The cap will obviously start affecting us,” Bengals pro scouting director Steven Radicevic said, via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. (subscription required). “We are not going to be able to go out and spend and pay a bunch of guys. We are going to try to keep our own guys.

“The last couple of years we’ve been able to add in free agency and add some pieces places where we were missing guys and add some depth, add starters through free agency. Now it’s going to be keeping our guys, sustain the roster we have and then build through the draft and waiver claims.”

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2023/02/bengals-unlikely-to-be-aggressive-in-free-agency

First time in a long time where this is reasonable. We could still add a nice piece or two for mid/low level contracts, but we are not in a position to give out big contracts to outside FA’s this offseason. Keep our guys and figure out Burrow’s extension are the big items this offseason. Need to hit on draft picks and keep developing our young guys to put us over the top.

(02-19-2023, 02:17 PM)Trademark Wrote: The cap will obviously start affecting us,” Bengals pro scouting director Steven Radicevic said, via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. (subscription required). “We are not going to be able to go out and spend and pay a bunch of guys. We are going to try to keep our own guys.

“The last couple of years we’ve been able to add in free agency and add some pieces places where we were missing guys and add some depth, add starters through free agency. Now it’s going to be keeping our guys, sustain the roster we have and then build through the draft and waiver claims.”

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2023/02/bengals-unlikely-to-be-aggressive-in-free-agency

Understandable but hopefully we'll at least sign one or two big ticket offensive lineman.

Improving the line will help extend Burrow's career and be able to make him more money.

I'm hoping that we don't sit on our asses in free agency but this seems like the talk that we always use to hear in the offseason as an excuse for why we can't improve the team.

(02-19-2023, 02:38 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Understandable but hopefully we'll at least sign one or two big ticket offensive lineman.

Improving the line will help extend Burrow's career and be able to make him more money.

I'm hoping that we don't sit on our asses in free agency but this seems like the talk that we always use to hear in the offseason as an excuse for why we can't improve the team.

Looks like Bates might be gone too

https://twitter.com/drakelondons/status/1627211843839184903?s=46&t=ZEtI42sd0wmUsKJyo13umg

(02-19-2023, 02:38 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Understandable but hopefully we'll at least sign one or two big ticket offensive lineman.

Improving the line will help extend Burrow's career and be able to make him more money.

I'm hoping that we don't sit on our asses in free agency but this seems like the talk that we always use to hear in the offseason as an excuse for why we can't improve the team.

I can assure you that they absolutely are not going to jeopardize being able to keep Joe, Chase, and Tee. They have to be conservative and make preparations. They don’t want to get there and discover they’ve screwed it up. Caesar and I and others have discussed getting a tackle in the first round. JMHO I think they will be stubborn on eating cap money. I think they will resign Hurst as he was just getting going. They like this team. I just don’t think they mess with it much. They will try to resign the guys who want to be accommodating.

Draft excellent and FA means less. With an increase in health, some areas can improve, as well. Some less heralded FA pick ups lately have done fairly well. Collins was no where near the big splash some thought, but Hendrickson and Hill have been really good. I'm a Chidobe Awuzie fan, as well.

I think we should be aggressive in pursuing some veteran free agents to come on friendly deals to play on a Super Bowl contender. But yes with the money we should be spending on the guys already here that got us this far we should definitely focus on them.

But I do hope they are aggressive to feel holes and build depth with decent free agents that want to be on a contender.

(02-19-2023, 02:58 PM)Destro Wrote: Draft excellent and FA means less. With an increase in health, some areas can improve, as well. Some less heralded FA pick ups lately have done fairly well. Collins was no where near the big splash some thought, but Hendrickson and Hill have been really good. I'm a Chidobe Awuzie fan, as well.

Step 1: Have an actual professional competent GM.
Step 2: Have an actual scouting department rather than like 4 of them.
Step 3: Listen to those scouts rather than calling up Paul Alexander or seeing a really fast 40 time.

So.... we're screwed on that front once we're no longer picking top-5. Lol


- - - - -
Side note edit: Are we calling Hendrickson a less heralded pickup now? He was made the 8th highest paid DE in the league when he signed.

Bengals have used the "pff model" of free agents on defense. That is having good (not great) players to create a defense without any obvious holes. The corollary is that we can only afford a few great players. Right now that's paying the DLine and keeping some of the good players coming off their rookie contracts. Expect some mid-level and prove it deals to continue. I don't see any 10M/yr. contracts to a player not named Burrow.

(02-19-2023, 03:54 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Step 1: Have an actual professional competent GM.
Step 2: Have an actual scouting department rather than like 4 of them.
Step 3: Listen to those scouts rather than calling up Paul Alexander or seeing a really fast 40 time.

So.... we're screwed on that front once we're no longer picking top-5. Lol

Well, I was just going to gloss over all of that.

