'It’s time for the Bengals to alter their offseason mindset.'

[Bengalholic]

I put together a list of Bengals transactions (FA's, trades, waivers) since 2011, running Feb thru July of each year, although I did include a couple of waiver claims that happened in August. 

The Bengals were very active  2011 and 2012. The 2011 crop produced 6 players that would provide meaningful production that year or in following years, as well as a decent backup QB. 2012 didn't work out quite as well. Of the 8 free agents signed, 5 would never play a regular season snap and 2 other would play in 8 total games or less as Bengals.

The last 5 free agent classes have been a mishmosh of former Bengals, over-the-hill veterans, low priced roster fillers...with LaFell and Minter being the exceptions.

The highest yearly average given to a free agent during time ('11-'17) was 5.25m to Clements and MJ at 5m...and there were 9 total contracts having a 3m or more average, with 5 those coming in '11 and '12.

2011
QB Bruce Gradkowski
LB Thomas Howard
LB Manny Lawson
G Max Jean-Gilles
CB Nate Clements   
S- Gibril Wilson
TE- Bo Scaife

S- Taylor Mays (trade)
CB- Kelly Jennings (trade)
WR Andrew Hawkins (waiver claim)
WR- Brandon Tate (waiver claim)
G- Mike McGlynn (waiver claim)

2012
RB- BenJarvus Green-Ellis
CB- Terence Newman
G- Travelle Wharton
DB- Jason Allen
DE- Jamaal Anderson
DE- Derrick Harvey
G- Jacob Bell
C- Jeff Faine
RB- Aaron Brown

TE- Matt Murphy (waiver claim)
G- Chris Riley (waiver claim)
DT- Vaughn Meatoga (waiver claim)

2013
QB--- Josh Johnson
G- Mike Pollack
TE- Alex Smth
LB- James Harrison

T- Jason Weaver (waiver claim)

2014
QB- Jason Campell
T- Marshall Newhouse
T- Will Svitek
S- Danieal Mannng
CB- RJ Stafford
DE- Sam Motgomery
QB- Tyler Wilson

LB- Dontay Moch (waiver claim)
QB- Matt Scott (waiver claim)
WR- Jasper Collins (waiver claim)

2015
LB- AJ Hawk
DE- Michael Johnson
WR- Denarious Moore
DT- Pat Sims
QB- Josh Johnson
QB- Kieth Wenning
WR- Terrell Pryor

2016
CB- Chykie Brown
S- Taylor Mays
WR- Brandon LaFell
LB- Karlos Dansby
S- Jimmy Wilson

QB- Jeff Driskell (waiver claim)

2017
CB- Bene Benwikere
T- Andre Smith
LB- Kevin Minter
G- Cameron Lee
P- Will Monday

DE- Chris Smith (trade)
WR- Chirs Brown (waiver claim)