Oodles of cap space

[SunsetBengal]

According to Jason LaCanfora..

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/small-but-encouraging-update-on-bengals-pursuit-of-offensive-linemen/ar-AAUR0gz?ocid=msedgntp

Quote:With NFL free agency beginning next week, the Cincinnati Bengals look poised to sign multiple starting-caliber offensive linemen.

By now, you’ve probably seen Cincinnati mentioned with several linemen set to become unrestricted free agents next week, including Baltimore Ravens center Bradley Bozeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers center Ryan Jensen, and San Francisco 49ers guard Laken Tomlinson among others.

Now, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora says he senses the Bengals are about to land a proven veteran lineman, possibly two.

Getting a strong sense the Bengals are end up with at least one proven veteran upgrade for their offensive line, and maybe two. They are interested in some tackles and interior linemen and have oodles of cap space …

Of course, “proven veteran upgrade” can mean a Pro Bowler like Tomlinson or a fill-in starter like Riley Reiff, though I think the Bengals will be much more aggressive this offseason in pursuing guys who can bring stability to this line for years to come.

Given how aggressive the Bengals have been in free agency in recent years, there’s no reason to think they won’t at least make a push for guys like Tomlinson, Jensen and/or Bozeman among others.

Next week can’t get here soon enough...

I know, we've all been over this topic ad nauseum around here. It still cracks me up that Geoff Hobson portrays the situation like the Bengals will barely be able to keep the lights on, while much of the NFL world sees the Bengals in a position of financial leverage in the current free agent market.

[Schmitbuck]

(03-10-2022, 10:11 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: According to Jason LaCanfora..

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/small-but-encouraging-update-on-bengals-pursuit-of-offensive-linemen/ar-AAUR0gz?ocid=msedgntp



I know, we've all been over this topic ad nauseum around here.  It still cracks me up that Geoff Hobson portrays the situation like the Bengals will barely be able to keep the lights on, while much of the NFL world sees the Bengals in a position of financial leverage in the current free agent market.

Admittedly, I did not read Hobson's article but saw the summaries here. John Sheeran had an interesting take on the OBI podcast last night that Hobson's job isn't to provide speculation/nuance in his annual cap space article. As a Bengals employee, he's given the flat explanation of the numbers and that's what he passes on. He's not going to mention that the $7.5M allocated to the draft class really is actually a smaller # because of the small contract sizes of later round picks. Or mention Waynes and possibly Hopkins getting cut adding to the cap amount. Or that there can be creativity involved in contract terms.

[SunsetBengal]

(03-10-2022, 10:42 AM)Schmitbuck Wrote: Admittedly, I did not read Hobson's article but saw the summaries here. John Sheeran had an interesting take on the OBI podcast last night that Hobson's job isn't to provide speculation/nuance in his annual cap space article. As a Bengals employee, he's given the flat explanation of the numbers and that's what he passes on. He's not going to mention that the $7.5M allocated to the draft class really is actually a smaller # because of the small contract sizes of later round picks. Or mention Waynes and possibly Hopkins getting cut adding to the cap amount. Or that there be creativity involved in contract terms.

We ALL get that he's just saying what he's paid to say, the company guy doing his job.  We as fans are just feeling like the team management should do a better job of projecting a winning attitude, one that inspires optimism and excitement among its fans (customers).  It's a modern age of information, everyone knows more now than ever before, the day and age of cloak and dagger secrecy about the franchise's intentions are a bygone era.  

In other words, no need to paint a picture of doom and gloom when it comes to cap management and free agent expectations. 

[Schmitbuck]

(03-10-2022, 10:59 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: We ALL get that he's just saying what he's paid to say, the company guy doing his job.  We as fans are just feeling like the team management should do a better job of projecting a winning attitude, one that inspires optimism and excitement among its fans (customers).  It's a modern age of information, everyone knows more now than ever before, the day and age of cloak and dagger secrecy about the franchise's intentions are a bygone era.  

In other words, no need to paint a picture of doom and gloom when it comes to cap management and free agent expectations. 

That's fair. There is the old adage to 'under promise, over perform' but agree maybe it's time to change that a bit for 'fan experience'. We see the hype/excitement Elizabeth Blackburn is adding in social media, so perhaps that's another area on the horizon. I don't know if it's different with other NFL team sites, but if I were to guess, it'd say they are also more conservative to actual reality.