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

[*Nately120*]

[THE PISTONS]

(03-15-2023, 09:34 AM)Synric Wrote: That was a crazy deal for Jawaan Taylor especially a career RT (even going back to college he only has a couple starts are LT) moving to LT. The difference between Jawaan Taylor and Trey Pipkins last season was very minimal... Pipkins might have been better.

And you're hitting key points. It's about finding value.

[*Nately120*]

(03-15-2023, 10:17 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: And you're hitting key points. It's about finding value.

Geez, NFL free agency frenzy has just reminded me of scanning the clearance rack at the local Gee Bee's with my ol' man circa 1988.  Oof.

[*Synric*]

I posted this in the Tampering thread but you know this might make this thread a little more exciting.

Twitter chatter is saying Hurst to Carolina but nothing official. This is a tweet from a sports radio guy so not really an insider but maybe.

@bengals TE and Bolles School product Hayden Hurst was hoping to stay in Cincy, but got better deal with @Panthers. Cincy had future extensions with Burrow, Huggins and Wilson to consider. Plus, draft strong for TEs.

— Eugene Frenette (@GeneFrenette) March 15, 2023

[Ravage]

(03-15-2023, 10:33 AM)Synric Wrote: I posted this in the Tampering thread but you know this might make this thread a little more exciting.

Twitter chatter is saying Hurst to Carolina but nothing official. This is a tweet from a sports radio guy so not really an insider but maybe.

Rapoport and everyone else is tweeting it too. 3 year deal Hurst to Carolina.
Bell, Dalton, Hurst...Panthers are turning into Bengals East.

[RunKijanaRun]

Trying to maintain my always calm and rational demeanor, but we need to get busy here.

Hurst, Perine, Bell and Bates with no replacements signed and no additions anywhere else.

This team was a bad call away from another Super Bowl. Now is not the time to become miserly.

[*Nately120*]

(03-15-2023, 10:46 AM)Ravage Wrote: Rapoport and everyone else is tweeting it too. 3 year deal Hurst to Carolina.
Bell, Dalton, Hurst...Panthers are turning into Bengals East.

They need to add Chad and TO to replace Moore.

[NotBigzo]

Complacency is going to slowly kill off the Burrow era I swear to god.

[*Nately120*]

(03-15-2023, 12:30 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: This is uncharted waters for them. They're used to having average rosters and trying to just make playoffs. Now, they're fighting to be a top 4 team.

That requires a different mindset than they had for 30 years+.

I know it's a different sport and all, but that reminds me of when I was living in Pittsburgh about a decade ago when they hit on Andrew McCutcheon and some other homegrown talent and had their first winning season in 20+ years because they had all these young talent guys on short-term low contracts.  The city was going nuts, but there was also a vibe of "Enjoy this while you can, because this franchise can't afford to put anything but a losing roster on the field."

I have mad respect for Pirates fans, because rooting for a team that is owned by people who flat-out can't afford to pay competent baseball players makes being a Bengals fan look like a cakewalk.

[*Synric*]

Cowboys are set to release Ezekiel Elliott... For the right price he would be a great big back for a RBBC just like he was in Dallas.

[RunKijanaRun]

(03-15-2023, 11:02 AM)Synric Wrote: Cowboys are set to release Ezekiel Elliott... For the right price he would be a great big back for a RBBC just like he was in Dallas.

Ew. From Mixon to Elliott?

Or Mixon AND Elliott? 

[*Synric*]

Bengals resigned Travyeon Williams.

[NUGDUKWE]

(03-15-2023, 09:24 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: KC just lost their RT to FA and swapped Taylor for Orlando Brown in essence. So help me out? Ju Ju is gone.

Im willing to bet juju is back. But they signed a DT yesterday as well. They are just actively making moves to try and better they're team. The Bengals have had a good few years of free agency. I just think I'm getting worried because this is feeling very familiar to how the Bengals handled free agency previously.

[RunKijanaRun]

Darius Slay is available. Eagles just cut him.

[Hammerstripes]

LMFAO. So are we really going to play this game? After the last 2 years of free agency?

It's not that hard. We already have the "big stars" on the team. We need the role players.

Don't spend boat loads of money on guys that are role players. We'll sign competent guys and will have a better roster than last year.

[THE PISTONS]

(03-15-2023, 10:59 AM)Nately120 Wrote: I know it's a different sport and all, but that reminds me of when I was living in Pittsburgh about a decade ago when they hit on Andrew McCutcheon and some other homegrown talent and had their first winning season in 20+ years because they had all these young talent guys on short-term low contracts.  The city was going nuts, but there was also a vibe of "Enjoy this while you can, because this franchise can't afford to put anything but a losing roster on the field."

I have mad respect for Pirates fans, because rooting for a team that is owned by people who flat-out can't afford to pay competent baseball players makes being a Bengals fan look like a cakewalk.

Don't I know it. Not a Pirates fan, but I went to some of those games. A lot of energy in the stadium.

The Pirates just brought back a much older McCutchen this year.

That all said, the Burrow contract will impact this team and we're seeing high. About $40 million delta in cap space is going to Burrow. That's 8 $5 million free agents. Or 3 $13 million ones. It impacts a roster.

And it's why having a QB on a rookie contract is a cheat code.

That said, I don't want to hate on the Bengals. They've done a lot of things right recently. And having a franchise QB is an amazing problem to have.

[THE PISTONS]

There's still guys that can help us:

Safeties: Thornhill, Love, Poyer, CJGJ, Rapp
Tackles: Brown, Jermaine Eluemunor, Wynn
DT: Ferrell, Rankins, Campbell
TE: Smith, Schultz
CB: Rock Ya Sin, Apple, Murphy-Bunting
RB: Miles Sanders
Edge: Ngakoue

[THE PISTONS]

A few thoughts on #Bengals #freeagency thus far (long tweet coming, so stick with me)

1.) Unlike under Marvin Lewis, this staff is unwilling to give big deals to guys who will be at/near 30 during a deal—especially at skill positions. Hurst, Perine, Bell all there.

2.) When… https://t.co/eh59Rugrvy

— Anthony Cosenza (@CJAnthonyCUI) March 15, 2023

[depthchart]

(03-15-2023, 12:32 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: There's still guys that can help us:

Safeties: Thornhill, Love, Poyer, CJGJ, Rapp
Tackles: Brown, Jermaine Eluemunor, Wynn
DT: Ferrell, Rankins, Campbell
TE: Smith, Schultz
CB: Rock Ya Sin, Apple, Murphy-Bunting
RB: Miles Sanders
Edge: Ngakoue

It is a Marketplace. 

With large contracts coming for Burrow, Chase etc the Bengals will have to get really good at operating in the Zone of the Market that exists after some of the bigger name Free Agents get signed and the Market settles down in price. 

As you suggest, there will be some good value players available. 

They just need to get the right cheaper Free Agent guys and Draft well going forward with Burrow driving the success from there on the Field.

[THE PISTONS]

(03-15-2023, 12:54 PM)depthchart Wrote: It is a Marketplace. 

With large contracts coming for Burrow, Chase etc the Bengals will have to get really good at operating in the Zone of the Market that exists after some of the bigger name Free Agents get signed and the Market settles down in price. 

As you suggest, there will be some good value players available. 

They just need to get the right cheaper Free Agent guys and Draft well going forward with Burrow driving the success from there on the Field.

That's typically how they always operate. So should help.

Really the way they can mess this up would be trying to rely on rookies and 2nd year players that haven't proven anything.