He's entering free agency and played for the the WFT, sorry Commanders. I think he might like a change of pace, you know playing for a team that just went to the Super Bowl. Some injury history though.

From PFF:

Quote:Recent Injury History:
The MCL sprain that sidelined Scherff for multiple weeks in 2021 is the latest in a growing list of injuries that have limited him throughout his career. Scherff has missed at least two games in each of the last five seasons.

Contract Projection: Three years, $50 million ($16.67 million per year, $30 million total guaranteed)

Bottom Line:
A healthy Scherff is the best interior offensive lineman scheduled to hit free agency this offseason, but it's difficult to bank on Scherff staying healthy through an entire NFL season.

Yeah I know, the Bengals have had bad luck with players with a history of injury.... But worth a risk.

(02-18-2022, 10:19 PM)George Cantstandya Wrote: He's entering free agency and played for the the WFT, sorry Commanders. I think he might like a change of pace, you know playing for a team that just went to the Super Bowl. Some injury history though.

From PFF:


Yeah I know, the Bengals have had bad luck with players with a history of injury.... But worth a risk.

Brandon Scherff, when healthy, would upgrade the Cincinnati offensive line just by showing up. If he’s not healthy then Morgan Moses from the Jets is also a free agent. Another option might be drafting Daniel Faalele — 6’9” and 370 pounds — from the University of Minnesota at #31.

I would love to have Scherff but his asking price is way too high. We need to replace 3 or 4 guys on the O-line and paying a guard 16.67 million limits what we can do with the other spots. You could pay 16.67 million for the guy graded 13th in PFF at Guard or you could pay 10 million for the guy graded 19th (James Daniels). If you do go with Daniels and save that extra 6.67 million you then have enough money for the other guard position and get the guy graded at 11th (Conner Williams 6.7 million). Again the 16.67 million gets you right guard Scherff #13 or it gets you RG Daniels #19 and left guard Williams #11. Personally, I would much rather upgrade 2 spots on the O-line for that money than just one.

Just because his annual salary is, say, $17M/year does not mean his cap hit is that high every year. For example, KC gave Thuney 16M a year for 5 years, but his cap hits are 4.5, 17.8, 18.9, 19.4 and 19.4. Give him a low salary year one, and backload the contract, and that's how you do it. Whether or not we should, or if we will, are all different conversations, but I'm just telling you it can be done, and how.

I'd love if they signed him but I don't think the Bengals will because he will be expensive. I don't think the Bengals will break the bank on a tackle either, the market is slim. I'd like a 2 for one type deal where you don't break the bank on Scherff but spend on two good lineman. I'd look at that next wave of guards like Daniel's, Tomlinson, Corbett , Cappa ( restricted FA) an try to pair them with another interior guy or a RT, with Williams at LT and use the draft to fill in the rest along with 2nd year guys like Carman or Smith.

No. He hasn't played a full season in 5 years and we don't need the beggars can't be choosers outlook. You can sign a top FA center and younger healthy guard like Daniels or Williams for the same cost of Sherff needs say 15-16M.

Edit: 007s post was more on point scrolling up.

Playing LG isn't ideal when they really need a RG.  The injury stuff isn't terrible, but is a ding and could potentially get worse as time goes on.  However, he'd be a great pickup depending on how things shake out.  I'd think that they're going into this FA period intent on signing at least two "good" tier OL - it might be better to just go for broke and get the elite guy.  Barring injury that'll be one problem that'll be as good as solved.  The other spots could work themselves out if younger players or bargain basement guys overachieve.  

Maybe Spain could switch to RG?  I'm of the mind that he wasn't the issue this past year.    

I just spent a few minutes looking through the pending free agents.

The top 3 overall PFF rankings for available offensive lineman:

(1) Trent Brown (RT) 77.6 (Pats) (1 penalty and 1 sack allowed all season)
(2) Laken Tomlinson (G) 75.9 (9ers) (5 penalties, 1 sack allowed)
(4) Alex Cappa (G) 74.2 (Tampa Bay) (1 penalty, 5 sacks allowed)
(5) Scherff (G) 73.6 (Wash) (5 penalties, 0 sacks allowed)

The top (3) are from playoff caliber teams.

I'd put Trent Brown high on my list to shore up a RT spot we haven't had an answer for for a long time. Sounds like the only question mark with Brown is staying healthy. "The 6-foot-8, 380-pound offensive lineman earned career highs in pass-blocking grade (81.2) and overall grade (77.6) on 489 snaps last season".

Scherff didn't allow any sacks, but can we afford him? Why not Laken Tomlinson (for half the price), with only allowing 1 sack this season--and being a part of one of the best rush offenses in the NFL? "Tomlinson picked up where he left off in 2020 with a second consecutive overall grade above 75.0, and he also recorded a much-improved, career-best 75.2 pass-blocking grade."

