05-30-2021, 11:56 AM
(05-30-2021, 11:44 AM)muskiesfan Wrote: I'd rather the Bengals go ahead and re-sign Bates and Hubbard than to hold onto that money for next year and potentially have to pay even more. Ertz isn't a real need and isn't a big enough upgrade if we keep Uzomah. Locking up $14-15m in those 2 tight ends just doesn't sound like a smart move to me. While a TE is a big help, why don't we try to use our exceptionally overdrafted TE more in the passing game? How about we do even more to actually improve the OL so that the TE isn't necessary for blocking every time our QB drops back.
I also don't see a need for Ertz if we truly have the best WR trio in the league like so many keep saying. The 3 of them need fed. Mixon should hopefully be used more in the passing game as well. Trading a pick or whatever for an $8m a year TE when we already have 4 guys ahead of him who should get more looks doesn't sound like the best plan. Also, isn't our QB supposed to be a guy that elevates everyone's play around him because he is supposed to be elite or on his way to elite? I like Burrow a lot and I am very happy he's a Bengal. I'm not trying to knock him at all with that statement. Simply saying that he has 4 very good weapons already plus it's not like Uzomah is garbage when healthy. We also brought in his college TE who is an unknown but it keeps being repeated that his chemistry with players should help him and them.
I'm not saying Ertz isn't better than Uzomah or knocking Ertz for age, injuries, or production. If the team wanted to make a trade another quality OL or LB would be a much greater benefit than Ertz.
I don't think trading for Ertz prevents you from giving new deals to Bates and/or Hubbard though. We currently sit at almost 24 million in available space.
You have to remember, if Bates or Hubbard were to get extended they'd still have their base salaries set for this season. Now, the Bengals most liklely would front load some of the signing bonus onto this year's cap but I don't think it would be a ridiculous amount. With Mixon they only frontloaded around 2.5 million on the final year of the rookie deal. Hell, even if they decided to front load a shit ton, say 15 million total between them, we'd still be sitting on enough money to pay for him.
I also think the move would be to cut Uzomah if they somehow actually wanted Ertz. That would free up 5.2 million dollars. With Ertz only costing 8.5 million, you'd be looking at a difference of 3.3 million.
If people don't think Ertz is that much better than Uzomah or they think he's washed up, or your case us just not needed another weapon that much, I can kind of get that. But I don't understand those (not necessarily you) that use money as the primary reason as to why we shouldn't pursue him. We have plenty of money to do so, and we haven't even gotten to training camp cuts that could free up more (Ex: Someone like XSF could save the Bengals 2.5 million)
