Difference between 2015 team and 2021 team?

[puddycat]

What a player threatens to do to the front office is almost completely divorced from what they do on the field. Whitworth had never hit free agency without signing an extension until that last 1 year extension with the Bengals. He valued the security and the Bengals didn't want to give it to him. As the Bengals now know, a player without a future contract might have great contract year play, and might have insecure unfocused play. Every player is different.
Whitworth didn't mail it in his last year in Cincinnati. The Bengals got exactly what they wanted, and what they deserved. The Rams signed the 4th highest contract for an LT the 2017 offseason(about 10th highest LT per year overall) and got an All-Pro. Get over it.