ArmyBengal

Switching gears for a minute. I was thinking about the 2nd year guys and really hoping to see how an offseason in a pro weight room and their approach to the game impacts the team this year. Many in that draft class got snaps during their rookie year, which should go a long way in their development. Amarius Mims opens the season as the RT starter and I am still excited about him as he was inexperienced coming in. Both Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson should be good in the DT rotation with Hill and Slayton starting, which I like. Burton luckily finds himself in a position to make an impact this season, but he's such a dumbass that it's hard to say. It's a shame that Erick All will miss this season because he looked solid when getting snaps last season. From all accounts it sounds like Josh Newton is going to get first crack at the slot CB position vacated by Hilton leaving. I'm hoping to see Tanner McLachlan get more opportunities at the TE spot with All going down for the season. I think Cedric Johnson is just lost in the DE mix and will be lucky to see many snaps unless Trey holds out. Daijahn Johnson is the back up to battle at the strong safety position and will get snaps for sure. Matt Lee might have some competition at the backup center spot with the UDFA addition of Seth McLaughlin. By and large, the 2024 draft class looks at least solid with many looking to get a good share of snaps in 2025. Here's to hoping they got some good guidance and took advantage of the NFL strength training program.

Any money saved from contracts being reworked has got to be earmarked for Trey as opposed to any new FA signing I would guess.

Yep, here we are. Hey Bengals... don't do that.

I'd rather not hear anything about contracts to be honest. To start, I have no idea one way or another how an NFL contract is structured. Next, if there was a team to fuck up something simple like a first round contract, I would believe it would be us. These things should almost be copy and paste, with a percentage higher, from last year. Maybe they never heard the saying, "Work smarter, not harder". Fucking UGH !! Get this done Bengals.

I still can't get over the lopsided deal of Billy Price for BJ Hill.

Can they please get Lapham in there before he dies? That dude has meant a shit ton to this team as both a player and advocate. Agree it’s tough to pick. Parrish belongs in the hall of fame so I’m going with him as well.

Funny, I was just wondering what interesting free agents were still out there. Not any position specifically, just in general. Seems like they add some random player every year.

I'm excited about what the 2025 season could look like and am very much looking forward to it kicking off. That's a nice place to be in and has been the case since Burrow's arrival. When considering the Bengals past, I will take it. Do I want to see things end differently and them win a Super Bowl? Of course, but this is much better than no hope at all.

Ok, so as irritated as Trey's situation makes me, there really are multiple ways to view it. 1. He gave up the opportunity to hit free agency and took the money when presented. (Didn't bet on himself) 2. He clearly has outperformed his current deal and is deserving of more. 3. He will turn 31 before the season ends. I need to do a better job of not letting the business side of this shit bother me because I like Trey as a player. I want him here for the foreseeable future and think it would be a shame not to see him finish here in Cincinnati. That being said, I too agree that I thought any deal for him would start in the $30m range and think it should. The age aspect, while a consideration, can be overstated at times I believe. The Browns just handed Garrett a 4 year deal for $160m, at $40m per year and $123m guaranteed. Garrett is one year younger than Trey and turning 30 in December. Granted I don't think he see's any of the back end money with $60m cap hits coming. However, for as much as people suck Garrett's ass, Trey has produced in the same sphere of things. People tend to forget Trey has only started 81 games in his career vs. 114 for Garrett. If they get to the $30m a year mark, that would put Trey in the top 6 of ALL defensive players in the league. Bottomline for me is while I think Trey has wanted his cake and eat it to, he is in fact deserving. I wish they would just make it happen on like a 3 year deal and put the drama behind them. Hell, call it 4 years with a potential out after the 3rd year to give some modicum of team protection.

Are they going to wait for Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, Clemons and others to die as well? I just think that sets a poor precedence but that’s just me. They should have honored his achievements. You can do that without honoring the man.

Yeah I’m my real guess we would be 2-4 through the first 6 weeks. I’m going to have to remember that when it happens and remember I still had them finishing 11-6, instead of losing my shit.

6-0

Nothing says forward thinking like a 55 year old Veteran who is 5'7, 190lbs, with pain in every joint of his body manning the middle of your D-line. I'm down though. Put me in coach. I can hear the chants now. SUPER BOWL, SUPER BOWL !!!

