You can sign one

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(08-06-2023, 07:57 PM)SouthernFan Wrote: Definitely Tee at that price. But more realistically, 4 years at $76,000,000 front loaded in yrs 1 & 2. I’d like to see Reader re-up on a one year extension at about 12-13 million.

More realistically, 4yr/$100m is probably what Tee will get. Maybe 4yr/$96m if he is taking a more friendly deal but I don't know if he would have Mulugheta as his agent if he were interested in friendly deals.

AJ Brown got $25m/yr and his and Tees numbers line up pretty well over their first 3 years. DK Metcalf and Deebo Samuel also both got around $24m/yr last year and the numbers go up as the cap goes up. 

$25m/yr likely won't even be top-5 WR money by Week 1 of this season (Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb eventually pushing it down) and has a good chance of only being tied for 10th by Week 1 of 2024 (Ja'Marr Chase, Jalen Waddle, Devonta Smith, Amon-Ra St Brown next offseason). So anything less than $25m/yr probably isn't even top-10 in just a year.

If you want two WRs who can be a #1 in an offense, you have to be prepared to pay for two WRs who can be a #1 in an offense. If Chase plays anywhere near like we expect him to play in 2023, and Justin Jefferson gets paid like everyone expects him to get paid, Chase is going to get at least $30m/yr. Tee isn't going to settle for 60% of what Chase is going to get.

[BengalBob]

I went with Tee.

Zachary Carter is ready.

[KillerGoose]

(08-07-2023, 09:26 AM)BengalBob Wrote: I went with Tee.

Zachary Carter is ready.

Carter isn't DJ's back-up. He is Hill's back-up. Josh Tupou would be the guy that would replace Reader, hypothetically. 

[Johnny Cupcakes]

(08-07-2023, 10:29 AM)KillerGoose Wrote: Carter isn't DJ's back-up. He is Hill's back-up. Josh Tupou would be the guy that would replace Reader, hypothetically. 

Even if he were, he's not even close to being ready to take over for Reader. 

That's like saying that we're good at WR because Trenton Irwin is here and can step in for Tee. 

[sandwedge]

I took DJ. We have no one that does what DJ does, keep the linemen off the LBers. Topou is lame and week. I still believe though, Tee will be signed as will DJ next year.

[*Synric*]

I wonder if Nose Tackles will be high on their board next off-season. There are a couple of in-state nose tackle prospects to look at in Dontay Corleone from Cincinnati and Tyleik Williams from Ohio State.

(I just started my summer scouting a couple weeks ago been busy lol.)

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-07-2023, 12:47 AM)phil413 Wrote: I went with Tee even with acting like the poll was 64 mil.  I'm actually surprised the poll is as close as it is.  We need Reader, but if you're making me pick one give me the guy entering his prime regardless of the depth at WR.

Tee entering his prime is definitely a good argument for him over DJ, gotta admit.

Still think DJ is much harder to replace though and has 3 more years of elite play stopping the run if he can stay healthy as TLL says.

(08-07-2023, 08:40 AM)Synric Wrote: I dont know about the numbers posted but just going by my gut I would say DJ Reader because of his consistency, elite play, and lower cost... but like the Tee and Chase argument the Bengals have a ton of money tied up in the Defensive Line it needs to be spread around so I vote Tee until something changes.


On a side note it would probabaly be easier to find another Tee than DJ because of how football is evolving into 7 on 7 leagues at the high school level producing more WRs and Corners. (Probabaly why the corner market took a step back the last couple of seasons.)

We DO draft WR's much better than DT's. Another reason why I voted Reader.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-07-2023, 10:29 AM)KillerGoose Wrote: Carter isn't DJ's back-up. He is Hill's back-up. Josh Tupou would be the guy that would replace Reader, hypothetically. 

Truth and Tupou is also on the last year of his deal and isn't near as good as Reader, not even close. I like Tufele better.

[Essex Johnson]

(08-06-2023, 09:59 PM)bfine32 Wrote: $18 Mil/year is a good price for Tee. I guess you could bump it up to $20 Mil but I'm not sure that changes the point of the OP. The extra $2 Mil a year is nothing.

it would be steal if you look at some WR contracts in the 20s that he has out performed in his 3 years.. I can;t see him taking less than 25 m, especially if he does not sign before season and has another 1,000 years, 75 plus catches 7 to 9 tds. 

