Any Ideas for a BOLD move that could set the Bengals up for Greater Success ?

[PCB Bengal Fan]

Fire Pollack, Zac gives up playcalling or gets fired, Fire Lou, get scouting department to at least midway level of NFL franchises. Change defensive scheme & offensive scheme completely. F!ck it, total rebuild.

[J24]

(01-05-2024, 06:59 PM)J24 Wrote: Resign Higgins, Jonah, and Reader to all longterm deals.

Other Bold moves I would consider;
Trade Trey for a late first or a Second and third. Sign Chase young to replace him.
Trade Tee for S Antwan Winfield from Tampa or
Trade Tee for 3T Christian Baramore from New England or
Trade Tee to Dallas for 3T Osa Odighizuwa 

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(01-05-2024, 05:40 PM)Whatever Wrote: Henry and Fant would be guys I think could be serviceable in our current offense, but they aren't guys I'm changing my offense around for.

Another big issue is Zac is not a 2 TE disciple.  You'll need to bring in an OC to run that offense and then hope you can get the personnel to run it adequately.   And that's if Burrow doesn't reject it.

It's a good FA crop for WR's and there's a lot of good WR talent in the draft, as well.  I feel a lot more confident that can reload with the current system than making such a shift.

I'll point out that in 2021 we started 2 TEs 8 times. In 2022, we started 2 TEs both of the first 2 games until Sample got hurt.

I honestly believe we just have had bad TE rooms and a really good top-3 WRs. So it dictated some things.

- - - - - -

Here are some projected contract numbers while ignoring the WRs who are projected to get the franchise tag (Higgins, Pittman, and Ridley)....

Mike Evans: 3yr/$69m ($23m/yr)
Gabe Davis: 1yr/$12m (I would like him as our #2 WR if we're going 12 personnel.)
Marquise Brown: 1yr/$12m
Curtis Samuel: 2yr/$18m ($9m/yr)
Darnell Mooney: 1yr/$9m
Tyler Boyd: 2yr/$17.5m ($8.75m/yr)
Kendrick Bourne: 2yr/$14m ($7m/yr)

Dalton Schultz: 3yr/$33m ($11m/yr)
Noah Fant: 3yr/$27m ($9m/yr)
Hunter Henry: 2yr/$12.25m ($6.125m/yr)
Gerald Everett: 1yr/$5.5m

....I think no matter what two WRs you add there, you're going to have a worse WR group in '24 than '23 and for a whole lot more money (Higgins and Boyd had a combined $14.25m cap hit in 2023). You're going to be paying around $9m/yr for very mediocre WRs.

Meanwhile even if you only sign one of those TEs and draft another you already have a MUCH better TE group in '24 than '23. Sign two of them and then use a later draft pick on a third and it's suddenly a strength. It also hopefully protects Burrow better and also helps the running game.

[jj22]

I’m not sold on Franchising Tee. If they do that’ll surely be sold to us as THE offseason acquisition.

We need to sign Jefferson, who was caught on the sideline saying he will never return to Minny. Force Chase to sign the team friendly deal. Sign CHE who will not be brought back to KC and get the band back together.

Find a way to trade for Pitts and use the remaining picks on the Oline and defense.

They can’t keep buying an Oline. They are going to have to find a coach that can draft and develop . Money has to be spread out. Pollack gone, Duffner retired (maybe) there will be some spots open for new coaches that hopefully can bring some fresh eyes.

[Bengalholic]

(01-05-2024, 06:27 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: Not too sure about OT free agents this year. They're all pretty old other than Mike Onwenu from the Patriots, who I don't know much about.

I posted Onwenu's numbers in the PFF thread earlier today. Definitely an intriguing option that I could see them having interest in. 

http://thebengalsboard.com/Thread-PFF-Grades-heading-into-final-week?pid=1446544#pid1446544

[Bengalion]

(01-05-2024, 08:05 PM)jj22 Wrote: I’m not sold on Franchising Tee. If they do that’ll surely be sold to us as THE offseason acquisition.

We need to sign Jefferson, who was caught on the sideline saying he will never return to Minny. Force Chase to sign the team friendly deal. Sign CHE who will not be brought back to KC and get the band back together.

Find a way to trade for Pitts and use the remaining picks on the Oline and defense.

They can’t keep buying an Oline. They are going to have to find a coach that can draft and develop . Money has to be spread out. Pollack gone, Duffner retired (maybe) there will be some spots open for new coaches that hopefully can bring some fresh eyes.

This will never happen and you know that. We can't afford to pay two Top-5 WRs. I'd rather sign a guy like Curtis Samuel and use a 2nd round pick on another WR. Develop Iosivas and Charlie Jones, and spend some good money on Schultz/Fant (Hunter Henry is too injury prone). 

