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2023 Free Agency thread


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1 hour ago, Jackie Treehorn said:

and actually nobody in fact wants to play with Joe Burrow. Also he's selfish and wants to be the highest paid player on a contract that doesn't exist yet.  

In the realm of the nebulous, even speculative assumptions are dog-chasing-tail. 
 

Couple this with the silence from the monastery of St. Joseph, and everything is a total unknown. But, a few more flashy clothes for his get-off-the-plane fashion runway at the expense of devalued positions such as RB, should not be dismissed.
 

I’m joining the “let’s wait and see” group now. So, let’s wait and see.  

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We survived last season on very good depth in most of the positional rooms when injuries occurred. I am very appreciative of the depth we have but I am slowly seeing it eroded this week. I believe the TE/RB situations can be resolved easily through fresh blood in the draft. Both positions are VERY fillable this year from the class. S and OL not so much. Hoping for some good news for these rooms in the next few days or a step back in performance is plausible against the better AFC teams. I picture years past when our DB room was riddled with injuries and is was never a good result. What do you do when Dax, Cam or Hilton is out 5 games next year? Same with the Oline. These positions are directly related to success against the better AFC teams. I will be satisfied if there is some movement in either of these two areas this week especially S. There is no one in the draft that is going to come in late in the first and be able to be productive in these areas. 

          

  

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IMO Bell was the only player ‘lost’. Bengals were never giving Hurst a 3 yr deal at age 30, no matter how well he played last year in his limited role. Doesn’t make sense to. Good for him that Carolina did. Maybe it’ll work out for them, but that’s not what the analytics say and like it or not, Zac Taylor is all about analytics and his influence undoubtedly influences Tobin. 
 

There are 10-13 TEs in this years draft that are starting capable TEs per evaluators. Bengals could find a starter in round 2 maybe 3 (they’re drafting Bresee Rd 1 if he’s available IMO). Sign a vet that’s still available on a 1 yr deal and all is well. 
 

S is a legit concern since Bell left. Ideally you want Dax to have a field general like Bell to lean on, so I would imagine they’ll sign a veteran to help him. Hopefully that vet is the S from Philly. I know they’re really high on Tycen Anderson also, but would be very unwise to have TA and Hill as your starters. 
 

Perine leaving leaves a void for a dependable 3rd down back. Trayveon Williams could potentially fill that role, although he’s a very different back than Perine. Much smaller than Perine, less physical and less able to stop blitzes. Let’s see what happens here. I think RB will be a draft priority as well. 
 

Ive decided to give them the benefit of the doubt as the last 3 yrs have proven that there is a plan in place and backups plans in place in case the original plan doesn’t come to fruition. I’ll wait until FA is over to judge. Why raise my blood pressure for no reason? 

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10 minutes ago, BengalFanInTO said:

Aside from Bates, who we all knew was leaving, the Bengals have lost relatively average to below average players thus far. And when I say lost, they might have planned and/or assumed these players would be leaving. We feel we "lost" them.

 

As we all surmise, Bell may have been the biggest surprise. I am very much on the "not panicked" end of the scale of what I am seeing as a reaction from Bengals fans but, I do have one concern.

 

The guys they are losing seem to be leadership types including one captain (Bell). I found Hurst, Bates, Bell and Perine all seemed to be popular players within the team and and looked at as energy guys and/or leaders. That can be as hard to replace as talent. 

 

 

 

 

This is how I feel too. I'm pretty disappointed they couldn't keep Bell, but the rest of these guys were average to below average as you said. Seems pretty silly to get super upset about losing guys like that.

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Here is the current roster. Where do you see the biggest holes?

 

QB Burrow 25 Browning 25    
RB Mixon 25 Williams 24 Evans 25  
WR Chase 26 Lassiter 25    
WR Higgins 24 Morgan 24    
WR Boyd 24      
TE Asiasi 24 Bowers 25 Hudson 25  
LT Williams 24 Carman 25 Smith 25  
LG Volson 26 Gilliam 25    
C Karras 25 Hill 25 Brown 24  
RG Cappa 26      
RT Collins 25 Adeniji 24 Cochran 25  
         
