The 2023 off-season - what do you want to see?

[WeezyBengal]

My main wants:

1. Cut Mixon
Nothing against him, but we just arent a running team. Paying the third most money on the team (12 million) to a guy that barely touches the ball and isn't super effective when he does is asinine. Draft some speed out of the backfield or go pick up a FA for cheap.

2. Find a punter.
Christman was freaking awful on Sunday and field position has been a problem for us all year. I am over it. Either draft one or bring in one in FA. It's a cheap upgrade that can pay huge dividends.

3. Bring these guys back.
Eli Apple, Pratt, Vonn Bell, Perine, Hurst, Flowers. None of these guys will break the bank and have been solid players for us.

4. Upgrade the OL
What happened with injuries in the playoffs was unlucky. The OL was OK this year, but nothing special. Go out and get that elite guy on the OL that we need. Joe goes from a good to best QB on the planet when he has time to throw and is comfortable in the pocket.

5. Find that elite game wrecker on defense
The Chiefs have one in Chris Jones. We need a guy like that on defense. Our defense is solid, but it's missing that one guy that can just wreck a game.

None of these things are huge asks. The Bengals have 44 million in cap space right now - third most in the league. Bates leaving and cutting Mixon would free up another 20 million at least.

[Brownshoe]

I agree other than #1. We get an OL and that's not really a problem anymore IMO. We *ALMOST* got the OL in a good spot, but injuries happen.

[higgy100]

(01-31-2023, 12:22 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: My main wants:

1. Cut Mixon
Nothing against him, but we just arent a running team. Paying the third most money on the team (12 million) to a guy that barely touches the ball and isn't super effective when he does is asinine. Draft some speed out of the backfield or go pick up a FA for cheap.

2. Find a punter.
Christman was freaking awful on Sunday and field position has been a problem for us all year. I am over it. Either draft one or bring in one in FA. It's a cheap upgrade that can pay huge dividends.

3. Bring these guys back.
Eli Apple, Pratt, Vonn Bell, Perine, Hurst, Flowers. None of these guys will break the bank and have been solid players for us.

4. Upgrade the OL
What happened with injuries in the playoffs was unlucky. The OL was OK this year, but nothing special. Go out and get that elite guy on the OL that we need. Joe goes from a good to best QB on the planet when he has time to throw and is comfortable in the pocket.

5. Find that elite game wrecker on defense
The Chiefs have one in Chris Jones. We need a guy like that on defense. Our defense is solid, but it's missing that one guy that can just wreck a game.

Regarding #4, you simply have to forget about the first 2-3 games of the year with this OL. Hard to believe any team in the league goes into a season with 4 new starting OL with one of them being a rookie and that's a price a team pays for. This OL after the the initial start was one of the best and most efficient OL in football. Imo, they will not go out and pay huge $$$ for any OL and especially a LT which would be mega $$.

What elite guy are you going to pay for especially with everything else they need to do? The big question on the OL will be what they do with Williams. They did not take Carman in the 2nd round to be a journeyman and with what we saw and everything we heard about him maturing, developing, etc. he may very well be the next LT.

You still won 2 playoff games this year with multiple OL starters out and they played their best game of the year against Buffalo with 3 of them out. They went up against the best DT/NT in the NFL in Chris Jones and still it goes down to the wire. They simply need to keep drafting well and keep developing the OL on the roster.

[WeezyBengal]

(01-31-2023, 12:32 PM)higgy100 Wrote: Regarding #4, you simply have to forget about the first 2-3 games of the year with this OL. Hard to believe any team in the league goes into a season with 4 new starting OL with one of them being a rookie and that's a price a team pays for. This OL after the the initial start was one of the best and most efficient OL in football. Imo, they will not go out and pay huge $$$ for any OL and especially a LT which would be mega $$.

What elite guy are you going to pay for especially with everything else they need to do? The big question on the OL will be what they do with Williams. They did not take Carman in the 2nd round to be a journeyman and with what we saw and everything we heard about him maturing, developing, etc. he may very well be the next LT.

You still won 2 playoff games this year with multiple OL starters out and they played their best game of the year against Buffalo with 3 of them out. They went up against the best DT/NT in the NFL in Chris Jones and still it goes down to the wire. They simply need to keep drafting well and keep developing the OL on the roster.

Both tackle positions on this team are liabilities. Do you REALLY feel comfortable going into the season with 2 of Jonah Williams, Carman, and LC (god even knows if he will be close to ready) starting at tackle? I have seen enough and I do not. 

