https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2023-free-agent-rankings-free-agency

Some notable OTs I've seen some project for Bengals along with current Bengals players:
4) Jessie Bates, FS CIN - $15 mill APY
8) Orlando Brown, LT KC - $21 mill APY
10) Mike McGlinchey, RT SF - $15.5 mill APY
15) Jawaan Taylor, OT JAX - $14.25 mill APY
37) Kaleb McGary, RT ATL - $13 mill APY
45) Vonn Bell, SS CIN - $7.33 mill APY
51) Germaine Pratt, LB CIN - $8.25 mill APY
56) Isaiah Wynn, OT NE - $10.5 mill APY
72) Kelvin Beachum, OT ARZ - $1.5 mill APY (not a typo)
74) Hayden Hurst, TE CIN - $9.5 mill APY
76) Jermaine Eluemunor, OT LV - $3.75 mill APY
97) George Fant, OT NYJ - $5.5 mill APY

That's all the OTs and all the Bengals players to make their list.
I listed the OTs because that seems to be where most want an addition via outside FA.

My opinion? Bengals won't put themselves in the OT market for guys $10+ mill APY.
They'll roll with Williams, Carman, and Collins this year and maybe add someone like Beachum, Eluemunor, or Fant to upgrade their depth or have a spot starter if (when) Collins isn't back from injury.

Pratt is worth 8.5

He's great in coverage

Isaiah Wynn wouldn’t be a bad signing in my opinion. IIrc he’s played all over NE Offensive line. Maybe put him in one spot (RT) and see how he performs? At 10 million per, we would likely have to cut bait w Collins, which I would be fine with. Wynn is still young and hopefully doesn’t have the injury history Collins does.

(02-02-2023, 06:39 PM)ochocincos Wrote: ...My opinion? Bengals won't put themselves in the OT market for guys $10+ mill APY.
They'll roll with Williams, Carman, and Collins this year and maybe add someone like Beachum, Eluemunor, or Fant to upgrade their depth or have a spot starter if (when) Collins isn't back from injury.

They are not going to roll with Collins at RT next year because he is injured and won't be able to play.  He could make some sort of comeback later in the year but I doubt he will be able to do that.

So the other option is Adeniji at RT. Does anybody want to see this again? They almost have to get some free agent

(02-02-2023, 06:39 PM)ochocincos Wrote: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2023-free-agent-rankings-free-agency

Some notable OTs I've seen some project for Bengals along with current Bengals players:
4) Jessie Bates, FS CIN - $15 mill APY
8) Orlando Brown, LT KC - $21 mill APY
10) Mike McGlinchey, RT SF - $15.5 mill APY
15) Jawaan Taylor, OT JAX - $14.25 mill APY
37) Kaleb McGary, RT ATL - $13 mill APY
45) Vonn Bell, SS CIN - $7.33 mill APY
51) Germaine Pratt, LB CIN - $8.25 mill APY
56) Isaiah Wynn, OT NE - $10.5 mill APY
72) Kelvin Beachum, OT ARZ - $1.5 mill APY (not a typo)
74) Hayden Hurst, TE CIN - $9.5 mill APY
76) Jermaine Eluemunor, OT LV - $3.75 mill APY
97) George Fant, OT NYJ - $5.5 mill APY

That's all the OTs and all the Bengals players to make their list.
I listed the OTs because that seems to be where most want an addition via outside FA.

My opinion? Bengals won't put themselves in the OT market for guys $10+ mill APY.
They'll roll with Williams, Carman, and Collins this year and maybe add someone like Beachum, Eluemunor, or Fant to upgrade their depth or have a spot starter if (when) Collins isn't back from injury.

If those are indeed the contracts they end up signing, I think Bell and Pratt both need retained.  I'd be somewhat surprised if they aren't looking for more than that though.

(02-02-2023, 09:12 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: They are not going to roll with Collins at RT next year because he is injured and won't be able to play.  He could make some sort of comeback later in the year but I doubt he will be able to do that.

So the other option is Adeniji at RT.  Does anybody want to see this again?  They almost have to get some free agent

I agree they need to get someone, I just don't think it will be one of the premier guys.