[casear2727]

(01-05-2024, 07:20 PM)depthchart Wrote: If Brock Bowers could have similar production to what Sam LaPorta has had with the Lions, then Bowers could take the Bengals Offense up a notch.

LaPorta has 81 catches for 860 yards and 9 TDs.

The Bengals would have to commit to using Bowers. He runs routes very well, knows how to get open and could make things easier for Burrow.

Bowers could offer some down the hash marks, middle of the field receptions along with other routes making it harder for defenses to focus on 

Bengal wide receivers. I have been liking the idea of Bowers more and more as an option but he would need to be LaPorta like in production for

it to be worth it.  IMO

We would have to move up in the draft to acquire Bowers.  Not as much as Harrison Jr, but still.  Moving up in the first round is extremely expensive and that is the opposite of what this team needs with super star salaries coming.  We need as many draft picks as possible so that we can field many low paying positions.

Harrison is not reality, if we beat the Browns, Bowers likely isnt either.  Bowers is a super stud though, I get the admiration.

[jj22]

(01-05-2024, 08:45 PM)Bengalion Wrote: This will never happen and you know that. 

I thought that was the point of the thread. 

[casear2727]

(01-05-2024, 08:05 PM)jj22 Wrote: I’m not sold on Franchising Tee. If they do that’ll surely be sold to us as THE offseason acquisition.

We need to sign Jefferson, who was caught on the sideline saying he will never return to Minny. Force Chase to sign the team friendly deal. Sign CHE who will not be brought back to KC and get the band back together.

Find a way to trade for Pitts and use the remaining picks on the Oline and defense.

They can’t keep buying an Oline. They are going to have to find a coach that can draft and develop . Money has to be spread out. Pollack gone, Duffner retired (maybe) there will be some spots open for new coaches that hopefully can bring some fresh eyes.

Jefferson will sign an extension or be tagged.  Not sure why this pipe dream keeps coming up?  If it happens I will gladly create a profile signature in your honor.


Pitts will be on his 5th year option, if he wanted out we could likely propose trading Tee for him straight up.  The Falcons would receive more production while we would save $10M in the trade.  Both would be on 1 year deals.

The LBs were one of the better duos in the NFL last season, we need to stop wanting to fire coaches after one bad season.  Pollack sure, but that is about it.  No need for fresh eyes we need players to learn their roles and execute.  Dline must be addressed.

[casear2727]

(01-05-2024, 06:59 PM)J24 Wrote: Resign Higgins, Jonah, and Reader to all longterm deals.

(01-05-2024, 07:35 PM)J24 Wrote: Other Bold moves I would consider;
Trade Trey for a late first or a Second and third. Sign Chase young to replace him.
Trade Tee for S Antwan Winfield from Tampa or
Trade Tee for 3T Christian Baramore from New England or
Trade Tee to Dallas for 3T Osa Odighizuwa 

We have no idea when or if DJ will be healthy. His injury can be career ending.

Higgins has turned down 20M per according to a source I know.

Jonah sure seemed like he is ready to move on out.

Your other suggestions are interesting....

[casear2727]

My bold moves would be:

Sign Jones for 2 years with a 3rd year option.

Trade Tee for TE Pitts, only if Pitts agrees to an extension.

Sign RB D'andre Swift on an affordable deal.

Sign RT Elumunore.

[Hammer]

(01-05-2024, 03:08 PM)depthchart Wrote: .

Feel free to chime in with any Pros or Cons or warranted JEERS.  Just wanted to get the ball rolling.

Idea 1:  Sign DT Chris Jones away from the Chiefs this offseason Free Agency at an estimated $28.1 million per year. (3 year deal)
            (Let Tyler Boyd & DJ Reader leave to help pay for it. Reader may not be fully healthy early next season. Add a Nose DT & WR in Draft)

Idea 2:  Trade Tee Higgins for Draft picks then package some picks to go up an get Marvin Harrison Jr on a rookie deal.
             (Losing this week to the Browns would give the Bengals a higher pick and make this easier to do)
             This move lets another Team pay Tee while replacing him with what should be a similar, younger and less expensive talent.

The Trade for Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers seemed to Transform their Offense.
Maybe there is a move the Bengals could make.

*Please POST any BOLD ideas that you think could Transform the Bengals or set them up for Greater Success ?

Fire HC Taylor and if available hire Bill Belichick.

[Hammer]

(01-05-2024, 03:08 PM)depthchart Wrote: .

Feel free to chime in with any Pros or Cons or warranted JEERS.  Just wanted to get the ball rolling.

