Bengals are nowhere close to deals with Trey, Tee or Ja'Marr

[Housh]

(03-05-2025, 06:12 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: If you look at the Bengals 2026 cap number, its actually insane.

Based on projections, they are going to have around 220 million in cap space as it currently stands.

The only guys they are currently paying over 10 million a year are Burrow and Orlando Brown. Logan Wilson is the ONLY other positional player that is on his second contract.

They are literally paying no one and have no one else worth paying on the team other than Chase, Higgins, Hendrickson, and whatever other free agents they want to sign this year.

Lets say you sign Higgins, Chase, and Trey for around 100 million total...you STILL have around 100 million in cap room for 2026 and beyond. WILD.

This FA iteration could be the one that breaks fans.

I don’t think Iv ever truly felt this way before and i was PISSED that we let TJ Houshmandzadeh walk.


But not Jessie Bates, not ANYONE would be as hurtful as letting Chase, Tee and Trey walk and it’s because of what you said. We literally have no one else to pay. I could honestly see the city of Cincinnati trying to push the Browns out of ownership at that point cause i could not justify spending another dollar on this team.

We literally have no one else to pay

[Nepa]

(03-05-2025, 06:12 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: If you look at the Bengals 2026 cap number, its actually insane.

Based on projections, they are going to have around 220 million in cap space as it currently stands.

The only guys they are currently paying over 10 million a year are Burrow and Orlando Brown. Logan Wilson is the ONLY other positional player that is on his second contract.

They are literally paying no one and have no one else worth paying on the team other than Chase, Higgins, Hendrickson, and whatever other free agents they want to sign this year.

Lets say you sign Higgins, Chase, and Trey for around 100 million total...you STILL have around 100 million in cap room for 2026 and beyond. WILD.

And if the Bengals wanted to, they could create a lot more cap space with restructuring Burrow's contract. Cowbows restructured Dak Prescott's and added over 36 million more in cap space:

"The Cowboys have restructured Prescott's contract and created $36.6 million in cap space, a source told ESPN on Wednesday. The Cowboys converted $45.75 million of Prescott's base salary to a signing bonus, reducing his cap figure from $89.89 million to $53.29 million. In the past two days, the Cowboys have created $56.6 million in cap room by restructuring the contracts of Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb."


 https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44123452/source-dak-deal-restructured-cowboys-not-promising-fa-moves

[Stewy]

(03-05-2025, 08:29 PM)Nepa Wrote: And if the Bengals wanted to, they could create a lot more cap space with restructuring Burrow's contract. Cowbows restructured Dak Prescotts and added over 36 million more in cap space:

"The Cowboys have restructured Prescott's contract and created $36.6 million in cap space, a source told ESPN on Wednesday. The Cowboys converted $45.75 million of Prescott's base salary to a signing bonus, reducing his cap figure from $89.89 million to $53.29 million. In the past two days, the Cowboys have created $56.6 million in cap room by restructuring the contracts of Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb."


 https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44123452/source-dak-deal-restructured-cowboys-not-promising-fa-moves

No they can't.  They don't operate this way because it requires.....and let's say this loudly because people seem to ignore or forget it.....CASH ON HAND.  The Bengal's do not have 60 million in cash laying around because it's a family business, whereas Jerry Jones is interpedently wealthy.

[Nepa]

(03-05-2025, 08:31 PM)Stewy Wrote: No they can't.  They don't operate this way because it requires.....and let's say this loudly because people seem to ignore or forget it.....CASH ON HAND.  The Bengal's do not have 60 million in cash laying around because it's a family business, whereas Jerry Jones is interpedently wealthy.

I saw Jerry Jones doing a cameo as himself on a recent episode of the new show Landman and he talked about being able to purchase his passion, the Dallas Cowboys. Yeah, it's a plaything for him, while the Bengals are a family business. But Burrow said he was willing to restructure to help build the team and if there is the will, the Bengals should be able to find a way to convert base salary to a signing bonus. That money has to be paid eventually anyway. 

[Clark W Griswold]

I just read that it’s reported the Bengals are around $36-$37 million/year average for Chase. I know that guaranteed $ etc play a big role in negotiations but I can’t see Chase taking that average salary. I would think they are trying to get to $40 million per but might come in a lower.

I am beginning to wonder if this front office will get any of the 3 signed this off season. I know it’s early but even if they do get deals done it would be stupid to drag their feet and wait until it’s well into FA/draft time. They need to give Chase the big $ and see what they can do with Tee and Trey. If they have to trade one or both of them they need to make that decision and start fielding offers.

My optimism for this off season dims each day as I see and remember how this FO works. Hope they surprise me and get some things done here before FA starts so they know what they have and what they need.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

If they cannot get this done, I am out as a Bengal fan.

50 years is enough.

[THE PISTONS]

A bunch of doom and gloom.

Wait until around the draft. If there are no extensions then...that's when to complain.

[QueenCity]

The joys of the offseason... nothing ever happens as fast as we'd like it to.

[Nicomo Cosca]

When people call us a poverty franchise it cuts deep because it’s true.

