It's been a simply amazing free agency run for the Bengals this year. A haul like none of us have ever seen, quality players still on the front side of their careers signing with the Bengals in droves.

Yes, it's been a wild and exciting ride. However, we must also face the reality that the bank has to be about closed. I mean we still likely need to shed a few contracts, in order to pay for the players that we've already signed thus far.

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I've already decided that it's a foregone conclusion that Dalton is as good as gone, and along with at least one of Dre Kirkpatrick or William Jackson. I haven't been keeping up as nearly as well with the Bengals cap spending/availability as I typically do (we've been super busy at work). Does anyone here have any idea how far over budget the Bengals currently are?

Yes it is !

I think I'm still in mild shock. I figured at best we might see a middle of the road signing and then a couple washed up has been's. I don't know who's pulling the trigger but there's no doubt there's a new sheriff in town.

i don't make any claims to being an NFL financial/contracts/cap guru but i'd say they're gonna have to cut at least one of Dalton or Kirkpatrick perhaps both ? unless they can work out some kinda trade ?

At any rate I'm getting pumped for what lies ahead.

(03-26-2020, 05:36 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: It's been a simply amazing free agency run for the Bengals this year.  A haul like none of us have ever seen, quality players still on the front side of their careers signing with the Bengals in droves.

Yes, it's been a wild and exciting ride.  However, we must also face the reality that the bank has to be about closed.  I mean we still likely need to shed a few contracts, in order to pay for the players that we've already signed thus far.

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I've already decided that it's a foregone conclusion that Dalton is as good as gone, and along with at least one of Dre Kirkpatrick or William Jackson.  I haven't been keeping up as nearly as well with the Bengals cap spending/availability as I typically do (we've been super busy at work).  Does anyone here have any idea how far over budget the Bengals currently are?

I think that we are $337K under the cap....Need to cut bait and sign a couple more FAs or trade for another starter....Love this mostly proven players approach going into the draft...especially beefing up the defense.

I am an original 1967 fan and went to Nippert to watch Greg Cook and Trumpy with my Dad. What great memories.

I brainwashed all my kids- born and raised in North Carolina, to be Bengal fans .

This is the best off season I can ever recall for the Bengals.

I have been so upset with the Brown family but they have done absolutely right by this franchise this year.

I wonder what sort of impact the Reds signing free agents this year had on the Brown family?

Maybe I have been wrong about their lack of commitment to the truly great people of my beloved hometown!

I don't expect anything close to playoffs this year but 2 to 3 years down the road they could be special.

Very exciting diversion during these tragic and trying times for everyone.

(03-26-2020, 06:13 PM)spazz70 Wrote: I think that we are $337K under the cap....Need to cut bait and sign a couple more FAs or trade for another starter....Love this mostly proven players approach going into the draft...especially beefing up the defense.

Is that with the rookie pool/Injury settlement fund included or outstanding?

I don't know how far over the cap we are but I am sure we are going to at the very least cut Dalton and Kirkpatrick to
free up money for our rookies we Draft. Was hoping for one more signing in Jason Peters to man RT for a couple years
but I guess I have been spoiled by this great Free Agency we have just seen. Our Defense is going to be tough to run
on and that puts Offenses in 2nd and 3rd and longs resulting in better chances for INTS and Sacks.

One thing I cannot stand is getting ran on and our guys missing tackles.

I can handle getting beat in the pass a bit, but with Reader here he will free up our other pass rushers to hit and sack
QB's and he is a good pass rusher himself if they want to try and block him one on one. Getting Bell, Waynes, Alexander
in the Secondary is huge. We are physical all the way from the front to the back end. Bynes is a smart vet and will help
Pratt and our soon to be young Linebackers out big time, he is always in the right place and is a good tackler.

Very exciting times. Completely frees up the Draft, lets get an Offense built around the QB who just had the best season
ever eh?

Yeah baby. :hail:

(03-26-2020, 07:03 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I don't know how far over the cap we are but I am sure we are going to at the very least cut Dalton and Kirkpatrick to
free up money for our rookies we Draft. Was hoping for one more signing in Jason Peters to man RT for a couple years
but I guess I have been spoiled by this great Free Agency we have just seen. Our Defense is going to be tough to run
on and that puts Offenses in 2nd and 3rd and longs resulting in better chances for INTS and Sacks.

One thing I cannot stand is getting ran on and our guys missing tackles.

I can handle getting beat in the pass a bit, but with Reader here he will free up our other pass rushers to hit and sack
QB's and he is a good pass rusher himself if they want to try and block him one on one. Getting Bell, Waynes, Alexander
in the Secondary is huge. We are physical all the way from the front to the back end. Bynes is a smart vet and will help
Pratt and our soon to be young Linebackers out big time, he is always in the right place and is a good tackler.

