***NFL Free Agency News & Signings Thread***

[*ochocincos*]

(05-02-2024, 03:00 PM)jj22 Wrote: I think they are gambling with the guard position not even addressing it. It's actually very disappointing and just like the Bengals to roll with what they have and come mid season realize it was a mistake and the gamble failed.

How so?

The way the roster shakes out right now, here is my predicted OL:
Orlando Brown
Trent Brown
Cordell Volson
Ted Karras
Alex Cappa
Amarius Mims
Jackson Carman
Matt Lee
Cody Ford
(Trey Hill or D'Ante Smith if they want to have a 10th)

Carman can play the left side, both LT and LG. He won't unseat Volson at this point, but he is versatile depth.
Cody Ford can play the right side, both RT and RG. Same as Carman.
Amarius Mims they already said they plan to have be a swing tackle his rookie season.
Matt Lee will battle it out with Trey Hill for backup C duties.

I don't personally think they need to add another OL, but if they do, OG is where it makes sense.

I'd love to round out the OL room with a proven vet like Dalton Risner, who somehow still isn't signed. He would offer, if anything, good pass blocking. His run blocking is just ok. But he's played just LG in his NFL tenure up to this point.
He signed with MIN last year on a really cheap 1-year deal for just $3 mill.
With him still unsigned, I would think he could easily be picked up for that same level of deal just for insurance.
But...I think the Bengals are comfortable with who they have after the draft now because of the versatility guys like Carman and Ford provide.