Jim O & Paul Dehner: Who stays, who goes among Bengals FA's?

[*SHRacerX*]

(01-05-2017, 03:34 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: I personally think they are overly optimistic about Zeitler and Kirkpatrick.  I think they are both going to want significantly more than Brown is willing to pay.

I get the importance of both, and Zeitler has the benefit of the offensive line looking, well, offensive this past season.  They will be afraid to let him go.  However, I look at Dre as an ascending player.  3 INTs, 10 PBUs, and keeping down some pretty elite WRs is pretty solid given this team's lack of a pass rush for much of the season.  

If I could only keep one, and that is pretty realistic, I would keep Dre.  I think Zeitler is going to command too much on the open market, and he is not a dominant player.  I don't care what PFF rates him.  I'm not paying that kind of money to a guy that is not a difference maker.  I think he was trending that way, but then didn't want to be "the fat guy" and his game tailed off.  He will likely end up being a 3rd round compensatory in 2019, so maybe you use at least a 3rd rounder for a Guard that you feel can step in and play?  I don't know enough about Westerman, but the fact that they started TJ Johnson at LG the final game doesn't indicate that they have a lot of faith in him.