Very exciting times. Completely frees up the Draft, lets get an Offense built around the QB who just had the best season
ever eh?

Yeah baby.  :hail:

I'm with you.  It's almost as if the Bengals read my post on how I would create a good defense.  My philosophy is to be strong up the middle, and force the action to the edges.  They have went and did just that.  Got one of the best NTs in the league, picked up an instinctive run stopper at LB, picked up the biggest badass that they could find at Safety to pair with Bates coverage skills.  Added a pair of aggressive, ball hawking, sure tackling CBs.  Now, our existing pass rushers should thrive!

I'm now in a position where I really have no clue which direction the Bengals will go with pick #33.  By all estimates, they can literally now go any direction they see fit, without having to pick "BPA that fits need", just go get the best guy that will improve the team.

(03-26-2020, 07:21 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'm with you.  It's almost as if the Bengals read my post on how I would create a good defense.  My philosophy is to be strong up the middle, and force the action to the edges.  They have went and did just that.  Got one of the best NTs in the league, picked up an instinctive run stopper at LB, picked up the biggest badass that they could find at Safety to pair with Bates coverage skills.  Added a pair of aggressive, ball hawking, sure tackling CBs.  Now, our existing pass rushers should thrive!

I'm now in a position where I really have no clue which direction the Bengals will go with pick #33.  By all estimates, they can literally now go any direction they see fit, without having to pick "BPA that fits need", just go get the best guy that will improve the team.

Yes sir. I wouldn't put 3-4 End out of the question now with us moving to a 3-4 hybrid. Epenesa sure would be awesome.

Atkins - Reader - Epenesa

Hubbard - Pratt - Bynes - Dunlap

WJ3 - Bell - Bates - Waynes

(03-26-2020, 07:43 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yes sir. I wouldn't put 3-4 End out of the question now with us moving to a 3-4 hybrid. Epenesa sure would be awesome.

Atkins - Reader - Epenesa

Hubbard - Pratt - Bynes - Dunlap

WJ3 - Bell - Bates - Waynes

I have strong doubts as to Epenesa being around in the 2nd round.  However, I could totally see them going for a Zack Baun or even Terrell Davis with that pick.  Though they really aren't "handcuffed by need" at any particular position, so they might actually do the wheel and deal for extra picks, or even move back up into the 1st for someone they covet.  Either way, it should be interesting to see it play out.

(03-26-2020, 07:49 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I have strong doubts as to Epenesa being around in the 2nd round.  However, I could totally see them going for a Zack Baun or even Terrell Davis with that pick.  Though they really aren't "handcuffed by need" at any particular position, so they might actually do the wheel and deal for extra picks, or even move back up into the 1st for someone they covet.  Either way, it should be interesting to see it play out.

I doubt it too, just saw a Mock where he fell for some damn reason. Yah never know....

But yeah, I think 3-4 DE could be where we go more than people think with this new look 3-4 hybrid and Geno not playing as good
as he once was and getting up in age. People keep saying we don't have any Linebackers, but Hubbard, Dunlap and Lawson are LB's
in a 3-4 and we have 3 stack LB's now in Pratt, Bynes and Evans.

(03-26-2020, 07:59 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I doubt it too, just saw a Mock where he fell for some damn reason. Yah never know....

But yeah, I think 3-4 DE could be where we go more than people think with this new look 3-4 hybrid and Geno not playing as good
as he once was and getting up in age. People keep saying we don't have any Linebackers, but Hubbard, Dunlap and Lawson are LB's
in a 3-4 and we have 3 stack LB's now in Pratt, Bynes and Evans.

In a 3-4, Geno could play that position Aaron Donald does for the Rams that works so well for him.  It's kind of an end, kind of a tackle.

(03-26-2020, 08:02 PM)McC Wrote: In a 3-4, Geno could play that position Aaron Donald does for the Rams that works so well for him.  It's kind of an end, kind of a tackle.

Yeah and I think he could thrive there honestly. Hubbard, Dunlap and Lawson I also think could thrive in a 3-4 hybrid.

Love the move and getting Reader and the boys. Think this is long overdue and something we have talked about forever but 
was always unrealistic under Marv for some reason. The best Defenses have been 3-4's for some time. Andrew Brown might 
even grow into something as an End in a 3-4 but I still want at least one more End for insurance.

People keep talking about Linebackers but they are forgetting the 3-4 part and how Ends in a 4-3 become LB's in a 3-4.

(03-26-2020, 06:24 PM)bengals67 Wrote: I am an original 1967 fan and went to Nippert to watch Greg Cook and Trumpy with my Dad. What great memories.

