***NFL Free Agency News & Signings Thread***

[Waite Hoyt]

With the way the AFC north teams have upgraded their running games it maybe necessary to resign Reader and add to the interior line.

[kalibengal]

(03-14-2024, 11:28 AM)Waite Hoyt Wrote: With the way the AFC north teams have upgraded their running games it maybe necessary to resign Reader and add to the interior line.

Agreed...how long will it take for Bengals to start bringing in AFCN type players?.
We need serious beef on both sides  and facing now Henry, Chubb, Harris  2X per yr ..all 230LB + backs
Moss @205Lbs. at least Mixon was a good size back at 220lbs more built for AFC N
I was really hoping for AJ Dillon, 250lbs battering ram  

[Soonerpeace]

(03-14-2024, 11:28 AM)Waite Hoyt Wrote: With the way the AFC north teams have upgraded their running games it maybe necessary to resign Reader and add to the interior line.

I’m not so sure Lou ( I know it’s blasphemy ) may not be responsible partly scheme wise on the defense issues. He may have put too much pressure on the safeties not recognizing he didn’t have the same situation he’s had with vets Bates & Bell. The front 7 was unchanged.

[Soonerpeace]

(03-14-2024, 11:34 AM)kalibengal Wrote: Agreed...how long will it take for Bengals to start bringing in AFCN type players?.
We need serious beef on both sides  and facing now Henry, Chubb, Harris  2X per yr ..all 230LB + backs
Moss @205Lbs. at least Mixon was a good size back at 220lbs more built for AFC N
I was really hoping for AJ Dillon, 250lbs battering ram  

In 2022 with the same front 7 we were 4th in rushing yards allowed per attempt. In 2023 we were 30th. Same front 7. Sounds like it was more on Lou and the scheme to me.

[SunsetBengal]

(03-14-2024, 11:37 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: I’m not so sure Lou ( I know it’s blasphemy ) may not be responsible partly scheme wise on the defense issues. He may have put too much pressure on the safeties not recognizing he didn’t have the same situation he’s had with vets Bates & Bell. The front 7 was unchanged.

I'm pretty sure that Coach Lou told the world how bad it would be without Bates and Bell, the Front Office basically said he'd have to make due with Hill, and oh btw, he's a 3rd round pick, make it work...

[Soonerpeace]

(03-14-2024, 11:43 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'm pretty sure that Coach Lou told the world how bad it would be without Bates and Bell, the Front Office basically said he'd have to make due with Hill, and oh btw, he's a 3rd round pick, make it work...

Giving him a pass I’m not a buyer. Again I said partly. Going from #4 in rushing yards allowed per rush in ‘22 to #30 in ‘23 with the same front 7? Sorry not a buyer.

[jj22]

(03-14-2024, 11:43 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'm pretty sure that Coach Lou told the world how bad it would be without Bates and Bell, the Front Office basically said he'd have to make due with Hill, and oh btw, he's a 3rd round pick, make it work...

Just like he's been telling the world how important Reader is...... 

[SunsetBengal]

(03-14-2024, 12:33 PM)jj22 Wrote: Just like he's been telling the world how important Reader is...... 

The silence from the team management with regards to DJ Reader is rather puzzling.

[phil413]

Getting Rankins was the right move, Bell was tremendous value, yesterday was a good day.

Today feels bad already as we could be losing Reader and possibly overpaying Becton IMO. We aren't there yet though, and we don't know DJ's condition. A surprise signing would be nice.

[SunsetBengal]

(03-14-2024, 12:38 PM)phil413 Wrote: Getting Rankins was the right move, Bell was tremendous value, yesterday was a good day.  

Today feels bad already as we could be losing Reader and possibly overpaying Becton IMO.  We aren't there yet though, and we don't know DJ's condition.  A surprise signing would be nice.

Hopefully the Becton visit is just a smokescreen while they hammer out a deal for DJ Reader.

[Sled21]

(03-14-2024, 12:38 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The silence from the team management with regards to DJ Reader is rather puzzling.

They've probably already made him an offer and he is out seeing if someone will beat it. If he gets a better offer, hopefully he comes back and lets the Bengals match it.

[jj22]

On our @BleavNetwork in #Chiefs pod, we analyzed free agency, and @joevalerio73 is impressed by the moves of the rival #Bengals:

Full episode here: https://t.co/6r7pFMauJq pic.twitter.com/68NVNfZ5tw

— Jeff Fedotin (@JFedotin) March 14, 2024

[SunsetBengal]

(03-14-2024, 12:49 PM)Sled21 Wrote: They've probably already made him an offer and he is out seeing if someone will beat it. If he gets a better offer, hopefully he comes back and lets the Bengals match it.

