This is the Worst Free Agency I've Ever Seen since Burrow was Drafted.

[MileHighGrowler]

(03-14-2023, 03:51 PM)Au165 Wrote: We won't (unless a bunch of things go sideways). I am pretty confident there is a vet coming. It may be one year for the right guy but I think we will have someone with 20+ starts on the roster back there come draft day. I also think as prices start falling it could end up a 2-3 year deal.

This is my thinking right now as well.  The Bengals aren't stupid.  They've been on the cusp two years in a row and have to be viewing the pieces that way.  It's a new game for them, but I'm giving the benefit of the doubt right now that they have a plan in place.  I'm not going to hit the bottle before we even get into FA over it. 

[007BengalsFan]

(03-14-2023, 04:01 PM)Synric Wrote: Taylor Rapp reminds me of Vonn Bell before he signed with Cincinnati. 

Rapp would be a good signing if we landed him

[RunKijanaRun]

Obviously still too early to judge anything, but even if they score CGJ, I still think letting Bell go was a mistake.

Maybe they tried to negotiate with him and he was only concerned with the money. I won't assume the worst, as I have been trained to do after 32 years as a Bengal fan. ASSUMING that money goes to Burrow/Higgins/Chase.

You lose quality pieces in FA when you assemble a good team. That's just how it is. I'd written Bates off using that logic and I have no qualms with us not giving him the money Atlanta did. But if we can't get an able-bodied replacement for Bell in FA this year, we've weakened our team considerably. Losing both starting safeties is a great thing when you have shitty starting safeties. We had good ones.

[NotBigzo]

(03-14-2023, 01:29 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: IF Higgins leaves, will you start a thread talking about how terrible it is that we didn't keep him?

No. I don't want to pay him NOW.

Now, if we have no signs of an adequate replacement and let Boyd walk on some "well, he's old" copout, then I might.

[Trademark]

(03-14-2023, 11:48 AM)NotBigzo Wrote: Seriously.

How do we lose TWO starting safeties in day one, especially knowing that we're out of the market for one of them?

"We want to go younger" is just a euphemism for "we want to be cheap skates". Vonn Bell and Bates is what got us to the SB two years ago, LITERALLY. Look at that overtime interception.

If the Bengals decide to pay for one of the remaining good ones, it's STILL a downgrade. But I get a feeling that they're just fine with Tycen Anderson, which will be a disaster against the Bills and the Cheifs.

The Bengals can't afford to have its episodes of buttcheek offense anymore. The Defense won't be top 10 next season.

This feels a like more like a decline. The Bills and Cheifs addressed core issues day one. Bengals objectively are worse off.

I agree, the Giants just got a stud TE in Waller for a third round pick but Bengals are yet to do anything

[Stewy]

(03-14-2023, 04:12 PM)RunKijanaRun Wrote: Obviously still too early to judge anything, but even if they score CGJ, I still think letting Bell go was a mistake.

Maybe they tried to negotiate with him and he was only concerned with the money. I won't assume the worst, as I have been trained to do after 32 years as a Bengal fan.  ASSUMING that money goes to Burrow/Higgins/Chase.

You lose quality pieces in FA when you assemble a good team. That's just how it is. I'd written Bates off using that logic and I have no qualms with us not giving him the money Atlanta did. But if we can't get an able-bodied replacement for Bell in FA this year, we've weakened our team considerably. Losing both starting safeties is a great thing when you have shitty starting safeties. We had good ones.

According to NFL.com, the per year was nearly identical, but the Panthers offered double the guaranteed money.

[TecmoBengals]

(03-14-2023, 04:16 PM)Trademark Wrote: I agree, the Giants just got a stud TE in Waller for a third round pick but Bengals are yet to do anything

Waller hasn't been a stud since 2020. In '21 he played 11 games and in '22 he played 9 games. He's 30 years old and not producing. Sure, he could rebound and have a great '23 season based on having two good years (2019 and 2020), but he's not a slam dunk stud. From 2015 to 2018 he didn't do much on the field.

Edit: I don't think the Giants acquiring a has-been TE means the Bengals suck since they didn't.

[NotBigzo]

(03-14-2023, 11:55 AM)rfaulk34 Wrote: It warms your heart to be able to come on here and complain about something, doesn't it?

You haters ain't got nothing to do but talk about my passion for the team, huh?

[*Synric*]

(03-14-2023, 04:16 PM)Trademark Wrote: I agree, the Giants just got a stud TE in Waller for a third round pick but Bengals are yet to do anything

Darren Waller is also a huge contract (its even worked in roster and workout bonuses over signing so it doesnt even lower the cap hit to trade) and he's a gamble with a ton of recent injuries also over the age of 30. For the Giants it makes sense because they are desperate for any playmakers on offense. The Bengals aren't desperate even if they would like to add playmakers at TE and RB.

[Bengalholic]

(03-14-2023, 04:24 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: You haters ain't got nothing to do but talk about my passion for the team, huh?

Well, when you're calling this a bad free agency period, even though free agency is far from over, you kind of invite the criticism. 

[NotBigzo]

(03-14-2023, 04:28 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: Well, when you're calling this a bad free agency period, even though free agency is far from over, you kind of invite the criticism. Mellow

We already know the safety market, and there's nothing indicating that the Bengals are going to do anything to address right and left tackle to make up for losing two starting safeties.