I brainwashed all my kids- born and raised in North Carolina, to be Bengal fans .

This is the best off season I can ever recall for the Bengals.

I have been so upset with the Brown family but they have done absolutely right by this franchise this year.

I wonder what sort of impact the Reds signing free agents this year had on the Brown family?

Maybe I have been wrong about their lack of commitment to the truly great people of my beloved hometown!

I don't expect anything close to playoffs this year but 2 to 3 years down the road they could be special.

Very exciting diversion during these tragic and trying times for everyone.

(03-26-2020, 06:24 PM)bengals67 Wrote: I am an original 1967 fan and went to Nippert to watch Greg Cook and Trumpy with my Dad. What great memories.

I brainwashed all my kids- born and raised in North Carolina, to be Bengal fans .

This is the best off season I can ever recall for the Bengals.

I have been so upset with the Brown family but they have done absolutely right by this franchise this year.

I wonder what sort of impact the Reds signing free agents this year had on the Brown family?

Maybe I have been wrong about their lack of commitment to the truly great people of my beloved hometown!

I don't expect anything close to playoffs this year but 2 to 3 years down the road they could be special.

Very exciting diversion during these tragic and trying times for everyone.

Well said bengals67.  It's about time for our hometown football team to be relevant again.

(03-26-2020, 06:24 PM)bengals67 Wrote: I am an original 1967 fan and went to Nippert to watch Greg Cook and Trumpy with my Dad. What great memories.

I brainwashed all my kids- born and raised in North Carolina, to be Bengal fans .

This is the best off season I can ever recall for the Bengals.

I have been so upset with the Brown family but they have done absolutely right by this franchise this year.

I wonder what sort of impact the Reds signing free agents this year had on the Brown family?

Maybe I have been wrong about their lack of commitment to the truly great people of my beloved hometown!

I don't expect anything close to playoffs this year but 2 to 3 years down the road they could be special.

Very exciting diversion during these tragic and trying times for everyone.

I went from bitterly apathetic to looking forward to the next move. Never saw it coming. 

(03-26-2020, 06:24 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Is that with the rookie pool/Injury settlement fund included or outstanding?

According to Spotrac, Bengals have ~$16 mill cap space remaining before the draft.
However, this does not have Reader, Alexander, Sims, McTyer, and Bynes factored in yet.
I expect that the reason for this is because there are still details being figured out for cap hit this year, as the Bengals likely won't have enough cap space for all those guys unless they remove/reduce Dalton's and/or Kirk's cap hit.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cincinnati-bengals/cap/

(03-26-2020, 08:07 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah and I think he could thrive there honestly. Hubbard, Dunlap and Lawson I also think could thrive in a 3-4 hybrid.

Love the move and getting Reader and the boys. Think this is long overdue and something we have talked about forever but 
was always unrealistic under Marv for some reason. The best Defenses have been 3-4's for some time. Andrew Brown might 
even grow into something as an End in a 3-4 but I still want at least one more End for insurance.

People keep talking about Linebackers but they are forgetting the 3-4 part and how Ends in a 4-3 become LB's in a 3-4.

Those are different LBs though. Most 3-4 OLBs suck in coverage. 3-4 OLBs are typically just edge rushers.

(03-26-2020, 06:24 PM)bengals67 Wrote: I am an original 1967 fan and went to Nippert to watch Greg Cook and Trumpy with my Dad. What great memories.

I brainwashed all my kids- born and raised in North Carolina, to be Bengal fans .

This is the best off season I can ever recall for the Bengals.

I have been so upset with the Brown family but they have done absolutely right by this franchise this year.

I wonder what sort of impact the Reds signing free agents this year had on the Brown family?

Maybe I have been wrong about their lack of commitment to the truly great people of my beloved hometown!

I don't expect anything close to playoffs this year but 2 to 3 years down the road they could be special.

Very exciting diversion during these tragic and trying times for everyone.


I 'm also an original.  I also remember Nippert. I was at the game when Cook was injured and annually went to Wilmington to summer camp.  I still find it painful to remember Cook and his immense talent. Barring injury, he might have been the greatest QB of all time.

(03-27-2020, 12:04 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Those are different LBs though. Most 3-4 OLBs suck in coverage. 3-4 OLBs are typically just edge rushers.

Yep, are you arguing with my point cause I cannot tell? What you say here is true Ocho.

(03-27-2020, 04:33 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yep, are you arguing with my point cause I cannot tell? What you say here is true Ocho.

I thought the point you were making was that the Bengals don't need more LBs because their DEs are basically 3-4 OLBs.
If that was your point, then yes I'm arguing because the skill set of an off-ball LB is different than that of an edge rusher, which is what a 3-4 OLB mostly is used for.