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Bengals will be active in Free Agency


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4 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

WTF?  Do any of our DL fit in a 3-4?  Geno doesn't, don't think Carlos does either.  Hubbard was just starting to shine in the 4-3.   Are we going to trade away all these guys for players that work in this alleged scheme or just keep trying to bang square pegs into round holes?  With zero linebackers we go to a linebacker-focused defense?  This is from, the official website too...  Pure comedy.

 

Lou Hasn't-got-a-clue-O

 

 

Yeah, why screw with such a dominant unit?  :ninja:

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9 hours ago, I_C_Deadpeople said:

We don’t even have enough good LBs for a 4-3 let alone a 3-4

They ran a lot of 3-4 last year disguised as a 5-2. Besides they will be in nickel or dime 60% of the time regardless if the base defense.

 

If they sign a few and draft a few they will be in better shape.

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59 minutes ago, PatternMaster said:

They ran a lot of 3-4 last year disguised as a 5-2. Besides they will be in nickel or dime 60% of the time regardless if the base defense.

 

If they sign a few and draft a few they will be in better shape.

Remind me again of our recent success of this strategy at this position?

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10 hours ago, I_C_Deadpeople said:

We don’t even have enough good LBs for a 4-3 let alone a 3-4

First of all, OLBs in a 3-4 aren't traditional LBs.  Second, they were horrendous last season!  Sign some LBs off the street.  Couldn't be much worse!  If they want to sign some LBs and DLs and go 3-4 why not?  Because guys on a chat board think that the number 29 defense shouldn't change it's scheme? 

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Because the roster is already full of holes & going 3-4 removes the one strength the defense had (DL) in favor of more holes. You think the guy who fielded the 29th ranked defense is going to improve it by playing to their biggest weakness? Hey NP just replace the entire defensive depth chart! All we need is 10 more draft picks & half a dozen starting quality free agents. 

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Geez, lighten up Francis. They’re not talking about going 3-4 all the time, just mixing it in like they’ve been doing for the last few years. Besides, like was said earlier, they play in the nickel 60+% of the time so base defense is really just a formality. It’s all about the matchups in today’s NFL. 

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39 minutes ago, spicoli said:

Geez, lighten up Francis. They’re not talking about going 3-4 all the time, just mixing it in like they’ve been doing for the last few years. Besides, like was said earlier, they play in the nickel 60+% of the time so base defense is really just a formality. It’s all about the matchups in today’s NFL. 

They've been running a nickel with 4-5 down linemen, not a 3-3-5. We just need 3 cover LB's to go with our none. You know how easy those are to find. NP.

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There are a number of LBs in free agency this year. The draft is a bit thin at LB. The Ravens will consider tagging Judon. That leaves Bynes available. Bears won't keep all 3 of Trevathan, Pierre-Louis, and Kwiatkoski. Eagles will likely release Bradham. Kirksey and Whitehead have already been cut. Littleton is the best cover backer available but will be expensive and doesn't play the run well. 

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58 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

They've been running a nickel with 4-5 down linemen, not a 3-3-5. We just need 3 cover LB's to go with our none. You know how easy those are to find. NP.

So just get a couple of extra “hybrid” safeties in here. You can pretty much get away with playing only 2 LB’s in this pass happy league nowadays anyhow. 

 

This is nothing new. Teams, including the Bengals have been mixing up base defenses for years. It’s all about the sets they’re matching up against. 

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2 hours ago, spicoli said:

Geez, lighten up Francis. They’re not talking about going 3-4 all the time, just mixing it in like they’ve been doing for the last few years. Besides, like was said earlier, they play in the nickel 60+% of the time so base defense is really just a formality. It’s all about the matchups in today’s NFL. 

And I have little confidence our defensive coaches can match up with good offensive coaches.

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At LB, you start with Pratt and that's it as far as returnees go unless they get Vigil back for less-than-starter money (maybe a holdover for competition,/emergency depth,) but not counted on for the roster.  If they go 3-4 I'd love a draft of Patrick Queen @33 & Terrell Lewis @65.  They would still need to add a fairly significant FA at LB and if Vigil's not back, you would probably need a lower-tier FA journeyman who can cover at some point in his place.  If you couldn't pull off  the Queen/Lewis combo (likely), I believe you'd still need an early round LB and another later in the draft..  LB is also a position I'd target in UDFA & when scouring the waiver wire.  Also in a 3/4 scenario, you would probably count Lawson toward the LB group. Rosiest scenario:

 

Lawson

Pratt

Littleton/Schobert/Martinez/etc.

