Why would BA sign with anyone before the draft?

A team could sign him for 8M tell him he’s starting then draft 2 guards and boom now he’s off the bench


I think he wants to start and is just making sure wherever he signs has a guard spot open after the draft

Guaruntee he signs within a week of the draft


He could also just wanna skip training camp. A lot of vets do that later in their career and they just come into the season in shape and ready to go. He’s earned that privilege honestly

Once again you guys keep saying for everything )now that we see FA was a significant failure outside of the extensions), "they'll address in the draft". The expectations that we are getting 6 starters with 6 picks is outrageous.

The expectations that our 3-6 round picks will have significant production this year is outrageous (has anyone paid attention to our drafts recently).

With 6 picks, we'll be lucky to see 2 produce. So for those "we'll address this in the draft" for everything thing that comes up, the count is getting a little high LB, G, S, TE, RB, DT, DE, CB,..... Well the math ain't mathin.

(04-02-2025, 10:19 AM)ERIC1 Wrote: I perhaps am one of the most critical on here..I think the energy and play on the field improved remarkably the last 3rd of the season..regardless of opponent and score..I think this team ..barring injuries,,which they had many last year...will be in the playoffs next year..Our DL talent, when you consider the play of the two rookies and even Murphy ..again the last third of the season..is pretty solid

I think people are putting a lot on the potential of the 2nd year Dlineman and even Murphy. But potential is for rebuilding teams. Championship contenders can't gamble on "potential". Championship teams need talent and production. 

I'm not arguing we should give up on these 3 players, but we given the expectations are gambling on "potential" which you don't see Championship teams do. 

(04-02-2025, 10:19 AM)jj22 Wrote: Once again you guys keep saying for everything )now that we see FA was a significant failure outside of the extensions), "they'll address in the draft". The expectations that we are getting 6 starters with 6 picks is outrageous.

The expectations that our 3-6 round picks will have significant production this year is outrageous (has anyone paid attention to our drafts recently).

With 6 picks, we'll be lucky to see 2 produce. So for those "we'll address this in the draft" for everything thing that comes up, the count is getting a little high LB, G, S, TE, RB, DT, DE, CB,..... Well the math ain't mathin.

Guarantee the Bengals feel good at most of those positions


They need RG, DT, DE and LB

We like Volson, just gave Gesicki 8M and still have Sample, got Perine back for pass pro and hard nosed running, have a TON of corners and have Geno at safety

So we want better players at these positions….obviously. But we are likely comfortable at all positions but those 4. We need a guard and more sacks and a linebacker to play in our 4-3. I hate going into the draft with 3 gaping holes but imo it’s only 3

AG's blitzkrieg defense will never work with the safeties we have. It's not even a question if you watched them. Even a competent QB (you remember how BO Nix went bombs away on them over and over and over and over again and they couldn't do a thing about it). Even Russ cooked.

We won't have the luxury of squeaking past the Will Lewis's, Dorian Thompson's (2wice),  Rush's (who nearly beat us) of the leagues in 2025.

(04-02-2025, 10:24 AM)jj22 Wrote: I think people are putting a lot on the potential of the 2nd year Dlineman and even Murphy. But potential is for rebuilding teams. Championship contenders can't gamble on "potential". Championship teams need talent and production. 

I'm not arguing we should give up on these 3 players, but we given the expectations are gambling on "potential" which you don't see Championship teams do. 

take away the beaucoup injuries our team has had the last two years..in many positions ..including our starting qb..This was a championship level team..Pittsburgh is a mess, Cleveland is a mess..We hang with Baltimore..we will be fine

(04-01-2025, 07:06 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: And we can believe that as the Gospel, because NFL coaches have never been known to blow smoke..

Good news is we will find out in 22 days if Zac lied as you suggested.

As for the OP and the article, I call them click bait and son;t think these guys have great resources for accuarte information. I trust the true NFL reporters who work for NFL network, ESPN and a few others.

It is no secret we need a guard and Scherff is a FA that would make sense for both parties, but just because it makes sense does not make it true.

(04-02-2025, 11:22 AM)ERIC1 Wrote: take away the beaucoup injuries our team has had the last two years..in many positions ..including our starting qb..This was a championship level team..Pittsburgh is a mess, Cleveland is a mess..We hang with Baltimore..we will be fine

this is a silly post. This team had dj reader and a sam hubard that wasnt god awful. Then dj reader left and they never replaced him, and sam hubbard turned to garbage. Myles Murphy will be lucky to end up as good as a prime hubbard, and a prime hubbard is just decent. This team isnt a super bowl contender.

can they make the playoffs? sure. But they arent close to 2021 or 2022. Or even 2023 if Burrow never got hurt

(04-02-2025, 10:19 AM)jj22 Wrote: Once again you guys keep saying for everything )now that we see FA was a significant failure outside of the extensions), "they'll address in the draft". The expectations that we are getting 6 starters with 6 picks is outrageous.

The expectations that our 3-6 round picks will have significant production this year is outrageous (has anyone paid attention to our drafts recently).

With 6 picks, we'll be lucky to see 2 produce. So for those "we'll address this in the draft" for everything thing that comes up, the count is getting a little high LB, G, S, TE, RB, DT, DE, CB,..... Well the math ain't mathin.

I see one position group in need of a starter. I think we need 2 guards.

But, we have capable starters at the other positions you listed. You may not like them or want them upgraded but is it a critical need or would be great if we could improve.

Evey team has weakness and holes on their roster prior to the draft. Teams will have weaknesses after the draft also as rarely a perfect roster unless it was the Eagles in 2024. KC's OL was manhandled by. the Eagles, so what do they do, they trade arguably their best OL Thuney. They have weakness also.

