Should Wilkins be #1 FA target if not tagged?

[CJD]

(01-15-2024, 08:06 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: If the Dolphins end up not tagging Christian Wilkins, should he be the Bengals #1 priority once the legal tampering period rolls around?

Dolphins GM Chris Grier says Christian Wilkins bet on himself and it paid off for him. He earned the right to be a free agent. They felt they previously made a strong offer.

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 15, 2024

 

Christian Wilkins should be #1 by a long shot.

A star defensive tackle who is adept at both stopping the run and rushing the passer. And he's only 28 at the beginning of the season.

I think Chris Jones should be at the top of our list too, but he's turning 30 this summer, so I have my doubts that the Bengals will target him. They tend to prefer free agents in their mid 20s.

[Essex Johnson]

I love to steal Madubuike from Ravens

[The D.O.Z.]

"The price is wrong, Billy!"

https://youtu.be/YPwsZ6frSlw?si=3Rj878dHO1iWKrCk

[The D.O.Z.]

(01-16-2024, 12:18 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: I love to steal Madubuike from Ravens

I would LOVE this. Wilkins is my 1b.

[007BengalsFan]

(01-15-2024, 11:44 PM)jj22 Wrote: Try to trade a first to ATL for Pitts if you willing to trade it. It’ll take a lot less to get him then get down to Bowers.

The Bowers dream was over when we decided we wanted the team to win a couple more meaningless games.

Last year was the year of the TE. This class……

Don’t tag Tee, try to sign Pittman to a long term deal to compliment Chase. Or another equal caliber replacement like that. Try to get WR2 locked down for multiple years.

Tee’s hamstring issues are troublesome.

A first round pick for Pitts?  From what he has done so far in his NFL career, I would'nt trade a 1st for him.  Would he do better in a different offense like the Bengals?  Maybe but I dont think you trade your 1st round pick to find out.

Pittman is a very good WR but the problem is he will cost as much as Tee if not more.  We cant spend 20+ million for Pittman, pay Chase even more than that and have Burrow making 55 million.  The Bengals need to find a good #2 WR at an affordable cost.

[casear2727]

(01-16-2024, 12:39 AM)007BengalsFan Wrote: A first round pick for Pitts?  From what he has done so far in his NFL career, I would'nt trade a 1st for him.  Would he do better in a different offense like the Bengals?  Maybe but I dont think you trade your 1st round pick to find out.

Pittman is a very good WR but the problem is he will cost as much as Tee if not more.  We cant spend 20+ million for Pittman, pay Chase even more than that and have Burrow making 55 million.  The Bengals need to find a good #2 WR at an affordable cost.

I'd be ok trading Tee for Pitts.

[jj22]

(01-16-2024, 12:00 AM)bfine32 Wrote: 4real? The dream was over when "we" decided we wanted the team to win? 

There was an equal amount of fans who wanted us to lose out, so I really doubt "fan vote" had much to do with it.

Personally I'm glad the team never gave up the fight

And that’s cool. I am too since they did fight. But it does mean the end of the Bowers dream that fans had / have.

[jj22]

(01-16-2024, 12:39 AM)007BengalsFan Wrote: A first round pick for Pitts?  From what he has done so far in his NFL career, I would'nt trade a 1st for him.  Would he do better in a different offense like the Bengals?  Maybe but I dont think you trade your 1st round pick to find out.

Pittman is a very good WR but the problem is he will cost as much as Tee if not more.  We cant spend 20+ million for Pittman, pay Chase even more than that and have Burrow making 55 million.  The Bengals need to find a good #2 WR at an affordable cost.

I’m of the belief if they are supposedly willing to spend 20+ on Tee then money isn’t the issue. Maybe they just need a WR who has an Agent they can work with. 

If they are willing to pay Tee WR1 then they aren’t looking for affordable cost at his spot. If they aren’t, we shouldn’t limit our wishlist for the likes of a Cooks, Curtis Samuel, and Marquis Browns of FA. 

For the record I think they will tag Tee. I’m just not sure they should.

[007BengalsFan]

(01-16-2024, 01:02 AM)jj22 Wrote: I’m of the belief if they are supposedly willing to spend 20+ on Tee then money isn’t the issue. Maybe they just need a WR who has an Agent they can work with. 

If they are willing to pay Tee WR1 then they aren’t looking for affordable cost at his spot. If they aren’t, we shouldn’t limit our wishlist for the likes of a Cooks, Curtis Samuel, and Marquis Browns of FA. 

For the record I think they will tag Tee. I’m just not sure they should.

I hope Bengals management are smart enough they dont tag Tee to keep him.  Is it really a good idea to pay Tee 21 million dollars to have him have another season where he has hamstring issues?  But this is the same management that could have traded Tee for some draft picks before the season, now they will get very little from him so nothing they do will surprise me.