K McPherson 25      
P Chrisman 24      
LS Adomitis 24      
         
LE Hubbard 26 Sample 25 Johnson 25  
LT Reader 24 Tupou 24 Davis 25  
RT Hill 25 Carter 26 Tufele 25  
RE Hendrickson 25 Ossai 25 Gunter 26 Carney 25
WLB Wilson 24 Bachie 24    
MLB Pratt 26 Jones 25    
SLB Davis-Gaither 24 Bailey 24    
S Anderson 27 Wilson 24    
S Hill 27 Thomas 24 Corker 25  
CB Awuzie 24 George 24    
CB Taylor-Britt 26 Tell 25    
CB Hilton 25 Davis 25    
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1 hour ago, Montana Bengal said:

 

 

 

That's quite the handwaving to say losing Bates doesn't count as a loss. Nobody expects Hill to be as good in his first year as a starter as Bates was in 2022. So that's already a step back before the loss of Bell. This draft is weak at safety so no rookie will be an adequate replacement for Vonn. There are potentially veteran equivalents available but the Bengals should have just matched his offer from Carolina. Nobody anywhere is saying the Panthers overpaid for Vonn.

 

That's likely the case with Hurst too. He's replaceable but will the team actually replace him with an equivalent player? 

 

This offseason should have been about letting Bates and Pratt go (I'm glad we got Pratt back), upgrading the tackle positions, and going into the draft able to take BPA. So far that plan isn't working very well as we have more holes than expected and may have to draft for need. 

 

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1 minute ago, sparky151 said:

 

That's quite the handwaving to say losing Bates doesn't count as a loss. Nobody expects Hill to be as good in his first year as a starter as Bates was in 2022. So that's already a step back before the loss of Bell. This draft is weak at safety so no rookie will be an adequate replacement for Vonn. There are potentially veteran equivalents available but the Bengals should have just matched his offer from Carolina. Nobody anywhere is saying the Panthers overpaid for Vonn.

 

That's likely the case with Hurst too. He's replaceable but will the team actually replace him with an equivalent player? 

 

This offseason should have been about letting Bates and Pratt go (I'm glad we got Pratt back), upgrading the tackle positions, and going into the draft able to take BPA. So far that plan isn't working very well as we have more holes than expected and may have to draft for need. 

 

I agree....There is still a route to upgrade TE and RB and T and S in free agency though. I am not sure they do it. 

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16 minutes ago, MichaelWeston said:

Here is the current roster. Where do you see the biggest holes?

 

QB Burrow 25 Browning 25    
RB Mixon 25 Williams 24 Evans 25  
WR Chase 26 Lassiter 25    
WR Higgins 24 Morgan 24    
WR Boyd 24      
TE Asiasi 24 Bowers 25 Hudson 25  
LT Williams 24 Carman 25 Smith 25  
LG Volson 26 Gilliam 25    
C Karras 25 Hill 25 Brown 24  
RG Cappa 26      
RT Collins 25 Adeniji 24 Cochran 25  
         
K McPherson 25      
P Chrisman 24      
LS Adomitis 24      
         
LE Hubbard 26 Sample 25 Johnson 25  
LT Reader 24 Tupou 24 Davis 25  
RT Hill 25 Carter 26 Tufele 25  
RE Hendrickson 25 Ossai 25 Gunter 26 Carney 25
WLB Wilson 24 Bachie 24    
MLB Pratt 26 Jones 25    
SLB Davis-Gaither 24 Bailey 24    
S Anderson 27 Wilson 24    
S Hill 27 Thomas 24 Corker 25  
CB Awuzie 24 George 24    
CB Taylor-Britt 26 Tell 25    
CB Hilton 25 Davis 25    

 

TE, starting tackles, RB, CB depth, and SS. It's unlikely both Awuzie and Collins are full speed by week 1. So we have a lot of needs to fill. 

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3 minutes ago, MichaelWeston said:

I agree....There is still a route to upgrade TE and RB and T and S in free agency though. I am not sure they do it. 

 

I'd rather they cut Mixon and Collins (which opens 2 more starting positions) and use the money to get a good safety and TE. Then draft Harrison/Wright/Jones in round 1 and a RB a bit later. 

 

Cutting Joe and Lael adds about 13 mil in cap space.

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23 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

 

I'd rather they cut Mixon and Collins (which opens 2 more starting positions) and use the money to get a good safety and TE. Then draft Harrison/Wright/Jones in round 1 and a RB a bit later. 

 

Cutting Joe and Lael adds about 13 mil in cap space.

 

Seems like a no-brainer to me.  What's the downside? Hurt fee-fees?

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3 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

 

 

And it's not like there are not still high quality players at the positions the Bengals lost. 

