The Bengals need to spend their cap space on the two lines. The franchise future depends upon protecting Burrow which includes having a running game that can routinely get 4 or 5 yards and convert 4th and one.

Our safety play was bad this year. But The defense got torched this year mainly because the D line was often dominated by teams that run the ball and lack of pressure on opposing QB

Paying big contracts to Tee and Chase won’t address both lines getting beaten up by all three of our division rivals.

Jordan Love is moving the ball against the best defense in nfl right now with wrs that are not first rounders or on big contracts because of his o line which gives the packers a really good running attack and giving love 3 or 4 seconds to throw .

I’m a trench guy. Lot of people here prefer the weapons though.

Those people are generally wrong

Our big FA signing last year was Orlando Brown

Our big FA signings the year prior were Karras, Cappa, and Collins

Other recent FA big signings are Hendrickson and Reeder

We've invested in the lines

Maybe it's something else.

(01-20-2024, 11:23 PM)bengals67 Wrote: The Bengals need to spend their cap space on the two lines. The franchise future depends upon protecting Burrow which includes having a running game that can routinely get 4 or 5 yards and convert 4th and one.

Our safety play was bad this year. But The defense got torched this year mainly because the D line was often dominated by teams that run the ball and lack of pressure on opposing QB

Paying big contracts to Tee and Chase won’t address both lines getting beaten up by all three of our division rivals.

Jordan Love is moving the ball against the best defense in nfl right now with wrs that are not first rounders or on big contracts because of his o line which gives the packers a really good running attack and giving love 3 or 4 seconds to throw .

(01-20-2024, 11:38 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Our big FA signing last year was Orlando Brown

Our big FA signings the year prior were Karras, Cappa, and Collins

Other recent FA big signings are Hendrickson and Reeder

We've invested in the lines

Maybe it's something else.

Count me in. Is Jake gonna be signed to a multi year deal? Because Joey Franchise will be out of here before he takes one snap w/o both. LMFAO. Bfine is right

I think if they franchise Tee, we can still help the lines with a FA or via draft pick.

If we can re-sign Tee ok if he won't then I would not tag him unless I had a trade already set up.

(01-21-2024, 12:02 AM)sandwedge Wrote: I think if they franchise Tee, we can still help the lines with a FA or via draft pick.

This. I think I’d rather tag and trade him. If he’s tagged I would expect the extension for Chase either way but it would be Tees last season in Cincy.
Also, the Bengals beat SF this season so not the best example of why O line needs fixing but I get the OPs point. Has to be a O line/D line heavy draft.

I'm cool with a tag and trade...

You may be underestimating how much cap space we have. We can tag Higgins and still address the lines this off season. The question is going to be who is available that we can sign that will provide that upgrade. I think one hard decision is going to be what do we do with Hubbard. Is he good enough to justify his 10M cap hit this year and 11M cap hit in 2025?

(01-21-2024, 01:06 AM)QueenCity Wrote: I'm cool with a tag and trade...

Sam is a key piece to this defense and is well respected on this team.  When he was out with injury. we could not stop the run.
He rushed back and played injured the rest of the year. and had off season surgery to clean out his ankle.
I think the money we save is not near enough. We would then have to spend draft capital replacing him.
The same is true for DJ Reader. If there is any chance he can be suited up for Opening day next year I sign him to an extension.
If I can still afford to keep Jonah & Awuzie that would be great.

We were much closer last year than it appeared. We don't need sweeping changes sometimes less is more.
While injuries probably played the biggest part of our downfall losing Bates and Bell hurt a lot.
We gambled on their replacements who showed their youth. Next year should be a better year for them.
Let's not gamble on anyone else. Stay focused on what our team is lacking and draft to fill that position.

I personally think the greatest position of need is a Tight end and a punter.
I would trade up to get Bowers and my free agent signing would be Christian Wilkins. I would also look into signing Matt Araiza.

Thought provoking question. Is it possible to upgrade over Tee? I really didn’t like what I say from him this year. He disappeared in a lot of games. He’s really good. But he’s not a game changer, top 10 WR. With the way rookie wr come on strong, I think it’s possible a rookie WR could add more fire power to the team and the money saved could be used for a premium edge rusher like Josh Allen.

(01-21-2024, 12:33 PM)Ell Prez Wrote: Thought provoking question. Is it possible to upgrade over Tee? I really didn’t like what I say from him this year. He disappeared in a lot of games. He’s really good. But he’s not a game changer, top 10 WR. With the way rookie wr come on strong, I think it’s possible a rookie WR could add more fire power to the team and the money saved could be used for a premium edge rusher like Josh Allen.

What does Andre do better than Tee?

(01-21-2024, 12:37 PM)impactplaya Wrote: What does Andre do better than Tee?

Yoshi has the better ability some would say. 

I just don’t see why a team with a Top 5 QB*, and a top 5 WR needs another  20m receiver. Prefer it of course but you should be able to win without. And they have won games without Tee. 

