* AFC NORTH CAP STATUSES *

[sparky151]

The irony is that the family could probably clear more profit if they dropped the pretense that they're "football men" and just turned things over to professionals while they spent their time skiing in Switzerland. 

[T-Dub]

1 hour ago, PatternMaster said:

 

 

Paul H. Brown is the VP of Player Personnel. In his role, Paul H. Brown assists Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin in various job responsibilities, including contract negotiations with free agents and players.

 

His only qualification is being Paul Brown's grandson, no other franchise would employ him that position. 

 

This is the major problem with Bengals, they're ran like family business whose main objective is to make money for the family members..not put the best product on the field and win a championship. 

 

Here's an interesting article about the Brown family from 10 years ago, since that time not much has changed. 

 

https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/sports-3/inheritance/

 

"PB—as everyone called him—was clearly the man in charge, but the ownership was a family affair. Mike and Pete, two of Paul’s sons, were constantly around—games, practices, coaches’ meetings—despite the fact that few players or media members knew what their actual job descriptions were. “[Mike] played no specific role that I recognized,” says Trumpy. “He was just there, and we knew he was Paul’s son. Pete: same thing. We knew he was a scout, but we didn’t know where he scouted, who he scouted. No idea.”

 

 

 

At least naming the grandkids Vice President of Twitter or whatever will keep them out of the way of the football people.. for now.

[Catfish Bob]

If I'm running the show all of these guys are gone. We can do better with younger and cheaper. 

[esjbh2]

17 minutes ago, Catfish Bob said:

If I'm running the show all of these guys are gone. We can do better with younger and cheaper. 

 

You need to put the pipe down on Logan Wilson.  He's a key part of the defense, not only in his own performance but also calling plays and getting personnel in the right place...when he got hurt it showed...really badly.  Not giving up Pratt either.  I'd like to keep Hubbard as a rotation guy at a reduced salary if he accepts.

[PatternMaster]

11 hours ago, Catfish Bob said:

If I'm running the show all of these guys are gone. We can do better with younger and cheaper. 

 

Rankins and Cappa are the only guy I would cut.

 

Hubbard is a leader and can play DT on passing downs. Hubbard is Mr. Cincinnati, that means something. 

 

Wilson and Pratt are going to be needed to lead this defense under Golden, they know what and why he likes to do on defense so they will be important guys to have in the building from a continuity point. 

 

Stone came on strong towards the end of the season and  really seemed to be the player we thought we were getting in FA.

 

It's easy to say cut this guy but u need to have a better alternative and if that is an unproven rookie then I would rather stick with the vet, unless they are completely washed like Cappa or not available to play like Rankins.

[claptonrocks]

15 hours ago, Catfish Bob said:

If I'm running the show all of these guys are gone. We can do better with younger and cheaper. 

Keep Stone..he's young

Keep Wilson as MLB..

The rest should be chopped.

[sparky151]

Rankins, Hubbard, and Cappa are no brainers. I'd keep Wilson. Am open to upgrading from Pratt and Stone but they're not a top priority so they wouldn't be early cuts, maybe at cutdown day if they get beat out for a spot. 

[Inigo Montoya]

Hubbard has been washed for a couple years now.  He’s no longer a starting caliber player and if he sticks around the only way I see it happening is with a steep pay cut.  I know the organization and fans love him but it doesn’t make sense to keep him around unless he accepts a lesser role and contract.  
 

Rankins, Moss, and Cappa are all squarely on the chopping block and deservedly so.  Easy cap savings that can immediately be put towards better use.  
 

Pratt, Stone, and Wilson are more likely to return IMO.  Not saying they 100% deserve to be, but I think they are safer than the others.

[Catfish Bob]

Trey is too old also. He might have a maximum of 3 seasons left before needing to retire. I give him 2 more before he retires. 

[claptonrocks]

9 minutes ago, Catfish Bob said:

Trey is too old also. He might have a maximum of 3 seasons left before needing to retire. I give him 2 more before he retir

He's 30...

Maybe twilight of his career butone the best pass rushers.

Id like to see an  extension for him..

 

 

[dex]

1 hour ago, Catfish Bob said:

Trey is too old also. He might have a maximum of 3 seasons left before needing to retire. I give him 2 more before he retires. 

Nobody expects the Bengals to give him a 4-5 year contract extension.

[sparky151]

Yeah, he probably won't settle for a 1 year extension but a 2 year deal with not much guaranteed money in 2027 should work for both sides. 

[Dautcom08]

On 2/2/2025 at 9:33 AM, Catfish Bob said:

Trey is too old also. He might have a maximum of 3 seasons left before needing to retire. I give him 2 more before he retires. 

 

Trey is an absolute warrior.  They need to keep him.  Made a similar mistake with Whitworth.  I hope they learned their lesson.

[sparky151]

18 minutes ago, Dautcom08 said:

 

Trey is an absolute warrior.  They need to keep him.  Made a similar mistake with Whitworth.  I hope they learned their lesson.

 

Yep. If they don't give him a new deal and insist he play out this season on his current deal, he has plenty of options that the team won't like. He can sit out, citing a soft tissue injury that won't show up on scans. He can hold out until week 10, etc. 

 

[sparky151]

Here's Dehner's article:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6103891/2025/02/03/bengals-trey-hendrickson-future/

 

[stan]

On 1/16/2025 at 7:08 AM, gupps said:

 

If they don't improve the oline Burrow won't be playing like that much  longer. At least not here.  

