So how do we think they should approach the offseason?

[casear2727]

(01-08-2024, 08:54 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: I have been suggesting trading tagged players with the Jags - Tee for Allen. Tee reunited with his college QB and Allen plays close to where he went to college.

However I am not sure this would be a good move.  Trey is a must play for sure. Hubbard maybe becomes a two down player but then what about Murphy?  They invested a first round pick on him so he has to get more playing time next year.  I just don’t see a realistic spot/reason to trade for Allen even though you can never have too many pass rushers.

I think you may have this backwards.  Josh Allen is more valuable than Tee Higgins.  If they offered we should be ALL over that trade.

[Clark W Griswold]

(01-08-2024, 10:26 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I think you may have this backwards.  Josh Allen is more valuable than Tee Higgins.  If they offered we should be ALL over that trade.

Yes I figure the Bengals would have to include a pick or 2 to make it happen. But WRs value have never been higher so it’s not that much of a mismatch in value.

[NotBigzo]

(01-08-2024, 11:25 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Yeah, let Mahomes have Higgins..... Brilliant!!!!

They're going to get him anyway because Higgins' tag will be too high for the FO. 

We might as well get a 2nd for him instead of a 3rd round compensatory pick that will likely be a bust anyway.

[Lucius Cincinnatus]

(01-09-2024, 01:03 AM)NotBigzo Wrote: They're going to get him anyway because Higgins' tag will be too high for the FO. 

We might as well get a 2nd for him instead of a 3rd round compensatory pick that will likely be a bust anyway.

I'd be surprised if we get a 3rd round comp due to cancellations of free agents we sign. We have 70/80M in cap space, if we decide to not use it on Tee, yes, we have our own guys to sign, but we will have plenty of money to sign a high-priced free agent which would cancel out the comp pick. 

[Sled21]

(01-09-2024, 01:03 AM)NotBigzo Wrote: They're going to get him anyway because Higgins' tag will be too high for the FO. 

We might as well get a 2nd for him instead of a 3rd round compensatory pick that will likely be a bust anyway.

No, they're not. He will be right here.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

Higgins & Mixon will be back next year. Ya'll are nuts.

We have $70 mil in cap space.

[impactplaya]

(01-09-2024, 01:29 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Higgins & Mixon will be back next year. Ya'll are nuts.

We have $70 mil in cap space.

Some on here act like the Bengals are cash strapped.
They have the 5th most cap space in the league.
Higgins and Mixon will be back. They are proven 
Commodities 

[BobJones4980]

(01-08-2024, 10:05 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: so we just locked up Burrow for years but now our SB window is closing

Where'd I say that? 

I said it doesn't stay open forever and our best shot at a Super Bowl next year is having Higgins on the team.

Sure we can draft a player and hope he's good but how many teams have drafted an early WR that turns out to be a bust the last few years?

We have an impact player at WR and unless that franchise tag money is gonna get you a player at least as impactful then you keep Higgins this year.

The AFC was weak this year, outside of the Ravens does anyone really scare you? It'll likely improve but not drastically, so yea just us getting healthy, the young defensive players getting more experience and keeping Higgins makes next year a prime year to win a Super Bowl.

Never said the window is closing just that it's not gonna stay open forever so when you have a very good chance of being the top team next season you don't make your team weaker because you don't tag Higgins.

[The D.O.Z.]

Higgins may WANT to come back but his agent is notoriously difficult to deal with. If I'm the Bengals FO, I am not paying top dollar for a guy who misses multiple games every year. No offense to Tee, he can't control getting concussed or his problematic hamstrings from acting up when we need him most. But I'm not paying top dollar for that. I'm not...hamstringing...my roster with that contract. Not with a Chase extension on the near horizon. Not with a decent FA class to choose from. Not with a decent WR draft coming up. Not when this offense needs to retool at several key spots like RT, and TE1.

I know we have a lot of cap space. It's not how much you spend. It's HOW you spend it.

