(04-08-2025, 07:45 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Looking like they may have struck a deal for 2 yrs/$62.9M.

http://https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/bengals-trey-hendrickson-gets-63-million-contract-update/ar-AA1Cujdt?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=0515445fc5f942e1a711d5d7d7660c94&ei=14

That link does not work for me. I don't see a whiff of this anywhere else. My BS detector might be going off on this one. 

(04-06-2025, 06:30 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: That would be a disrespectful proposal for what he's done for the team. The need to give him 3/$100M, wiping this year's remaining deal and guarantee the first two years. Anything less is telling the two time sack leader that he's nothing more that a "hired hand". If they found the creativity to give often injured Tee Higgins a "big boy" deal, they can at least do the same for lunch pail Trey.

Agree

They need to pay Trey and get it over with. This defense goes from needing a lot of help to needing a shit ton of help without him. 

(04-08-2025, 11:33 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Agree

They need to pay Trey and get it over with. This defense goes from needing a lot of help to needing a shit ton of help without him. 

Yep. And rhe "draft a replacement at #17" idea is absurd. Tyere isn't one. There is one surefire DE stud in this draft, and that is Carter. Everything else is a crapshoot. Green and Pearce are undersized with off-field flags. Stewart & M. Williams have the traits but have production flags. Thinking there is a Trey replacement at #17 is insane. 

Just get a guy who can upgrade a spot where we are weak (G, S, LB, TE, CB1) or can help augment an area of need (pass rush). 

I see more plug & play starter types at G, LB, & S than DL at our pick. Though I like Harmon/Nolen/Grant just fine.

FWIW, that link is garbage. 2/$62.9 is Spotrac's projected contract for Trey, and there is nothing there itger than Rapaport saying a deal could still happen.

No substance whatsoever.

(04-08-2025, 11:33 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: That link does not work for me. I don't see a whiff of this anywhere else. My BS detector might be going off on this one. 

(04-08-2025, 11:57 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: FWIW, that link is garbage. 2/$62.9 is Spotrac's projected contract for Trey, and there is nothing there itger than Rapaport saying a deal could still happen.

No substance whatsoever.

Yeah, when I got to work at 630 and opened my browser that was the first thing I saw and thought that maybe I had missed something last night. I opened another tab, and I see the same thing. Now appears to have just been nothing.

Simmons name drops Bengals.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/star-free-agent-safety-justin-simmons-expresses-desire-to-play-for-bengals-01jrbshmyxqn

(04-08-2025, 08:18 PM)jj22 Wrote: Simmons name drops Bengals.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/star-free-agent-safety-justin-simmons-expresses-desire-to-play-for-bengals-01jrbshmyxqn

I'd be comfortable with Simmons over Stone. Simmons may have some age on him, but that experience and wisdom is still useful to make him an effective player. Plus, if they draft a Safety high this year, he gets the benefit of hanging out and learning from Justin Simmons. Get rid of Stone and sign Simmons to two years, and draft Caleb Downs next year.

(04-08-2025, 08:35 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'd be comfortable with Simmons over Stone. Simmons may have some age on him, but that experience and wisdom is still useful to make him an effective player. Plus, if they draft a Safety high this year, he gets the benefit of hanging out and learning from Justin Simmons. Get rid of Stone and sign Simmons to two years, and draft Caleb Downs next year.

We aren't getting any superstars, but there are still guys out there that can help.  I kind of hold out hope for them to sign a couple of reasonably-priced guys like Simmons and one of the guards after they see how the draft plays out.  At this point, the money spent doing it is going to be negligible.  

Caleb Downs is a monster prospect.  He'd be the best safety in this draft and probably a top 10 pick.  I'd love to see him in stripes, but I also don't want to be picking high enough to get him next year.

(04-08-2025, 07:45 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Looking like they may have struck a deal for 2 yrs/$62.9M.

http://https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/bengals-trey-hendrickson-gets-63-million-contract-update/ar-AA1Cujdt?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=0515445fc5f942e1a711d5d7d7660c94&ei=14

I like the 2 year deal as well per Trey's age

(04-08-2025, 08:35 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'd be comfortable with Simmons over Stone. Simmons may have some age on him, but that experience and wisdom is still useful to make him an effective player. Plus, if they draft a Safety high this year, he gets the benefit of hanging out and learning from Justin Simmons. Get rid of Stone and sign Simmons to two years, and draft Caleb Downs next year.

Agree

I'm very leery of Stone

(04-08-2025, 08:35 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'd be comfortable with Simmons over Stone. Simmons may have some age on him, but that experience and wisdom is still useful to make him an effective player. Plus, if they draft a Safety high this year, he gets the benefit of hanging out and learning from Justin Simmons. Get rid of Stone and sign Simmons to two years, and draft Caleb Downs next year.

Anderson and Anthony are our S depth. They have, what, 20 NFL snaps between then at S? 

I'd much prefer Blackmon to Simmons, if they are both cheap. But either would be welcome if we whiff on S in the draft.

G: Hernandez, Scherff, Risner 
S: Blackmon, Simmons 
CB: Gimore 
RB: Dobbins 

(04-09-2025, 09:55 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Agree

I'm very leery of Stone

Yes, you never know who you're getting that day. Will it be the invisible man, or Mr. Right Place/Right Time?