I personally don’t care about anyone else’s approach. Do you brother. Im simply saying IF IT WERE ME.

I’m a blessed man where my wife has come around to football and my oldest is a chip of the old block in loving football, so my bitching isn’t really noticed or at least understood. If I truly had no faith in this team, I wouldn’t come to a forum and discuss my lack of faith. I would just do something else.

Again, I'm good today. Could things be better? Sure, but I'm good. Doesn't serve my purpose to shit all over things to no real end. If that was the case, I wouldn't come here. I just wouldn't do any of it. What would be the point?

It just doesn't serve my purpose to go into a season that could see them back in the playoffs with negativity at this point. While that may end up being the case, I'd prefer to be in a good mood for as long as possible. While all of the points provided are accurate, of the games they lost, most if not all were really close games. An improvement on the defensive side of things changes that outcome in my opinion. Not paying the NFL sack leader, who is a complete douche bag whiner, is more about his age than anything. The NFL is littered with players who hit a wall and fall off the cliff. Producing longer is an anomaly, not the norm. I still want Trey to be here though, so there's that. The offense wasn't the problem last year, so bringing back Chase and Tee ensures it doesn't become one. No issue there. Considering they don't have a plethora of super stars to pay makes that more palatable. Also, Burrow said he wants them to be more like the Eagles. I've never heard the Brown family make that comment. When considering them making mass changes to contract philosophy reminds me of a story about a snowball and hell. It is rumored Stewart isn't practicing because they really don't guarantee anything before the contract is signed. Conversely, Knight is practicing despite not having his contract signed. I don't blame a player if there's truth to that story. Could the season fall apart and they finish with a losing record? YEP. Could the defense get to middle of the road and they make a deep playoff run? YEP. I'm just happy we have a team that has that type of capability at this point. Not all teams can say that. Wake me when the season starts !!

Let me give this a try Hoosier. Mine is predicated on Trey being here and Golden getting the defense into the teens, if even #19. W1 at CLE: Win because Cleveland is a wreck W2 vs JAX: Win because Jacksonville is a wreck W3 at MIN: Loss W4 at DEN MNF: Loss on the road to a good team W5 vs DET: Loss to what I believe is one of the best teams in the league W6 at GB: Loss W7 vs PIT TNF: Win against the Steelers at home in primetime W8 vs NYJ: Win because the Jets suck W9 vs CHI: Win because Chicago cannot seem to build a roster to save their lives W10 BYE: W11 at PIT: Win because I really don't care who their QB is, they won't win much W12 vs NE: Win because I don't believe in Drake Maye or that team very much W13 at BAL TNF: Loss, it's Baltimore on the road in primetime W14 at BUF: Loss, they are going to dominate again W15 vs BAL: Win because we always seem to split W16 at MIA SNF: Win W17 vs ARI: Win W18 vs CLE: Win So I'm at 11-7 as well, but a different way to get there. It will be close between us and the Ravens yet again, but I see us getting back to playoffs. If Golden doesn't get the defense on track and Trey goes rogue or is traded, this gets ugly.

You all know I enjoy preseason, but I'm sick of the Colts coming to town every year in the preseason. I typically go to watch the young Bengals players, but it would be nice to see an opposing team that is intriguing. The Colts are not that team.

Primetime Thanksgiving at the Ravens. Didn't see that coming. I like the week 10 bye.

Saw local channel 5 reporting they open the season in Cleveland.

Give us a 2nd and 3rd in next year’s draft and I will say my goodbye’s to Trey. I’m sick of all the Bengals bashing and forgetting they have given him more at every step. The defense is still going to have issues this year regardless.

Regardless, Pete was the hit king before all his nonsense with gambling. Not honoring his baseball achievements as a player while living is a disgrace.

It is Trey's fault that he signed the extension instead of betting on himself and hitting the market at an earlier age. It's also not the Bengals fault that other teams overpaid at the position. Wanted the secure situation when it benefitted him and now wants a pay raise as well. He could have played out his contract, bet on himself, hit the market and rolled in money. He took the sure thing and has no one to blame but himself. Love that Trey has been a Bengal and want him to bring it this year. However, fuck you Trey !!!

Lol, it's good to be loved...