It's pretty open shut. If people want to move the goalpost to "wait until the end of FA", which will eventually turn to "we won't know for sure until we see them next season" that's not my problem.

[*rfaulk34*]

(03-14-2023, 04:24 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: You haters ain't got nothing to do but talk about my passion for the team, huh?

You ****** that sentence all up.

[RunKijanaRun]

Nonplussed by that Waller deal. That's a lot of scratch they're taking on, and this is the wrong time to pay him.

[TecmoBengals]

(03-14-2023, 04:32 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: You ****** that sentence all up.

 +   = Whatever his post meant.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(03-14-2023, 03:43 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: I think we're going to feel Bates' absence in 2023. He didn't make a lot of splash plays and he wasn't a punishing tackler, but his instincts and range probably prevented more plays than any of us realize.

Bell, on the other hand, was good, but a significant portion of his contribution to the team was as an emotional leader. I thought we'd keep him for sure because we knew Bates was gone and we wouldn't want to replace both starters in a single season since Lou's scheme seems to be fairly complicated. I think we'll probably give up more big plays than we did in 2022 just from the unfamiliarity with Lou's scheme causing some confusion with 2 new safety starters.

All told, we had 28 turnovers (13 INT, 15 FF) last year and 11 of them (8 INT, 3 FF) just left the building.

Pratt staying, however, may make up for a fair amount of that. He was a playmaker in every sense of the word for our defense. He led the team in passes defensed with 10 and had 3 turnovers as well (2 INT, 1 FF and FR, same play). He was also a key figure in the Sam Hubbard TD return as he is the one who held at the point of attack.

I think our defense is currently worse than it was last year, but if we sign a good veteran safety like CJGJ or Thornhill, we're probably at ~90% defensive strength and that's before the draft, where I hope we add a good cornerback and pass rusher (as well as getting Awuzie back).

If we just roll with Tycen, I'll be concerned though. a 5th round 2nd year player who didn't play a snap as your de facto starting SS is...not good. That's something bad teams do. Championship teams don't let unproven, low drafted players get uncontested starting spots.

The key to getting back to the Super Bowl next year will be all about the offensive line, which is why it's frustrating that we haven't addressed RT yet.

Great post CJD. Also expect us to struggle more than say last year at Safety for sure, just because Dax will be starting and will
have to make mistakes to learn from them as all young player's do. Pratt staying is also not what I expected and it freed up money 
with the great deal we got for him and both our Safeties leaving. Gardner-Johnson could be an upgrade over Vonn for all we know,
he is younger, with 3 less years of tread on his tires. Had a couple more ints last year too.

Highly doubt we just roll with Tycen. I also would be concerned if this is the plan, highly doubt it is though.

Eluemunor is still out there and is exactly what we need at RT, he is on his honeymoon and for all we know we have contacted 
him but we are really secretive right now rightfully so.

(03-14-2023, 03:48 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I dont see any way in which we simply roll with Tycen.  He is not a good a coverage safety and he has never played a snap in the NFL.

He has a lot of range but yeah, raw as can be. No way we roll with Tycen Anderson as our starting Safety opposite Dax this year.

(03-14-2023, 03:51 PM)Au165 Wrote: We won't (unless a bunch of things go sideways). I am pretty confident there is a vet coming. It may be one year for the right guy but I think we will have someone with 20+ starts on the roster back there come draft day. I also think as prices start falling it could end up a 2-3 year deal.

Same, pretty confident in a vet coming in here and it doesn't have to be immediately like some are acting.

Might get a real good one and for a decent contract if we just wait and let things cool down.

(03-14-2023, 04:01 PM)Synric Wrote: Taylor Rapp reminds me of Vonn Bell before he signed with Cincinnati. 

Also really like Rapp, sounds like another perfect fit.

[*rfaulk34*]

(03-14-2023, 04:01 PM)Synric Wrote: Taylor Rapp reminds me of Vonn Bell before he signed with Cincinnati. 

I was gonna throw that name out there this morning but after reading all the whining i just said **** it.

[Memphis_Bengal]

(03-14-2023, 04:24 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: You haters ain't got nothing to do but talk about my passion for the team, huh?

You call it "passion" but it comes across as acting like a petulant child

[Bengalholic]

(03-14-2023, 04:31 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: We already know the safety market, and there's nothing indicating that the Bengals are going to do anything to address right and left tackle to make up for losing two starting safeties.

It's pretty open shut. If people want to move the goalpost to "wait until the end of FA", which will eventually turn to "we won't know for sure until we see them next season" that's not my problem.

This reminds me of the people that said the season was over after starting 0-2. No need to wait and see how things develop...just immediately assume the sky is falling.

[*rfaulk34*]

(03-14-2023, 04:36 PM)Memphis_Bengal Wrote: You call it "passion" but it comes across as acting like a petulant child

I read somewhere that it's not uncommon to mistake stupidity with passion. 

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(03-14-2023, 04:31 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: We already know the safety market, and there's nothing indicating that the Bengals are going to do anything to address right and left tackle to make up for losing two starting safeties.

It's pretty open shut. If people want to move the goalpost to "wait until the end of FA", which will eventually turn to "we won't know for sure until we see them next season" that's not my problem.

Like you ignoring the fact that Au165 brought up about it was a week into FA before we signed Vonn Bell the last time around?

FA doesn't officially start until tomorrow for heck sake. These are all deals in principal.