Happy Tampering Day

[*pally*]

Also known as the start of free agency week

For Bengals fans it is a day/week of high anxiety so make sure you are ready. The must haves include

1) bottle of antacids
2) bottle of Tylenol
3) adult beverage of your choice
4) Xanax
5) and of course, that smidgen of hope that will quickly be doused when the FO does something stupid (er) than they already have

[TecmoBengals]

I'm ready to overreact when we don't get all the top free agents in the first 5 minutes.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

The Bengals had 4 big jobs to do before tampering opened to maximize bith their cap space and ability to draw free agents.

1) Sign Chase extension
2) Extend Trey
3) Sign Tee long term
4) Burrow restructure

They are 0 for 4 with less than 4 hours to go.

We have signed some vet min and RFA/ERFA types: Rehkow, Adomitis, Ford, Hudson, Grandy, Kirkland, J. Davis.

And locking up Gesicki was a good move.

But we could/shoukd have $30 mil more to play with than we do due to FO incompetence/MB cheapness.

[HarleyDog]

(03-10-2025, 09:25 AM)pally Wrote: Also known as the start of free agency week

For Bengals fans it is a day/week of high anxiety so make sure you are ready.  The must haves include

1) bottle of antacids
2) bottle of Tylenol
3) adult beverage of your choice
4) Xanax
5) and of course, that smidgen of hope that will quickly be doused when the FO does something stupid (er) than they already have

All this, + a triple dose of Zoloft at the end of the week when we realize, yet again, our FO's ineptness to improve this team.

[Soonerpeace]

(03-10-2025, 09:32 AM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: The Bengals had 4 big jobs to do before tampering opened to maximize bith their cap space and ability to draw free agents.

1) Sign Chase extension
2) Extend Trey
3) Sign Tee long term
4) Burrow restructure

They are 0 for 4 with less than 4 hours to go.

We have signed some vet min and RFA/ERFA types: Rehkow, Adomitis, Ford, Hudson, Grandy, Kirkland, J. Davis.

And locking up Gesicki was a good move.

But we could/shoukd have $30 mil more to play with than we do due to FO incompetence/MB cheapness.

Clearly ownership is too skittish to operate effectively in the NFL.. Mistake after mistake. No way you can blame Duke Tobin. They operate like a company from the late 1930’s coming out of the depression. What’s frustrating is not only are they frugal they are stupid. 

[Clark W Griswold]

Yeah my optimism is low but hopefully they will surprise me
Just don’t know how they are going to operate in FA with the 3 guys still in contract limbo - yes they are all under contract but at too high of a number and angering the players (I would think)
They could gain needed cap room by extending these guys and the prices keep going up. Maybe they are too poor to run a successful NFL franchise.

[CJD]

At this point, I think I'm 100% numb to this team.

They had 3 objectives prior to beginning free agency.

And they failed in all 3 of those objectives.

Expecting even a single positive thing from them is unrealistic at this point.

[WeezyBengal]

Butt is fully clenched.

[TecmoBengals]

(03-10-2025, 09:33 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: All this, + a triple dose of Zoloft at the end of the week when we realize, yet again, our FO's ineptness to improve this team.

Drinking as a substitute for the Zoloft is also acceptable.

[TecmoBengals]

(03-10-2025, 10:23 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Butt is fully clenched.

[*ochocincos*]

DL and OG have to be the focus this week.
If we start seeing all the solid-or-better starting caliber guys at these positions going elsewhere, I'll start to get concerned.
Right now, we're looking at arguably 3 starting DL spots and 1 starting OG spot needing filled.
I would hope at least two of these are taken care of in FA, if not 3-4.

DL will depend on their confidence in the likes of Jenkins, Jackson, and Murphy.

[jj22]

You guys know how this goes. When you see the contracts and these outrageous amounts, the FO will look somewhat wiser.