I trust them drafting wide receivers and think fans love the Big 3 era, but that can be duplicated with time and development of young, hungry to prove themselves receivers playing with Burrow and Chase. 

The mistake would be to not tag him and let him walk for nothing but a glorified 4th round pick next year IF we don’t sign any big name FA’s. You tag Tee no matter what. You either trade him or keep him for another season or work on an extension. Any of the 3 are valid choices as long as the you have a strong plan for how to move forward. The only mistake would be to NOT tag/sign him.

We can tag or extend him and still have enough to keep our important pieces PLUS sign one legit FA at either OT or dline. Then upgrade the other spot in the draft.

(01-21-2024, 01:10 PM)jj22 Wrote: Yoshi has the better ability some would say. 

I just don’t see why a team with a Top 5 QB*, and a top 5 WR needs another  20m receiver. Prefer it of course but you should be able to win without. And they have won games without Tee. 

I trust them drafting wide receivers and think fans love the Big 3 era, but that can be duplicated with time and development of young, hungry to prove themselves receivers playing with Burrow and Chase. 

Yoshi has better ability than Tee....that's speculation at best.
The Bengals are 3-4 without Tee. I don't really count the Browns 
Game this year. Cause the Browns sat half their defense 

Is Chase really a top 5 WR.....?
Jefferson
Hill 
Lamb 
Collins 
Samuel?
Chase ? 
I think Chase is easily top 10. 

I think Yoshi can step in and be the #3 in this offense
But to ask him to take the #2 is asking alot 
Of a rookie who was a red zone target at best 

(01-21-2024, 11:24 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: I think one hard decision is going to be what do we do with Hubbard. Is he good enough to justify his 10M cap hit this year and 11M cap hit in 2025?

Hubbard is only a 6M net cap hit this season. He is a 9M cap hit next season though.

(01-21-2024, 11:49 AM)SuperBowlBound! Wrote: I personally think the greatest position of need is a Tight end and a punter.
I would trade up to get Bowers and my free agent signing would be Christian Wilkins. I would also look into signing Matt Araiza.

If TE and Punter were our biggest needs we would be Super Bowl favorites. Fant is my favorite free agent, but I would not take him over a solid OT and DT.

Unless Bowers falls past #10 trading up for him would be way too expensive for our FO. Wilkins will likely be one of the most expensive free agents this season, he would likely cost more than Tee on the tag for sure.

(01-21-2024, 12:33 PM)Ell Prez Wrote: I think it’s possible a rookie WR could add more fire power to the team and the money saved could be used for a premium edge rusher like Josh Allen.

Brian Thomas Jr would be an excellent selection in my opinion, he is likely available at 18, he is the same build as Tee, except more athletic and faster.

(01-21-2024, 12:37 PM)impactplaya Wrote: What does Andre do better than Tee?

I agree, Andre can run faster and jump higher than Tee. When it comes to football, Andre is not close to Tee.

(01-21-2024, 01:54 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Is Chase really a top 5 WR.....?
Jefferson
Hill 
Lamb 
Collins 
Samuel?
Chase ? 

I think Chase is definitely considered a Top 5 WR. It is a shame that this has to be questioned, hopefully Zac can get this offense to be more vertical.

Hill
Jefferson
AJ Brown
Chase

These are the Top 4 in my opinion.

(01-20-2024, 11:29 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: I’m a trench guy. Lot of people here prefer the weapons though.

Those people are generally wrong

I'm with you, Frank.

Bengals have shown they can draft WRs pretty well, not so much OL/DT.
Use the $$ in FA to bring proven OL and DT, draft WR.

(01-21-2024, 12:33 PM)Ell Prez Wrote: Thought provoking question. Is it possible to upgrade over Tee? I really didn’t like what I say from him this year. He disappeared in a lot of games. He’s really good. But he’s not a game changer, top 10 WR. With the way rookie wr come on strong, I think it’s possible a rookie WR could add more fire power to the team and the money saved could be used for a premium edge rusher like Josh Allen.

This is where I am with Tee, I saw to many drops, just a lack of focus in a lot of games. Yes, the TD in the Vikings game was great, but where was that in the other games? Don't get me wrong, I like Tee, just not sure they are willing to pay what Tee's camp wants. Don't blame the team either.

(01-21-2024, 02:28 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I think Chase is definitely considered a Top 5 WR. It is a shame that this has to be questioned, hopefully Zac can get this offense to be more vertical.

Hill
Jefferson
AJ Brown
Chase

These are the Top 4 in my opinion.

I was a big AJ Brown guy but he had some really bad looks at times this season. Never knew he had that much diva in him.

(01-21-2024, 04:00 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: I was a big AJ Brown guy but he had some really bad looks at times this season. Never knew he had that much diva in him.

Ton of diva, he had this issue in Nashville as well.  Vrabel could handle it, the past GM couldnt.