Who's leaving?
Its a business. So lets just enjoy this ride and stop asking about who stays and who goes. I just want to go to the game Sunday and cheer.

The one thing I know about any successful franchise is that you have to have one leader.

https://youtu.be/7wfYIMyS_dI

(11-30-2022, 09:08 PM)Emeritus Wrote:

Who's leaving?
Its a business. So lets just enjoy this ride and stop asking about who stays and who goes. I just want to go to the game Sunday and cheer.

Money talks but they like Zac and the staff. They love their teammates. They are poised to win a lot of games. The culture is as good as any team. Ownership is great to them. I’d say they keep the receivers but the defense loses some folks.

(11-30-2022, 09:22 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Money talks but they like Zac and the staff. They love their teammates. They are poised to win a lot of games. The culture is as good as any team. Ownership is great to them. I’d say they keep the receivers but the defense loses some folks.

I wont be surprised if we lose an offensive player.

Did the OP start a thread asking if we can keep this team together, then say who cares; enjoy this season?...

(11-30-2022, 09:44 PM)jason Wrote: Did the OP start a thread asking if we can keep this team together, then say who cares; enjoy this season?...

Lol…I opened the thread and thought I accidentally skipped to the end of the thread. I was a bit confused myself 

(11-30-2022, 09:49 PM)CincinnatiKid Wrote: Lol…I opened the thread and thought I accidentally skipped to the end of the thread. I was a bit confused myself 

I was confused too, but to answer his question... Not for long.

A lot of people thought Uzomah would be a big loss because of his locker room presence, but it's clear that Taylor and the front office are putting a high priority on quality talent who will fit this team. Overall, the locker room and the talent have gotten even better this year.

We can't pay everyone but Joe Burrow doesn't need three #1 receivers. For every player that leaves to get paid there's a quality talent out there like Hurst who is looking for the right fit.

(11-30-2022, 09:44 PM)jason Wrote: Did the OP start a thread asking if we can keep this team together, then say who cares; enjoy this season?...

Yeah, I think he does this kind of thing from time to time.....

They can identify and keep key pieces if they draft well. All teams with sustained success churn rosters over the decade or so that they are contending. This staff drafts fairly well, so I'm hopeful that it can work out. The key is always young talent on rookie deals.

(11-30-2022, 11:08 PM)Roland Wrote: We can't pay everyone but Joe Burrow doesn't need three #1 receivers.  For every player that leaves to get paid there's a quality talent out there like Hurst who is looking for the right fit.

Semi related, I was thinking today how weird it has been around here lately with all the talented WRs on the roster. I got so used to us lamenting that some ho-hum veteran WR like Brandon LaFell or Cody Core was "getting in the way" of some practice squad nobody or some ultra bust getting on the field and becoming a combination of Randy Moss and Jerry Rice.

Teams break apart it’s just the way it is.

We will keep the spine of the team together though, Burrow,Chase,Bell,Wilson.

A huge upside iis that the line is touch wood starting to come together saving us some draft picks over the next couple of years.

We will need a new cb for Chido/Apple a RB to replace Mix and the jury is still out for me on Jonah, then send everything else towards pass rushers and hope we find a couple of gems.

Do we pay Tee too? Difficult but I’d like the office to find a way.

(11-30-2022, 09:44 PM)jason Wrote: Did the OP start a thread asking if we can keep this team together, then say who cares; enjoy this season?...

Yes. And then posted the same video from a thread he created not too long ago.

No

No franchise has ever kept this many good players


We are at minimum losing one WR, Bates, and either Mixon or Pratt. And that’s me being nice. Hurst is playing himself into a CJ like contract that i know we won’t give him

(12-01-2022, 12:56 AM)Housh Wrote: No

No franchise has ever kept this many good players


We are at minimum losing one WR, Bates, and either Mixon or Pratt. And that’s me being nice. Hurst is playing himself into a CJ like contract that i know we won’t give him

I would agree. Bates is gone as well as mixon or boyd. I agree with hurst, except he is better.

I hope they can keep a core group together for a while. I really enjoy watching this team. I hope Pratt, bell & hurst get brought back to name a few. Turning draft picks into starters on cheap contracts will be key along with picking the right guys to extend.

Like others, I assume bates is gone after this year. Also assume Boyd & mixon are likely gone after next year. Maybe bengals draft their replacements in this next draft like they did with Dax.

(11-30-2022, 09:44 PM)jason Wrote: Did the OP start a thread asking if we can keep this team together, then say who cares; enjoy this season?...