Agree.That should be the number 1 priority.Because,they are going nowhere,if he gets hurt again.

[Jamie_B]

On 1/26/2025 at 7:32 AM, PatternMaster said:

 

Rankins and Cappa are the only guy I would cut.

 

Hubbard is a leader and can play DT on passing downs. Hubbard is Mr. Cincinnati, that means something. 

 

Wilson and Pratt are going to be needed to lead this defense under Golden, they know what and why he likes to do on defense so they will be important guys to have in the building from a continuity point. 

 

Stone came on strong towards the end of the season and  really seemed to be the player we thought we were getting in FA.

 

It's easy to say cut this guy but u need to have a better alternative and if that is an unproven rookie then I would rather stick with the vet, unless they are completely washed like Cappa or not available to play like Rankins.

 

 

I hear you on Hubbard, but not at his current price tag. 

[stan]

On 1/26/2025 at 7:32 AM, PatternMaster said:

 

Rankins and Cappa are the only guy I would cut.

 

Hubbard is a leader and can play DT on passing downs. Hubbard is Mr. Cincinnati, that means something. 

 

Wilson and Pratt are going to be needed to lead this defense under Golden, they know what and why he likes to do on defense so they will be important guys to have in the building from a continuity point. 

 

Stone came on strong towards the end of the season and  really seemed to be the player we thought we were getting in FA.

 

It's easy to say cut this guy but u need to have a better alternative and if that is an unproven rookie then I would rather stick with the vet, unless they are completely washed like Cappa or not available to play like Rankins.

So they should keep someone on the roster.Making 10 million a year.Because,he is from Cincinnati? That's stupid.

[sparky151]

Yeah, if I were Tobin, I'd call Sam and his agent and say something like "Sam, we love what you've done for the team. If you are considering retiring, know that we won't try to clawback the signing bonus for 2025 from you. We can't bring you back here on your current deal. If you'd like to be released to continue your career elsewhere, we'll do that and give your agent a letter commending your character as a reference. If you want to continue in Cincinnati, we'd need to redo your contract down to the minimum salary with not likely to be earned incentives that would let you earn back the 10 mil if you have a great year. But you'd be fighting for a job as we will also most likely add other DEs, either in free agency or the draft. You deserve the truth, so there it is."

 

 

[LostInDaJungle]

I'll just go ahead and say that the Bengals have enough cap room and enough moves available to them to do anything they want to this off-season. Article after article agrees with me.

No other GM in the league has the luxury of not trying to field the absolute best contender they possibly can each and every year.

A failure to make bold moves this offseason, a failure to extend Joe's two weapons and boost the pass rush, is only a indictment of Katie's skills as a GM. Apologize for it if you must, explain it away if that makes you feel better... Article after article points out that we have the ability, and Joe's window is mutha fudging now. We're holding too many aces to not go all in.

[T-Dub]

1 hour ago, LostInDaJungle said:

I'll just go ahead and say that the Bengals have enough cap room and enough moves available to them to do anything they want to this off-season. Article after article agrees with me.

No other GM in the league has the luxury of not trying to field the absolute best contender they possibly can each and every year.

A failure to make bold moves this offseason, a failure to extend Joe's two weapons and boost the pass rush, is only a indictment of Katie's skills as a GM. Apologize for it if you must, explain it away if that makes you feel better... Article after article points out that we have the ability, and Joe's window is mutha fudging now. We're holding too many aces to not go all in.

 

 

This is what I keep saying about the poor-mouthing.   They can't afford to sign Tee because they need to extend Chase.  So far they've done neither.

They can't afford someone like Garrett, or any top-tier defensive FA, because they want to extend Hendrickson.  They've done neither.

Ford is a FA, Volson was benched, and Cappa fell off.  They obviously need to upgrade the IOL, but see above.

 

I'm saying I'll believe they don't have the cap space for X-Y-Z when they no longer have the cap space.  These claims of budget woes before they've actually done any of the stuff they're supposedly worrying about rings hollow.

[sparky151]

Tobin spent last week at the Senior Bowl. Not sure if he's going to Nola for the Super Bowl, but he'd probably say he hasn't had time to extend Ford yet, though they signed a guy to a futures contract yesterday. If Cody Ford or Trayveon Williams or Akeem Davis-Gaither want to see what's available in free agency, they have that right. But if they are content to stay in Cincinnati, no reason to wait on signing non-expensive backup players. 

[claptonrocks]

On 2/3/2025 at 4:17 PM, sparky151 said:

 

Yep. If they don't give him a new deal and insist he play out this season on his current deal, he has plenty of options that the team won't like. He can sit out, citing a soft tissue injury that won't show up on scans. He can hold out until week 10, etc. 

 

I don't see Trey pulling that crap.

Of course he'd like a raise but him playing without it

shows  his integrity as a team player and great human.

 

 

[Griever]

 

[LostInDaJungle]

34 minutes ago, Griever said:

 

I was somewhat surprised to look at the cap numbers...

Look at a team like the Chiefs.... They have some massive contracts for 6-7 guys and a bunch of guys making the minimum.

Cincy has a ton more mid-level deals. They also don't have anyone outside of Burrow with any type of long term commitment.

I'm fully willing to give Katie her props for smart cap management, but if you're saving up your pennies for a rainy day, it's raining. It's friggin monsoon season.