[Cosmokramer]

Nah. I’m out on Apple. He’s mediocre at best. We have the pieces in place with a season behind us and full offseason to replace him. Plus Awuzie coming back

[WeezyBengal]

(01-31-2023, 12:40 PM)Cosmokramer Wrote: Nah. I’m out on Apple.  He’s mediocre at best. We have the pieces in place with a season behind us and full offseason to replace him. Plus Awuzie coming back

You have no idea on the timeline of Awuzie. Apple would be this teams third CB. He'd be a very nice, affordable depth piece. 

[Bengalbug]

Damien Harris could be a good replacement for mixon. I imagine he would come fairly cheap as well. We just need a guy that can run downhill and get you 4-5 tough yards at a time as well as pass pro.

Draft OL depth, you can’t afford to spend big here in FA.

Somehow get an effective pass rusher. This is going to be the hardest of all. If we had a pass rush specialist, that would do wonders for this team.

Bring back bell, apple for the secondary. Apple would like be CB4 next year, hard to do better.

Bring back hurst, draft another TE.

[higgy100]

(01-31-2023, 12:35 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Both tackle positions on this team are liabilities. Do you REALLY feel comfortable going into the season with 2 of Jonah Williams, Carman, and LC (god even knows if he will be close to ready) starting at tackle? I have seen enough and I do not. 

Yes I do but based on how well they played for a dozen games after the initial start but ,more importantly, where are you finding the $$$ to go get these top guys with everybody else they need to pay? Very funny how fans like to play with monopoly money.

More than just going on a shopping spree, as they absolutely did last year, it's about development. KC has a couple drafted guys in the 2nd/6th round that have turned into all pro OL, phily has a 7th rounder they took a chance on who is a stud.You keep developing guys just as they're doing with Carman and you keep drafting.The RT on Cinci. had a bad game but lots of OL have bad games with Jones over them. He had a tremendous game against Buffalo and nobody wanted him cut after that game.You keep developing developing and developing.

[Bengalbug]

(01-31-2023, 12:41 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: You have no idea on the timeline of Awuzie. Apple would be this teams third CB. He'd be a very nice, affordable depth piece. 

Hilton, Awuzie (pending health) and continued development for CTB… he could be CB4. Likely the best CB4 in the NFL.

[BIGDADDYFROMCINCINNATI]

Keep Apple, Bell, Pratt

Apple best number 4 Cb in the league
Bell- Is a no brainer, and Bates is gone;
Pratt- He’s solid at LB and was the hero of first time we played KC with the strip fumble, and with the INT in the playoff game vs. Raiders

Draft a TE, Safety-Bates is gone, so we need some depth here and get it in 2 or 3-round, OL the rest unless there’s a steal. Maybe a punter in round 5.

All NFL early mocks I’ve seen have us taking Georgia’s TE as our first pick.  I’d like a right offensive tackle.

Keep Mixon one more year, or not?- I’ll have to think about that one, but I do feel we have excellent depth at RB.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

Doesn't Mixon have a rather large dead money hit? I'd look for a trade, otherwise, I'm afraid we have to ride it out. What's the dead cap hit on him?

[Frank Booth]

(01-31-2023, 12:22 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: My main wants:

1. Cut Mixon
Nothing against him, but we just arent a running team. Paying the third most money on the team (12 million) to a guy that barely touches the ball and isn't super effective when he does is asinine. Draft some speed out of the backfield or go pick up a FA for cheap.

2. Find a punter.
Christman was freaking awful on Sunday and field position has been a problem for us all year. I am over it. Either draft one or bring in one in FA. It's a cheap upgrade that can pay huge dividends.

3. Bring these guys back.
Eli Apple, Pratt, Vonn Bell, Perine, Hurst, Flowers. None of these guys will break the bank and have been solid players for us.

4. Upgrade the OL
What happened with injuries in the playoffs was unlucky. The OL was OK this year, but nothing special. Go out and get that elite guy on the OL that we need. Joe goes from a good to best QB on the planet when he has time to throw and is comfortable in the pocket.

5. Find that elite game wrecker on defense
The Chiefs have one in Chris Jones. We need a guy like that on defense. Our defense is solid, but it's missing that one guy that can just wreck a game.

None of these things are huge asks. The Bengals have 44 million in cap space right now - third most in the league. Bates leaving and cutting Mixon would free up another 20 million at least.

Pratt wants a big payday, he aint coming back. Bell, Apple, Flowers, yes. Hurst may want a long term contract and who knows if the front office wants to give him that.

Definitely need at least 1 very good o-lineman

Im cool with how Ossai has progressed. Him and Trey should make a very good duo. Reader and Hill are a top 5 duo for sure. Hubbard seems to come up big time and time again.

[WeezyBengal]

(01-31-2023, 12:44 PM)higgy100 Wrote: Yes I do but based on how well they played for a dozen games after the initial start but ,more importantly, where are you finding the $$$ to go get these top guys with everybody else they need to pay? Very funny how fans like to play with monopoly money.