If he is healthy, I'd prefer Hernandez. Younger. Likely cheaper. Better run blocker. Better overall grades.

(04-02-2025, 10:24 AM)jj22 Wrote: I think people are putting a lot on the potential of the 2nd year Dlineman and even Murphy. But potential is for rebuilding teams. Championship contenders can't gamble on "potential". Championship teams need talent and production. 

I'm not arguing we should give up on these 3 players, but we given the expectations are gambling on "potential" which you don't see Championship teams do. 

I disagree. KC drafted a rookie in round 6 Smith to start at guard and they won the Super Bowl. It was a huge risk. KC traded the best WR in football Hill, that was a huge gamble that oaid off. Teams do take chances, but still win, they have to in most cases.

(04-02-2025, 11:45 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I disagree. KC drafted a rookie in round 6 Smith to start at guard and they won the Super Bowl. It was a huge risk. KC traded the best WR in football Hill, that was a huge gamble that oaid off. Teams do take chances, but still win, they have to in most cases.

KC drafted a 1st round talent who happened to plummet due to medical concerns about blood clots in his legs. Low risk, high reward in that move. Too bad the Bengals gambles seldom turn out that nicely.

(04-02-2025, 11:22 AM)ERIC1 Wrote: take away the beaucoup injuries our team has had the last two years..in many positions ..including our starting qb..This was a championship level team..Pittsburgh is a mess, Cleveland is a mess..We hang with Baltimore..we will be fine

We lost to Ravens twice, but once ws due to our kicker. The Ravens did not dominate us, yes their offense dominated our defense, but our offense also dominated their defense. The Ravens lost a starting CB and a nose tackle on defense and 2 other reserve DL, a starting guard and WR on offense.

They too have holes, but our fans dismiss their holes because Ravens have proven they can plug the holes, but some of our fans think our FO sucks and will choose poor draft picks and FA's.

Our defense was decimated by injury at CB in 2024 (show me 1 playoff team who lost both starting CB's in 2024), best LB hurt and at one time both vet DT's out at same time so rookies were forced onto the field. That is the facts. It is also a fact a lot of young guys gained valauble expereince including our 2 rookie DT's who missed time early in camp due to injury, one played with a broken hand I believe.

I agree with you. 

(04-02-2025, 11:50 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: KC drafted a 1st round talent who happened to plummet due to medical concerns about blood clots in his legs. Low risk, high reward in that move. Too bad the Bengals gambles seldom turn out that nicely.

It was extremely risky, he was also never ranked in the top 50 and if my memory is correct not top 100 even healthy. But, they waited to draft a starting guard in round 6. Yes, they were lucky.

(04-02-2025, 10:15 AM)ERIC1 Wrote: the offense and defense was playing remarkably better the last third of the season....they kept the players they needed to keep and signed those they needed to sign..I would imagine they will address a couple of positions through the draft..They made the necessary coaching changes that needed to be made..I like the fine tuning approach

This defense played the Cowboys with Cooper Rush, the Titans with Mason Rudolph, Browns, Broncos, and Steelers. 

This defense didn't get better. They just played some really, really, bad offensive competition. 

People will be shocked again with how bad the defense is this year. Mainly because they did nothing to improve it. 

(04-02-2025, 10:24 AM)jj22 Wrote: I think people are putting a lot on the potential of the 2nd year Dlineman and even Murphy. But potential is for rebuilding teams. Championship contenders can't gamble on "potential". Championship teams need talent and production. 

I'm not arguing we should give up on these 3 players, but we given the expectations are gambling on "potential" which you don't see Championship teams do. 

It'd be one thing if we were the Jets with this roster. 

But we aren't. We are set up to win NOW. We have 4 years left of Burrow, Chase, and Higgins. This current 2025 roster being one of them. 

They need to go NOW. 

(04-02-2025, 11:50 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: KC drafted a 1st round talent who happened to plummet due to medical concerns about blood clots in his legs. Low risk, high reward in that move. Too bad the Bengals gambles seldom turn out that nicely.

He was rated a 3rd round talent and dropped due to bllod clots. Every NFL team screwed up big time including us. Didn't we draft Volson in the 2021 draft or was the 2022?

(04-02-2025, 12:12 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: This defense played the Cowboys with Cooper Rush, the Titans with Mason Rudolph, Browns, Broncos, and Steelers. 

This defense didn't get better. They just played some really, really, bad offensive competition. 

People will be shocked again with how bad the defense is this year. Mainly because they did nothing to improve it. 

I think you are wrong. Let's circle back to your comment in October or so. If I am wrong. I have no problem admitting I am a Putz.

(04-02-2025, 12:27 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: He was rated a 3rd round talent and dropped due to bllod clots. Every NFL team screwed up big time including us. Didn't we draft Volson in the 2021 draft or was the 2022?

Third round, yeah that sound more accurate. I remember him having a good week at Sr. Bowl practice, and he shot up in a lot of mocks that year. That was 2021, the Bengals drafted Volson in 2022.

(04-02-2025, 11:37 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: But, we have capable starters at the other positions you listed. You may not like them or want them upgraded but is it a critical need or would be great if we could improve.

I think we are an injury away (as we've seen in prior years) from a position going from being great to improve to a critical need. We are too "top heavy" (not sure it that is the right phrase), and too many key positions... 

Wideout for example. You wouldn't consider it a critical need, but we still do need a Wideout. Like still. If we lose 1 of the top 2 to injury we are pretty much screwed as strong as the "position" may seem.