01-28-2023, 11:28 AM
(01-28-2023, 05:23 AM)kevin Wrote: No, I'm going to post now. People looking at the draft like this is the 4-12 Bengals still.
Here is the deal. 2 things. Bengals are in AFC Championship again, so they will draft in last 4 spots. I hope they win Super Bowl and draft last. The second thing is Joe Burrow is about to become the highest paid player in NFL in 2023 and for many years. That means salary cap and payroll will make is not possible to keep some of other players. This brings up the difference between signing a 1st round pick and a 2nd or 3rd round pick. With Bengals having one of last picks in Round One, trade back to sign a cheaper college pick. The savings will be needed to pay Burrow, and try to keep some other key players.
People got Bengalized by the many 4-12 season and some still think of draft day only. Except Bengals are again in AFC Championship and trying to go Super Bowl back to back years, and this year win Super Bowl. Then in off season the A number 1 thing is to resign Burrow, and he will end up highest paid player ever in NFL, him and Mahomes. To not resign Burrow would be silly, he is the future of this franchise still young. So payroll cuts must be made elsewhere. Since paying 1st Round money to such a late pick is a bad money move, then trade out of round one and dump pick 29 to 32. That right there will save Bengals first round money to help pay Burrow as highest paid player in NFL.
So The AFC Championship and hopefully The Super Bowl and then resigning Joe Burrow are the things facing the winning dynasty Bengals, and draft not so much anymore, not as when team was in last place every year. The Bengals will not have good draft pick spots. That is for the last place teams. We won't hardly know the names of who Bengals take in late April, all Round 3 to round 7 type players, but I'm sure the Bengals will find some mid to late round players to fit Bengals needs. Players not on most fans radar.
While Bengals have all this team before they have to cut players to pay Burrow, Win the Super Bowl NOW, while they have the Defense and Offense and coaches to do it. That is the other thing. Teams will want Bengals top coaches to be their head coach. So win The Super Bowl NOW with this great team. That is the focus. I'm sure Zac and Tobin aren't even thinking draft so close to Super Bowl. After season they will have to do whatever to pay Burrow, probably largest NFL salary ever. There goes your salary cap, and why they shouldn't even want a very late 1st Round pick. Don't pay such a late pick 1st Round money, dump that pick and trade back. 2nd Round money is less than 1st Round, and Burrow must be resigned.
Trading out of the first is not going to make you that much difference in $ compared to what they are going to have to pay Burrow. If there’s a guy there they like then take him but if you get a good value trade then do it. Saving a couple million won’t matter and you lose a year of having the player under a rookie contract after the first round so there’s really not a huge benefit financially if the player ends up being good.
It’s very important that they get quality players with these late picks because their vets are going to be expensive going forward. That’s the downside to being a great team - you can’t pay everybody.
I don't think anyone on here thinks of the draft only. I just think some enjoy the process and watching how the team gets built. I know I do but it doesn’t mean we won’t be glued to the game on Sunday. We are not players and coaches so we can read/talk about the draft during the playoffs and still enjoy the run and hopefully a SB championship.
I just think it’s ridiculous to tell people that they shouldn’t talk about the draft because the Bengals are still alive in the postseason. We are just fans so we can enjoy everything Bengals and it won’t affect anything.
