67/90]

We also signed ERFA LS Cal Adomaitis a week or two ago.

[Free Agency 2024]

Welcome back!

[Pick 18, what should Bengals do?]

3 hours ago, HavePityPlease said:

This isn't necessarily the case, remember that we're now into the "covid kids", the ones who likely stayed another year to recover the one they lost.  It might just be that there's so many of those it wasn't expedient to come out early this year unless you are *really* confident.

 

Even accepting that argument, it still doesn't make this year's group the best in recent memory. 

[Jake Browning signs 2 year contract]

The team signed Browning to a 2 year deal.

 

Good move, probably means he got a signing bonus that he likely wouldn't have on the usual 1 year deals that EFRAs get.

[Draftable players the Bengals have met with]

4 minutes ago, Le Tigre said:

I always wonder what good vertical leap measurements are for an OL? 
 

 

 

The vertical and broad jumps are measures of explosion, ie leg strength. Some O-line gurus focus on the agility drills as key. There's a pretty good trend of interior O-linemen with high percentiles on the 3 cone drill doing well in the NFL.