***Official Bengals Free Agency Thread***

[XenoMorph]

(03-17-2021, 12:57 PM)masonbengals fan Wrote:  This x 1000

 If they are even lucky enough to draft Sewell he can't be expected to be the end all be all from day one. 

 Continuing to neglect the obvious is a dangerous game to play.

Its not time to panic yet.... If we are sitting here in a week with no OL signed then it will definately be a lots closer to panic time

[Rubekahn29]

(03-17-2021, 12:48 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: For what it’s worth, the Bengals Twitter account is hinting at some good things coming. Hopefully we see some OL signings.

Or just what we already know because they can’t officially announce it, probably.

[Mobster]

(03-17-2021, 10:18 AM)TJ528 Wrote: Hey guys..I'm fairly new here and I definitely don't want to be negative.  I hadn't seen the info below and was honestly shocked at the ineptitude of the Bengals FO and failure in drafting the OL.  


I was wondering if anyone else had looked back at our drafts since 2015 and looked at how well we've drafted for the offensive line?   I was just curious and looked up previous drafts and was just curious as to whether i should trust this front office to draft any position on the OL?  


2015: Ogbuehi & Fisher - Both outta football
2016: Westerman - Retired
2017: Dielman - Retired (Good lord I never realized how bad that 2017 draft was minus a few wins)
2018: Billy Price & Rod Taylor - Price rides the bench and Taylor looks to be outta footbal
2019: Williams (played 10 games in 2 season) and Michael Jordan - needs to ride the pine
2020: Adeniji - who we have no clue how he's going to turn out

However, looking at this mess and do we really have faith and confidence this organization can draft an OL?  Thats the reason I wanted them spend the money on Zeitler or one of the big names.   

The draft is never guaranteed no matter how high you draft in it.  I just found it interesting to see how many players were out of the NFL that we'd drafted in the last 6 years.  Fisher and Ogbuehli should be just starting their 2nd contracts.  I hate to say but Billy Price might as well be cut because he doesnt offer this team anything other than effort.  I thought he'd be a stud coming out of Ohio State and he's been a bust.  

Anyway, just hadnt seen this posted anywhere and thought i'd put it out there. 

Wait, did Cedric Ogbuehi just announce his retirement or something? I know be was starting games for Seattle last year...

[XenoMorph]

(03-17-2021, 01:01 PM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: Or just what we already know because they can’t officially announce it, probably.

right deals cant be signed till later today bengals usually announce when the signing is complete/

[TJ528]

(03-17-2021, 01:00 PM)Fulcher_33 Wrote: Front Office should look at LAC and take notes on what they did to protect their young Qb who ISNT coming off a torn knee.

Dude seriously, if i was JoeyB I'd fear going out there to play behind the line we currently have.  Even what's currently on the FA market really isn't much better than what you already have.  So unless this front office draws up a trade with another team, and the Bengals FO hardly EVER does trades why sign a scrub to come in and compete with other scrubs?  

If they were truly serious about protecting Burrow then Bobby Hart, Atkins, Gio would all be cut and use their money early in free agency and sign Feiler, or Zeitler.  However, this team is too cheap to give guarantee money.  

Other teams know how to work and manipulate the salary cap.  You would think our team would as well considering how much they've worked and manipulated this fan base for 30 years since Paul's death.  

[Luvnit2]

(03-17-2021, 01:00 PM)Fulcher_33 Wrote: Front Office should look at LAC and take notes on what they did to protect their young Qb who ISNT coming off a torn knee.

It is NFL, Herbert may get injured in week one. It happens in the NFL ala Dak Prescott.

[TJ528]

(03-17-2021, 01:02 PM)Mobster Wrote: Wait, did Cedric Ogbuehi just announce his retirement or something? I know be was starting games for Seattle last year...

Sorry about that. I assumed he was retired because he signed a 1 year deal with Seattle.  

So he's a free agent right now. He started 4 games for Seattle last year. 

I'd be guessing he's a tier 5 or 6 free agent and not one you'd pursue if you need a guard or tackle.  

[Fulcher_33]

(03-17-2021, 01:10 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: It is NFL, Herbert may get injured in week one. It happens in the NFL ala Dak Prescott.

That is absolutely true, yet NOT addressing a Poor OL which already allowed for your STAR QB to get hit more then he should is NOT a good sign. At least put some SOLID players in front of him and reduce the amount of times he is hit, and give him a better chance to succeed.

I still believe with what's left in FA and the Draft they can do that. Lets just hope those moves happen and are solid players.

[CarolinaBengalFanGuy]

Couldn’t the long time reader not have been one of the severe pessimistic fans. We have enough of those in here. Although I guess that’s what happens when you experienced the entire 90’s.

[Rubekahn29]

(03-17-2021, 01:10 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: It is NFL, Herbert may get injured in week one. It happens in the NFL ala Dak Prescott.

Correlation does not equal causation. However Burrow’s blown out knee was caused by this terrible O-line. Freak accidents happen, but the likelihood of injury goes up the more you let your QB get hit. Bad O-line increased those chances every week their sorry selves were on the field.

[TJ528]

(03-17-2021, 01:13 PM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: Couldn’t the long time reader not have been one of the severe pessimistic fans. We have enough of those in here. Although I guess that’s what happens when you experienced the entire 90’s.

Hey i really am sorry for being pessimistic but this team's front office needs to give me something to cheer for.  

Something that I truly believe were going in the right direction.  

Do me a favor and point out something that shows you were going in the right direction, other than having Joe Burrow at QB?  

May i just need someone to point it out. 

Trust me when I say if we sign or trade for guys who can truly protect Joe and I'm not fearful he's gonna be laying on the ground when he gets hit I'll be as elated as anyone. 