That's fair, as it will likely be his final NFL contract.

[Essex Johnson]

(03-14-2024, 12:38 PM)phil413 Wrote: Getting Rankins was the right move, Bell was tremendous value, yesterday was a good day.

Today feels bad already as we could be losing Reader and possibly overpaying Becton IMO. We aren't there yet though, and we don't know DJ's condition. A surprise signing would be nice.

I rather lose Reader than overpay him especially with his injuries 3 of past 4 seasons.. as for Becton , if it is deal like the last three TE deals we have had, so use you can play better and we will pay you more later.. im ok with it

[007BengalsFan]

(03-14-2024, 12:55 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: I rather lose Reader than overpay him especially with his injuries 3 of past 4 seasons.. as for Becton , if it is deal like the last three TE deals we have had, so use you can play better and we will pay you more later.. im ok with it

Reader graded out pretty high this past year and the defense still struggled stopping the run.  All the Bengals have done so far is swapped Rankins for Reader.  Do you think that makes the run defense any better?  At this point, the Bengals are worse now than they were last year on the defensive line.

[Joelist]

(03-14-2024, 01:13 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: Reader graded out pretty high this past year and the defense still struggled stopping the run.  All the Bengals have done so far is swapped Rankins for Reader.  Do you think that makes the run defense any better?  At this point, the Bengals are worse now than they were last year on the defensive line.

Rankins is not a swap for Reader - a 3T is a different position than a NT. Rankins is to give us back the inside pass rush / penetration we have desperately lacked since losing Larry Ogunjobi. They will add at least one NT before they are done. Also our run defense issues were not about getting blown off the line they were about mental errors and alignment problems - both Stone and Bell speak directly to fixing the communication issues. Our defense last year got killed by explosive plays all stemming from mental mistakes. That is being addressed. 

[Stewy]

To everyone raging, "Reader...Reader...Reader...Reader...Reader...Reader...", the reality is he wouldn't even be available till part way through the season, and his current injury is very difficult for big men to come back from quickly. Who's to say Reader was the #1 priority in the FO's plans at all? Maybe it was some other DT, that signed elsewhere. There is a lot of rage and MUST DO's, and MISSES OUT's and certainty from a bunch of fans that don't know squat of the FO's plans and contingencies.

Finally, as others have pointed out, Reader was healthy most of the year and our run DEF still sucked WITH him in there, pointing to what???? A different problem than DLINE....I wonder that that might have been!!??!

Really all you arm chair GM jokers are clueless, and really just generate a lot of hilarity for the rest of us.

[Stewy]

(03-14-2024, 01:26 PM)Joelist Wrote: Rankins is not a swap for Reader - a 3T is a different position than a NT. Rankins is to give us back the inside pass rush / penetration we have desperately lacked since losing Larry Ogunjobi. They will add at least one NT before they are done. Also our run defense issues were not about getting blown off the line they were about mental errors and alignment problems - both Stone and Bell speak directly to fixing the communication issues. Our defense last year got killed by explosive plays all stemming from mental mistakes. That is being addressed. 

Well said, and I'd add by summarizing the problems last years run def. as communication, execution and faulty fundamentals (tackling).

[Ell Prez]

(03-14-2024, 12:39 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Hopefully the Becton visit is just a smokescreen while they hammer out a deal for DJ Reader.

lol what? This doesn’t even make sense. A smokescreen? They’re bringing him on a visit because there is some level of interest. It has nothing to do with reader.

[007BengalsFan]

(03-14-2024, 01:26 PM)Joelist Wrote: Rankins is not a swap for Reader - a 3T is a different position than a NT. Rankins is to give us back the inside pass rush / penetration we have desperately lacked since losing Larry Ogunjobi. They will add at least one NT before they are done. Also our run defense issues were not about getting blown off the line they were about mental errors and alignment problems - both Stone and Bell speak directly to fixing the communication issues. Our defense last year got killed by explosive plays all stemming from mental mistakes. That is being addressed. 

I know Rankins doesnt play Readers position.  I have said this a couple of times myself.  However, if the season started today, Reader is not on the team so Hill and Rankins would be your starting DT's regardless if Rankins is a NT or not.   The Bengals still need to add some quality talent on the defensive line because right now it is worse than last year.