Ravens and Steelers definitely improved big time this offseason and we haven't hit the draft yet (and FA is far from over).

If Derrick Henry has a healthy year the Ravens will be very tough to beat.

Bengals NEED to address the dline. Reader is probably the best DT out there. The injury history sucks, but they almost have to sign him for a 2-3 year deal at this point. Pair that with a 1st/2nd round DT and we can solidify the dline. The other option is draft DT in the 1st and DT in the 2nd to soldiify the position for years.

Really would have been nice to land a legit RT in FA to free up the draft. Again, we may be looking at Jonah or someone similar. I'd like to see an upgrade to the position but we'll see if that's possible.

Steelers got a lot better getting Russel Wilson. He gets a lot of bad press and doesn't seem like a good teammate. But he can play ball and he's healthy. Definitely improves the Steelers a lot.

Both the Steelers and Ravens give us trouble along our oline in pass protection. Bengals NEED to address right tackle and improve up front.

Lots of needs to fill yet. RT, DT, Corner, WR2.

Even with Reader last year the dline was lacking. We need to address the line for sure.

I'm hoping we can swing a high value trade for Tee to get some draft picks or fill one of the above needs with a premier player.

(03-12-2024, 02:18 PM)Nepa Wrote: Yeah, as Adam Schefter stated: Henry most rushing yards since 2018 (8,268) and Lamar most rushing yards by a QB since 2018 (5,258). And the Bengals have a safety whose weakness is rush defense.  In fact, last year missed 12.5% of tackles he could have made and a PFF on rush defense of around 40.

To top it off, the Bengals' new TE is not a blocking TE and the Ravens are a sack machine.

The matchup with the Ravens will be "entertaining." 

If your FS is the one having to stop those RB's then you've got more problems than your FS.

(03-12-2024, 02:30 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: The Bengals are not big on signing FA’s over 30. For good or bad it’s just not their thing.

And as talented as Henry was, he could fall off at any minute and that injury to Chubb was bad last year against them stealers.

Anything can happen, but we need to bring back DJ Reader, him being on the tread mill running sealed that for me.

(03-12-2024, 02:31 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: If your FS is the one having to stop those RB's then you've got more problems than your FS.

Sounds good until he's the last line of defense between Lamar and a TD. 

(03-12-2024, 02:30 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: The Bengals are not big on signing FA’s over 30. For good or bad it’s just not their thing.

I know. I'm aware. 

And how many SBs do we have? How many does Baltimore have? How many do the Steelers have? I forget. 

(03-12-2024, 02:41 PM)Nepa Wrote: Sounds good until he's the last line of defense between Lamar and a TD. 

So you don't like the Geno Stone addition?

(03-12-2024, 02:41 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: I know. I'm aware. 

And how many SBs do we have? How many does Baltimore have? How many do the Steelers have? I forget. 

All three organizations are run in similar ways!

this will be a krazy story to tell

— Ja’MarrChase (@Real10jayy__) March 12, 2024

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(03-12-2024, 02:31 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: Ravens and Steelers definitely improved big time this offseason and we haven't hit the draft yet (and FA is far from over).
****

Every year I get excited because the Bengals competitors have little or no cap space and the Bengals have plenty of cap space, so I see a big edge for the Bengals. And yet those other teams always find a way to make cap space and sign big names. 

(03-12-2024, 02:47 PM)QueenCity Wrote: Falcons signing WR Darnell Mooney to three-year, $39 million contract

Mooney has not done much in the NFL. He had one 1000 yard campaign with 3-4 TDs. He's never had more than 4 TDs, and all his other seasons were less than 500 yards.

If Mooney gets $13mil per year, what does that say about the receiver market? 
Sounds like teams are desparate for wideouts.

Hope the Bengals are atleast fielding some offers because this team has a lot of holes to fill--including WR2 because Tee wants a trade.

I don't want to lose Tee, but the Bengals need to do right by him. Right now is a prime spot to trade him with a lot of teams desperate for wideouts.

I would never have bet on Irv Smith getting a contract before Tyler Boyd or Jonah Williams

Quote:BREAKING: Former #Ravens LB Patrick Queen is staying in the AFC North and signing with the #Steelers, he told @mspears96. It's a 3-year, $41M deal.

Patrick Queen to the Steelers. 3years/41 million!

Browns signing Adeniji. :lol:

(03-12-2024, 02:45 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: So you don't like the Geno Stone addition?

The Bengals needed a safety and they got a good one. But he has had exactly one year of success so far. He is a 7th round pick who was waived a number of times, back and forth on the practice squad, picked up by Houston and let go, and then had a terrific year last year. But even with the good pass defense last year, he was very poor in run defense. For example, last year 12.5% of the tackles he was in position to make he failed on.

After Scott last year, I'm hesitate to praise the pick until I see a second good year out of him. We all hope it is this year. And I hope what posters, including yourself I believe, are saying about his talent at communicating is valid. 

I would have rather a sure things like Justin Simmons, who was all-pro (2nd team) four times, whereas Geno Stone didn't even make the pro bowl last year. But I certainly hope the Bengals found a gem. 

Henry is a GREAT fit for the Ravens.

He would not be a good fit for the Bengals. Different style of offense.
We can argue on which style of offense and defense is better. But at the end of the day Henry just wan't a good fit for us and Moss is.
It's much better to look to younger backs with less mileage.

That said, the Ravens are a better team because of it.
The Bengals NEED to respond by solidifying their dline and adding a corner that can tackle and cover.
They can likely fill those needs in the draft, but it's best to fill the needs in the draft AND free agency for depth and development purposes.

I'm expecting the Bengals to bring Reader back and draft a DT high.
I'm expecting a bargain CB that can cover and tackle and is around 26 years of age.
I really don't know what to expect as far as RT goes, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them bring in an average RT like Jonah, and draft one as well.

All in all I'm not expecting the Bengals to improve much from FA this year because they missed the oportunity to do so by signing a legit RT.
They did, however, make some bargain improvements so far at S, RB, and TE. Looking to see more bargain improvements and a big splash with Reader.
Hopefully a big splash with a Tee trade to give us an opportunity for a great draft.

With Willie Gay and Devin White out there at LB. Seeing all these other LBs sign before them is mind boggling.

With Henry coming to the AFCN we may be forced to resign Reader even if we didn’t want to


You can’t play Henry, Chubb, Keaton Mitchell, and Najee Harris 8 times with a rookie 3T. We might as well give up on the year atp

Honestly we may need to keep Reader AND give another 12-16 per year to keep up

Seems like an overpay for Queen.

(03-12-2024, 03:06 PM)Housh Wrote: With Henry coming to the AFCN we may be forced to resign Reader even if we didn’t want to


You can’t play Henry, Chubb, Keaton Mitchell, and Najee Harris 8 times with a rookie 3T. We might as well give up on the year atp

Honestly we may need to keep Reader AND give another 12-16 per year to keep up

I am actually scared