[Essex Johnson]

(01-16-2024, 01:23 AM)007BengalsFan Wrote: I hope Bengals management are smart enough they dont tag Tee to keep him.  Is it really a good idea to pay Tee 21 million dollars to have him have another season where he has hamstring issues?  But this is the same management that could have traded Tee for some draft picks before the season, now they will get very little from him so nothing they do will surprise me.

I tend to agree not tags but disagree with your logic that we get nothing in a trade this offseason and totally disagree of trading Tee coming into this year, you had him locked up and fully expected a healthy Burrow,  why trade him coming into season.

[WeezyBengal]

Is Wilkins a culture fit?

I feel like these days we don't even sniff guys unless they are "good" guys or "culture fits".

[casear2727]

(01-16-2024, 10:40 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Is Wilkins a culture fit?

I feel like these days we don't even sniff guys unless they are "good" guys or "culture fits".

Are you referring to his issues with Josh Allen?   All I can find is that he has "an infectiously positive attitude". 

[kalibengal]

(01-15-2024, 11:32 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: He had a career high in sacks this year at 10 but the previous two years he did have 5 sacks each season with PFF grades of 83.3 and 85.1 so he has been pretty good the last 3 years.  I still think I would rather have Madubuike since he is two years younger at 26 vs Wilkins at 28.  I would take either one if we could get them.  We only have one good DT on the roster right now with BJ Hill and he will be going into the last year of his contract in 2024

Also , Wilkins seems to fit the personality mold Bengals want. I will never forget how thrilled and grateful he was when drafted and he picked up and squeezed the crap out of Goodell. Im all for Wilkins and drafting at least one more + adding some speed on edge

[*Synric*]

(01-15-2024, 11:05 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Awuize really got lit up in the 2nd half of the season
Are you sure you want him back ?

.
Chido did have a down year coming off the knee injury. He is also a solid veteran zone corner still under 30. He's a leader in the DB room and brings some consistency to a young secondary. I liked what I seen from DJ Turner but Awuzie's consistency would be welcomed as Dax and Battle work through youth. Price tag should be similar to his contract now so 7.5m ish.

(01-16-2024, 01:23 AM)007BengalsFan Wrote: I hope Bengals management are smart enough they dont tag Tee to keep him.  Is it really a good idea to pay Tee 21 million dollars to have him have another season where he has hamstring issues?  But this is the same management that could have traded Tee for some draft picks before the season, now they will get very little from him so nothing they do will surprise me.

Tagging Tee is a smart easy button for the Bengals to push. The Bengals are a passing team with 1 receiver going into 2024. It's a 1 year contract for a receiver that is a proven multi year 100+ targets 70+ catches 1000+ yards 6+ TDs receiver.

The Bengals are more likely to win a Super Bowl in 2024 with Higgins than without him. This is the Bates/Bell situation all over again. Boyd and Tee leaving would push two young players into starting high volume positions. 

[Whatever]

(01-16-2024, 11:35 AM)Synric Wrote: .
Chido did have a down year coming off the knee injury. He is also a solid veteran zone corner still under 30. He's a leader in the DB room and brings some consistency to a young secondary. I liked what I seen from DJ Turner but Awuzie's consistency would be welcomed as Dax and Battle work through youth. Price tag should be similar to his contract now so 7.5m ish.




Tagging Tee is a smart easy button for the Bengals to push. The Bengals are a passing team with 1 receiver going into 2024. It's a 1 year contract for a receiver that is a proven multi year 100+ targets 70+ catches 1000+ yards 6+ TDs receiver.

The Bengals are more likely to win a Super Bowl in 2024 with Higgins than without him. This is the Bates/Bell situation all over again. Boyd and Tee leaving would push two young players into starting high volume positions. 

I wouldn't be against bringing Chido back, depending on the price tag.  Dude has the worst luck, and injuries at the wrong times have cost him millions.

Tee isn't an easy button to me.  It would make a lot more sense to Tag him if it was last year or the year before, but coming off a season where we missed the playoffs, it's tough to sell him as a SB missing ingredient.  

The question is, what helps your SB chances more:Higgins for one year, a Mike Evans for three years, or say Hollywood Brown+Dalton Schultz on multi-year deals?  The structure on the FT is brutal, and you can spread out that $23 mil on multiple high end players with structure on multi-year deals.

To me, if you think Tee is worth Top 5 money with the FT, then you should just sign him to a multi -yead deal with a $23 mil aav and be done and be able to manipulate the structure.  Obviously, either the team doesn't see him as worth that or he wants more than that.

[*Synric*]

(01-16-2024, 12:16 PM)Whatever Wrote: I wouldn't be against bringing Chido back, depending on the price tag.  Dude has the worst luck, and injuries at the wrong times have cost him millions.

