HoosierCat

Add TE Ty Warren

Yeah, when lunch on the first day of camp rolls around I’m sure he’ll see to it that all those burgers come with extra pubes.

Met with Nolen, who is at the combine but not doing drills.

Add Clemson LB Barrett Carter to the list. He could be an option in the third. The other backer, Oliver, is a late round/udfa type.

Time once again for everybody’s favorite subject, the annual NFLPA team report card!!! In top line news this year, the Bengals have moved up two spots to 24, meaning that a full quarter of the league’s teams suck worse than them in the eyes of the players. Progress! Overall, facilities and coaches are highly rated, and even Mike Brown gets a gentleman’s C. Dragging them down are the usual complaints: And the bottom of the barrel: Treatment of Families: F-

Bengals meeting reports: Have met with DEs Scourton, Pearce, Williams, Stewart, Green, LB Collin Oliver.

Here’s the athletics live blog if anyone is interested. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/nfl-combine-2025-live-updates-invites-players/4AJdnkjQ4fee/

Yeah, I got the impression they wanted to spend some FA dollars on defense as well. Also mentioned Hill as someone they would like to have back. Agree on the IOL. Powder being kept dry here but changes are coming. I think they would like to keep Mike G. but he's 30 and probably thinking this is his last chance for a big score, so he might price himself out of their range. Have to see what the TE market looks like. PFF lists him at 76 on their top 125 FA list, but also the No. 2 overall FA TE behind Juwan Johnson. So not a deep pool positionally.

Yeah, at this point it appears that the proverbial turd in the punch bowl is Tee. Zac, Duke and Burrow are all singing from the same hymnal. Chase is clearly going to get paid. Even Hendrickson is publicly defending the FO now. And then there's Higgins, who I suspect is butthurt about the incoming tag. While I get it, I also have a very hard time ginning up much sympathy for a guy whose worst-case scenario is a $26 million payday this year.

Joe a no on Williams at 17. https://youtu.be/vd0RYKwVOhE?si=oeoPNvQWyFd1CyTD

Overall I liked what he said today. Sounded like us, frankly. We’ll see if he can turn it into reality.

Also re Hendrickson:

Tobin... https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/allbengals-insiders-plus/duke-tobin-provides-latest-update-on-tee-higgins-at-2025-nfl-combine-01jmyrv3zat7 Alrighty then. Let's get 'er done, Duke.

YOU CANT STOP THE SAMPLE!!!

That reminds me, Joe did Shemar Stewart the other day. Bottom line, he wouldn’t touch him in the first or second, and based on the chart he uses toward the end of the video, I think he’s going to hate Mel’s pick too. https://youtu.be/w_mm-rcEsYQ?si=jI6YOGcc1pTStRc7

Kiper gives us Williams in his latest mock. https://www.on3.com/pro/news/2025-nfl-draft-mel-kiper-releases-mock-2-updated-predictions-for-all-32-first-round-picks-before-nfl-combine/

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2025/2/24/24372190/sean-desai-cincinnati-bengals-los-angeles-rams

Trey all lovey-dovey… https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/trey-hendrickson-shares-update-on-contract-talks-with-bengals-we-ve-had-multiple-good-conversations-01jmwkhhjp71

Yup. And the other part, as Amphar noted recently, is that when they do use a premium pick on interior OL and get a good player, they won’t pay for a second contract (see Steinbach, Zeitler). One scenario I could see playing out this time around is that Kelvin Banks is BPA at 17, they draft him, and stick him at LG, with a potential shift to LT in two years when Brown’s contract is up.

I don’t think a one year deal expresses any real confidence. You’re going to need a body for spring workouts, OTAs and camp anyhow, and if he gets cut the cost is $0 beyond the per diem. We’ll see if there’s any competition signed, but based on this I’d guess there will be.

Coach speak alert! https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/cincinnati-bengals-nfl-combine-schedule-announce-when-we-ll-hear-from-zac-taylor-and-duke-tobin-01jmn1z9sjng

Adomitas re-signed. One year deal. https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-sign-ls-cal-adomitis-to-contract-extension-bengals-roster-update

Rankins cut. No surprise there. https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-release-dt-sheldon-rankins-bengals-roster-update

Meant to mention this yesterday but kept getting sidetracked. NFL announced yesterday that the Chargers would open the season in Brazil, which reminded me of this piece from Jay Morrison last month that the two most likely opponents for the Dolphins in Madrid were the Chargers and the Bengals.