Remember the goal is to win the SB not the Offseason. This FA class isn't even all that good so don't overreact. The true focus still has to be on the big 3 if not extending them moving them (Tee, Trey).

[ERIC1]

(03-10-2025, 09:39 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Clearly ownership is too skittish to operate effectively in the NFL.. Mistake after mistake. No way you can blame Duke Tobin. They operate like a company from the late 1930’s coming out of the depression. What’s frustrating is not only are they frugal they are stupid. 

clearly you are incorrect..take away some key injuries this is a high level playoff team...you, I and others have absolutely no idea what has been discussed between players and management..nor do sportswriters that "assume" and pretend..

[*rfaulk34*]

I can say i have literally zero excitement, hope or expectations for FA today. I'm more looking forward to Thursday night when the SEC Tournament starts. Anything that happens today will just be a plus, but i'll probably pay very little attention to any moves that are made today.

[StoneTheCrow]

The vibes are horrendous. Something’s gotta give.

[ERIC1]

(03-10-2025, 10:00 AM)CJD Wrote: At this point, I think I'm 100% numb to this team.

They had 3 objectives prior to beginning free agency.

And they failed in all 3 of those objectives.

Expecting even a single positive thing from them is unrealistic at this point.

because your objectives  were  not satisfied does not mean the team is going down the wrong road..Mike Gesicki really is not a tight end but more of a large receiver and the bengals needed one and signed him to a 3 year deal..pretty cool..the rest will work ouyt ..maybe not to your satisfaction ..or mine..but this team has made the necessary coaching changes and I am confident they know what needs to be done..have a great day

[*ochocincos*]

(03-10-2025, 10:56 AM)rfaulk34 Wrote: I can say i have literally zero excitement, hope or expectations for FA today. I'm more looking forward to Thursday night when the SEC Tournament starts. Anything that happens today will just be a plus, but i'll probably pay very little attention to any moves that are made today.

Is March Madness starting later now?

I remember being right in the thick of the tourney around St. Patrick's Day.
I assumed the conference tourneys were happening this past weekend, not this upcoming one.

[*ochocincos*]

(03-10-2025, 11:00 AM)ERIC1 Wrote: because your objectives  were  not satisfied does not mean the team is going down the wrong road..Mike Gesicki really is not a tight end but more of a large receiver and the bengals needed one and signed him to a 3 year deal..pretty cool..the rest will work ouyt ..maybe not to your satisfaction ..or mine..but this team has made the necessary coaching changes and I am confident they know what needs to be done..have a great day

That doesn't invalidate CJD being numb.

We all have our opinions of what the team should do and how it should be ran.

It's ok for people to get frustrated or apathetic if the team doesn't do something to their liking.

It'd be one thing if the team was turning around and still making the playoffs and getting at least one playoff win each of the past two seasons, but up to this point, we've seen a decline since 2022.

Without seeing these coaches and new players in action yet, it's hard to say with confidence they will be better than the previous 2 years.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(03-10-2025, 10:56 AM)rfaulk34 Wrote: I can say i have literally zero excitement, hope or expectations for FA today. I'm more looking forward to Thursday night when the SEC Tournament starts. Anything that happens today will just be a plus, but i'll probably pay very little attention to any moves that are made today.

Beware the Red Storm of St John's come tourney time. The Rick is back!

[Luvnit2]

(03-10-2025, 10:48 AM)jj22 Wrote: You guys know how this goes. When you see the contracts and these outrageous amounts, the FO will look somewhat wiser.

Remember the goal is to win the SB not the Offseason. This FA class isn't even all that good so don't overreact. The true focus still has to be on the big 3 if not extending them moving them (Tee, Trey).

Finally, an adult entered the conversation.

In the end no team's fans get their wishes in FA or the draft. 

Wr have 3 great players locked up for 2025 in Tee, Trey and Jamar. We also are not in a money crunch to be active in FA.

Bengals will do things on their timeline and not ours.