Thought the exact same thing, 

but felt it's been widely accepted that we were in a 2 year window of opportunity where we can fire on all cylinders.

Then we will have to be very creative, yet will still have Burrow and Chase as the core which is a great start.  

Players I see leaving when their contracts run out would include Bates, Higgins and maybe Hurst.

Bates I feel like is an obvious one at this point. The Bengals drafted a couple guys who could be his replacement and the contract talks already stalled once. He seems to be playing like a guy who doesn't want to get hurt instead of going all out. Someone will over pay for the potential and maybe he plays harder with a long term contract.

Higgins is going to want to be the guy and he will never be that here since the drafting of Chase. He has the skills and ability to be the top option and there will be plenty of offers for his services when his contract runs out. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go to Jacksonville and reconnect with Lawrence in the upstart offense they are building in another year. He is an UFA after next season and on pace for 1000 yards this year even with the missed time, he's going to cost a lot and the team can't pay him, Chase and Burrow what they will all want while keeping other pieces around. It sucks, but I really think Higgins will leave and be elite elsewhere.

Hurst is one I'm not sure about. He is playing well and is the #1 TE which he has wanted to be since being drafted yet always lost out to just a great talent, be is Andrews or Pitts. A fair offer might keep him since he has good chemistry here and seems to be growing into his role with this offense, but money talks and there are other jobs out there where he'd be the top TE target and might be lured away by the money.

(11-30-2022, 09:44 PM)jason Wrote: Did the OP start a thread asking if we can keep this team together, then say who cares; enjoy this season?...

I'm not an OP at all just a fan of the best team in the NFL. I'll be in town on Sunday for the game so your more than welcome to a T-bone steak. We'll be on 3rd street. 

(12-01-2022, 06:07 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Higgins is going to want to be the guy and he will never be that here since the drafting of Chase. He has the skills and ability to be the top option and there will be plenty of offers for his services when his contract runs out. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go to Jacksonville and reconnect with Lawrence in the upstart offense they are building in another year. He is an UFA after next season and on pace for 1000 yards this year even with the missed time, he's going to cost a lot and the team can't pay him, Chase and Burrow what they will all want while keeping other pieces around. It sucks, but I really think Higgins will leave and be elite elsewhere.

If they don't intend on extending Higgins (I don't even know if they reasonably can) then they should consider trading him rather than getting either nothing/a mere 2025 comp pick, assuming he already doesn't request a trade himself if he finds out he isn't getting extended.

AJ Brown brought back a 1st and 3rd and that's a pretty good player comp. If the Jags are indeed interested in a reunion, we could be talking their 10th overall pick and maybe a 4th rounder too (the 1st that got AJ Brown was 18th overall). That's a whole lot better than either nothing or a 2025 3rd round comp pick.

(12-01-2022, 06:07 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Players I see leaving when their contracts run out would include Bates, Higgins and maybe Hurst.

Bates I feel like is an obvious one at this point. The Bengals drafted a couple guys who could be his replacement and the contract talks already stalled once. He seems to be playing like a guy who doesn't want to get hurt instead of going all out. Someone will over pay for the potential and maybe he plays harder with a long term contract.

Higgins is going to want to be the guy and he will never be that here since the drafting of Chase. He has the skills and ability to be the top option and there will be plenty of offers for his services when his contract runs out. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go to Jacksonville and reconnect with Lawrence in the upstart offense they are building in another year. He is an UFA after next season and on pace for 1000 yards this year even with the missed time, he's going to cost a lot and the team can't pay him, Chase and Burrow what they will all want while keeping other pieces around. It sucks, but I really think Higgins will leave and be elite elsewhere.

Hurst is one I'm not sure about. He is playing well and is the #1 TE which he has wanted to be since being drafted yet always lost out to just a great talent, be is Andrews or Pitts. A fair offer might keep him since he has good chemistry here and seems to be growing into his role with this offense, but money talks and there are other jobs out there where he'd be the top TE target and might be lured away by the money.

I disagree Hurst in his own words has found a home in Cincinnat think you can get him on a reasonable deal.  Uzomah IMO not only wanted a significant raise but also was auditioning for a broadcaster career in New York one day.

Higgins grew up a Bengals fan... he will be paid like a #1 in Cincinnati perhaps slightly below market level but in Cincinnati that $$$ goes further than a bigger city. Not to mention the core of Boyd, Chase, Higgins and Burrow seem like they are the types to sacrifice a bit to keep the core together.


Bates good riddance