Excerpts below :
https://theathletic.com/5263611/2024/02/09/justin-rascati-bengals-passing-game-coordinator/?source=user_shared_article
Why Justin Rascati became ‘greatest fit of all time’ for new Bengals coaching role

By the end of the interview process, however, Taylor knew exactly where Rascati ranked.
“He was the greatest fit of all time,” Taylor said.
His resume on paper wouldn’t have suggested as much. Rascati played quarterback and came up through the college coaching ranks at Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin and Tennessee-Chattanooga in a variety of roles from offensive coordinator to working with quarterbacks and receivers.

“The way to get into the NFL was to be in the O-line room,” Rascati said. “At that point in my career, I was excited to get an opportunity to get in the NFL, so, willing to do whatever. After my first year doing that I said, ‘I wish I had done it 10 years ago.’ Us quarterback guys don’t always see it through the eyes of the offensive line and what they are going through and their challenges.”

They especially don’t see it through the eyes of Munchak, one of the league’s preeminent offensive line gurus.
“Munch is a Hall of Fame player, former NFL head coach, one of the best people I’ve ever been around,” Rascati said. “For a young coach to go into that situation, be around good people, learn and grow and really get out of my comfort zone was huge for me …  it was a great experience to work with those guys and understand what they go through and ways to help them whether it is in the run game or protection world is huge for my career.”

That became apparent the more Taylor, Pitcher and the offensive staff got to know Rascati across a day of Zoom interviews and then hanging out talking ball in Cincinnati on Monday. In addition to being impressed by his “intricate knowledge,” of offensive scheme, his ideas from the outside can offer a refresh on what the Bengals built with mostly the same people over the last five years. The Vikings ran the same offense Taylor left in Los Angeles five years ago under former Sean McVay assistant Kevin O’Connell.

While Taylor shifted into the Joe Burrow Bengals offense, a 180-degree change from the early days, hearing those concepts again and the permutations Rascati saw develop with the Vikings sparked excitement.
“It’s a repeat of all the things I used to do five years ago when I was in L.A. and a great reminder of some things we can do again now,” Taylor said.
This was always the concept Taylor loved and ownership supported about adding a passing game coordinator. It didn’t previously exist and mostly didn’t need to thanks to the continuity and comfort with former offensive coordinator and current Titans head coach Brian Callahan and Pitcher as quarterbacks coach. With Pitcher taking over as coordinator and Brad Kragthorpe earning a promotion from assistant to Pitcher’s old job, there were new dynamics.

Pitcher, in the infant stages of designing his unique approach, sees the additional position that exists on some, but far from all, coaching staffs across the league as an intelligent mind to help him set the table in the passing game every week. But, just as importantly, an open book for finding ways to innovate and, ultimately, win games.
“I would venture to guess the exact responsibilities are probably different in just about every single building,” Pitcher said about the PGC role. “It’s a spot that really allows us to add one more guy with a great skill set and fresh perspective coming from a place where they do a lot of things very similar to us but they do some different stuff, too.”
Taylor expressed a large part of this offseason will be about exploring new perspectives and not becoming stale five years in with continuity on the roster and staff. Don’t be repetitive. Strike a balance between comfort and challenge.

https://www.bengals.com/news/justin-rascati-pass-game-coordinator-brad-kragthorpe-jordan-kovacs-promoted

#Bengals secondary coach Robert Livingston is in Colorado today speaking with Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders and he’s expected to be named their new defensive coordinator. A Lou Anarumo discipline, he’s an impressive young coach.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 7, 2024

Bengals have an estimated $61 mill in cap space for 2024.

They have 48 players under contract currently, 17 of which make $1 mill or less.
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cincinnati-bengals/cap/

The Bengals have the following 20 guys set to hit FA - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/all/cincinnati-bengals//

For all intents and purposes, the draft will fill out the last few spots, so any re-sign or outside FA will result in some displacement of funding.

