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It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Luvnit2 - 03-24-2025
Many of our own fans are trashing the FO. Some are calling us Bungles, same name used by our enemies to trash us. ESPN ranks the Bengals as the 7th best tem in the NFL rght now. They finished 18th in 2024.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44329752/nfl-power-rankings-offseason-post-free-agency-poll-2025-radar-move
Maybe we do have hope in 2025 in spite of the naysayers opinions.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - HarleyDog - 03-24-2025
Not a lot of substance for their reasoning.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - XenoMorph - 03-24-2025
outside potential upgrades at 1 og and 1 dt spot we have mainly retained.
i wouldn't pen your hopes or fears on espn though
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - chopperbobby - 03-24-2025
I dont know looks like we kept the same team we had last year at a much higher price tag. Defense i guss will be addressed in draft. Which w are not the best at unless its a WR or joe b
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 - 03-24-2025
(Yesterday, 10:28 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Many of our own fans are trashing the FO. Some are calling us Bungles, same name used by our enemies to trash us. ESPN ranks the Bengals as the 7th best tem in the NFL rght now. They finished 18th in 2024.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44329752/nfl-power-rankings-offseason-post-free-agency-poll-2025-radar-move
Maybe we do have hope in 2025 in spite of the naysayers opinions.
I think it has more to do with us NOT losing Tee. Which a lot of the dumb@ss national media expected for some reason. When that did not happen, and with us showing no interest in moving Trey, our "outlook" improved.
Like with Trey, we would have done an obviously lopsided deal for Tee (Herschel Walker, Ricky Williams). But we have/had exactly zero interest in a "fair" trade for Trey/Tee.
But we have improved, marginally. The only real positive contributors we lost are Hilton (still unsugned) and ADG. I don't put Rankins/Hubbard/Cappa is that category.
Even so, I think Burks is an ADG upgrade, and Patrick a Cappa upgrade. More versatile and cheaper. Slaton is a different player than Rankins, NT v 3T, but he should start next to Hill and it is hard to see how we get less out of him that we got out of Rankins last year. And for half the cap hit. Dax will not be as good vs the run as Hilton. But will be better in coverage. A bit of a drop there, but not a lot. Except for Hubbard at DE2, we have upgraded or cone close to a wash for all those guys. And the way Hubbard was playing at the end, I think giving Ossai/Murphy those snaps, or even Sample/Johnson, will be an improvement. At least in terms of pass rush.
Logan Wilson, Turner, Dax Hill, Rankins, McPherson, and Cam Sample were all out by the tail end of last year. Having those guys back, plus Slaton for Rankins, should help us.
We retained Gesicki, Hill, & Ossai. And a lot of the useful depth pieces & special teams guys (Rehkow, Adomitis, Hudson, Grandy, M. Wilson, Kirkland, etc.).
And hoping for some younger guys leveling up is not unreasonable. Ossai showed real signs last year. As did Turner & Dax pre-injury. Yoshi also improved and could again. A leap from Mims, Battle, Jenkins, Jackson, & Murphy is also possible.
CTB, Pratt, & Stone not sucking as bad as they did for stretches last year would also help. Or Burton being less of a knucklehead. And I hope Golden & the new coaches help some.
Now, will ALL that happen? Of course not. But a chunk certainly could.
I think we are marginally better and have not had a big loss yet. But with Trey still unresolved I cannot go higher than C+. Especially since we failed to maximize cap space on the Tee/Chase deals AND have not gotten a Burrow restructure done. I'd probably mark us down to C/C- for the contract structure stuff. But slight improvement on field
Extend Trey and sign a starter quality RG or a good vet depth piece on D and we are in B-/B territory. Both and it is B/B+.
Get a Burrow restructure done AND add more pieces on top of that, and we have an A.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 - 03-24-2025
(Yesterday, 11:40 AM)chopperbobby Wrote: I dont know looks like we kept the same team we had last year at a much higher price tag. Defense i guss will be addressed in draft. Which w are not the best at unless its a WR or joe b
Tee & Chase are a wash. Hill's cap hit went down. Ossai & Gesicki certainly make more than they did last year. But Ossai is less than Hubbard. Patrick is less than Cappa. Slaton is less than Rankins. Perine is less than Moss (if he's released).
The guy who is making a ton more vs the cap this year vs last is Burrow.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Bengalfan4life27c - 03-24-2025
1 reason for optimism is Tee wont be playing in a contract year at some level we werent getting the best Tee. Now with his relaxed and having contract we may get a probowl season out of Tee
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Luvnit2 - 03-24-2025
During the season and game day thread fans call out underperformers and rightly so. Looking back at 2024's roster, Cappa hurt our team. Rankings doing nothing when healthy, but did not play a lot of snaps hurt our team. Stone did not play well especially the first 8 games and hurt our team. Hubbard aged and was not effective and then injured and it hurt the team.
Bengals made bold moves and cut Cappa and Rankins and Hubbard was forced int retirement (he was going to be cut). Another is Moss who was injured, he did not help the team.