Queen/Zahn/Premium pick (first 3 rounds)

Lewis/later round pick

Vigil/lower tier FA

2 versatile holdovers/UDFAs/wavier wire pickups (emphasis on Special Teams contributions)

 

On the line, resigning Billings at the nose would save from spending a pick or wooing an outside FA at the nose. Bring back Tupou for depth as well.  Geno, Hubbard & Dunlap as well.  Because down lineman numbers would be reduced by a 3/4, you need only one or two more roster spots filled max.

 

Billings

Tupou

Atkins

Wren

Hubbard

Dunlap

1 holdovers/lower tier FA's/late rounder/UDFA's/waiver wire

 

DB depends on what they do with Dre.  An early round pick or starter level FA seems necessary regardless.  Wouldn't hurt to have one or two bigger hybrid DB's who are solid tacklers.  Re-signing Dennard would be nice.  Re-sign Fedj & Wilson.  Any kind of a draft choice for Dre, if he's let go, would be amazing.   Not likely, but if there's a "safety of opportunity" in the draft or FA, I could see them maybe move on from Williams.

 

Jackson

Kirkpatrick/Replacement

Dennard/Replacement

Phillips

Premium Draft Pick/2nd Tier FA

1 or 2 Holdovers/UDFA's/Lower tier FA's/Waiver Wire pickups

Williams/Replacement

Bates

Fedjelem

Wilson

 

* If they are to put any kind of competitive team on the field this coming season, the Bengals need to add as many talented new bodies as possible.

* Oline & LB are two groups in need of serious attention as well as a frontline corner. 

* Unlike most years, they are limited to their standard seven picks as it now stands.  I expect that to change.  A 3rd or 4th round pick (max) for Dalton would be a big relief as well as even a fifth or sixth rounder for a fungible vet as well.  Even if they just get a 7th for someone not in their plans, it's one less UDFA they have to woo.

* I don't expect them to trade up.  I do look for them to trade down at least once or twice to add extra bodies.

* I think a bare minimum of two or three 1st or 2nd tier FA's (and a handful of lower-level vet pickups).  The 3rd top FA depends on if CB is addressed. 

* An OL & at least one LB are a must.  I'm not as certain as some that Glenn does not return.. 

* I wouldn't shy from bring in old vet FAs to compete as stop gaps.

* Cincy is not a prime destination for many FA's so it takes a little extra schmoozing/$$$ to lure them.  That means re-signing their own RFA's/FA's is probably more cost/resource-efficient.  

 

I'd look long and hard at bringing back:

Green

Billings

Tupou

Dennard

Fedjelem

Wilson

Vigil (Conditional)

Eifert (Very Conditional)  

 

On the fence:

Redmond

Carter

Wynn

 

Everybody else?  Meh.

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35 minutes ago, snarkster said:

At LB, you start with Pratt and that's it as far as returnees go unless they get Vigil back for less-than-starter money (maybe a holdover for competition,/emergency depth,) but not counted on for the roster.  If they go 3-4 I'd love a draft of Patrick Queen @33 & Terrell Lewis @65.  They would still need to add a fairly significant FA at LB and if Vigil's not back, you would probably need a lower-tier FA journeyman who can cover at some point in his place.  If you couldn't pull off  the Queen/Lewis combo (likely), I believe you'd still need an early round LB and another later in the draft..  LB is also a position I'd target in UDFA & when scouring the waiver wire.  Also in a 3/4 scenario, you would probably count Lawson toward the LB group. Rosiest scenario:

 

Lawson

Pratt

Littleton/Schobert/Martinez/etc.

Queen/Zahn/Premium pick (first 3 rounds)

Lewis/later round pick

Vigil/lower tier FA

2 versatile holdovers/UDFAs/wavier wire pickups (emphasis on Special Teams contributions)

 

On the line, resigning Billings at the nose would save from spending a pick or wooing an outside FA at the nose. Bring back Tupou for depth as well.  Geno, Hubbard & Dunlap as well.  Because down lineman numbers would be reduced by a 3/4, you need only one or two more roster spots filled max.