Starting spots with impending FAs (incumbent):
- Outside WR (Higgins)
- Slot WR (Boyd)
- TE (Hudson)
- RT (Williams)
- NT (Reader)
- Outside CB (Awuzie)
- LS (Adomitis)

Who would you sign in FA (and for how much) to fill out the remaining roster such that any and all draft picks could be used strictly as depth?
NOTE-1: You can use the "Manage Roster" function on the first spotrac link to do this exercise.
NOTE-2: A tag on Higgins will cost an estimated $20.7 mill. If you choose to tag him, the available cap for all remaining players will be essentially $40 mill.
NOTE-3: You MUST leave AT LEAST $5 mill in cap remaining after FA, which is the usual operating procedure for the Bengals


Who ya gonna sign?

Look y’all don’t take this the wrong way lol. For some reason I keep seeing burrow slander on my TL. People keep hating when honestly burrow and mahomes are the best QBs in the NFL. Also he completely turned that franchise around but I guess when you’re nice AF people forget… https://t.co/OusPNW9Xnp

— Jermaine Eluemunor (@TheMainShow_) February 6, 2024

Not too far removed being the rushing champion in 2022 and last year's struggles could be pointed to him holding out some in the summer.

I think, knowing how short a running back's career is, he'd come here knowing that he won't get a long-term deal elsewhere but he has the potential to reach incentives in a contract and play for a title here.

Is it possible?

Many of us have naturally assumed that Brad Kragthorpe would simply be elevated to fill the vacancy of Dan Pitcher's previous role as QB Coach. It seems like he may want to inject some new blood and fresh ideas into the coaching staff, by taking a look at Tampa TE Coach John Van Dam.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/zac-taylor-could-look-outside-bengals-to-fill-qb-coach-role/ar-BB1hLACz?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=f2362bf91b2547eb84e144d2b10ccbb1&ei=192

Quote:The Cincinnati Bengals could still make a minor move along the coaching staff in the wake of Dan Pitcher assuming offensive coordinator responsibilities after Brian Callahan left to serve as head coach of the Tennessee Titans.

While it was presumed that the Bengals would promote from within by having assistant Brad Kragthorpe take over the quarterbacks coach spot left vacant by Pitcher, it sounds like the team will look at outside options too.

According to Greg Auman of Fox Sports, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight ends coach John Van Dam has been in the conversation to come to Cincinnati.

Van Dam has served in three different offensive roles since joining the Buccaneers, so he's a candidate to come over and expand his resume while trying to climb up to a coordinator spot over time. More to the point, one of the concerns Bengals fans might've raised when the team promoted Pitcher to coordinator was a lack of new voices providing fresh ideas to the offense.

Hiring someone like Van Dam from outside would help in that area, too

I understand the importance of continuity with coaching staff, but why would he not push for a new offensive line coach/run coordinator when those have been the biggest issues from day one in his tenure and nothing has changed since?

As tired of a topic this must be for some, I really am dumbfounded with the stubbornness sticking with Pollack. If we had an OL that could protect Joe and create a good run game this offense would be absolutely unstoppable.

Yet here we are going into another season and I don’t care who we pick up this off-season in free agency and draft picks, Pollack is going to get out schemed by the opponents on both fronts and Zac is going to have to take the blame for keeping him on.

So why are they choosing to keep him?

General question:
Why is it that other so called "small market " teams hire actual GM'S and decent scouting depts and Bengals refuse? Is it still the famous MB cheapness, or actually not having the $ to do so?
I thought Katie Brown was going to bring this team into present day but seeing them all over the Senior bowl yr after yr because they dont have enough scouts to really find the diamonds out there is just getting old. The fact they rarely sign a big name in FA (OB was exception) should also be a reason to invest in scouting, developing and drafting talent.
I look at what the Rams did in the draft and all of a sudden that Stafford/Goff trade doesnt look too bad for them. They are a contender again.
Lastly: Tobin is no GM, yes we have selected some good players here and there not counting no brainers like JB and Chase, but picking Jonah that high, and the rest of the misses on OL and DL are glaring at this point. Don't get me started on our 6th round punter: Robbins .....ugh

It's February and a Franchise Tag decision on TEE Higgins will have to be made soon.

Predict the outcome.

Take the POLL as to what you think will actually happen with TEE