Idea 1:  Sign DT Chris Jones away from the Chiefs this offseason Free Agency at an estimated $28.1 million per year. (3 year deal)
            (Let Tyler Boyd & DJ Reader leave to help pay for it. Reader may not be fully healthy early next season. Add a Nose DT & WR in Draft)

Idea 2:  Trade Tee Higgins for Draft picks then package some picks to go up an get Marvin Harrison Jr on a rookie deal.
             (Losing this week to the Browns would give the Bengals a higher pick and make this easier to do)
             This move lets another Team pay Tee while replacing him with what should be a similar, younger and less expensive talent.

The Trade for Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers seemed to Transform their Offense.
Maybe there is a move the Bengals could make.

*Please POST any BOLD ideas that you think could Transform the Bengals or set them up for Greater Success ?

Fire HC Taylor and if available hire Bill Belichick.

[depthchart]

(01-05-2024, 09:36 PM)Hammer Wrote: Fire HC Taylor and if available hire Bill Belichick.

That would be BOLD.  It is looking like he may become available and I could see him wanting to have a QB like Burrow.

One thing is; if Belichik Won a Super Bowl with Burrow would people then say that he was only able to Win a Super Bowl because 

he had Brady & Burrow ?

If he could stay in New England and Draft a QB then Win a Super Bowl it may be better for his reputation to do it that way -or-

go to a Team with a good but not Great QB and Win another Super Bowl to then get more Credit for doing it without Brady ?

[Clark W Griswold]

A lot of good ideas in this thread and some really bad ones!

Bill B is not the answer and do think Burrow would like playing for him? His time has passed. Zac is a pretty good HC but a bad play-caller.
Trading Trey so you can sign Chase Young for probably more than Trey makes? Your Buckeye homerism is showing. Trey has put up sacks/pressures as consistently as anyone in the NFL since signing with the Bengals and you want to trade him?
I wanted them to draft Latham but I thought he looked crappy vs Michigan. That and Alabama O linemens’ struggles in the NFL have me wanting a different RT in the first round.

My bold move - a “tag and trade” deal - Bengals send Tee to the Jags for Josh Allen.
Tee gets to reunite with his college QB and Allen gets to play close to where he went to college.

[*jason*]

(01-05-2024, 09:06 PM)casear2727 Wrote: My bold moves would be:

Sign Jones for 2 years with a 3rd year option.

Trade Tee for TE Pitts, only if Pitts agrees to an extension.

Sign RB D'andre Swift on an affordable deal.

Sign RT Elumunore.

I really like D'andre Swift... Just afraid his injury does would return if he signed here. He made it through this year though.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(01-05-2024, 09:06 PM)casear2727 Wrote: My bold moves would be:

Sign Jones for 2 years with a 3rd year option.

Trade Tee for TE Pitts, only if Pitts agrees to an extension.

Sign RB D'andre Swift on an affordable deal.

Sign RT Elumunore.

I just find Wilkins or Madubuike more likely if we go DT in Free Agency as both are still young and up and coming. Plus TLL shown in 
another thread how Chris Jones hasn't been near as good in the Playoffs as he has in the regular season besides the one game against
us where we were missing 3 of our starting OL.

Love all the other moves though Casear, nice thoughts.

Pitts, D'andre and Eluemunor would be a great FA to go along with one of the top DT's IMO.

(01-05-2024, 09:34 PM)Hammer Wrote: Fire HC Taylor and if available hire Bill Belichick.

Not going to happen, but that would be bold and I bet we would go back to beating the stealers all the time with Billy B here.

Billy B owns the stealers.

(01-05-2024, 09:51 PM)depthchart Wrote: That would be BOLD.  It is looking like he may become available and I could see him wanting to have a QB like Burrow.

One thing is; if Belichik Won a Super Bowl with Burrow would people then say that he was only able to Win a Super Bowl because 

he had Brady & Burrow ?

If he could stay in New England and Draft a QB then Win a Super Bowl it may be better for his reputation to do it that way -or-

go to a Team with a good but not Great QB and Win another Super Bowl to then get more Credit for doing it without Brady ?

Eh, if Billy B came here and won a SB he would go right back to being the best ever IMO. Most every great coach still needs a great QB 
to win at all. From everything I hear though the Pats want to move on same as Billy B. I wouldn't be against it because he knows how to 
beat all the teams in our Division and knows how to take away opposing teams strengths.

Plus when you have terrible QB play it can make even the greatest coach look human. They have had terrible QB play in NE since Tom.

(01-05-2024, 11:36 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: A lot of good ideas in this thread and some really bad ones!  

Bill B is not the answer and do think Burrow would like playing for him?  His time has passed.  Zac is a pretty good HC but a bad play-caller.
Trading Trey so you can sign Chase Young for probably more than Trey makes?  Your Buckeye homerism is showing.  Trey has put up sacks/pressures as consistently as anyone in the NFL since signing with the Bengals and you want to trade him?  
I wanted them to draft Latham but I thought he looked crappy vs Michigan. That and Alabama O linemens’ struggles in the NFL have me wanting a different RT in the first round.