Fant seems like one of the best fits here, honestly.
Pollack is familiar with him.
He has proven he can play both OT spots.
He played well in 2020 and 2021.
He had some durability issues this past year, which will drive down his price.
He can fill in at RT until Collins is back. If Fant is playing well, Fant will continue playing that spot. If not as good as Collins, Collins will supplant.

I think we retain Pratt and Bell at those prices. I would have thought that Pratt would be worth more than that.

I don't see how we could afford Hurst if that is the money he'd really be seeking. He seemed to like it here. I wonder if he resigns cheaply.

After our investment in the line last year, I don't see how we pursue any free agents at the position this year. I think you just draft some depth/future pieces and hope that Carman can be the answer at LT. Maybe move Jonah to RT until Collins is back.

I know it is more complex than my take, but I'd rather see them pay Brown for the OL than Bates for defensive help. I think we'll see the organization pay their own guys first.

(02-02-2023, 07:29 PM)Anarumo_Savant Wrote: Pratt is worth 8.5

He's great in coverage

But is he really?  Or is ADJ and Flowers just incredibly fantastic and much better in coverage than Pratt?

(02-02-2023, 08:20 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Isaiah Wynn wouldn’t be a bad signing in my opinion. IIrc he’s played all over NE Offensive line. Maybe put him in one spot (RT) and see how he performs? At 10 million per, we would likely have to cut bait w Collins, which I would be fine with. Wynn is still young and hopefully doesn’t have the injury history Collins does.

Winn has already had more injuries than Collins.

(02-03-2023, 11:15 AM)CincyWestside Wrote: I think we retain Pratt and Bell at those prices. I would have thought that Pratt would be worth more than that.

I don't see how we could afford Hurst if that is the money he'd really be seeking. He seemed to like it here. I wonder if he resigns cheaply.

After our investment in the line last year, I don't see how we pursue any free agents at the position this year. I think you just draft some depth/future pieces and hope that Carman can be the answer at LT. Maybe move Jonah to RT until Collins is back.

I think Hurst's number is based off of last year's FA's, which were extremely high, mostly due to a weak draft class.  This year's draft class is deeper, I'd like to keep Hayden at a much better number.

29. OG BEN POWERS, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Contract Projection: Four years, $36 million ($9M per year); $24 million total guaranteed

57. C ETHAN POCIC, CLEVELAND BROWNS
Contract Projection: Three years, $21 million ($7M per year); $11 million total guaranteed

73. C CONNOR MCGOVERN, NEW YORK JETS
Contract Projection: Three years, $22.5 million ($7.5M per year); $12.5 million total guaranteed

- - - - -

-Sign one of those 3, with Karras moving back to LG if it's a C. Make Volson a backup to both Gs.
-Add George Fant as a backup to both tackles as well as an emergency backstop if a rookie RT (from the first two rounds of the draft) ends up stinking.
-Re-sign Vonn Bell.

Not much you can do about LT this year without just eating more money than Mike Brown will ever agree to, but at least then you have 4/5ths of a decent OL. Better than the 2/5ths they currently have. Plus then your first guys off the bench in case of injury are Fant and Volson which is a lot better than Adeniji and Sharping.

That Hurst projection is more than the Bengals would pay. Just don't see the need for a big money TE in this offense. Pratt at 8.25 seems reasonable? And can't lose Bell and Bates so they have to pay one, likely Bell. Wouldn't mind cutting Collins and getting Wynn (admittedly wanted him drafted so maybe a little biased) and Fant

(02-03-2023, 10:41 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 29. OG BEN POWERS, BALTIMORE RAVENSContract Projection: Four years, $36 million ($9M per year); $24 million total guaranteed
57. C ETHAN POCIC, CLEVELAND BROWNSContract Projection: Three years, $21 million ($7M per year); $11 million total guaranteed
73. C CONNOR MCGOVERN, NEW YORK JETSContract Projection: Three years, $22.5 million ($7.5M per year); $12.5 million total guaranteed
- - - - -
-Sign one of those 3, with Karras moving back to LG if it's a C. Make Volson a backup to both Gs.-Add George Fant as a backup to both tackles as well as an emergency backstop if a rookie RT (from the first two rounds of the draft) ends up stinking.-Re-sign Vonn Bell.
Not much you can do about LT this year without just eating more money than Mike Brown will ever agree to, but at least then you have 4/5ths of a decent OL. Better than the 2/5ths they currently have. Plus then your first guys off the bench in case of injury are Fant and Volson which is a lot better than Adeniji and Sharping.

