Phillips in the slot

[*SHRacerX*]

(10-19-2020, 02:33 PM)ochocincos Wrote: As I mentioned, they only have between $20-30 mill to work with for all FAs, including their own.
They are estimated to have $31.5 mill cap space for 2021 but will likely reserve about $11 mill for draft picks + injuries.
They have $8 mill that they can roll over into 2021, which they likely will do.

The Bengals have 26 guys set to hit FA this coming offseason.

I would expect WJ3 will command $14+ mill himself given the Bengals gave that to Trae Waynes.
Lawson, depending on how he does by year's end, could get $8+ mill.
Their entire ST unit (Bullock, Huber, Harris) are all set to hit FA, and collectively made nearly $6 mill this year alone.
They also probably will want to retain Brandon Wilson, who made $2.1 mill this year and likely will be seeking more than that.

So the Bengals could easily eat up their entire cap with just their own internal FAs that they want to re-sign.

The top 5 OGs in the league make $13+ mill a year, which is in the same realm as a Top 10 OT. And Thuney is going to get paid as a Top 5 OG.
So if the Bengals want Thuney, they probably have to let WJ3 (and Lawson?) walk or let a high-priced veteran go to free up more cap.

I am far from a cap=ologist and don't spend the time analysing it that you have here, but I can't help but think you are missing something somewhere.  Burrow's money is a fraction of what we paid Dalton and when you take Green, Ross, and possibly others like Dunlap, Atkins, Williams, and Gio's money off the table I would think you would be able to find a way to sign WJIII, Lawson, and a FA like Thuney.