My bold move - a “tag and trade” deal - Bengals send Tee to the Jags for Josh Allen.
Tee gets to reunite with his college QB and Allen gets to play close to where he went to college.

I actually would like to extend Trey after this season even if it would be expensive, the dude has shown no signs of falling off, more like he
is just getting better and better. True on Bama OL struggling in the NFL. Love the trade Tee for Josh Allen thought Clark.

[*bfine32*]

Instruct Brian Callahan to tell his dad that he can never see his grandkids again unless he quits the Browns and joins the Bengals

Sign King Henry in FA

[casear2727]

(01-06-2024, 03:05 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I just find Wilkins or Madubuike more likely if we go DT in Free Agency as both are still young and up and coming. Plus TLL shown in 
another thread how Chris Jones hasn't been near as good in the Playoffs as he has in the regular season besides the one game against
us where we were missing 3 of our starting OL.

Love all the other moves though Casear, nice thoughts.

Pitts, D'andre and Eluemunor would be a great FA to go along with one of the top DT's IMO.


Not going to happen, but that would be bold and I bet we would go back to beating the stealers all the time with Billy B here.

Billy B owns the stealers.


Eh, if Billy B came here and won a SB he would go right back to being the best ever IMO. Most every great coach still needs a great QB 
to win at all. From everything I hear though the Pats want to move on same as Billy B. I wouldn't be against it because he knows how to 
beat all the teams in our Division and knows how to take away opposing teams strengths.

Plus when you have terrible QB play it can make even the greatest coach look human. They have had terrible QB play in NE since Tom.


I actually would like to extend Trey after this season even if it would be expensive, the dude has shown no signs of falling off, more like he
is just getting better and better. True on Bama OL struggling in the NFL. Love the trade Tee for Josh Allen thought Clark.

I was one of the first to mention Madubukie but he may very well be tagged or become even more difficult to sign due to his young age.  Teams will offer him a lot of guaranteed money on a longer deal than we likely would.  We could over pay for Jones before Chase's deal hits.  But I would prefer Madubukie as well.

[Whatever]

(01-05-2024, 07:46 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I'll point out that in 2021 we started 2 TEs 8 times. In 2022, we started 2 TEs both of the first 2 games until Sample got hurt.

I honestly believe we just have had bad TE rooms and a really good top-3 WRs. So it dictated some things.

- - - - - -

Here are some projected contract numbers while ignoring the WRs who are projected to get the franchise tag (Higgins, Pittman, and Ridley)....

Mike Evans: 3yr/$69m ($23m/yr)
Gabe Davis: 1yr/$12m (I would like him as our #2 WR if we're going 12 personnel.)
Marquise Brown: 1yr/$12m
Curtis Samuel: 2yr/$18m ($9m/yr)
Darnell Mooney: 1yr/$9m
Tyler Boyd: 2yr/$17.5m ($8.75m/yr)
Kendrick Bourne: 2yr/$14m ($7m/yr)

Dalton Schultz: 3yr/$33m ($11m/yr)
Noah Fant: 3yr/$27m ($9m/yr)
Hunter Henry: 2yr/$12.25m ($6.125m/yr)
Gerald Everett: 1yr/$5.5m

....I think no matter what two WRs you add there, you're going to have a worse WR group in '24 than '23 and for a whole lot more money (Higgins and Boyd had a combined $14.25m cap hit in 2023). You're going to be paying around $9m/yr for very mediocre WRs.

Meanwhile even if you only sign one of those TEs and draft another you already have a MUCH better TE group in '24 than '23. Sign two of them and then use a later draft pick on a third and it's suddenly a strength. It also hopefully protects Burrow better and also helps the running game.

The Bengals were only in 12 personnel 18% of the offensive snaps in '21.  We may have started out in 12 on a number of occasions, but that's not the offense.  We were in 11 77% of the time.  I think we can use more 12 if we have the personnel, but it's never going to be Zac's bread and butter.  He's a McVay disciple, and McVay has always been an 11 base coach.

There's a reason why TE's are cheaper than WR's.  They aren't as productive.  Some of the guys being kicked around as options are guys like Fant and Henry, who have 400 receiving yards this year.  Boyd is a mediocre, at best, WR3 and has 663.  That's over 50% more than you'll get out of a TE.  It's cheaper to field because it's nowhere near as good in practice.  The only teams having much success with 12 base recently are clubs like the Ravens with a running QB.  We won't do that with Burrow.  

You can't count on drafting a starting TE this year.  There are literally only 2 TE's in the Top 100 prospects in this draft class.  Meanwhile, there's 18 WR's in the Top 100, with a stacked draft class.  You've got a better chance of drafting two starting WR's than a single starting TE.  If this was something we had any inclination of doing, we should have done it last year when there was a great TE class.