Tee isn't an easy button to me.  It would make a lot more sense to Tag him if it was last year or the year before, but coming off a season where we missed the playoffs, it's tough to sell him as a SB missing ingredient.  

The question is, what helps your SB chances more:Higgins for one year, a Mike Evans for three years, or say Hollywood Brown+Dalton Schultz on multi-year deals?  The structure on the FT is brutal, and you can spread out that $23 mil on multiple high end players with structure on multi-year deals.

To me, if you think Tee is worth Top 5 money with the FT, then you should just sign him to a multi -yead deal with a $23 mil aav and be done and be able to manipulate the structure.  Obviously, either the team doesn't see him as worth that or he wants more than that.

Yes I get the difference a year makes but Tee's history has enough consistency that I could say 2023 is an outlier and worth the gamble of a 1 year Franchise Tag. 

I don't know if Hollywood Brown and Burrow would mesh well. Brown likes deep overs and deep posts all of those deep playaction 40+ air yard routes. Bengals seem like a team that wants to win in the intermediate with timing and anticipation routes. 

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(01-15-2024, 11:53 PM)jj22 Wrote: We need a starting quality CB who wont break the bank. And we know a healthy Awuzie can be at the very least our Eli Apple in the secondary for another year. Especially with Lou returning.

Eli made basically league min. Chido will cost around $10 mil per year. It is not remotely the same thing. 

As for Wilkins, he likely gets tagged. But even if we signed him, he dies not fill a hole, just a BJ Hill upgrade. Still need WR2, NT, RT, WR3, TE, secondary help, and another NT type. 

A pass rushing DT fills a need, but not a hole, if you get my drift (Hill and Carter are both on the roster). If we go this route, Hill likely gets released or we let Reader walk. Or, we need some restructures to give us more space. 

[Whatever]

(01-16-2024, 12:25 PM)Synric Wrote: Yes I get the difference a year makes but Tee's history has enough consistency that I could say 2023 is an outlier and worth the gamble of a 1 year Franchise Tag. 

I don't know if Hollywood Brown and Burrow would mesh well. Brown likes deep overs and deep posts all of those deep playaction 40+ air yard routes. Bengals seem like a team that wants to win in the intermediate with timing and anticipation routes. 

I was honestly referring to the team situation, not Tee's poor production this year.  Tagging Bates coming off a SB loss makes sense, as the club was literally so close to winning it all.  Tagging Higgins after coming of a season where you missed the playoffs makes a lot less sense, as you're hypothetically further away and need to be looking at multi-year additions that can be long term solutions in a partial rebuild, not tying a huge chunk of cap in a one year rental that likely doesn't put you over the top.

Brown was off the top of my head example.  There are plenty of other vet WR's available in FA.  However, the passing attack is likely more out of necessity, not preference.  When you have a lot of slow, unathletic WR's, they can't win on short routes and get YAC, win with any consistency on deep routes, or maintain separation on crossers and other longer developing routes.  That leaves you with relying on intermediate timing routes where you get the ball to them right out of their break.  I know RAS has been discussed in regards to the OL, but it's offense-wide problem.  Boyd only has a RAS of 4.27 and Higgins is even worse at 4.16.  Point being, if we want to open up the playbook and be less predictable on offense, we need better athletes who can do more things.  

[casear2727]

(01-16-2024, 12:50 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Eli made basically league min. Chido will cost around $10 mil per year. It is not remotely the same thing. 

As for Wilkins, he likely gets tagged. But even if we signed him, he dies not fill a hole, just a BJ Hill upgrade. Still need WR2, NT, RT, WR3, TE, secondary help, and another NT type. 

A pass rushing DT fills a need, but not a hole, if you get my drift (Hill and Carter are both on the roster). If we go this route, Hill likely gets released or we let Reader walk. Or, we need some restructures to give us more space. 

I dont see any scenario in which Hill is released.  We had Hill, Larry O and Reader in 2021.  Carter would be released long before BJ in my opinion if any were to be cut.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(01-16-2024, 01:46 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I dont see any scenario in which Hill is released.  We had Hill, Larry O and Reader in 2021.  Carter would be released long before BJ in my opinion if any were to be cut.

But he isn't a NT/run stopper. 

If we pay $15-$20 mil for Wilkins (which I admit is unlikely), you still need someone to fill Reader's spot, & Hill isn't it. $10 mil for a reserve DT is an awful lot. 

I mean, we rotate DT's, but man. I think it is like cutting Mixon if we land Henry. It is an unlikely scenario to begin with, but cap-wise it is almost mandatory. 

The only way I could see it not happening (in a Wilkingls scenario) is if we get some serious cap savings from restructures AND/OR Tee/Reader walk.