What if we are trying hard in FA but no one wants to come?

[Housh]

Takes 2 to tango. What if free agents just don’t wanna come to Cincy and we’ve actually made a ton of calls around the league


None of our best players besides Burrow are signed long term so you sign today and you have a 65 overall roster in the next season.



This is part of not resigning your own guys.

[Mickeypoo]

That's very possible. If big name players will only come here as a last resort, that is a huge problem. Once again, a FO created problem if true.

[Southpaw Frerotte]

Last time I checked, the money is just as green in Cincinnati as it is anywhere else in the US. If players are choosing not to come to the Bengals, it's because Troy Cockburn is lowballing them with an insulting offer.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Is the premise of this thread really "what if the FO is actually doing a great job but people just don't want to play for the Bengals" while there's plenty of folks signing with the Titans/Jags/Jets/Giants/Panthers/Browns?

[WeezyBengal]

(03-13-2025, 10:17 AM)Southpaw Frerotte Wrote: Last time I checked, the money is just as green in Cincinnati as it is anywhere else in the US.  If players are choosing not to come to the Bengals, it's because Troy Cockburn is lowballing them with an insulting offer.

This. 

[Luvnit2]

(03-13-2025, 10:05 AM)Housh Wrote: Takes 2 to tango. What if free agents just don’t wanna come to Cincy and we’ve actually made a ton of calls around the league


None of our best players besides Burrow are signed long term so you sign today and you have a 65 overall roster in the next season.



This is part of not resigning your own guys.

If true, we have a huge problem. I don't buy this excuse.

If you look, Bengals have signed almost every team FA. They gave Trey a 2nd contract, Hill a 2nd contract and many others. 

i have no idea what the issue is for our FO. I try to be optimistic, but very concerned we have yet to lock down at least 1 vet guard from outside the organization.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

Nah, the FO is just assberries....to borrow a quote.

[ERIC1]

(03-13-2025, 10:05 AM)Housh Wrote: Takes 2 to tango. What if free agents just don’t wanna come to Cincy and we’ve actually made a ton of calls around the league


None of our best players besides Burrow are signed long term so you sign today and you have a 65 overall roster in the next season.



This is part of not resigning your own guys.

nice work of fiction..99% of the players in the league would love to play on the same team as Joe Burrow...and please quit with the sky is falling..this team ..and roster if I am correct won the last five six games of the season and was playing remarkably well

[ERIC1]

(03-13-2025, 10:21 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: This. 

Could be a host of reasons that players choose one team over another..but I appreciate your insights

[SunsetBengal]

(03-13-2025, 10:21 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Is the premise of this thread really "what if the FO is actually doing a great job but people just don't want to play for the Bengals" while there's plenty of folks signing with the Titans/Jags/Jets/Giants/Panthers/Browns?

I would guess that there are likely some agents that avoid doing business with the Bengals, and thus steer their clients toward other teams.

[THE PISTONS]

Players care about total money/signing bonus.

I doubt we're offering huge contracts and they don't want to come.

[R3stangs]

Frankly I think without knowing what they will have to spend on the big 3 right now (Trey, Tee, Ja[marr) they literally don't know how much they have to spend on other FA's so its a slow burn. Until you answer the questions around those 3 I wonder if we'll ever see much significant movement.

And the only reason players typically give for choosing teams over the Bengals (other than straight up money) is desire to win and with Burrow this team has a chance every year basically so I don't believe players are avoiding us.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(03-13-2025, 10:50 AM)ERIC1 Wrote: nice work of fiction..99% of the players in the league would love to play on the same team as Joe Burrow...and please quit with the sky is falling..this team ..and roster if I am correct won the last five six games of the season and was playing remarkably well

Against Cooper Rush, Mason Rudolph, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a rookie Bo Nix, and a washed Russell Wilson.

[THE PISTONS]

(03-13-2025, 11:18 AM)R3stangs Wrote: Frankly I think without knowing what they will have to spend on the big 3 right now (Trey, Tee, Ja[marr) they literally don't know how much they have to spend on other FA's so its a slow burn. Until you answer the questions around those 3 I wonder if we'll ever see much significant movement.

They know what they have to spend on the big 3. Tobin said he'd make Chase the highest paid non-QB in the NFL. Garrett signed for $40 million a year.

Tee wants around $30 million a year. Trey wants around $35 million a year.

The issue likely is the signing bonuses that come with these as that's cash payouts.

[THE PISTONS]

(03-13-2025, 11:18 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote:

Against Cooper Rush, Mason Rudolph, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a rookie Bo Nix, and a washed Russell Wilson.