(02-19-2023, 03:54 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Step 1: Have an actual professional competent GM.
Step 2: Have an actual scouting department rather than like 4 of them.
Step 3: Listen to those scouts rather than calling up Paul Alexander or seeing a really fast 40 time.

So.... we're screwed on that front once we're no longer picking top-5. Lol


- - - - -
Side note edit: Are we calling Hendrickson a less heralded pickup now? He was made the 8th highest paid DE in the league when he signed.

Amazing we’ve done so well making it to the SB and 2 straight AFC Championships with all the incompetence in coaching, front office, and ownership. Sarcasm deluxe

This is the year I expected us to look at extending some of our own as well as bringing back guys that work well in our system. I honestly think that this is the right way to approach this offseason. For me I see this scenario a real possibility:

FA's (Bengals retained)

1) Vonn Bell
2) Hayden Hurst
3) Eli Apple
4) Brandon Allen
5) Tre Flowers
6) Samaji Perine
7) Trent Taylor
8) Michael Thomas
9) Max Scharping


- these guys are solid roster guys and really should be in our price range

Extensions:

1) Joe Burrow
2) Logan Wilson
3) Tee Higgins

--these should be done before training camp.

Outside FA's (1-2yr contracts)

1) Marcus Cannon-RT (Pats)- upgrades the tackle depth
2) Melvin Ingram-Edge (Dolphins)- improves the pass rush

--we get solid veterans at areas of need

Draft:

- go BPA but TE, CB, Oline and LB are obvious areas where depth is needed.

Makes sense.

The team is built. Now it's time to augment through the draft, keep our key guys and go finish off this championship run.

(02-19-2023, 03:54 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Step 1: Have an actual professional competent GM.
Step 2: Have an actual scouting department rather than like 4 of them.
Step 3: Listen to those scouts rather than calling up Paul Alexander or seeing a really fast 40 time.

So.... we're screwed on that front once we're no longer picking top-5. Lol


- - - - -
Side note edit: Are we calling Hendrickson a less heralded pickup now? He was made the 8th highest paid DE in the league when he signed.

This was one of the most bizarre takes I've seen in awhile.  I mean this would've hit differently in 2011....but wow.

(02-19-2023, 02:35 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: First time in a long time where this is reasonable. We could still add a nice piece or two for mid/low level contracts, but we are not in a position to give out big contracts to outside FA’s this offseason. Keep our guys and figure out Burrow’s extension are the big items this offseason. Need to hit on draft picks and keep developing our young guys to put us over the top.

Yep. They added a bunch of pieces that they needed to in order to build this team. Now they need to start hitting in the draft and accent the team with a free agent in key spots where necessary or get guys for depth. 

They're in a whole new world than they're used to and they need to be able to adapt and go forward with success.

Linebacker could be a spot they look at in Free Agency if Germaine Pratt leaves. Tight End could also be on the table if Hurst leaves but it is a better TE draft class than Linebacker.

The only place I would like the Front Office to show some mild aggression in free agency is at right tackle. La’el Collins has injury issues and runs through the right B-gap are still problematic. Making a serious play for Mike McGlinchey or Germain Ifedi might be a wise move.

The don't have the needs they once did.

In the last three offseason, we've seen them grab 4-5 outside guys of various price tags.

I'm good with them not spending big, but I think they need to consider bringing in an OL or 2.

It is indeed getting to be crunch time with the roster, but it's also the absolute last year that they will be able to go "all in" and add a piece.

(02-19-2023, 03:54 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Step 1: Have an actual professional competent GM.
Step 2: Have an actual scouting department rather than like 4 of them.
Step 3: Listen to those scouts rather than calling up Paul Alexander or seeing a really fast 40 time.

So.... we're screwed on that front once we're no longer picking top-5. Lol


- - - - -
Side note edit: Are we calling Hendrickson a less heralded pickup now? He was made the 8th highest paid DE in the league when he signed.

(02-19-2023, 04:11 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Amazing we’ve done so well making it to the SB and 2 straight AFC Championships with all the incompetence in coaching, front office, and ownership. Sarcasm deluxe

(02-19-2023, 06:42 PM)JumboTron Wrote: This was one of the most bizarre takes I've seen in awhile.  I mean this would've hit differently in 2011....but wow.

I think we are handling the split duties of the GM spot well.

But, Im sorry fellas, in the last decade this scouting department's best oline draft picks in over a decade are Jonah (led league in sacks) and Volson (bottom 10 of all guards in the league according to PFF).

We lost the SB because of the oline.  We were injured this year so who knws, but we did it with FA's, our 2 home growners were far from the best.  We must draft better oline, period.  

I hate having such a limited staff, I know they say they like it, I think we all expect them to say that, but it may be true.  Other team have analytics departments, we have one nerd.  We can be better, it isnt a big ask, just like the indoor facility, amazing how quick those real estate issues cleared up...