Bengals kept 2 vertearns too long in Cappa and Hibbard, recognized it and made moves for 2025. Bengals had a horrble FA in 2024, it hurt the team. In 2024 we lost Reader and it hurt the team.
I look around at a lot of teams who have lost in FA in 2025, yet many fans ignre it. The Ravens are worse, the Eagles worse, the Chiefs worse. The Bengals being slightly better in FA plus 2 starting CB's coming. back from season ending injuries will help us be better.
Patrick is not a household name, but he is better than Cappa was in 2023 and 2024. Slater is not a pass rushing DT, but he is a better replacement for Reader than Rankins. Perrine is a savy vet and very good 3rd down vet.
It appears Stone may survive unless we draft a safety in round 1. I am not thrilled, but hope he plays better in 2025 than than he did in 2024. I have a hunch Moss may not be healthy and Brown is clearly the better RB so I think his days are numbered.
In my humble opinion, if we can sign one more vet guard, Risner, a healthy Hernandez or Scherff, our OL will be much better in 2025. I am hopefuly Higgins can stay healthy and Gesicki no longer has a learning urb with JB and can be a weapon game 1 in 2025 versus how he started in 2024.
On defense, I dont see Trey going anywhere. We lack an inside passing rushing unless Jenkins and McKinnley develop. Our 2 starting LB's (one was hurt in 2024 and. that hurt the defense) started in all of our playff games and the super bowl. I don't see the Bengals trading Pratt. His flaws are fixable, he needs to wrap up first and then try and strip the ball.
ESPN dd not give a lot of reasons and like some of our fans don't have all of the answers. I did find it interesting ESPN showed Burrow and company more respect than some fans who you would think love the team. They are giving them the benfit of a doubt.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - SunsetBengal - 03-24-2025
(Yesterday, 11:57 AM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: 1 reason for optimism is Tee wont be playing in a contract year at some level we werent getting the best Tee. Now with his relaxed and having contract we may get a probowl season out of Tee
That's right Chase and Higgins will be 2025 Triple Crown winner and runner up.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - R3stangs - 03-24-2025
Not trashing the FO but where have we significantly improved? Its mostly maintaining the status quo right now and some players swaps that seem to be pretty flat overall.
Defensive changes needed badly. Keeping Stone was not encouraging. Trey still up in the air. Hard to say this is a better team until FA and the draft play out.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - WeezyBengal - 03-24-2025
Yeah, Im not seeing it.
On paper this team is about the same as last year.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Luvnit2 - 03-24-2025
(Yesterday, 01:26 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: That's right Chase and Higgins will be 2025 Triple Crown winner and runner up.
I think we can agree Higgins will easily surpass 1000 yards if he pplays all 17 games. The great news is if he misses 5 games again, he does not get paid all 17 per game bonus, then we get back additional cap in 2026. Also, if he does not help us win the AFC championship he misses out on that incentive which also goes back to the 2026 cap and also if we do not win the Super Bowl, team gets back that incentive in 2026.
Tee's contract is awesome, if we do not win the AFC championship or Super Bowl, team gets back 2.7 million in cap space in 2026.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Luvnit2 - 03-24-2025
(Yesterday, 01:40 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Yeah, Im not seeing it.
On paper this team is about the same as last year.
So, you see a ceiling of 9 wins in 2025?
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Synric - 03-24-2025
(Yesterday, 01:26 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: That's right Chase and Higgins will be 2025 Triple Crown winner and runner up.
Scariest Offense in the NFL.
Are the best statistically? No.
Are they the most consistent? No.
Can they score from anywhere on the field and rack up points quickly? Yes.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - schroomytunes - 03-24-2025
Call me crazy but I actually think we improved through FA first wave, I give us a B- at this point, would be higher if we have Trey extended. I know we didn't make the big outside splash but what we did do is improve an already explosive offense.
Offense Adds:
1) WR- locking up the dynamic duo for 4/5 years is huge!!!!
2) TE- Geisicki, Sample, Hudson, Grandy is good for what we do.
3) RB- Perine, he is a great #2/3 RB and is an upgrade over Moss.
4) G- Patrick will start IMO, and is better than what we ran out there in 24.
- needs- OG, OT, #3 RB, #4 WR. I think we take a G/T type in the draft, RB/WR will be an UDFA or a 6th rd pick.
Defense Adds:
1) DT- BJ Hill and Slayton are solid adds to the line, gotta let the high draft picks from last year prove their worth
2) LB- Burks is an upgrade over ADG and has super bowl experience to bring to a youth movement.
3) DE- Ossai should have been givin more of a chance over Hubbard, 1 yr prove it deal. Sample is better depth as a DE/DT
4) CB- Wilson meh not a bad #5 option.
--needs- S, DE, LB, 3DT, #3 CB. I think we address S, DE, DT, LB by rd 5 in the draft, which is good as this draft is loaded w Def talent. I think same with offense a CB will be added via UDFA or late 6th rd.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 - 03-24-2025
Position by position:
Up: NT, OG
Slightly up: RB, LB
Same: QB, WR, OT, C, S, PK, P, LS
Addition by subtraction: DE, DT
Slightly down: CB (Hilton), TE (All injury)
Slaton for Rankins, Patrick for Cappa, Perine for Moss, and Burks for ADG are all upgrades, if modest ones.