 

Billings

Tupou

Atkins

Hubbard

Dunlap

1 or 2 holdovers/lower tier FA's/late rounder/UDFA's/waiver wire

 

DB depends on what they do with Dre.  An early round pick or starter level FA seems necessary regardless.  Wouldn't hurt to have one or two bigger hybrid DB's who are solid tacklers.  Re-signing Dennard would be nice.  Re-sign Fedj & Wilson.  Any kind of a draft choice for Dre, if he's let go, would be amazing.   Not likely, but if there's a "safety of opportunity" in the draft or FA, I could see them maybe move on from Williams.

 

Jackson

Kirkpatrick/Replacement

Dennard/Replacement

Phillips

Premium Draft Pick/2nd Tier FA

1 or 2 Holdovers/UDFA's/Lower tier FA's/Waiver Wire pickups

Williams/Replacement

Bates

Fedjelem

Wilson

 

* If they are to put any kind of competitive team on the field this coming season, the Bengals need to add as many talented new bodies as possible.

* Oline & LB are two groups in need of serious attention as well as a frontline corner. 

* Unlike most years, they are limited to their standard seven picks as it now stands.  I expect that to change.  A 3rd or 4th round pick (max) for Dalton would be a big relief as well as even a fifth or sixth rounder for a fungible vet as well.  Even if they just get a 7th for someone not in their plans, it's one less UDFA they have to woo.

* I don't expect them to trade up.  I do look for them to trade down at least once or twice to add extra bodies.

* I think a bare minimum of two or three 1st or 2nd tier FA's (and a handful of lower-level vet pickups).  The 3rd top FA depends on if CB is addressed. 

* An OL & at least one LB are a must.  I'm not as certain as some that Glenn does not return.. 

* I wouldn't shy from bring in old vet FAs to compete as stop gaps.

* Cincy is not a prime destination for many FA's so it takes a little extra schmoozing/$$$ to lure them.  That means re-signing their own RFA's/FA's is probably more cost/resource-efficient.  

 

I'd look long and hard at bringing back:

Green

Billings

Tupou

Dennard

Fedjelem

Wilson

Vigil (Conditional)

Eifert (Very Conditional)  

 

On the fence:

Redmond

Carter

Wynn

 

Everybody else?  Meh.

Wynn and Wren?....

I. Dont see much in either of them..

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On 3/9/2020 at 2:00 PM, bfine said:

It appears Cincinnati's own Derek Wolfe is a player they are showing interest in early:

https://nfltraderumors.co/bengals-cardinals-interested-in-broncos-de-derek-wolfe/

 

Derek was just interviewed on Sirius. His motivation seems to be getting paid and taking care of his daughter after he hangs them up. What better way to do that than come home? Also he seems to like a 4-3 better than a 3-4. Listening to his interview was quite impressive

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19 minutes ago, bfine said:

Derek was just interviewed on Sirius. His motivation seems to be getting paid and taking care of his daughter after he hangs them up. What better way to do that than come home? Also he seems to like a 4-3 better than a 3-4. Listening to his interview was quite impressive

Fit in nicely rotatind DEs ...

7 sacks in 12 games...

Hopefully thay come to terms on a deal...

Btw..whats the extent of his injury???

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2 hours ago, High School Harry said:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/browns-release-veteran-lb-christian-kirksey-6-seasons-152435170--nfl.html

 

Browns just cut LB Christian Kirksey in a financial move.

Interested?

If the price is right?  

Worth a thought.

he was really good for them for a couple of years. I think his cut is is driven by his inability to stay healthy as much as anything. Couple that with his salary and it makes sense. He's good when he's on the field but I don't know if you can count on that.

The stools are also in flux with Joe Schoebert - one of their other decent linebackers. Rumors are that they may not re-sign him.

He might be worth a look if the price is reasonable.

If that happens, they lose 2 good linebackers..............................................that's a shame.

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We're in good shape on the D-line and don't need to add Wolfe. He'll be expensive. My guess is we tender Tupou and keep him. We'd need to re-sign or replace Billings. He may be asking for a lot though. PFF gave him high marks last year. In a mock offseason I participated in, Billings was asking for 12 mil per on a long term deal. He didn't get it but instead of waiting for his price to come down, I signed Danny Shelton for 6 per. Shelton is a better player imo. 

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