HoosierCat

Oh, something will happen with Mixon, I just don't think it will be this year. Right now the Bengals have $17.7 million in cap space, per spotrac. That doesn't yet include Jones or Smith, who will shave off a couple million, but does include Orlando Brown. They have 66 guys under contract and seven draftees incoming, so there's no gaping holes they need to throw money at. And they have plenty of space and money to sign the rooks. So while they could save $7.5 million in cap space and about $10 million in actual cash money by cutting Mixon, they don't need either unless they extend Burrow. That doesn't appear to be imminent. Plenty of time for that to change but at the moment it feels like both Burrow's extension and Mixon's fate are subjects for the next offseason (and in Burrow's case maybe even the offseason after that).

Picking up right where they left off, I see. At least they're consistent..

So with pff's simulator going mostly behind the paywall, let's try profootballnetwork's. Boy this thing just loves to propose trades. Results: 44. Dawand Jones 60. DJ Turner, CB, Michigan 75. Sam Laporta 98. Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU 140. Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State 163. Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas 246. Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville Also got the Raiders 2nd next year.

At the end of the day, I think Perine being gone is the most significant change we are going to see. The idea of moving on from Mixon was premised on needing/using his money and cap space to extend Burrow. That doesn’t appear anywhere close to happening, so Mixon at $12.7 million it is. I prefer Fournette to Elliot in the debate (such as it is) over a veteran signing, but there’s never much of a market for used starting RBs, and if anything there’s less of one this year (waves at Austin Eckler). So I expect the Bengals will wait and see how things fall in the draft. If the opportunity presents itself to get a talented rookie runner, then they probably just roll with the current lineup plus the new guy. If not they’ll probably pick up a vet sometime later.

Shakey’s sausage pizza was the best pizza I ever had. I don’t know what that sausage was made of. Maybe people who didn’t clean COB’s gutters thoroughly enough, I dunno. But it was awesome. Also the hats. The hats were awesome too.

They’re all afraid to sign here now because they think Mike will sneak the Royal Lives Clause into their contract and they’ll never be free agents again!

Yeah, they're doing fine. Before FA if you'd asked me if I'd swap Hurst, Bell AND Pratt for Brown, I would have said yes in less than a heartbeat. As it is we got Orlando and kept Germaine, and the other losses have been made up with guys who have the talent to be difference makers if they can stay on the field. And there's still the draft to go. Offseason grades are meaningless but for me this is an A so far.

The biggest problem with Dawand in Reid's draft is that there's an embarrassment of riches still on the table at 28, including Mayer (and Kincaid and Washington), Bresee, Adebawore, Brian Branch, Cam Smith, Gibbs, and OTs Bergeron and Freeland. It just screams "trade down."

The butthurt keeps on coming. From Kelsey Conway last night: "A source close to the situation." LOL. Just say Jonah's agent, Kelsey. As for being blindsided, from all reports so were the Bengals. They weren't actually pursuing Brown, he called them. Look, I understand, it's tough when they sign someone to do your job. But it's been two weeks. Time to get over it. Suck it up and deal. Like Army keeps saying, play well at RT and you'll be worth even more next March.

Another thing to consider is Hendrickson. He is in the final two years of his deal and as such the numbers have gotten a bit...lopsided. He counts $15 million against the cap this year (versus $5 million in dead money) and $17.5 million against the cap (versus $2.5 million in dead money) in 2024. He was fantastic in 2021 but not so much last season (though you can argue he got screwed regularly by the refs) and with all the giant deals on the horizon for Joe, Tee, and Chase, he could be a casualty. So DE is sort of a sneaky need, at least from a cap point of view.

Only if we also go back and give Chris Perry "2" then retire that...

ESPN’s Jordan Reid goes the full seven: 1. Dawand Jones 2. Sam Laporta 3. Isaiah McGuire, Edge, Missouri 4. Riley Moss, CB, Iowa 5. Sean Tucker, RB, Syracuse 6. Dante Stills, DT, WV 7. Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah Looks reasonable to me. https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2023/insider/story/_/id/35958143/2023-nfl-mock-draft-jordan-reid-seven-round-predictions-259-picks

Your reward for being a good team? More shitty Thursday night games https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35986328/thursday-flex-proposal-tabled-mara-mahomes-critics They also approved players wearing 0, making tripping a personal foul, use of instant replay on failed fourth downs, and letting stadiums with sports books keep them open during games.

Bengals host Senior Bowl standout Aiden O’Connell (QB, Purdue) for a private workout. https://www.cincyjungle.com/2023/3/28/23660243/aidan-oconnell-bengals-nfl-draft-news-visits-2023 I do think it very possible (especially after their interest in Rush came out) that the Bengals will take a QB somewhere in the 4-6 range. O’Connell is generally regarded as a 6th rounder this year.

Certainly an acceptable option there.

Mock from Tannenbaum. Feels like a worst case scenario, but I’d take it. https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2023/story/_/id/35931704/2023-nfl-mock-draft-mike-tannenbaum-gm-first-round-picks-five-quarterbacks

Well, that’s they key. There’s nothing wrong with these signings as long as the Bengals treat anything they get out of these guys as a bonus. As you say, we still need long term solutions at both positions and these guys are almost certainly not that.

Worth a shot. Guy has loads of talent but can’t stay healthy. wait, why does that sound familiar…

Lol

The class is pretty deep at positions of need like OL and TE, and from late first through the third is pretty flat in terms of talent. Yeah they aren’t blue chippers but you should be able to find quality starters through like pick 100 this year. I would definitely look at moving out of 28 if it got us an extra 2 or 3.

He was almost certain to be a first rounder before he tore his Achilles at his pro day. Unfortunately that’s proven to be the start of an injury riddled career. Just have to see how it goes.

Worth a shot. Guy has loads of talent but can’t stay healthy.

He’s so bad at this.

Literally the least surprising thing ever: https://www.outkick.com/nfl-annual-meeting-league-boasts-great-2022-burrow-hurts-herbert-headed-for-extensions-but-not-tua-who-will-go-no-1-trade-market-at-a-standoff/

Banks and the trade don’t bother me. Not sure why we are making Mazi an offensive lineman lol. LaPorta at 92 is a pipe dream.