It looks like the Bengals will have some FA options at the guard positions this offseason. Hopefully they can get a couple of good ones.

(01-18-2025, 11:42 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: It looks like the Bengals will have some FA options at the guard positions this offseason.  Hopefully they can get a couple of good ones.

I mean, theoretically, it would be hard to do worse than what they have.  Just get some competent ones and things should get better.

I like Malik Wright's show. He's probably the one I listen to second most to Locked On Bengals. Still, I feel like he's just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks lately.

(01-18-2025, 02:36 PM)ochocincos Wrote: ...What?

Risner has a 76.2 pass blocking grade.
He had 0 sacks and 16 total pressures allowed on 537 offensive snaps.

Volson:
49.4 pass block grade, 65.6 RB grade.
6 sacks and 43 total pressures allowed on 984 offensive snaps.

Cappa:
39.7 pass block grade, 54.9 RB grade.
8 sacks and 51 total pressures allowed on 1132 offensive snaps.

If you took the pressures allowed per snap and multiplied by the number of snaps Cappa played, Risner would have potentially had about 33-34, which would have been significantly lower than both Volson and Cappa.

Risner may be about the same caliber run blocking wise, but pass blocking he is head and shoulders above these other guys.
And we primarily want great pass blocking with the offense the Bengals run.

Risner is without a doubt an upgrade, and a budget one at that.

Obviously you wasn't watching the same playoff game I was last weekend and saw him get manhandled all day long!   No thanks !    We need better than him and younger than him. No more cheap stopgaps who are declining.

(01-18-2025, 11:52 PM)samhain Wrote: I like Malik Wright's show.  He's probably the one I listen to second most to Locked On Bengals.  Still, I feel like he's just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks lately.

I like him too but he seems like he is embellishing  his  role as an NFL insider.

(01-18-2025, 11:50 PM)samhain Wrote: I mean, theoretically, it would be hard to do worse than what they have.  Just get some competent ones and things should get better.

The talking heads already have Trey Smith and the guy from the Ravens penciled in as heading to New England. With Vrabel preferring to build his lines from the inside out, and NE having $127M to spend, it's pretty much looking apparent.

(Yesterday, 03:00 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The talking heads already have Trey Smith and the guy from the Ravens penciled in as heading to New England. With Vrabel preferring to build his lines from the inside out, and NE having $127M to spend, it's pretty much looking apparent.

Will Fries/James Daniels and Teven Jenkins would still be worlds better than we have right now

I think I would pass on Risner. I do believe the Bengals will look to upgrade the Guard position this offseason. I think they will look to revamp that spot in the offseason fairly early. Possible moves here:

1) Cappa- is cut creating an 8 million dollar cap saving.

2) FA addition (1)- depending on what side they want to address

-LG- Aaron Banks (SF) 27 years old, 6'5 325, solid all around IOL, will not be a liability like Volson.

-RG Will Fries (IND) 26 years old, 6'6 305. excellent all around IOL, solid piece to build around.

3) Draft- I think that this will be addressed no later than rd 4 this year, especially with a new OL coach.

-Tate Ratledge (UGA) 6'6 320 2nd
- Tyler Booker (ALA) 6'5 325 2nd
- Dylan Fairchild (UGA) 6'5 315 2nd-3rd
- Hayden Conner (TEX) 6'5 320 3rd
- Luke Kandra (CIN) 6'4 325 3rd
-Jake Majors (TEX) 6'3 315 3rd, more of a C/G type of guy, valuable piece to have

(Yesterday, 02:53 AM)J24 Wrote: I like him too but he seems like he is embellishing  his  role as an NFL insider.

He def gets bits and pieces.  He just requires perspective.  Just because he hits big on one leak doesn't mean he's always right.  Sometimes, like all "content creators", he's just cranking out videos for clicks.

(Yesterday, 07:04 PM)schroomytunes Wrote: I think I would pass on Risner. I do believe the Bengals will look to upgrade the Guard position this offseason. I think they will look to revamp that spot in the offseason fairly early. Possible moves here:

1) Cappa- is cut creating an 8 million dollar cap saving.

2) FA addition (1)- depending on what side they want to address

-LG- Aaron Banks (SF) 27 years old, 6'5 325, solid all around IOL, will not be a liability like Volson.

-RG Will Fries (IND) 26 years old, 6'6 305. excellent all around IOL, solid piece to build around.

3) Draft- I think that this will be addressed no later than rd 4 this year, especially with a new OL coach.

-Tate Ratledge (UGA) 6'6 320 2nd
- Tyler Booker (ALA) 6'5 325 2nd
- Dylan Fairchild (UGA) 6'5 315 2nd-3rd
- Hayden Conner (TEX) 6'5 320 3rd
- Luke Kandra (CIN) 6'4 325 3rd
-Jake Majors (TEX) 6'3 315 3rd, more of a C/G type of guy, valuable piece to have

Banks may be the easier get for the Bengals, he will likely be somewhat cheaper than Fries (who graded out as the 4th best Guard, according to PFF). Though Fries would be a great one to put in next to Amarius Mims on the Right side. It's just a matter of if the Bengals are willing to outbid another team(s).

