Look Ahead- 2025 Offseason

[Bengalbug]

There is still a small hope to this season. That said, there is going to be a lot of change in the offseason. One move I feel the bengals have to make is bringing in a veteran leader, or two, on the defense. While LB is not our biggest need, I believe getting the right guy can change a defense quick.

My target FA is Bobby Wagner. Yea, he is 34. Yes, he isn’t a long term solution, but he is still playing at a high level.

Pff grade 83.3 - 7/171
Snaps 800 - 11/171
Tackles 74 - 15/171

Washington 2023 defense. 518 points against, last (30.5ppg). 2nd worst was 455. Yards given up, 6,612, last (388 YPg). 2nd worst was the bengals at 6,368.

Washington 2024 defense 296 points against , 17th in nfl (22.7 ppg). 4,260 yards against, 12th in nfl (327 YPg).

There will be no quick fix, but his salary will be around what Pratt makes (this year was $5m for Wagner). Getting a hall of fame player, still playing at an elite level, who would be the obvious leader of the defense would be a good start. A guy the young guys could look to. Someone like this has way more impact than the standalone improvement at a position.

A singular move like this would drastically shorten the turnaround time.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

We have so many holes to fill next year. IOL, DE, DT, and S are the big ones.

WR if Tee goes and WR3 if he stays. TE is still a potential issue with All's injury and Gesicki a FA.

We have numbers at CB (CTB, Hill, Turner, Newton, Ivey, Williams) but no true #1 and Hilton is a FA.

I love Wagner as a player, but at 34 and the fact that we have two decent level starters at LB already puts LB as a tertiary need for us in my book. Behind DE, DT, IOL, S, WR, TE, and CB. Still, ADG is a FA. And we could use an upgrade from OK to actually good. It might depend on the price.

I think a pricier FA (Wagner makes $6 mil) will go to another position where the need is more dire.

[Hammerstripes]

I don't think Wagner would be much of an upgrade for the defense. We need to get more pressure on the QB. It's that simple.

[Bengalbug]

(12-11-2024, 12:36 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: We have so many holes to fill next year. IOL, DE, DT, and S are the big ones.

WR if Tee goes and WR3 if he stays. TE is still a potential issue with All's injury and Gesicki a FA.

We have numbers at CB (CTB, Hill, Turner, Newton, Ivey, Williams) but no true #1 and Hilton is a FA.

I love Wagner as a player, but at 34 and the fact that we have two decent level starters at LB already puts LB as a tertiary need for us in my book. Behind DE, DT, IOL, S, WR, TE, and CB. Still, ADG is a FA. And we could use an upgrade from OK to actually good. It might depend on the price.

I think a pricier FA (Wagner makes $6 mil) will go to another position where the need is more dire.

The difference between a guy like Wagner and Pratt/Wilson is the leadership and ancillary benefits. He single handily turns bad defense into mediocre. And mediocre to good. His presence would have the biggest bang for buck for the defense, outside of maybe a DC

[ERIC1]

(12-11-2024, 10:40 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: There is still a small hope to this season.  That said, there is going to be a lot of change in the offseason. One move I feel the bengals have to make is bringing in a veteran leader, or two, on the defense.  While LB is not our biggest need, I believe getting the right guy can change a defense quick.  

My target FA is Bobby Wagner.  Yea, he is 34.  Yes, he isn’t a long term solution, but he is still playing at a high level.

Pff grade 83.3 - 7/171
Snaps 800 - 11/171
Tackles 74 - 15/171

Washington 2023 defense. 518 points against, last (30.5ppg).  2nd worst was 455.  Yards given up, 6,612, last (388 YPg). 2nd worst was the bengals at 6,368.

Washington 2024 defense 296 points against , 17th in nfl (22.7 ppg).  4,260 yards against, 12th in nfl (327 YPg).

There will be no quick fix, but his salary will be around what Pratt makes (this year was $5m for Wagner).  Getting a hall of fame player, still playing at an elite level, who would be the obvious leader of the defense would be a good start.  A guy the young guys could look to. Someone like this has way more impact than the standalone improvement at a position.  

A singular move like this would drastically shorten the turnaround time.

Bengals need..two defensive linemen..in the middle... two interior offensive linemen...a good linebacker...reliable number 2 and three recievers..new defensive coordinator and offensive line coach..etc.. a singular signing of someone like Wagner would not shorten turnaround time

[ERIC1]

(12-11-2024, 01:23 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: The difference between a guy like Wagner and Pratt/Wilson is the leadership and ancillary benefits.  He single handily turns bad defense into mediocre.  And mediocre to good.  His presence would have the biggest bang for buck for the defense, outside of maybe a DC

until the Bengals get a couple of good interior offensive linemen and do something about the secondary..nobody is going to singlehandedly turn around this defense

[ERIC1]

(12-11-2024, 12:36 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: We have so many holes to fill next year. IOL, DE, DT, and S are the big ones.

WR if Tee goes and WR3 if he stays. TE is still a potential issue with All's injury and Gesicki a FA.

We have numbers at CB (CTB, Hill, Turner, Newton, Ivey, Williams) but no true #1 and Hilton is a FA.

I love Wagner as a player, but at 34 and the fact that we have two decent level starters at LB already puts LB as a tertiary need for us in my book. Behind DE, DT, IOL, S, WR, TE, and CB. Still, ADG is a FA. And we could use an upgrade from OK to actually good. It might depend on the price.

I think a pricier FA (Wagner makes $6 mil) will go to another position where the need is more dire.

tee Higgins has a chronic hamstring problem that is not going away and it would be  criminal malfeasance to spend 20 million plus bucks on the guy...but I agree with the rest of your proposed needs take that money and get a couple of decent free agents for both the interior defensive and offensive line ..in addition to drafting two such players..and we need two new coaching voices ..we need anew defensive coordinator and offensive line coach..etc etc etc