 

In fact depending on who they get there might be a chance to upgrade.

 

At TE?  Actually, no...no there are not any quality Bengals at TE.

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2 hours ago, BengalFanInTO said:

Aside from Bates, who we all knew was leaving, the Bengals have lost relatively average to below average players thus far. And when I say lost, they might have planned and/or assumed these players would be leaving. We feel we "lost" them.

 

As we all surmise, Bell may have been the biggest surprise. I am very much on the "not panicked" end of the scale of what I am seeing as a reaction from Bengals fans but, I do have one concern.

 

The guys they are losing seem to be leadership types including one captain (Bell). I found Hurst, Bates, Bell and Perine all seemed to be popular players within the team and and looked at as energy guys and/or leaders. That can be as hard to replace as talent. 

 

 

 

Which is probably why a moribund team like Carolina was willing to over pay for some of these guys. 

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1 hour ago, sparky151 said:

 

I'd rather they cut Mixon and Collins (which opens 2 more starting positions) and use the money to get a good safety and TE. Then draft Harrison/Wright/Jones in round 1 and a RB a bit later. 

 

Cutting Joe and Lael adds about 13 mil in cap space.

 

Before they cut Mixon they might want to have at least one RB who has some real NFL experience.  Maybe one who can pick up a pass rusher too. 

 

I'm not going Chicken Little here, but the Bengals have some work to do.

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3 minutes ago, UncleEarl said:

 

At TE?  Actually, no...no there are not any quality Bengals at TE.

 

Dalton Schultz

https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/dalton-schultz/47304

 

Hayden Hurst

https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/hayden-hurst/47294

 

You can get a guy that has similar production but is younger and still draft somone

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4 hours ago, dex said:

The general belief is that they wanted Bell/Perine/Hurst all back...but only at a certain price. Those players were valued more by other teams than they were by Cincinnati. 

So let the other teams overpay.

 

The whole FA is just starting and 

they have 21 of 25 starters back.

Give it a lil time for them replace

the positions..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, BengalFanInTO said:

Aside from Bates, who we all knew was leaving, the Bengals have lost relatively average to below average players thus far. And when I say lost, they might have planned and/or assumed these players would be leaving. We feel we "lost" them.

 

As we all surmise, Bell may have been the biggest surprise. I am very much on the "not panicked" end of the scale of what I am seeing as a reaction from Bengals fans but, I do have one concern.

 

The guys they are losing seem to be leadership types including one captain (Bell). I found Hurst, Bates, Bell and Perine all seemed to be popular players within the team and and looked at as energy guys and/or leaders. That can be as hard to replace as talent. 

 

 

Leadership maybe so but they have multiple players to take over those roles.

 

As you said about average to below average abililities on the eld..

 

All replacable and will be..

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2 hours ago, UncleEarl said:

 

Which is probably why a moribund team like Carolina was willing to over pay for some of these guys. 

 

Carolina may have discovered the Bengals apparent kryptonite if guaranteed money in year 2 is a no no. They got both Bell and Hurst pretty cheaply.

 

2 hours ago, UncleEarl said:

 

Before they cut Mixon they might want to have at least one RB who has some real NFL experience.  Maybe one who can pick up a pass rusher too. 

 

I'm not going Chicken Little here, but the Bengals have some work to do.

 

Yes, but 1 vet plus 1 rookie will be fine. 

 

58 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

So let the other teams overpay.

 

The whole FA is just starting and 

they have 21 of 25 starters back.

Give it a lil time for them replace

the positions..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bell and Hurst weren't overpaid. More than half of the top tier free agents are now signed. Bengals aren't saving up for Orlando Brown Jr, they just aren't getting offers accepted or aren't making sufficient offers to fill holes yet. If their attitude is we'll let other teams take their pick and be happy with the leftovers, that's not very encouraging. Bell was our most important free agent and a comparable replacement will cost more. 

 

 

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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/cowboys-release-ezekiel-elliott-seven-seasons-dallas

 

Cowboys release Ezekiel Elliott after seven seasons in Dallas

Name recognition in Cincinnati?  Better than Joe Sixgun?  One year deal?  If reasonable... The Bengals need to do something to ease the pain of the home folk after losing Hurst and Vonn Bell who were liked by the fans.  Worth a thought, if reasonable.

 

The Clyde E-H idea is intriguing... jump on it if he is cut.  But Zeke... would fill some seats and could not do any worse than Joe Mixup.

 

Carry on :popcorn:

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