[impactplaya]

I choose Tee cause it's easier to draft DJ's replacement
Than it is Tee's replacement..
WR is one of the hardest positions to address
In the draft. For every Tee Higgins or Jamar Chase
There is 6 Corey Colemans or 10 Josh Dotsons.
It's a passing league folks. Dexter Lawrence is one
Of the best DTs in the game. But what was the Giants
Achilles last year....WR play

[007BengalsFan]

(08-07-2023, 01:54 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: it would be steal if you look at some WR contracts in the 20s that he has out performed in his 3 years.. I can;t see him taking less than 25 m, especially if he does not sign before season and has another 1,000 years, 75 plus catches 7 to 9 tds. 

25 million per year would put Tee as the 4th highest paid WR in the NFL.  I like having Tee on the field but he is not a top 10 WR much less top 5.

Also, the salary cap is 224.8 million.  If you give Tee 25 million, Burrow 55 million and Chase 30 million, that is 110 million on just 3 players.  Why would you pay 3 guys nearly half your salary cap especially when these guys struggled to put points on the board in the playoffs against both Baltimore and K.C.

[Speedy Thomas]

Normally I am a defense first guy. Reader keys everything on that side. There is a reason he was the first free agent signing of the Taylor/Anarumo era. However...

Father Time can do what most NFL centers cannot. Tee is entering his prime; DJ is leaving it. It's Tee, even if you go up to 20 mil per year.

[PDub80]

(08-06-2023, 05:53 PM)bfine32 Wrote: DJ Reader: 3 Years $48 Mil

Tee Higgins: 3 Years $ 54 Mil

Which one you signing GM?

Tee Higgins. Not even a question.

Age and not in his prime vs at end of prime & age.

[KillerGoose]

(08-07-2023, 03:58 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: 25 million per year would put Tee as the 4th highest paid WR in the NFL.  I like having Tee on the field but he is not a top 10 WR much less top 5.

Also, the salary cap is 224.8 million.  If you give Tee 25 million, Burrow 55 million and Chase 30 million, that is 110 million on just 3 players.  Why would you pay 3 guys nearly half your salary cap especially when these guys struggled to put points on the board in the playoffs against both Baltimore and K.C.

I am not sure that Higgins will get $25MM but it isn't far off. He is going to get $20MM+. Spotrac has his estimated market value at $20.1MM. I think he lands somewhere between $20MM-$23MM. 

[Nicomo Cosca]

Love Reader (probably my 3rd favorite player on the team after 9 & 1), but I go Tee here. A 3rd contract for a guy that missed a lot of games over the last couple years would be kind of scary. Or at least a lot more risky than a much younger guy like Tee.

[SunsetBengal]

I think that you almost have to go with Tee. Like some of the others have said, I too feel like the APY will be north of $20M. Due to the injury history, I believe that they allow DJ to play this current contract out, and then make him a fair offer, or decide it's time to go another direction.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(08-06-2023, 10:10 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: That didnt work so well against Cleveland and the Monday Night Football game last year.  We had Tee but didnt have Reader.  The high powered offense scored just 13 points while Cleveland ran the ball at will against us and put up 32 points in our biggest loss of the year.   Our offense gets a lot of the attention but I think it has been the defense that has kept us in games and carried us in post season.

Seconded. 

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

For me, the pillars of the team are: Burrow, Chase, Hendrickson, & Reader.

Next tier down: Higgins, Brown, Awuzie.

Tier 3: Boyd, Cappa, Wilson, Pratt, (Bates).

Tier 4: Karras, Hubbard, BJ Hill, Mixon, Hilton (Bell).

Tier 5: Jonah, Collins, Scott.

I think that is all of the guys on sizeable deals.

[*bfine32*]

I love Tee and am one of the few that would have 0 problem resigning him and letting Chase walk. WTS, you've got to think JB can make WRs better. The GOAT never had big money WR, the current best QB in the NFL let the Cheetah walk.

[jfkbengals]

(08-06-2023, 10:10 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: That didnt work so well against Cleveland and the Monday Night Football game last year.  We had Tee but didnt have Reader.  The high powered offense scored just 13 points while Cleveland ran the ball at will against us and put up 32 points in our biggest loss of the year.   Our offense gets a lot of the attention but I think it has been the defense that has kept us in games and carried us in post season.

That loss was all about Miles Garrett singled up against Jonah Williams non-stop.  The kid struggles with Garrett even when he is 100% healthy, but less than 100% he doesn't stand a chance, and we failed to give him any help.  This disrupted the entire offense.