Ngakoue traded to Ravens...what could Bengals' players fetch?

[*ochocincos*]

(10-23-2020, 01:09 PM)TJHoushmandzadeh Wrote: I get that the comp picks are based on the numbers of players signed versus the number of players who have left, but if we have 5 good players walk (and if a player isn't good, are they attracting a comp pick?) we'll need to replace those 5 guys. 

That's on top of replacing at least two O-linemen.

We then need to move on from Dunlap so he'll need to be replaced as well.

That's then 8 players we need to find in the off-season, with two studs and a back-up being our total business in FA. That leaves us not only needing to hit on every player in the first 5/6 rounds of the draft but those players being ready to contribute immediately and not needing a year of development, which doesn't seem a winning strategy.

The other point is that if we're only getting picks for the weakest two of the five, we're probably only talking about 7th round comp picks. I'll take them, but I'm not basing my free agency strategy around them. It's the comp picks in the 3rd to 5th that matter and allow you to rebuild. Players like Darius Phillips, Marvin Jones, George Iloka who you can get and develop to start in a few years' time. There will be a high bust rate but when you hit it allows you an extra cost controlled player.

I totally get that.

Bengals have 26 players set to hit FA, most of which are depth players. The only starting caliber players are:
- Green
- WJ3
- Lawson
- Alexander
- Bynes

Then add the ST guys in there:
- Bullock
- Huber
- Harris
- Wilson (KR)
- Erickson (PR)

That's 10 players that would need to be replaced. Although Green's spot will be taken by Higgins, Alexander's spot can be filled by Phillips, and Bynes can be replaced by Wilson, so only depth guys may be needed. Phillips can cover KR, even though I really like Wilson in that role.

Moving on from Dunlap and/or Atkins would add another 1-2 if it happens.

The Bengals will have 7 draft picks, more if they do trades.
They also have some guys on the PS potentially worth bringing up, and can also fill a back-end depth position with a UDFA.

All I'm saying is it doesn't make sense to sign even 20 of the Bengals FAs back, and the Bengals will be able to replace up to 7 of those spots with draft picks.

If Dunlap and Atkins are off the books, that gives them another $25 mill in cap to use for others. Personally, given they got 2 big-priced FAs last season with Waynes and Reader, I'd put the extra cap toward offense. Have two early-round picks go to DL to replace Dunlap and Atkins on the roster. DT would be the bigger starter need IMO whereas DE could be Hubbard and Lawson (assuming he is re-signed) with a rotational pass rusher drafted in Rd 3 or 4. Tupou will be back next year, so they could technically could put Tupou at NT and Reader at UT, thereby not requiring a new DT draft pick to have to see 70%+ snaps.