HoosierCat

Seems like the "Bengal need to play starters more in preseason to avoid slow starts" theory is gaining traction with Zac and the players. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/how-can-bengals-avoid-slow-starts-jamarr-chase-agrees-more-preseason-action-could-make-a-difference/ We'll have to see to what extent, if any, they follow through.

The wrist injury that keeps on giving: Burrow wins the 2025 Halas Award. https://www.bengals.com/news/joe-burrow-selected-as-pfwa-2025-george-halas-award-winner

Volson details out. It looks like they only saved about $500k against the cap. https://overthecap.com/player/cordell-volson/10181

It doesn't matter what kind of company or organization you work for, it's always better when everyone is focused on doing what they are there to do, versus dealing with a bunch of internal bickering over compensation, poor management, unequal treatment or whatever. It's hard to look at last year's 1-, 5- and 6-point losses in the first three weeks and not wonder if last year's off-field distractions had an impact. Like Army said, maybe, maybe not -- but it would be nice to eliminate that as a possibility before camp rolls around. And that's not that far off. The calendar ticks over to June this Sunday and though camp dates haven't been announced yet, it will probably start around July 28. It would be welcome to see a little urgency about tying up the off season and getting the focus back on the field.

Like amphar said, one of the FO’s issues is that they’re slow. They procrastinate to begin with and when they finally decide to take action, they move at the speed of smell. That behavior is guaranteed to create one crisis after another.

From what I’ve been able to glean, it seems this particular clause is not unknown elsewhere in the league and is used by some, but not all, teams. At a guess, it’s become an issue with the FO now because they’ve begun giving out contracts with guarantees beyond the first year. Previously they didn’t have to worry about it since that was one of their red lines. Typically when used elsewhere, teams add a sweetener in the form of additional up-front coin in year one to get the deal done. I don’t know if the Bengals did that as well. If so, then Stewart needs to sign. If not, see WelshBengal’s comment above.

My sources say they will be using it here.

Interesting, I hadn't seen that, or if I had I've already forgotten because I'm old and my mind is cheese. OTC and sportrac haven't caught up with it yet, still listed as a $3.8 million hit, all but $164k of which was salary. I'll keep an eye out.

I don't think the FO (meaning the Browns/Blackburns) has ever really bought into the idea that the NFL has developed over time into a mega-corporation with 32 subsidiaries. They still view the Bengals as family business, and no one is gonna tell them how to run their shop, dagnabit! You see the same dynamic at work in how they vote against almost everything in league meetings, even when that means a 31-1 vote. They've had to be dragged kicking and screaming into modernizing, and even after a couple decades it's still a work in progress.

And they basically are. Been that way ever since they instituted the rookie salary system. You could say it was the main point of it all. But every once in a while some agent feels like he has to justify his princely fee -- or some front office lawyer decides that they just have to change something that no one else thinks needs to be changed -- and we end up here in the Land of Avoidable Picayune Disputes.

So the Stewart holdout is apparently due to the FO trying to pull something with the standard contract language. I think I've been pretty forgiving of the front office this offseason, but not here. Quit ****ing with shit that ain't broken, Katie. Let's get the first round pick on the practice field.

Love Lap and I agree it would be nice to honor these guys before they are gone. That’s on the FO tho who took FORVER to do something like this. Ought to have been done long ago.

2025 Ring o' Honor candidates: Jim Breech James Brooks Cris Collinworth David Fulcher Max Montoya Dave Lapham Lemar Parrish Bob Trumpy Reggie Williams (my picks in bold)

From bookface: Just spitballing but might reflect some concern about Hill’s availability.

OTC pegs his value at $28.2 million, sportrac at $31.5 million. So as far as AAV, the Bengals are in the ballpark. Given what’s been said it seems like the amount isn’t the issue so much as structure. Trey wants a long term deal (which would include a lot of guaranteed money, think $60-70m on a 4 year, $120m deal, or something similar). Bengals are probably offering something like one year, $56 million, including the $16 million he’s already scheduled to make this year, so just $40 million in new money, and just $12 million extra this season.

Florio: Hendrickson is basically f*cked. Can't say I disagree.

Back on everyone's favorite subject, I see that negotiations between the county and the Bengals about the stadium are going just great... And the team...? It's good to see such warmth and comity between HamCo and the Bengals.

Eh, we’ll see where we are come September. There have been years when I thought they had a great offseason, and they went on to stink up the league for four months. Others I thought were bad only to have them surprise me. No one knows anything until the games get played.

Looks like we’ll see Trayveon again in week 12. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/patriots-sign-trayveon-williams

W1 at CLE: L because it's week 1 (0-1) W2 vs JAX: L see above just week 2 (0-2) W3 at MIN: W season saved! (1-2) W4 at DEN MNF: W prime time Joe show (2-2) W5 vs DET: L can't buy a win at home (2-3) W6 at GB: W road warriors tho (3-3) W7 vs PIT TNF: L they should win but somehow, some way, choke (3-4) W8 vs NYJ: W finally the first home win! (4-4) W9 vs CHI: W two in a row! (5-4) W10 BYE W11 at PIT: W entering must-win territory already (6-4) W12 vs NE: W revenge is a dish best served cold game (7-4) W13 at BAL TNF: L defense still sucks (7-5) W14 at BUF: W keepin' hope alive (8-5) W15 vs BAL: L womp womp (8-6) W16 at MIA SNF: W winning record achieved! (9-6) W17 vs ARI: W barely, but a win is a win (10-6) W18 vs CLE: W Browns have already packed it in (11-6) Baltimore wins the division, Bengals earn wild card berth

Yeah only the second Turkey Day tilt in franchise history. That’s a big deal. The bye is well placed. It’s right in the middle of a stretch where they will play 6 games in 32 days, with the first and last games both Thursday night division games. That’s rough. Preseason sked per Hobs:

Weeks 3-5 will tell us whether we need to watch the rest of the season.

Ravens news: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45146544/rb-derrick-henry-agrees-two-year-30m-extension-ravens

Bah. You underestimate the power of Club Zac. Even as we speak a small army of bikini-clad hotties is setting up beach chairs and prepping the frozen margarita machines.

We’ve now swung towards opening in Cleveland. Bills week 14.