I feel big changes on the way.

[fredtoast]

(02-23-2018, 02:59 AM)BengalChris Wrote: That's a good try Fred.

This year has a couple of notable differences.

In 2011:

1. The team just shed expensive contracts from Palmer's retirement and the trade of Chad. The team had a ton of cap space.

2. The draft lined up perfectly for the Bengals that year. They had their choice of AJ Green or Julio Jones at WR and Dalton or Kapernick. Mike Brown wanted Kapernick, but the coaches talked him out of it, thank God.

This year:

1. The team has 3 expensive free agents of their own with expiring contracts next year. Atkins, Dunlap and Dennard and together these 3 would use the salary cap space, minus rookie contracts and the usual large cushion the team leaves itself. Each of these 3 players will command very large salaries next year if they hit the open market.

2. Mike Brown has been influencing the draft again, as witnessed by the Ross pick last year. This has never worked out well for the team.

I don't know about Mike having any more influence in the draft, and I don't see the draft as having much of an influence on free agency

But you are 100% correct about the contracts for Dunlap, Atkins, and Dennard.  The Bengals will not have as much cap flexibility as they did in 2011.