3 moves that makes us a major SB contender

[*PhilHos*]

(08-16-2025, 11:47 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: 3) A real GM.

And hold him accountable. Be willing to replace him if the team does not improve under his watch in a certain time frame (say, fewer than 20 years maybe?)

[NotBigzo]

(08-16-2025, 05:51 PM)bfine32 Wrote: We're already SB Contenders

WTS, I dig the moves.

Our QB played as good as a QB could play and we ended 9-8. 

There's too many ifs that need to happen for us to be contenders. As it stands now, Bengals will put up points but it won't be enough. Also, IOL holes means that we're not best equiped to win these shootouts anyway.

[NotBigzo]

(08-17-2025, 12:20 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Seconded. It is a pretty innocuous quote. "It's a work in progress" is hardly ZT with his hair on fire. 

This may be the last chance to see guys play against starters from another team. If I am on the fence about "is this guy good enough to start" or not, this game is likely the last bit of live game info I get before real games start. 

Stone, Gesicki, Murphy, and Volson seem out. Turner & Burton likely out. IDK on BJ Hill & Cedric Johnson. Ford may be iffy as well, now. 

I think OL and safety struggles could trigger FA moves. G & S should have been made long since. OT3 is also an issue, but there is not much help out there. 

Big game for Patrick, Ford (if he plays) and the fringe OL guys: Lee, Cochran, McLaughlin, Kirkland, Stueber, etc. Even Rivers, can he play decently at guard or is this a total red shirt year? 

Ditto at S. Anderson, Anthony, & Jules. Simmons is still out there. 

Gotta say, CB looked shaky as well. Some cheap vet corners still out there. 

Secondary needs to stink it up one more season before i'd be willing to commit more dollars to free agent corners. 

As a team, you don't draft this many people in your secondary and abandon the project this early.

[Timanky12]

(Yesterday, 09:02 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I disagree, a "nice" article about the Bengals would be titled "Why the 2025 Bengals are SB favorites", as opposed to "Why your team sucks"...

You gotta admit, there is a lot of truth in that article.

[THE PISTONS]

(Yesterday, 11:25 AM)Timanky12 Wrote: You gotta admit, there is a lot of truth in that article.

The fan comments were particularly stingingly accurate.

[*rfaulk34*]

You guys seriously don't know that's a parody article they do for every team, every year?

[*ochocincos*]

Bengals never seem willing to give up future draft picks who may give them some value in 2-4 years from now to get someone who can help win this/next season, aside from just a 7th rounder for Herbert last year.

I think they'd be more inclined to do like they did when they traded Price for BJ Hill - Trade a high pick who has underperformed to get a player at another position of need.
Right now, I lean toward that player being Myles Murphy, but I don't think they'll do that until they get Hendrickson's situation figured out.

I feel like if they can get Hendrickson back on the field or get him traded for another (perhaps just somewhat less) impactful starting DE, Ossai will primarily cover the opposite side and Stewart may end up having a role as a rotational DE and perhaps nickel DT. This could end up putting Murphy into a situation where he won't get much playing time.
A team may be interested trading for Murphy since he would still have up to 3 years left on his current contract if they pick up his 5th year option.

If not Murphy, maybe one of Hill, CTB, or Turner.

[*SHRacerX*]

(08-16-2025, 01:09 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Paul Dehner in the Athletic nails it. Others have promoted Simmons but Strange is new to me.
The Move.
Trade for New England’s Cole Strange.
Strange was a first-round pick in 2022. He’s only 27. The Patriots didn’t pick up his fifth-year option and he’s been running with the second team under new head coach Mike Vrabel. The reason Strange stands out is that his position coach last year is current Bengals offensive line coach Scott Peters. Familiarity with his strike system would fast-track the integration, and at the very least, he could serve as Patrick’s insurance if his season goes sideways. At best, he could arrive, integrate and impress as a change-of-scenery candidate to bring an average level of play to a spot that has been a major problem since Alex Cappa started falling off in 2023.
The Bengals would have to be willing to give up a Day 3 pick, and we know how tough that has been. However, if they could match a Patriots need at linebacker, tight end or another spot that could be a position of relative strength for Cincinnati, it could limit the pick value. Considering the state of the line, the draft pick would be well spent.

The move: Sign free agent Justin Simmons.
Yes, he’s still out there. A name discussed all the way back during free agency in March is still on the market. Simmons played 1,017 snaps for Atlanta last season and was far from the prime version of himself. He turns 32 in November. Signing him likely comes from a belief that he would start ahead of Stone and/or share special teams duties, of which he’s rarely participated in the last fi

[quote pid='1617603' dateline='1755360553']
I'm with him except for the Simmons signing.  He was a worse PFF last year than Vonn Bell.  Too old and slow.  I'd rather go young with Anderson.  Kid doesn't miss tackles on special teams and has speed to burn.  Good length, too.  
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