(01-25-2024, 01:13 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: The common factor I see is:

Ravens #1 NFL scoring defense

Chiefs #2 NFL scoring defense

49ers  #3 NFL scoring defense

The only one that doesn't fit is Detroit at #23 and I suspect they get beat this weekend by the 49ers with their #3 scoring defense..

Plus their Starting QB's are healthy and putting up solid seasons. (Mahomes, Jackson, Purdy and even Goff)

They say it is a QB driven League and the Bengals have Burrow.

Need him Healthy in 2024 and a jump up in improvement from the Defense.

(01-25-2024, 01:23 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Amazing how teams like Baltimore and KC are able to field such good defenses even after paying their franchise QB’s isn’t it? Some around here are always going on about how that’s not possible.

Being fair, Jackson has only a $32 mil cap hit this year.  2026, it balloons to like $76 million.

(01-25-2024, 02:26 PM)Whatever Wrote: Being fair, Jackson has only a $32 mil cap hit this year.  2026, it balloons to like $76 million.

With Burrow signing his monumental extension last year, the Bengals seem to be in the exact same time window.

(01-25-2024, 01:20 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: You know who else would be awesome with Burrow?  Irv Smith.  Oh wait we tried that already.   Just because a TE plays with Burrow doesnt mean they are going to be awesome.

This is like saying we tried Trent Taylor, just because Jaylan Waddle plays with Burrow doesnt mean he is going to be awesome.   It is not hard to see who actually has seen Fant play.  Not surprised.

(01-25-2024, 01:26 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: Not sure who was excited for IRv smith lol....  im sure some were though

(01-25-2024, 01:28 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: I was gonna say…he was as bargain bin as it gets.

No one said that, it was a weird comparison.

(01-25-2024, 02:28 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: With Burrow signing his monumental extension last year, the Bengals seem to be in the exact same time window.

Burrow 's deal is much more team friendly from a structure standpoint.  Joe's max cap hit is $68.5 mil in '29, which is the last real year of his deal (he has some void years on the end of it to spread out his cap hit).  For practical purposes, we'll never actually see him playing for that '29 number, as he will get an extension that lowers his cap number before that point.  The rest of his deal steadily increases from mid $40 mil to low $50 mil range.  

Also keep in mind that Ravens are not in great shape for next year. They are 21st in cap space, with only $5 mil and have a ton of key contributers hitting FA, including Zeitler, OBJ, Edwards, Madubuike, Queen, and others.

(01-25-2024, 05:35 PM)Whatever Wrote: Burrow 's deal is much more team friendly from a structure standpoint.  Joe's max cap hit is $68.5 mil in '29, which is the last real year of his deal (he has some void years on the end of it to spread out his cap hit).  For practical purposes, we'll never actually see him playing for that '29 number, as he will get an extension that lowers his cap number before that point.  The rest of his deal steadily increases from mid $40 mil to low $50 mil range.  

Also keep in mind that Ravens are not in great shape for next year.  They are 21st in cap space, with only $5 mil and have a ton of key contributers hitting FA, including Zeitler, OBJ, Edwards, Madubuike, Queen, and others.

Most every year, there are teams that look to be right on the edge of cap catastrophe, and somehow, almost like magic, those franchises work the numbers to keep a strong team in tact and proceed onward.  It'll be interesting to see how teams like the Ravens, Dolphins and some others fare this offseason.