[TecmoBengals]

(01-09-2024, 02:37 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Higgins may WANT to come back but his agent is notoriously difficult to deal with.

Excellent point, the outcome might just be dependent on what his agent dictates. I guess if Tee is gone then pick 18 very well might be a WR. The free agency window is going to provide some clarity.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(01-09-2024, 02:37 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Higgins may WANT to come back but his agent is notoriously difficult to deal with. If I'm the Bengals FO, I am not paying top dollar for a guy who misses multiple games every year. No offense to Tee, he can't control getting concussed or his problematic hamstrings from acting up when we need him most. But I'm not paying top dollar for that. I'm not...hamstringing...my roster with that contract. Not with a Chase extension on the near horizon. Not with a decent FA class to choose from. Not with a decent WR draft coming up. Not when this offense needs to retool at several key spots like RT, and TE1.

I know we have a lot of cap space.  It's not how much you spend. It's HOW you spend it.

Just, no. We already have issues at RT, TE, WR3, NT, CB, S, and P. And that is just starters. And you want to create another opening? 

1st off, the big 4 WRs are likely gone by the time we pick (Harrison, Nabers, Odunze, Coleman). The first 3, certainly. There is a big drop after that. And there is no guarantee the guy you pick will hit. Look at KC with replacing Hill. 

Anyway, then when do you take a tackle? The plug & play guys are gone outside Rd1, most likely. Gonna overpay in FA for OT? Or pay mediocre Jonah? That makes no sense to me. Higgins was healthy for both PO runs. 

The only question with Tee is tag or if we get a deal done. If we end up tagging him and someone throws 2 1st rounders at us, I may have a re-think. But letting him walk is nuts. 

[casear2727]

(01-09-2024, 01:03 AM)NotBigzo Wrote: They're going to get him anyway because Higgins' tag will be too high for the FO. 

We might as well get a 2nd for him instead of a 3rd round compensatory pick that will likely be a bust anyway.

What?  The WR tag is around 20M, the amount per they already offered Tee and he supposedly refused. 

[casear2727]

(01-09-2024, 12:13 PM)Sled21 Wrote: No, they're not. He will be right here.

I still think that guy is trolling us. 

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(01-09-2024, 05:02 PM)casear2727 Wrote: What?  The WR tag is around 20M, the amount per they already offered Tee and he supposedly refused. 

This x1000. 

I mean, we have no incentive to offer more than the tag this year. Now, NEXT year  if we are trying to tag him again, then things change. But I don't see any reason to offer him a bag after a 600 yard season. 

[The D.O.Z.]

(01-09-2024, 04:58 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Just, no. We already have issues at RT, TE, WR3, NT, CB, S, and P. And that is just starters. And you want to create another opening? 

1st off, the big 4 WRs are likely gone by the time we pick (Harrison, Nabers, Odunze, Coleman). The first 3, certainly. There is a big drop after that. And there is no guarantee the guy you pick will hit. Look at KC with replacing Hill. 

Anyway, then when do you take a tackle? The plug & play guys are gone outside Rd1, most likely. Gonna overpay in FA for OT? Or pay mediocre Jonah? That makes no sense to me. Higgins was healthy for both PO runs. 

The only question with Tee is tag or if we get a deal done. If we end up tagging him and someone throws 2 1st rounders at us, I may have a re-think. But letting him walk is nuts. 

So just because we have some holes to fill at other positions, we NEED to sign or tag an often injured WR to a $20+ million per year contract? That's the same mentality some people have with Jonah as well. That's $20+ million that could be spent on a FA WR and another depth player at a position of need. I'm not saying let him walk and don't replace his production. There will be other WR free agents not named Tee available to sign, and other rounds than the first to draft them in if they go the draft route. We're pretty good at finding those. I would argue that money would be better spent on IDL so the defense isn't a leaking sieve, like it was this year, next year.