Bengals sign another backup LB in Joe Giles-Harris.

We have signed free agent LB Joe Giles-Harris.

?: https://t.co/BDJJQOM3Q2 pic.twitter.com/ejP3dCSVFE

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) April 9, 2025

FWIW, S grades at PFF:

Player: Overall, Coverage, Run D
Blackmon: 69.3, 73.5, 55.1
Simmons: 59.9, 60.8, 53.8
Player X: 62.1, 62.1, 59.4
------------
Stone: 53.1, 53.7, 45.5
Battle: 53.1, 53.0, 59.0

Player X is Vonn Bell.

(04-09-2025, 10:32 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Yes, you never know who you're getting that day. Will it be the invisible man, or Mr. Right Place/Right Time?

If he can play in Golden's system like he did at the end of last season, he'll be good. IF...

(04-09-2025, 12:02 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: FWIW, S grades at PFF:

Player: Overall, Coverage, Run D
Blackmon: 69.3, 73.5, 55.1
Simmons: 59.9, 60.8, 53.8
Player X: 62.1, 62.1, 59.4
------------
Stone: 53.1, 53.7, 45.5
Battle: 53.1, 53.0, 59.0

Player X is Vonn Bell.

Are those their career ratings, or last year?

(04-09-2025, 12:02 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: FWIW, S grades at PFF:

Player: Overall, Coverage, Run D
Blackmon: 69.3, 73.5, 55.1
Simmons: 59.9, 60.8, 53.8
Player X: 62.1, 62.1, 59.4
------------
Stone: 53.1, 53.7, 45.5
Battle: 53.1, 53.0, 59.0

Player X is Vonn Bell.

For the life of me I'm not sure why they were so fine with sticking with Battle and Stone.... 

(04-09-2025, 10:23 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Anderson and Anthony are our S depth. They have, what, 20 NFL snaps between then at S? 

I'd much prefer Blackmon to Simmons, if they are both cheap. But either would be welcome if we whiff on S in the draft.

G: Hernandez, Scherff, Risner 
S: Blackmon, Simmons 
CB: Gimore 
RB: Dobbins 

If that logic was used 100%, no rookie should ever play or start.

I understand as fans we only have the time we see these players play in meaniful games. But the coaching staff sees them in practice over and over again. It is also their main job to develop players. I am advocating for a huge upgrade at safety,  I see 2 possibly round 1 picks and a 3rd, maybe in early round 2. I am fine to draft one with pick 17. But I am also am not dismissing our 2nd year safety or our 3th year safety who was great on special teams one year after ACL surgery.

Only the FO and coaches know who on our current roster is in need of an upgrade. The draft will add a piece to the puzzle as it tells us their short and long term concerns by who they draft.

(04-09-2025, 12:50 PM)jj22 Wrote: For the life of me I'm not sure why they were so fine with sticking with Battle and Stone.... 

I assume Battle is their version of Volson, a cheap young starter they assume will gradually improve.  We can blame everything on "communication" but I think it has more to do with other positions taking higher priority. Like, Emmanwori would be great in the 1st or Watts in the 2nd has the upside of working with Golden but the needs on both lines means safety may wait til later. 


Stone on paper looked like a cut, but obviously they see his coverage upside and think they can cover his weaknesses better with a new scheme (I know, I know).  They also hate dead money, so unless they get a top 2 round safety I think he stays.  Any other year, if you could get away with LB and S high, they'd save a lot in cutting Stone and Pratt, but we're here. 

(04-08-2025, 11:49 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Yep. And rhe "draft a replacement at #17" idea is absurd. Tyere isn't one. There is one surefire DE stud in this draft, and that is Carter. Everything else is a crapshoot. Green and Pearce are undersized with off-field flags. Stewart & M. Williams have the traits but have production flags. Thinking there is a Trey replacement at #17 is insane. 

Just get a guy who can upgrade a spot where we are weak (G, S, LB, TE, CB1) or can help augment an area of need (pass rush). 

I see more plug & play starter types at G, LB, & S than DL at our pick. Though I like Harmon/Nolen/Grant just fine.

Where's the undersized coming from?

Will Anderson - DE at 6'4", 243 lbs. 11 sacks last year
Will McDonald - DE at 6'4", 236 lbs. 10.5 sacks last year
Brian Burns - DE at 6'5", 250 lbs. 8.5 sacks last year

Green is shorter at 6'3", but he got up to 251 for offseason measurables, but he did play closer to 220-230.
Pearce is 6'5", 245 lbs.
These guys are right about the same as the guys above.

Pass rushers like this can be great if used properly.
Not all 4-3 DEs have to be 265+ lbs.

Hendrickson is not praised for his run defense. He's praised for his relentless pass rushing.

Pearce is going to win with his explosive speed.
I think he will succeed as a 4-3 DE, especially as he packs on 5-10 lbs of muscle over the course of a season or so.

Green I think is going to fit more in the mold of a TJ Watt, Kyle Van Noy type of pass rushing OLB. I have concerns about his level of competition inflating his production and some serious off-field accusations that resulted in him transferring schools, but I can still see him being a 7+ sack guy in a 3-4 defense.