I get that PFF isn't the be all end all. But these guys seem like good options. It'd be nice to get a RT and a guard. We tried to get a RT last year and it was a decent pick up I guess. I'd like to solidify that position as it has plagued us for so long. Nobody seems capable of taking control of that position. So bring in Trent Brown. Then you pick up a proven guard as well. From there we can let the young draft picks fight it out and invest more picks in the draft to boot.

**Edit: I missed Terron Armstead in the rankings. He ties with Tomlinson with a 75.9 overall rating. But he also commands 20 mil per year. Would you take Trent Brown for half that price? He has had a few injuries in the past.

I’d like Morgan Moses. I don’t think he’s as pricey and a significant upgrade still

(02-19-2022, 12:09 AM)BuildTheWall Wrote: Just because his annual salary is, say, $17M/year does not mean his cap hit is that high every year. For example, KC gave Thuney 16M a year for 5 years, but his cap hits are 4.5, 17.8, 18.9, 19.4 and 19.4. Give him a low salary year one, and backload the contract, and that's how you do it. Whether or not we should, or if we will, are all different conversations, but I'm just telling you it can be done, and how.

^^^^^^

This

Either we go all in or we don't/ We have a team fresh off a Super run with a glaring weakness. Go get Scherff and Moses. Moses is a great pass protector at RT. Scherff is simply a beast, then groom our young guys as the back ups.

Many ways tom be creative to spend 60 million in cap space. Take of the OL and it also opens up the draft to BPA at pick #31.

Worth the gamble. All for Scherff, Moses and Daniels at this point.

This would fix the OL very well if they all could stay healthy.

(02-21-2022, 11:34 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Worth the gamble. All for Scherff, Moses and Daniels at this point.

This would fix the OL very well if they all could stay healthy.

That’s where you hope guys like carman continue to develop into decent backups and eventual startwrs

(02-21-2022, 11:38 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: That’s where you hope guys like carman continue to develop into decent backups and eventual starters

For sure, I have hope for Carman and D'Ante Smith as backups and to become eventual starters.

(02-21-2022, 11:41 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: For sure, I have hope for Carman and D'Ante Smith as backups and to become eventual starters.

Yea, even in a Stacy andrews kind of fashion. He wasn’t great, but he was decent for a few years. That’s what I envision that we could have in a few years if we go all in for the next 2-3. You can win with a few Stacy Andrews on your OL. But not 4 lesser versions.

(02-22-2022, 12:24 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: Yea, even in a Stacy andrews kind of fashion.  He wasn’t great, but he was decent for a few years.  That’s what I envision that we could have in a few years if we go all in for the next 2-3.  You can win with a few Stacy Andrews on your OL.  But not 4 lesser versions.

Yeah, just no Nate Livings. Dude disgraces my name.

(02-22-2022, 12:36 AM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, just no Nate Livings. Dude disgraces my name.

Andrews flamed out his last year with the bengals too, but for 2 years he was decent. I kind of expected the bengals to do in the Super Bowl, what the bengals did in 06/07/08 and use a 6th OL.

(02-22-2022, 12:36 AM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, just no Nate Livings. Dude disgraces my name.

Lol. Sorry, you are right… he was not Nate the great.

Scherff has made something like 66 million since he has been in the league. If he finally wants to win maybe he comes over for a discount knowing his bank account is already doing really well.

(02-19-2022, 12:09 AM)BuildTheWall Wrote: Just because his annual salary is, say, $17M/year does not mean his cap hit is that high every year. For example, KC gave Thuney 16M a year for 5 years, but his cap hits are 4.5, 17.8, 18.9, 19.4 and 19.4. Give him a low salary year one, and backload the contract, and that's how you do it. Whether or not we should, or if we will, are all different conversations, but I'm just telling you it can be done, and how.

Most players only agree to a contract structure like this if there's a lot of guaranteed money, as they don't want to end up taking a lower contract early and then getting cut midway through.

Given the Bengals don't typically give much guaranteed money, they have higher cap hits early in the contract, which allows them to cut players toward the end if they aren't performing.

I said this last offseason when I was pushing for Thuney. I would rather have a slightly less talented player who is reliably healthy than a slightly more talented player who can't be relied upon... and sure enough Thuney was healthy and good, and Scherff was not healthy and good.

So yes, there might be a gap in ability between Daniels and Scherff, but you need to think of it this way when determining who is better....

17 games of Daniels + Daniels in the playoffs
or
11 games of Scherff + 6 games of Adeniji + potentially Adeniji in the playoffs

...and you're paying much more for the latter.

Scherff is heading into his age 31 season and has been on the IR 3 of the last 4 seasons with still missing 6 games in the only season of those 4 that he's not been on the IR. He's not going to get more durable with age.