01-12-2024, 02:47 PM
(01-12-2024, 02:07 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Hey, axking for bold ideas, and getting them is fine. It is a message board, after all, and the iff-season at that.
But that means we should also be able to at least vomment on viability & likelihood, yes? It IS a message board, after all.
Anyway, my bold idea is sugn as many difference makers as possible with our cap space & stop paying big money more guys who are only slightly above average players, if that (Jonah, Boyd, Chido).
Step 1: We have 2 of our own guys in that category: Reader and Higgins. Bring them back. Tag Tee at the least ($21 mil cap) but be willing to commit for longer to reduce the yearly cap hit. Ditto Reader coming off injury. I don't see how letting outlr best run defender leave helps the run D, and there are no NTs in FA who are in his class. Commit to both guys on longer deals with more guaranteed $$. Try to free up as much cap this year as you can.
I am hoping we can get both guys signed for around $30-$35 mil. That would leave us $20-$25 mil in functional cap space.
2. Go get Derrick Henry.
RBs are undervalued. Henry was still outstanding last year running against stacked boxes in Tenn. 90.4 PFF grade. 1,167 yards. 12 TDs. He won't get that here. His presence totally changes the way defenses will play us.
The bonus is, due to RBs being undervalued, he won't be nearly as expensive as a difference maker at DT, DE, OT, CB, or even S. Double bonus? We are already paying a RB we can cut to save $6.1 mil. If Henry costs $10 mil (unlikely), we are actually only paying $3.9 to get him. Hell, if he comes in at under $6.1 (possible), we get him for free. Triple bonus, we likely prevent another contender from landing him. Quadruple bonus: we still have a lot of functional cap space ($20 mil?) to spend to plug other holes. Quintuple bonus: he is actually available and won't get tagged.
Assume for a moment we re-sign Tee for APY under $20 and Reader for under $10, cut Mixon, andsign Henry for under $10, we STILL have $20-$25 mil to play with, even after signing our min FA types: Browning, T. Williams, Irwin, D. Sample, Ford, Scharping, Tupou, Bailey, Bachie, and Adomitis. Probably Hudson & ADG.
We can still make a big swing for a DT (Wilkins, Madubuike). If that succeeds, we cut cut Hill (save $7.5 mil) to free up more space, but I think it unlikely Miami or Balt let them get to FA.
Alternatively, we can take a big swing at safety (Winfield), or CB (Sneed) but I doubt Tampa/KC let them hit the market.
I think the more realistic path is to try at fill 2-3 holes at around 8-10 mil per. My targets would include: Boyd, Chido, Dalton Schultz (TE), some of the 2nd tier Ss behind Winfield (deep FA class), or a vet OT.
My 2 OT targets would be:
1. Trenton Brown, NE, 31, 80.3 PFF ($12.2)
2. Tyron Smith, Dallas 33, 83.8 PFF (8 mil)
Now, both guys are older and past their Pro-Bowl primes, and missed time last year with injuries. But we would not be throwing a rookie in to protect Joe and the draft would open up considerably as we are not locked in to taking OT in Rd1. And we'd likey have $$ left over to still go after Schultz, Chido, Boyd, or a mid tier S.
That would be my plan:
1) Commit to Tee & Reader
2) Sign Henry & cut Mixon
3) Sign vet FA OT (Brown, Smith)
4) Spend rest on 1-2 of Boyd, Chido, Schultz, vet S.
That's fairly Bold while still being as realistic as possible.
Do you see the Bengals going more Over -or- Under the Boldness level that you just proposed in 2024 ?
