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

[Bengalstripes9]

There are a lot of OTs left to be signed. I've been hearing it's because the draft class is deep.

But also look at the top OTs available:
Tyron Smith and Trent Brown have had trouble staying on the field in the past.
Either are great options if they are healthy, but it could be hard to put a dollar amount on the risk and you don't want to commit to too many years with them.

Other options are average at best like Jonah Williams. Jonah hasn't been exactly durable either.
Becton is trash and injury prone. Definitely not a good option.
I also see Josh Yinman from the Packers on the top 100 list who is durable, but probably a league average guy at best. I know nothing about him.
Maybe Andus Peat could be looked at for a tackle, or Donnavon Smith from the Chiefs. Don't know much about these guys either but assume they are average at best.

Overall there are a lot of names available still. Bengals aren't the only team not wanting to commit too much to average starters or great players that are often injured. The draft class for tackles is very good and the FA crop isn't--which is why there are a lot of names left on the list.

I think the Bengals will find someone to be either a potential elite T with injury risk, and back him up with Carman and a rookie.
Or sign a league average guy and draft a tackle to compete with him for the job.

Either way it seems like we need to take an OT with our top pick. It's not ideal in terms of flexibility with how the draft falls.
But if there is a run we could just draft a DT and pick an OT later in the draft if its a deep class.

For DT, it's pretty much Reader as far as an immediate starter. He'll command a lot of money.
Bengals could miss out but he's 30 so it would be ideal to find a suitable replacement in the draft anyway.
I don't like having two immediate large needs that need addressing in the draft.
If you get a late 1st for Higgins you can address both needs in the 1st, but then you need a replacement WR2. Not a lot of options in FA.
Again, you're looking to the draft.
If we lose (3) solid starters in Reader, Higgins, and Jonah (to a lesser extent) and replace them with (3) draft picks you end up getting worse as a team.
This is a tough nut to crack, but the Bengals could improve if they make a couple savvy signings at CB and along the dline (and hit on the draft picks).

I'd prefer not to spend too much on average OTs. I'd like to see a 2 year deal for Tyron Smith.
I'd be open to spending more to keep Reader. We need another 3T to improve the rotation as well.
Bengals need to make some savvy CB/Dline/WR signings to lower the amount of draft needs going into the draft.