Ahh...remember the 90s? We'd start the year really bad. Like lose 9 games. Then, we'd finish 3-3 or something and that would justify to the front office that the team was coming into it's own?

Same with the modern Bengals. We go 0-4 or 1-3 in September, then finish like 8-5 or 9-4 to just miss the playoffs. And next year will be different! Then 0-4 start.

[*ochocincos*]

(03-13-2025, 10:05 AM)Housh Wrote: Takes 2 to tango. What if free agents just don’t wanna come to Cincy and we’ve actually made a ton of calls around the league


None of our best players besides Burrow are signed long term so you sign today and you have a 65 overall roster in the next season.



This is part of not resigning your own guys.

I think of instances where we saw guys choose to leave for other teams even though the Bengals' offer was considered "the same" or "comparable."
Two instances that pop into my head - CJ Uzomah, Marvin Jones

It's pretty clear that guys want one, if not both, things:
- Guaranteed money is more important than the overall top contract amount given there's no guarantee the player will be kept through the entirety of contract
- Snaps in the offense/defense

If a guy is given a comparable contract but they have less optimism in opportunity and/or success of the team, it would make sense to choose elsewhere.
It may make sense to take, for example, 3 years $30 mill with $20 mill guaranteed from another team whereas Bengals may offer 3 years, $36 mill with just $15 mill guaranteed.

[SunsetBengal]

(03-13-2025, 11:31 AM)ochocincos Wrote: I think of instances where we saw guys choose to leave for other teams even though the Bengals' offer was considered "the same" or "comparable."
Two instances that pop into my head - CJ Uzomah, Marvin Jones

It's pretty clear that guys want one, if not both, things:
- Guaranteed money is more important than the overall top contract amount given there's no guarantee the player will be kept through the entirety of contract
- Snaps in the offense/defense

If a guy is given a comparable contract but they have less optimism in opportunity and/or success of the team, it would make sense to choose elsewhere.
It may make sense to take, for example, 3 years $30 mill with $20 mill guaranteed from another team whereas Bengals may offer 3 years, $36 mill with just $15 mill guaranteed.

Clear some space in your inbox...

[Essex Johnson]

Free agency is open game, if you look at where players go, it is all over the place especially players under 30 , they are looking for the bigger pay day, as you get into their 30s, maybe organization and the team being a favorite for playoffs might start to factor more... great example is Wharton goes to terrible Carolina from KC... age 26 big contract... then you have , Bosa been hurt of late, closing in on 30, signs one year with Bills

[*Nately120*]

(03-13-2025, 10:50 AM)ERIC1 Wrote: nice work of fiction..99% of the players in the league would love to play on the same team as Joe Burrow...and please quit with the sky is falling..this team ..and roster if I am correct won the last five six games of the season and was playing remarkably well

Missing the playoffs by a pubic hair when burrow plays all 17 games just haint enough.  

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(03-13-2025, 11:31 AM)ochocincos Wrote: I think of instances where we saw guys choose to leave for other teams even though the Bengals' offer was considered "the same" or "comparable."
Two instances that pop into my head - CJ Uzomah, Marvin Jones

It's pretty clear that guys want one, if not both, things:
- Guaranteed money is more important than the overall top contract amount given there's no guarantee the player will be kept through the entirety of contract
- Snaps in the offense/defense

If a guy is given a comparable contract but they have less optimism in opportunity and/or success of the team, it would make sense to choose elsewhere.
It may make sense to take, for example, 3 years $30 mill with $20 mill guaranteed from another team whereas Bengals may offer 3 years, $36 mill with just $15 mill guaranteed.

I think even that's probably being really over-generous towards the Bengals FO when it comes to guaranteed money.

Top-3 Current Guarantees At Signing (not counting rookie contracts that the team can't get around, or QBs)....
Bengals: Orlando Brown ($31.1m), Logan Wilson ($10m), Trey Hendrickson ($8m)

Ravens: Nnamdi Madubuike ($53.5m), Roquan Smith ($45m), Ronnie Stanley ($44m)
Chiefs: Chris Jones ($60m), Jawaan Taylor ($40m), Creed Humphrey ($35m)
Bills: Greg Rousseau ($49m), Dion Dawkins ($30.2m), Matt Milano ($27.2m)
Eagles: AJ Brown ($51m), Saquon Barkley ($36m), Bryce Huff ($34m)
Vikings: Justin Jefferson ($88.7m), Christian Darrisaw ($43.7m), Jonathan Greenard ($38m)
49ers: Nick Bosa ($88m), Trent Williams ($48m), Brandon Aiyuk ($45m)
Lions: Penei Sewell ($43m), Amon-Ra St Brown ($34.7m), Taylor Decker ($31.8m)