[SunsetBengal]

(03-05-2025, 10:06 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: I just read that it’s reported the Bengals are around $36-$37 million/year average for Chase. I know that guaranteed $ etc play a big role in negotiations but I can’t see Chase taking that average salary. I would think they are trying to get to $40 million per but might come in a lower.

I am beginning to wonder if this front office will get any of the 3 signed this off season.  I know it’s early but even if they do get deals done it would be stupid to drag their feet and wait until it’s well into FA/draft time.  They need to give Chase the big $ and see what they can do with Tee and Trey. If they have to trade one or both of them they need to make that decision and start fielding offers.

My optimism for this off season dims each day as I see and remember how this FO works.  Hope they surprise me and get some things done here before FA starts so they know what they have and what they need.

They just need to get it done with JaMarr Chase, and then make an offer to each of the other two. Get one done, then focus on lesser stars.

[Ell Prez]

(03-05-2025, 08:31 PM)Stewy Wrote: No they can't.  They don't operate this way because it requires.....and let's say this loudly because people seem to ignore or forget it.....CASH ON HAND.  The Bengal's do not have 60 million in cash laying around because it's a family business, whereas Jerry Jones is interpedently wealthy.

How do you know the bengals don’t have 60M in cash? How could you possibly know that. Someone who is worth multiple Billions, you certainly have $60M in liquidable assets or cash. Also they don’t need cash. They could take a loan for this $60M very easily. They probably wouldn’t do this, but I don’t believe the myth the bengals can’t afford the escrow payments. I believe they watch their money very carefully. But the Browns certainly don’t have a shortage of cash to operate an NFL franchise. They’ve only been doing it for about 50 years

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

Hubbard retired, Rankins and Cappa have been cut. Joe is willing to restructure.

We have lots of space.

[samhain]

(03-05-2025, 10:48 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: If they cannot get this done, I am out as a Bengal fan.

50 years is enough.

Yep.  It's tough to overstate the importance of this offseason.  I wouldn't say that things have turned sour for the Burrow era.  I would say that a whole lot of negative juju can be created or avoided in the the next few months.  

If they screw this up, there's no hope for them.

[Clark W Griswold]

(03-05-2025, 10:59 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: They just need to get it done with JaMarr Chase, and then make an offer to each of the other two. Get one done, then focus on lesser stars.

I agree - regardless of what happens with Tee and Trey you have to get Chase signed. Don’t want to see him walking around being an assistant coach during TC again. That will definitely lead to another slow start.

[NUGDUKWE]

(03-05-2025, 10:55 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: When people call us a poverty franchise it cuts deep because it’s true.

Yes hopefully it was just agent talk. But we need to be active in free agency so if we are in fact not close that is very depressing as I see them using that as a hold up not to get into free agency. We need to get atleast some of the deals done before Monday. 

[*bfine32*]

(03-05-2025, 10:48 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: If they cannot get this done, I am out as a Bengal fan.

50 years is enough.

[SouthernFan]

(03-05-2025, 03:52 PM)QueenCity Wrote: I don't believe any of this... Bengals keep communication behind doors locked and sealed.

They have a plan.

I agree that the FO keeps negotiations private. I’m tired of hearing from so-called insiders who routinely diss the Bengals claiming to know from unnamed sources what any given player wants or is willing to accept and/or what the Bengals are or are not offering.

Just going to ignore the noise and watch as it all plays out. At the end of the day, the Bengals are the team I root for, good times or bad.

   

[sandwedge]

(03-05-2025, 03:15 PM)Trademark Wrote: Ari Merov says the Bengals are not close to deals with all 3....Guess this front office hasn't changed...

https://x.com/joegoodberry/status/1897342177887576418?s=46&t=pkni6GRbeTj3sw_si0D37w

Fake news, Goodberry doesn't know his own ass from a hole in the ground.. 

[sandwedge]

(03-06-2025, 12:18 AM)SouthernFan Wrote: I agree that the FO keeps negotiations private. I’m tired of hearing from so-called insiders who routinely diss the Bengals claiming to know from unnamed sources what any given player wants or is willing to accept and/or what the Bengals are or are not offering.

Just going to ignore the noise and watch as it all plays out. At the end of the day, the Bengals are the team I root for, good times or bad.

   

This!

[sandwedge]

(03-05-2025, 10:06 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: I just read that it’s reported the Bengals are around $36-$37 million/year average for Chase. I know that guaranteed $ etc play a big role in negotiations but I can’t see Chase taking that average salary. I would think they are trying to get to $40 million per but might come in a lower.

I am beginning to wonder if this front office will get any of the 3 signed this off season.  I know it’s early but even if they do get deals done it would be stupid to drag their feet and wait until it’s well into FA/draft time.  They need to give Chase the big $ and see what they can do with Tee and Trey. If they have to trade one or both of them they need to make that decision and start fielding offers.

My optimism for this off season dims each day as I see and remember how this FO works.  Hope they surprise me and get some things done here before FA starts so they know what they have and what they need.

I think they will meet in the middle, let's say 38.5 million/year.