QB, WR, OT, C, S, PK, P, & LS are all the same names on paper. But Burrow shoukd be better with a better OG in front of him, as should RBs & WRs. Chase Brown and Yoshi could easily improve again. As could Mims at OT and Rehkow at P. Hopefully a healthier McPherson will bounce back.
I think DE is addition by subtraction with Hubbard's snaps allocated elsewhere. If Sample can actually play after the injury than we'll be inproved there. And Ossai/Myrphy coukd also improve. Ossai really looked better towards the end.
My dream draft includes DE, DT, OG, TE, & S. Plus a trade down somewhere and 2 of CB/LB/WR/OT. Dream FA gives us another OG and one defensive guy to take a need off the board (Smith, Campbell, Simmons, Hilton).
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Atomic Orange - 03-24-2025
We lost a bunch of games by one score or even a couple points so yeah there's hope our luck will change.
Really only got beat soundly according to feels regardless of final score by Pats, Eagles, Chargers.
All eyes are on Zac this year for me.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - higgy100 - 03-24-2025
(Yesterday, 01:18 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: During the season and game day thread fans call out underperformers and rightly so. Looking back at 2024's roster, Cappa hurt our team. Rankings doing nothing when healthy, but did not play a lot of snaps hurt our team. Stone did not play well especially the first 8 games and hurt our team. Hubbard aged and was not effective and then injured and it hurt the team.
Bengals made bold moves and cut Cappa and Rankins and Hubbard was forced int retirement (he was going to be cut). Another is Moss who was injured, he did not help the team.
Bengals kept 2 vertearns too long in Cappa and Hibbard, recognized it and made moves for 2025. Bengals had a horrble FA in 2024, it hurt the team. In 2024 we lost Reader and it hurt the team.
I look around at a lot of teams who have lost in FA in 2025, yet many fans ignre it. The Ravens are worse, the Eagles worse, the Chiefs worse. The Bengals being slightly better in FA plus 2 starting CB's coming. back from season ending injuries will help us be better.
Patrick is not a household name, but he is better than Cappa was in 2023 and 2024. Slater is not a pass rushing DT, but he is a better replacement for Reader than Rankins. Perrine is a savy vet and very good 3rd down vet.
It appears Stone may survive unless we draft a safety in round 1. I am not thrilled, but hope he plays better in 2025 than than he did in 2024. I have a hunch Moss may not be healthy and Brown is clearly the better RB so I think his days are numbered.
In my humble opinion, if we can sign one more vet guard, Risner, a healthy Hernandez or Scherff, our OL will be much better in 2025. I am hopefuly Higgins can stay healthy and Gesicki no longer has a learning urb with JB and can be a weapon game 1 in 2025 versus how he started in 2024.
On defense, I dont see Trey going anywhere. We lack an inside passing rushing unless Jenkins and McKinnley develop. Our 2 starting LB's (one was hurt in 2024 and. that hurt the defense) started in all of our playff games and the super bowl. I don't see the Bengals trading Pratt. His flaws are fixable, he needs to wrap up first and then try and strip the ball.
ESPN dd not give a lot of reasons and like some of our fans don't have all of the answers. I did find it interesting ESPN showed Burrow and company more respect than some fans who you would think love the team. They are giving them the benfit of a doubt.
Agree. Pratt needs a tad of an attitude adjustment but, mainly, when you're as bad a run-stopping defense as they've been the past couple years, you're dealing with OL and other blockers getting a head of steam out to the 2nd level too easily and it ain't easy to tackle RB's at full speed. Yes, LB's need to fill the gaps and plug them but giving an interior OL momentum far too often makes it difficult to keep leverage and defenders develop bad habits.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - TheLeonardLeap - 03-24-2025
(Yesterday, 02:53 PM)Atomic Orange Wrote: We lost a bunch of games by one score or even a couple points so yeah there's hope our luck will change.
Really only got beat soundly according to feels regardless of final score by Pats, Eagles, Chargers.
All eyes are on Zac this year for me.
That's just the NFL.
The Jags had 10 one-score losses.
The Giants had 8.
The Jets and Bears had 7.
The Patriots, Saints, Falcons, 49ers, Broncos, and Titans had 6.
A bunch of other teams had 4 or 5.
If everyone won their 1-score losses, the vast majority of teams would have winning records and I don't think there'd be any teams with less than 7 wins.
RE: It appears ESPN thinks Bengals improved after first wave of FA - Luvnit2 - 03-24-2025
My Monday morning QB tells me we zero shot of winning a Super Bowl in 2024. Yes we had injuries and yes we lost a lot of close games. Eagles smashed, killed, you use a word the Cheifs who were the best team in the AFC again last year.
2025 is a new year, but at least the Eagles lost some starters so maybe the will not be as dominant in 2025. Bengals need to start by winning a lot more AFC and AFCC games. I think home field for the AFC in 2025 is going to be wide open. Bengals need to jump into the mix.