HoosierCat

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.

Katie: hey Joe I need you to take a pay cut. Joe: hey Katie I need you to take a hike. Katie: we may have to cut you if you don’t. Joe: I’m sure Traveyon will be a fine starter. Katie walks out, muttering “fuck” under her breath.

7.5m is what they save. Dead cap is 5.5m vs a 12.7m cap hit if he stays.

Dump Kuntz, take Karl Brooks in the third.

Joe's contract is indeed an issue but it's not like Mixon is a broke down wreck or something. PFF graded him out at 79 last season (for comparison's sake Austin Ekeler was 81) and he was their seventh-highest graded receiving RB (77 receiving score). Amphar isn't wrong when he keeps harping on that point. Mixon has his flaws: he's not a home run threat, he's not especially fast or elusive and he goes down all too easily...but he still produced more than 1,200 combined yards and 15 TDs last year, and that's a tall order to replace with a rook. Again, they might have taken the chance if Perine was still around, but not now. They are just going to have to eat Joe being overpaid this year.