I can definitely get on board with another mediocre bargain bin guy

A water logged sack of potato flour would have put up a better fight than Alex Cappa did in 2024. His PFF grades of 50.5 overall, 39.7 in pass blocking and 54.9 in run blocking are all up there for worst in the league.

Risner's 67, 76.2 and 57.4 PFF grades would be significant upgrades over Cappa.

I think there's opportunity to improve even further than Risner, but we can't sign two big free agents at guard. One of them needs to be relatively budget friendly, and I think Risner fits that bill well.

(Yesterday, 09:19 PM)CJD Wrote: A water logged sack of potato flour would have put up a better fight than Alex Cappa did in 2024. His PFF grades of 50.5 overall, 39.7 in pass blocking and 54.9 in run blocking are all up there for worst in the league.

Risner's 67, 76.2 and 57.4 PFF grades would be significant upgrades over Cappa.

I think there's opportunity to improve even further than Risner, but we can't sign two big free agents at guard. One of them needs to be relatively budget friendly, and I think Risner fits that bill well.

Need to hit on a draft pick for one so you can spend heavily on the other.

Tyler Booker from Alabama in the 1st?
or
Jonah Monheim from USC in the 2nd to play C (and kick Karras back to LG).


(Or Risner, Monheim, and a bigger money FA G... and move on from Karras.)

(Yesterday, 07:25 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Banks may be the easier get for the Bengals, he will likely be somewhat cheaper than Fries (who graded out as the 4th best Guard, according to PFF). Though Fries would be a great one to put in next to Amarius Mims on the Right side. It's just a matter of if the Bengals are willing to outbid another team(s).

Fries is just coming back from an injury that kept him out a while so the price may not be as high as we think. I really like him tho.

Why is Lee not playing? If Lee was playing there would be 3 players on rookie contracts on the OL. As I see it, the Bengals need a swing tackle, a developmental swing tackle/OG, and a FA OG.. Volson has one year left on his rookie contract; I don't see him getting cut. I don't see him staying in 2026 either. Risner is a short term solution; I'd feel better with a rock like Jenkins or Fries on one side for a few years while you develop a new center, guard and a swing tackle.

(Yesterday, 09:55 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Need to hit on a draft pick for one so you can spend heavily on the other.

Tyler Booker from Alabama in the 1st?
or
Jonah Monheim from USC in the 2nd to play C (and kick Karras back to LG).


(Or Risner, Monheim, and a bigger money FA G... and move on from Karras.)

Monheim in the 2nd? nfldraftbuzz currrently has him as a 6th rounder. Highest one they have strictly at OC right now is Jake Majors in the 3rd.

(Yesterday, 09:18 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: I can definitely get on board with another mediocre bargain bin guy

I can now confirm that Duke is on thebengalsboard.com!

(Yesterday, 02:02 AM)pulses Wrote: Obviously you wasn't watching the same playoff game I was last weekend and saw him get manhandled all day long!   No thanks !    We need better than him and younger than him. No more cheap stopgaps who are declining.

So it's purely off one playoff game vs the regular season?

Also, no I haven't really been watching playoff football outside of 1-2 games.

Just haven't had the interest to watch other games outside of Bengal games in recent years.

(Today, 04:52 AM)pulses Wrote: Monheim in the 2nd? nfldraftbuzz currrently has him as a 6th rounder. Highest one they have strictly at OC right now is Jake Majors in the 3rd.

Yeah, I have spent next to zero time looking at 2025 draft folks, lol. I just did a quick search to see what IOL would be around there and I saw him as a 2nd in one and rolled with without checking more sources. 

My general point remains though that we need to hit on at least one IOL in the draft. We can't construct our OL 4/5ths out of FAs without having to do compromises on the level of talent we'd sign. We tried that already by signing Cappa/Karras/La'el Collins in one offseason. Which was better than what we had, but not as good as if we could have hit on one draft pick and then used the money from one of those three to upgrade one or both of the others to a better player.

(5 hours ago)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Yeah, I have spent next to zero time looking at 2025 draft folks, lol. I just did a quick search to see what IOL would be around there and I saw him as a 2nd in one and rolled with without checking more sources. 

My general point remains though that we need to hit on at least one IOL in the draft. We can't construct our OL 4/5ths out of FAs without having to do compromises on the level of talent we'd sign. We tried that already by signing Cappa/Karras/La'el Collins in one offseason. Which was better than what we had, but not as good as if we could have hit on one draft pick and then used the money from one of those three to upgrade one or both of the others to a better player.

The thing that sucks about this OL class is it isn't very strong so anything past round 3 is prob a waste for us. Their are a few OT's that can play OG at the next level and I would think we may be interested in that as well.....OBJ should be gone in a couple years.