More than just going on a shopping spree, as they absolutely did last year, it's about development. KC has a couple drafted guys in the 2nd/6th round that have turned into all pro OL, phily has a 7th rounder they took a chance on who is a stud.You keep developing guys just as they're doing with Carman and you keep drafting.The RT on Cinci. had a bad game but lots of OL have bad games with Jones over them. He had a tremendous game against Buffalo and nobody wanted him cut after that game.You keep developing developing and developing.

They have the third highest cap amount in the league and can free up more money by cutting players. You can also trade draft capital to make it happen.

It's really not that much of a reach...

[BIGDADDYFROMCINCINNATI]

(01-31-2023, 01:12 PM)Wyche Wrote: Doesn't Mixon have a rather large dead money hit? I'd look for a trade, otherwise, I'm afraid we have to ride it out. What's the dead cap hit on him?

That’s what I think, it’s cheaper to keep him and makes more business sense.  Unless there’s an absolute steal at RB we keep or trade him.  Perine and Williams can carry the load with Evans as a 3rd down back.

[WeezyBengal]

(01-31-2023, 01:15 PM)Frank Booth Wrote: Pratt wants a big payday, he aint coming back. Bell, Apple, Flowers, yes. Hurst may want a long term contract and who knows if the front office wants to give him that.

Definitely need at least 1 very good o-lineman

Im cool with how Ossai has progressed. Him and Trey should make a very good duo. Reader and Hill are a top 5 duo for sure. Hubbard seems to come up big time and time again.

Logan Wilson is another guy they need to figure out what they want to do with. I think Pratt is a better player makers than Wilson but Wilson is just solid. 

[WeezyBengal]

(01-31-2023, 01:17 PM)BIGDADDYFROMCINCINNATI Wrote: That’s what I think, it’s cheaper to keep him and makes more business sense.  Unless there’s an absolute steal at RB we keep or trade him.  Perine and Williams can carry the load with Evans as a 3rd down back.

2.7 million in dead cap not bad at all. 

[*Synric*]

(01-31-2023, 01:12 PM)Wyche Wrote: Doesn't Mixon have a rather large dead money hit? I'd look for a trade, otherwise, I'm afraid we have to ride it out. What's the dead cap hit on him?

The Bengals can designate Mixon as an after June 1st cut even in March if they do that they will save around 7.25m and have a dead cap hit of 2.75m. Joe Mixon will count 12.7m and 13.1m against the cap in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Big cap numbers for a running back.

[schroomytunes]

For me:

1) Re-sign: Bell, Flowers, Apple, Hurst, Perine, Michael Thomas, and Scharping
- let Pratt and bates go, we need to make others priority.

2) Extend Burrow, Wilson, and Higgins this offseason or at worst 2 of the 3.

3) Cut Tupolu, D'Ante Smith and Brandon Wilson frees up 4.5 million cap

4) Outside Free Agents
- Jamie Gillan-P (NYG)
- FA guard on backup salary

--i'd focus more on extending our own guys this offseason

5) Draft

a) RT
b) CB
c) TE
d) DE
e) LB/Edge
f) OG

[Soonerpeace]

Mixon is not going anywhere. I don’t know but we need to be like KC. They’ve drafted very well.

#Chiefs 2022 draft
1st rd T McDuffie - starter
1st rd G. Karlaftis - starter
2nd rd B Cook - nickel SAF
2nd rd S Moore - 4th/5th WR & PR
4th rd J Williams - starter
7th rd J Watson - starter
7th rd I Pacheco - starter

12 selections currently in ‘23 draft

?

— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) January 31, 2023

You may not be able to keep Hurst and draft a TE in first or second round. Select a tackle first or second round. You need a corner. You may not be able to keep Perine if he wants much. Williams or Evans might have to do.

[*Synric*]

(01-31-2023, 01:23 PM)schroomytunes Wrote: For me:

1) Re-sign: Bell, Flowers, Apple, Hurst, Perine, Michael Thomas, and Scharping
- let Pratt and bates go, we need to make others priority.

2) Extend Burrow, Wilson, and Higgins this offseason or at worst 2 of the 3.

3) Cut Tupolu, D'Ante Smith and Brandon Wilson frees up 4.5 million cap

4) Outside Free Agents
- Jamie Gillan-P (NYG)
- FA guard on backup salary

--i'd focus more on extending our own guys this offseason

5) Draft

a) RT
b) CB
c) TE
d) DE
e) LB/Edge
f) OG

Replacing D'Ante Smith saves you zero money. That depth position would be filled by a player of similar caliber for a nearly identical contract.