Unfortunately, when you've seen so much bad you just don't expect much good from this team. 

[Fulcher_33]

(03-17-2021, 01:13 PM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: Couldn’t the long time reader not have been one of the severe pessimistic fans. We have enough of those in here. Although I guess that’s what happens when you experienced the entire 90’s.

 Yes the 90s were brutal, and the early 2000s. Turned the corner slightly for a few years there, but we seemed to have dipped back into the 90s 

[*ochocincos*]

(03-17-2021, 01:17 PM)TJ528 Wrote: Hey i really am sorry for being pessimistic but this team's front office needs to give me something to cheer for.  

Something that I truly believe were going in the right direction.  

Do me a favor and point out something that shows you were going in the right direction, other than having Joe Burrow at QB?  

May i just need someone to point it out. 

Trust me when I say if we sign or trade for guys who can truly protect Joe and I'm not fearful he's gonna be laying on the ground when he gets hit I'll be as elated as anyone. 

Unfortunately, when you've seen so much bad you just don't expect much good from this team. 

Agreed.
We are the customers. We don't owe anything to the franchise. If they want our business, they need to give us something worth investing into.

[CarolinaBengalFanGuy]

(03-17-2021, 01:17 PM)TJ528 Wrote: Hey i really am sorry for being pessimistic but this team's front office needs to give me something to cheer for.  

Something that I truly believe were going in the right direction.  

Do me a favor and point out something that shows you were going in the right direction, other than having Joe Burrow at QB?  

May i just need someone to point it out. 

Trust me when I say if we sign or trade for guys who can truly protect Joe and I'm not fearful he's gonna be laying on the ground when he gets hit I'll be as elated as anyone. 

Unfortunately, when you've seen so much bad you just don't expect much good from this team. 

I would say wait a few days and not act like the sky is falling because a guy got paid the most money ever for a G (I think?) to go to a super bowl favorite team, an ex player would rather go to a team better positioned to win a super bowl and we didn’t want to offer a 33 year old $55 million guaranteed. Oh and we didn’t need that C for what he got paid either.

At least wait to cry until after Free agency is over.

[Gamma Ray Tan]

Don’t worry guys. Tobin is at Wal-Mart looking for clearance sales on O-linemen as we speak!..... Right, Troy?

[Housh]

I know we can’t fault the franchise for not getting guys as long as we offered fair prices but.....I’d sit out if i were Burrow

[Housh]

(03-16-2021, 12:43 AM)iLLuSi0nz Wrote: Money helps. You cannot come in low to start when you are literally the worst / one of the worst teams in the league. If you think I am wrong, what are the Jets building that drew Lawson? It has already been said it was about $ and implied that way regarding a couple of OL already mentioned.

I’d love to see the offers because i vaguely remember this being a co go years back with a player and come to find out we offered a good deal and the guy just wanted to play somewhere else

[Joelist]

The reason people feel that you need to strike early in Free Agency is pretty simple - the best players get signed first. If you wait then you are getting the leftovers and engaging in the usual Bengals dumpster diving.

Now in our scenario the reason everyone got upset over Thuney was simple - he fit a critical need perfectly, WANTED TO COME HERE and was the best player in market. When they lowballed him it insulted him and he went elsewhere. Why they STILL don't get that lowball offers kill them in negotiations is a mystery - in sports you are dealing with egos so lowball offers send the message that you do not really value the player which is insulting. If they don't know where the market sits then they need to do their homework first and make initial offers that are at minimum market par - and make it clear it is initial and will go up.

[Joelist]

As to where we stand now:

1) Resign Spain obviously.

2) Cut Redmond - for good this time.

3) Cut Jordan.

4) Sign 2 of the Guards out there

Hope for the best...

[Wes Mantooth]

(03-17-2021, 01:28 PM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: I would say wait a few days and not act like the sky is falling because a guy got paid the most money ever for a G (I think?) to go to a super bowl favorite team, an ex player would rather go to a team better positioned to win a super bowl and we didn’t want to offer a 33 year old $55 million guaranteed. Oh and we didn’t need that C for what he got paid either.

At least wait to cry until after Free agency is over.

You're completely ignoring all of the names that have come off of the board.  I hate it when people use extremes (Thuney's and T. Williams contract) only to make their argument seem more sound. 

Go ahead and look at the top 100 free agents, and specifically OL, and then tell me there isn't more there than what you've just insinuated.

Multiple OG's have come off the books, many of whom people mentioned prior to free agency as more attainable (they're not crying in hindsight).  We appear to have completely ignored the TE position.  It sure looks like we may ignore the quality centers.  We've made zero cuts, and created zero additional cap space.

Thus far, we've yet to improve our team at all.  In comes a DE and two corners, out goes a DE and two corners.  By all accounts, these seems like similar levels of talent.

You can use insults like calling constructive criticism "crying" or welcome newer members by bemoaning their negativity all you like., but anyone with half of brain can understand negativity is to be expected.  This franchise stinks and has been a joke for 30 years.  This team has won 6 games over the last 2 years.  People are going to be somewhat negative.

So people went into the free agency wanting OL help?  Seems perfectly reasonable, no?  People thought with our cap space and with a number of potential cuts that we could really make some waves in improving this roster.  Unfortunately that has yet to happen.  Of course, they could be like you and give the team the benefit of the doubt.  Or they could use 30 years of history, look at the upper tier free agents left, read between the lines and "cry" about the approach.

But you do you.  I'm sure you're right.  They're going to nail this free agency and we're going to land some serious help on the OL here shortly.  No more XSF's, John Millers or Quentin Spains off the trash heap.  No sir.  They're going to finally plug in some serious help.  And we're going to nail the draft, and Zac Taylor going to lead us to the playoffs this year.  I believe that's all going to happen because I'm not just a negative hater.