Like this idea quite a bit as well

Get Brown. We’re a Lombardi contender right now. He makes us a favorite. I’d especially like having a guy that’s gone against KC’s pass rushers for years in practice. We’ll almost certainly see them again and his knowledge would be great for game planning.

(02-02-2023, 10:24 PM)ElkValleyBengal Wrote: If those are indeed the contracts they end up signing, I think Bell and Pratt both need retained.  I'd be somewhat surprised if they aren't looking for more than that though.

That's what I was thinking.  I'd be kind of surprised if Bell didn't try to get 10 mil per.  

I'd be on those deals like a fat kid on a cupcake.

No way in the world I pay Hurst 9 mil. Just not a big enough-art of the offense to warrant it.

(02-03-2023, 11:15 AM)CincyWestside Wrote: I think we retain Pratt and Bell at those prices. I would have thought that Pratt would be worth more than that.

I don't see how we could afford Hurst if that is the money he'd really be seeking. He seemed to like it here. I wonder if he resigns cheaply.

After our investment in the line last year, I don't see how we pursue any free agents at the position this year. I think you just draft some depth/future pieces and hope that Carman can be the answer at LT. Maybe move Jonah to RT until Collins is back.

Bingo. My thinking exactly. 

Look, if a high quality LT falls to us (Skoronski, Johnson, Jones), great. Take them in a heartbeat. If a long term RT solution is there at 28 and there is not a blue chip pass rusher/CB we love (Van Ness, White)/(Witherspoon, etc) then just go ahead and take Jones or Wright and RT is solved. I do not love Harrison. 

Guard is more of an issue. Right now we have 5 OTs (Williams, Collins, Carman, Adeniji, and Smith), 2 centers (Karras & Hill), and only 2 guards (Karras & Volson). No backup guards. Karras can play G, but is the starting C. I'd love to land Schmitz, Wypler, or Avila to bolster the inside. 


Move Jonah to RT, see if Carman can be a franchise level tackle, or even a dependable backup. I know Jonah is not. But he could be a VERY versatile Swiss army knife guy (LT/RT/G) who can be acceptable vs anyone if not left on an island. Make the franchise LT move in the draft next year when the class is deeper. 

If they want to get a capable RT and not spend crazy money, Eluemanor might be the way to go. If he gets the contract projected here, they should be on it like a tick on Dracula.

He might not be flashy, but he played well last year. I'd be willing to spend 3.75 mil to give him a chance to prove 2022 was not a fluke.

Sign a guy like that, draft a tackle in 1 or 2, and give the rookie some time to learn behind the vets. It might not be an immediate stud tackle, but it would be the creation of a deep tackle position.

(02-03-2023, 10:17 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I think Hurst's number is based off of last year's FA's, which were extremely high, mostly due to a weak draft class.  This year's draft class is deeper, I'd like to keep Hayden at a much better number.

Never thought of it but this theory sounds sound to me because it is a deep TE class and very well could drop his price. 

Hope so,  would like to keep Hurst but Bengals can't really afford to overpay for anybody presently unless it's somebody like Orlando Brown or McGlinchey on a one year deal to go all in before the cap space evaporates. 

But both will be offered contracts longer than 1 year most likely. 

(02-27-2023, 11:52 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Never thought of it but this theory sounds sound to me because it is a deep TE class and very well could drop his price. 

Hope so,  would like to keep Hurst but Bengals can't really afford to overpay for anybody presently unless it's somebody like Orlando Brown or McGlinchey on a one year deal to go all in before the cap space evaporates. 

But both will be offered contracts longer than 1 year most likely. 

Hurst will also be 30, was 23rd in total yards, bottom in TDs.  I'm not sure just how awesome he may look to other teams...?