(10-08-2024, 10:46 AM)Frank Booth Wrote: I dont see how the defense gets much better in the next 2 years unless they hit in free agency + hit the draft out of the park. The defense is in terrible shape with a Chase contract coming up

Problem is, free agency would cost to much, they need to add via the draft to keep costs done.

On an other note, I saw where Mike Brown is one of the wealthiest persons in America. Tell that right wad to spend some money on scouts, and new front office, and get some talented defense players in here.  You can’t take the money with you, how much do you need.
It’s obvious the current staff has no clue what they are doing.

(10-08-2024, 02:11 PM)Timanky12 Wrote: Problem is, free agency would cost to much, they need to add via the draft to keep costs done.

On an other note, I saw where Mike Brown is one of the wealthiest persons in America. Tell that right wad to spend some money on scouts, and new front office, and get some talented defense players in here.  You can’t take the money with you, how much do you need.
It’s obvious the current staff has no clue what they are doing.

oh, the draft. so more inexperienced players on the field. Just having to hope and pray that it works out? good strategy

(10-08-2024, 02:13 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: oh, the draft. so more inexperienced players on the field. Just having to hope and pray that it works out? good strategy

Well, you have to have scouts who know what talent is. Obviously, we don’t have that kind of scouting department.

Where is that drug store pharmacist, who used to predict the draft and where players would go? 

(10-08-2024, 02:13 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: oh, the draft. so more inexperienced players on the field. Just having to hope and pray that it works out? good strategy

Most free agents are looking for a big pay day. If they were that good, their team would not let them leave. 

(10-08-2024, 01:58 PM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: Mims looks legit we have many good homegrown talent Wilson and Pratt are really good LB Iosivias looks legit Volson is proving to be a success. We have had many more successes than failures over the Burrow era

Mims never going to be a fixture, he has never played consistent, healthy football. Not at Georgia and hes been injured here multiple times in limited snaps. We will still be looking for help at tackle next year.

Wilson and Pratt are fine, their tackle #s are fueed by a terrible front though. I prefer we get quicker, more lateral adept guys in there beside Wilson though. 

Iosivas is a redzone guy which is great, but he is limited. Plus we have spent multiple picks at wr, need more than him to shake out. 

Care to address the multiple, multiple, o line, d line and secondary picks? Or like 3 running backs who are out of the league within 4 years? 

(10-08-2024, 09:07 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: This is more of a happened in the offseason situation, but Hendrickson, Burrow, and Hubbard have $14.8m, $10.7m, and $7.8m base salaries this year. If you had restructured, say $12m, $5m, $6m of each of those into signing bonuses, that would have cleared you up another $13m in cap space this year. You can do a pretty good amount with $22m and didn't have to cut anyone other than bottom-of-the-roster guys to make space for the additions.

Danielle Hunter: 2yr/$49m (he has a cap hit of $13.7m this year)
Justin Simmons: 1yr/$6m (would actually wash out to $0 since you wouldn't sign Stone and his $6m cap hit this year)
Chidobe Awuzie: 3yr/$36m (has a $6.9m cap hit in 2024)
Tyler Boyd: 1yr/$2.4m (for when Higgins was inevitably hurt)

They'd be taking the spots of guys making at least $800k (so x4 = $3.2m in cap savings).

That's $19.8m in cap space taken up, and you've gotten better and deeper in the secondary, you've added a great pass rusher so you're not completely boned when Hendrickson comes off the field, and you've made sure Trenton Irwin doesn't get on the field in Week 1 and 2 and maybe you score enough points then to win those games.

....But that all requires the FO to spend more money than they're required to by the cap, so it was never going to happen.


- - - - - -

Even without all of that.... Andrew Van Ginkel has a $3.4m cap hit this year, and Clowney has a $6m cap hit this year. You could have added BOTH of them in FA with just our current amount of cap space without having to have done any cap gymnastics at all once you factor in the 2 bottom-roster guys making $800k each being removed from the calculation.

I think why they don't restructure is it costs money to do it as you move a signing bonus payment up, and it frees you up to spend more money. Something they don't want to do.

That's my guess.

(10-08-2024, 03:05 PM)Timanky12 Wrote: Most free agents are looking for a big pay day. If they were that good, their team would not let them leave. 

It's not that easy. I'm sure we wanted Bates, but they didn't want to pay him.

So good players do get away.

That said, a lot of teams tag their top guys.

Generally you will get guys that are around 30 in free agency if they are good.