01-04-2025, 12:03 AM
(01-03-2025, 05:26 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I wanted to make this thread, as it relates to the mock drafts that some of us have started making in the Draft Central space.
For 2025, Bengals have a projected cap remaining of $60 mill.
The Bengals can free up the following cap by cutting these players:
Rankins - $10.5 mill
Cappa - $8 mill
Stone - $6.5 mill
Hubbard - $9.6 mill
Any/all of those guys helps add a decent chunk of $$ to the available cap, and with so many positions the Bengals will open from impending FAs and upgrades in general, people are starting to think up their wish lists of guys they want added who could hit FA (https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2025)
So my question is - Who are some guys you would like to see added in FA next year (or re-signed in Higgins' case), about what cost do you think their value is, and how much would you be willing to spend to sign them?
For example, you may say to retain Higgins, you think his value may be $25-30 mill but you'd only be willing to keep him if he'd sign for $21 mill or less.
*And yes, it's ok to be talking about this even though there is still 1+ game remaining in the season. It's possible to look at 2025 and root for this season in parallel
Thanks for starting this thread.
Numbers a bit different at OTC, $61.7 mil in space, with the following savings if waived:
1) Rankins: $9.5 mil (no diff +/- 6/1)
2) Cappa: $8 mil (no diff +/- 6/1)
3) Moss: $3.475 (no diff +/- 6/1)
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4) Hubbard: $9.6 (no diff +/- 6/1)
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5) Stone: $6.475 (no diff +/- 6/1)
6) McPherson: $2.5 (post 6/1 only)
7) Pratt: $5.6 mil (no diff +/- 6/1)
https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/cincinnati-bengals
I cut Rankins, Cappa, and Moss immediately, and net just under $21 mil to push my cap space to $82.6 mil.
The piece I see missing from a lot of posts the ability for the team to restructure Burrow's contract, with his consent, to save $19 mil. For the life of me, I cannot find the link. That would boost us to $101.6 mil. A somewhat inflated number as it is using top 51 (not 53), only includes 42 players, and no $$ for the PS, or cushion for the season.
The first thing I do is get Tee signed. Day 1, hour 1. IDK if we can do it sooner, but I wanted that done before open FA starts if we can. I will tag him if I have to. Then I go to Joe and ask for the max restructure to free up $$ for Chase & Trey extensions and other FA.
1. Sign Higgins, the cap hit has to be below $25 mil or I will tag him again.
2. Restructure Burrow
3. Chase extension
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I estimate $30 mil for cap hit for Tee and Chase's extension. Down to $71.6. At 40 guys after the 3 cuts. Say goodbye to I. Thomas (DE) and L. Robinson (CB) which saves me $2 mil and takes me down to 38 guys and $73.6 mil. Cut Hubbard, $83.2 mil at 37. The PS will cost me $3 mil or so, say down to $80.
I am willing to spend $35 mil on a pair of guards. Jenkins at LG for $15-$17 mil ish and whatever it takes on the other side: Smith will be $20 mil; Fries & Daniels are coming off injury, I prefer Fries, but maybe a discount due to injury. Zeitler (age) and Becton should be cheaper.
$45 mil left with 39 guys. I start to look at my own guys and see what, if any, I may have left.
1. Hilton ($6 mil)
2. Rehkow ($1 mil)
3. Adomitis ($1 mil)
4. Gesicki ($5 mil)
$32 mil at 43.
I'd REALLY love a significant DE + DT spend (Josh Sweat +1), but I don't think I can afford it.
Roster is currently:
QB (2): Burrow, Browning
RB: (1): C. Brown;
WR: (6): Chase, Higgins, Yoshi; I. Williams, C. Jones, Burton.
TE (4): D. Sample, Gesicki, All, McLachlan
OT (3): O. Brown, Mims; Cochran
OG (4): FA G#1, FA G#2, Volson, Stueber
C (2): Karras, Lee
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DE (3): Hendrickson; Murphy, C. Johnson
DT (2): Jackson, Jenkins
LB (4): Wilson, Pratt; Njongmeta, Heyward
CB (6): CTB, D. Hill, Hilton; Turner, Newton, Ivey
S (4): Battle, Stone; Anderson, Anthony
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PK: McPherson
P: Rehkow
LS: Adomitis
Gimme Ford, ADG, & Herbert for $5 mil. $27 mil at 46 guys. Budget $8 mil for 6 picks. $19 mil at 52 guys. Cut Stueber. $20 mil at 51. Sign Ossai back. $2.5 mil. $17.5 at 52.
Sniff around the value bin at DT. BJ Hill, Poona Ford, Tart. Sign one higher end. Say $9 mil for BJ. $8.5 cushion left.
Draft 1st 4 rounds:
1) DE (Day 1-2)
2) DT Rds 1-4
3) Wildcard: S/LB/#3 rec (TE1/slot WR)
4) Best of whatever's left + DT/RB
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Last 2 picks: BPA of stated needs + PK into play (cut McPherson to save $2.5 mil).
Minor FA/bargain bins possible from there. $8.5-$11 mil cushion. Some guys may get displaced by draft picks or late minor FA signings (Bell, T. Brown, Bachie, etc).
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But I think I can squeeze in 3 big-ish signings in the treches. Two totaling $35 mil, plus $9 mil at DT (BJ), plus Tee, plus Hilton & Gesicki. If I can land a prime DE instead (Sweat), then take DE off the table for the draft and add OG.
IDK if I have enough left to extend Trey. I'd want to. Karras, Pratt, & Stone will be coming off the books next year. If I did mot land replacements this year, I do it next.
