Let me start this off by saying I LOVE CJ and he is an A+ locker room guy and leader. However, I fear we may be over-rating him and I think paying him a top 10 TE contract would be a mistake. When he is on the field he is the defenses 5th priority behind Chase, Higgins, Boyd and Mixon. I think we could easily match his production with a much cheaper option or even a 2nd or 3rd round rookie. I worry if we dish him out 8-10m a year we may not spend that money on a solid olinemen which would be much more valuable. The scarcity in the TE market this off-season is going to mean he WILL get some decently big offers. As painful as it is to let him go I think paying him and not spending that money on a OL, DT or CB would come back to haunt us.

Hmmm. He's a great lockerroom guy.

He's not in the tier of te that a defense will need to focus on because he stretches the field. That said, he is a starter in the nfl...just not a good one. He's probably average to slightly below average as a starting te.

I share the same thoughts. It's hurts me as much as anyone here to say it, but I'm more than willing to move on. Money he will be asking for won't match his production on the field. He only became relevant when Burrow came along, and that's not saying a whole lot. If you're not signing someone better in FA, draft his replacement in the 2nd.

Overvaluing?

He made 6m last year and had his best year of his career. If there aren’t many TEs in FA then Uzomah can go and get a huge deal. We know the Bengals can’t afford to pay him 10m a year but maybe he can get 7 with incentives to make it 8m or something.

But it’s ok if he wants the most he can get. It just won’t be with the bengals

I love CJ and want him to come back next season. However it needs to be on a very team friendly contract.

Agree, there's no way they can pay him top 10 money for TE's.

(03-13-2022, 08:00 PM)Bengalpool Wrote: I share the same thoughts. It's hurts me as much as anyone here to say it, but I'm more than willing to move on. Money he will be asking for won't match his production on the field. He only became relevant when Burrow came along, and that's not saying a whole lot. If you're not signing someone better in FA, draft his replacement in the 2nd.

This class is very deep at TE  and I have no problem drafting one in the 2nd or 3rd and let Uzo get his payday somewhere else.

(03-13-2022, 08:04 PM)Gdale_Bengal Wrote: Overvaluing?

No I mean over-rating his skill.  He is clearly good, but he is also in one of the best situations a TE could ask to be in.  Three bonafide stud WRs that a secondary has to worry about and an elite QB finding him.  

(03-13-2022, 08:07 PM)BurrowTheGoat Wrote: No I mean over-rating his skill.  He is clearly good, but he is also in one of the best situations a TE could ask to be in.  Three bonafide stud WRs that a secondary has to worry about and an elite QB finding him.  

He is athletic enough that he could be a #3 on a team that doesn’t have receivers like the Bengals.

He doesn’t stretch tge field but he has good hands, good catch radius and trucks people for more yards. He’s pretty good

(03-13-2022, 08:07 PM)BurrowTheGoat Wrote: No I mean over-rating his skill.  He is clearly good, but he is also in one of the best situations a TE could ask to be in.  Three bonafide stud WRs that a secondary has to worry about and an elite QB finding him.  

I read the other day where a guy said the Chargers would be a good fit for him.

The TE market is now officially dried up. Brady unretiring probably means Gronk back to Tampa. If anything we may struggle to keep CJ at this point.

Re-sign him or draft a guy for cheaper because Gronk is probably staying in TB now that Brady is playing another year with the Bucs.

(03-13-2022, 08:17 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: Re-sign him or draft a guy for cheaper because Gronk is probably staying in TB now that Brady is playing another year with the Bucs.

Historically, rookie TE’s aren’t great so even getting CJ’s production out of a rookie would be a bit of a reach.

He's good and I see no need to unload him and replace him with someone unproven, considering there are so many other holes in the team. Team picked Sample, so let's not be so sure they will choose an upgrade in the draft.

Ertz just got 10.5 a year with 17.5 guaranteed over 3 at his age. I think the market is about to be way higher across the board than what people are predicting. Look at Gallup’s deal with a torn ACL…market is going to be hot.

(03-13-2022, 08:00 PM)Bengalpool Wrote:  He only became relevant when Burrow came along, and that's not saying a whole lot.

2018....43 rec... 439 yds... 10.2 avg... 3 td 
2021....49 rec... 493 yds... 10.1 avg... 5 td 

I don't know about "overrating" him. The guy comes through when called upon, knows the offense inside and out, and is loved by his teammates. If anything, he's been underutilized by the team thus far.

I'm not suggesting that the Bengals pay him top tier money to stay with the team, because the Bengals just don't feature the TE as a primary weapon in their offensive scheme. However, I might suggest that if Uzomah were to go to a team that does feature the TE as one of their first options in the passing game, his stats would likely skyrocket. He really is that talented of a player.

Yes, great leader but mediocre at best on the field. Team friendly contract or bust

(03-13-2022, 08:04 PM)Gdale_Bengal Wrote: Overvaluing?

He made 6m last year and had his best year of his career. If there aren’t many TEs in FA then Uzomah can go and get a huge deal. We know the Bengals can’t afford to pay him 10m a year but maybe he can get 7 with incentives to make it 8m or something.

But it’s ok if he wants the most he can get. It just won’t be with the bengals

There are several TE's in FA and even with his best year CJ is very average.  Not a knock on him as much as there is a lot of talent in the NFL.

This is where you have to be careful. Regardless of whether CJ is "elite" he is one of the emotional leaders of the team (along with Burrow). Moving on from CJ has to be done delicately lest you wreck the locker room in the process.

(03-13-2022, 08:04 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I love CJ and want him to come back next season. However it needs to be on a very team friendly contract.

Agree, there's no way they can pay him top 10 money for TE's.

We cant and shouldn't pay Gronk top money either and I love that guy. TE needs to be filled but the priority comes after Oline, DT, and CB in my opinion.