[samhain]

We need to find our Roquan Smith. I don't mean an actual linebacker. I mean a defensive difference maker that can help pull things back together on the field. When the rRavens acquired Smith, they almost immediately became the Ravens again after being susceptible for a long stretch.

Obviously we need multiple DTs more than anything. One needs to be starting caliber. Personally, I'm making DT my main priority in FA outside of addressing the Higgins situation. I think you have to get proven FA. You're going to spend a ton on offense. Burrow, OBJ, Higgins, and Chase are likely all going to be soaking up significant cap. The defensive payouts outside of Trey aren't nearly as substantial. Draft a first round OT to replace Jonah (there seem to be many). Get some DT depth on day 2.

Get those things done and see what's left. I for one would love to have Schultz here, but that would probably be a big ask after dishing out 20 plus to Tee and another 15 or so to a DT. Ideally, I want to see an offensive re-stock in the draft since the defense has gotten the early picks for the last 2 years.

[NUGDUKWE]

(01-08-2024, 11:40 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I don't think the Bengals front office has the savvy or willingness to tag and trade Tee. They won't be comfortable or willing enough to do it. This is going to be one of those "stuck in their ways" types of things.

This is what I'm thinking. If they did tag and trade him then it will handcuff us in Free Agency and most likely the compensation won't impact us until 2025 draft. I think the most likely thing to happen is just tag him this year and let him walk next year. But I would rather try and keep Reader and Jonah for a couple more years before Burrows contract starts to hit while trying to build up DL OL in the draft so that we can transition smoothly.

[Sled21]

(01-08-2024, 10:29 AM)SladeX Wrote: Apple got an RZ INT last night…

And if I remember right, he ran it out of the end zone and got to the three, instead of taking the touchback.

[Sled21]

(01-09-2024, 02:37 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Higgins may WANT to come back but his agent is notoriously difficult to deal with. 

I think some of you guys are confused about who works for who in these scenarios. Case in point, TJ TWatts agent was attempting to get him a better deal this year until Twatt said, "That's enough money" and went in and signed the contract offered by the Stealers, put his uniform on and went to practice. One of the few things I've seen him do that I liked.

[leonardfan40]

Tag Tee and work on a multi year extension. If we can get it done, do it. Worry about the later cap hit down the line. As long as he doesn’t fall off a cliff we will have no problem trading him a year or two from now when he’s still locked up for a few years even with him making over $20 mil a year. We still have a couple seasons to go all in with him, Burrow and Chase. We don’t need to force that decision this year.

Upgrade Pollack. He has not been good enough. Period. Time to move on.

Let Mixon and Boyd go. I would consider bringing Mixon back under $5 mil a year if his market is junk. Even then, that needs to be under the assumption that Chase Brown will be getting 33-50% of the snaps next year. That kid needs to be more involved, but looks too small to ever want to run him out there as the main guy. If Mixon goes, find another vet in that $4-$6 mil a year range who can split snaps with Brown.

Let Reader go, as hard as that is to say. He’s aging and coming off another injury. We need to try to get younger at that spot and I could definitely see him starting to decline at this point. If only bring him back if the doctors were confident he could play at a high level heath wise next year and it was a cheaper one year, rebuild value after injury type deal. I’d have a hard time giving him more than his current yearly salary given his age/injury.

Let Jonah go. There were points this year when I would have considered keeping him longer term at RT but we play TJ Watt and Garrett twice a year. He is the guy they love to pick on.

Bring in another cheap vet TE on a one year deal as usual. Still look for a younger option in the draft but this way we aren’t forced to draft one early. Bring back Hudson and Wilcox as well.

Bring in a big name outside FA at DT or OT who can be an upgrade on a multi year deal. Target the other position in round 1. Do not draft Bama o line.

Need to find another pass rusher either in FA or first 3 rounds of the draft. Doesn’t have to be a pro bowl guy but needs to be at least a rush specialist to add some pressure other than Hendrickson.

Then keep the youth movement going the rest of the draft. Need to continue to draft a WR and CB every year. Another RB to add to the committee.