01-10-2021, 11:06 PM
(01-09-2021, 08:37 PM)Bengal Dude Wrote: It should play zero role in free agency, but some teams actually let it play a role, and yes the Bengals have been one of those teams.
It should play a big role with teams planning for it years in advance. Sadly the Bengals have Duke Tobin lacking the foresight and Mike Brown wanting to hold onto fading stars rather than trade them at the deadline.
Ideally you manage this by one year on free agency spending and one year off, using the franchise tag to extend someone who'd fall in a free agency spending year or trading them away before the trade deadline when you're not competitive.
Compensatory picks are important - doubly so in the Bengals' case. Players leaving in free agency in 2021, attract a compensatory pick in 2022. These will be 3rd or 4th round picks so not someone you should necessarily be counting on relying in 2022 or 2023 but someone who might develop into a cost controlled starter in 2024 and 2025. Having cost controlled starters in 2025 is vital as that's when Burrow's salary goes stratospheric (they'd look to do a deal before then, hence 2024 being important too). Free agent signings are expensive. Draft picks are super cheap.
Of course the need to spend in free agency this year is because Tobin failed to collect any additional draft picks for last year's rebuild and only an extra 7th round pick for this year's draft. Had the likes of WJIII, Lawson, Green, Atkins, Billings, Eifert, Ross etc been traded for extra picks we wouldn't have so many holes to try and fill now in free agency.
