01-21-2024, 04:37 PM
(01-20-2024, 11:23 PM)bengals67 Wrote: The Bengals need to spend their cap space on the two lines. The franchise future depends upon protecting Burrow which includes having a running game that can routinely get 4 or 5 yards and convert 4th and one.
Our safety play was bad this year. But The defense got torched this year mainly because the D line was often dominated by teams that run the ball and lack of pressure on opposing QB
Paying big contracts to Tee and Chase won’t address both lines getting beaten up by all three of our division rivals.
Jordan Love is moving the ball against the best defense in nfl right now with wrs that are not first rounders or on big contracts because of his o line which gives the packers a really good running attack and giving love 3 or 4 seconds to throw .
Love threw two picks and we kicked the crap out of SF, but that misses the point.
It isn't about lines vs weapons (we have enough cap space to do a bit of both, and we can adress both in the draft). It is about guys we can get.
We likely have north of $50 million in functional cap space. But that does not necessarily translate into getting true inpact players. Most times, teams will not land a top target, and that cap space goes into guys who are not teue difference makers. That is why guys like Waynes get $15 mil and such. Jonah will get it this year. Teams have space and have to use it somewhere. I'd rather pay $20 for Tee than $15 for Jonah or a similar level player.
If there is a guy who is an impact player AND wants to be here, then make it happen. Higgins had a down year, but I have no doubt about his abilities. He is a made guy in the NFL. Top 20 at his position. In his prime.
There is not an OT worth $15 mil on the market. The IOL spots are set, and paying $15 mil at IOL is pretty pricey. There really is not a DE worth big money as a FA, maybe Young? But we have Trey & Sam signed & just drafted Murphy. A big spend at DE (or a high pick) does not make a lot of sense. Not a great DE class.
That leaves DT/NT. There are maybe 4 or 5 guys worth big money. Chris Jones is a $30 mil guy. Madubuike likely $20. But the chances they get away are slim. Wilkins is worth $20, but I doubt the Dolphins let their defensive captain walk, even in cap hell. The others are Reader (who we know wants to be here) and maybe Leonard Williams.
But the larger point is that one does not prevent the other. With some creative contracing, renegotiating other guys, or flat out cutting BJ Hill (or Scott/Carman), we could sign/tag Tee, sign Reader AND Wilkins, and pick an OT in Rd 1.
Or maybe we whiff on FA DTs, pick a guy like Murphy or Jenkins or Sweat in Rd 2. And use that $$ for an impact guy elsewhere (Derrick Henry or a DB). The important thing is to get impact guys if you can. Don't spend big money on a Jonah level player. I'd much rather pay two guys $7.5 (or a $10/$5) than pay a Jonah level guy $15.
