HoosierCat

It's going to be interesting to see how they use Stewart. Not to defend Myles Murphy, but he's spent his two years here fighting to get on the field. He was in on 27% of defensive snaps in 2023 and 31% in 2024. He was tail-end Charlie behind Hendrickson, Hubbard and Sample in '23 and Hendrickson, Hubbard and Ossai last season. Hard to make an impact from the bench. Now we have Hendrickson (presumably), Ossai, Sample, Murphy, Cedric Johnson (7% of snaps last year) and Stewart atop the DE pile. So who goes where? Who plays, and how much? Is Stewart in there basically one play out of four like Murphy was his first year? If so, I'd guess he's not going to be super-effective. Does Murphy finally get above half of defensive snaps? Do you sit (or cut) vets like Trey, Ossai and Sample, who have been your go-tos the last couple years? Is Cedric Johnson just shit outta luck even though he racked up 7 tackles and a sack in like 80 snaps? Like I said, it's going to be interesting to see what they do here.

Broncos eyeing Captain America. https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/chris-evans-tryout-broncos-rookie-minicamp

Clowns pick up Diontae Johnson, last seen crapping in the locker room punch bowl after a Texans playoff win. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44907324/source-wr-diontae-johnson-agrees-one-year-deal-browns

By all reports, Burton has been in the building regularly during the offseason. It seems that he's realized his million-dollar meal ticket is in jeopardy if he doesn't at least pretend to do the bare minimum. To what extent this represents a real change in attitude, who knows? I'm not counting on anything, but we'll see.

Yeah I looked at the 2026 FA list and those were the only two names that I saw that might merit an early extension. Probably not but who knows.

Yeah I saw that as well. Effing ridiculous. Just screamed “I am an insufferable asshole!”

Yeah I saw that too. They later claimed they were “tired.” To which I thought, I’m sure you are, oh so very tired…

With the draft over, I would expect FA activity to tick up again. Bengals have about $23.4 million in cap space per OTC. All indications are that Pratt will be released soon. That frees up another $5.8 million, which should about cover the rookie signings, so that's a wash. Volson is on the books for $3.8 million this season. If he gets cut, Bengals get almost all of that, about $3.6 million, back in cap space. Have to think that's on the table given the way the coaches have been swooning over Fairchild. Cutting Moss would have saved another $3.3 million against the cap, but they re-did his deal recently and I still haven't seen details. So there may not be any savings there to speak of anymore. And if they are still interested in a long-term deal with Trey they have over $40 million in cap space to play with since he already counts nearly $19 million against the current cap. But I think that ship may have sailed last Thursday. I'm not expecting any signings by them right now, but they are in good shape in case of a workout/camp injury or if someone unexpected comes open.

If he is, it’s not like Burton’s roster spot is rock solid. He has a path to the 53.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/661466333337257?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&fs=e&fs=e

Twitter says we picked this guy off the udfa pile. One for the UK Bengals fans. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nfl/article-14610335/amp/Dante-Barnett-football-escape-tragedy-2025-draft-brink-NFL.html

C Seth McLaughlin (likely a fifth rounder if he hadn’t gotten hurt) DT Eric Gregory, Arkansas (gave him a $30k SB) more here https://www.cincyjungle.com/2025/4/26/24415072/bengals-undrafted-free-agent-signings-tracker-picks-results

If you read (or watch) Taylor’s post-draft presser, one thing he really, really, really harped on was how all their picks were passionate about the game and really wanted to play football. Apparently they aren’t alone in looking for this, a lot of teams were reportedly putting new and heavy emphasis on this in this cycle. The reason is that college athletes are now getting paid and are (allegedly) increasingly more about the bag than the ball. I don’t know how much I buy into that logic but it was a real thing. And I can see why that would appeal to the Bengals, maybe more than most teams, and especially considering some events this year (looking at you, Trey). So that could be one reason they were a bit out of step with consensus.

Well, this wasn’t the draft I wanted, but it’s more or less the draft I expected. I said I thought that DE was a lock at 17 (thanks to the Hendrickson situation) and that all the prospects they might take there gave me the yips. And so it came to pass. At least Stewart appears to be genuinely good dude I can root for, with no criminal or motivational issues. Were I pulling the trigger I would have gone with Ezeiruaku, but then again if I were in charge this pick would have probably been someone like Conerly. It would be poor form for me to complain about Knight in round 2 since I chose him there in many of my own mocks. I believe he will be a fine replacement for Pratt. As to his age, all I can say is that by the time his rookie deal is up, Burrow will be 33 and in the last year of his contract. If they haven’t won anything by then the team is probably getting blown up anyhow. Fairchild is…fine. If he wins the starting job over Cordell, great, the line is better. If not bring on Rivers. I don’t have any issue with Carter, seems like a solid pick, and we will just have to see if Tahj is more successful getting off the bench than Captain America was. C I guess? Bring on training camp.

Really good blocker, can see him getting used the same way they used All while he was healthy.

Zeirlein again: Stout runner and workhorse who handled a whopping 633 touches for Texas Tech’s offense over the last two seasons. Brooks runs low to the ground with a powerful base and instant cut quickness to shake tacklers or elude them in tight quarters. He can keep a run alive but doesn’t have the stride length or acceleration to create space and run away from a rally-hard defense, which could turn him into more of a try-hard grinder. He plays on third downs but hasn’t been all that explosive out of the backfield. Brooks’ productivity and ability to force missed tackles give him a chance to become an NFL backup. also: Will catch everything thrown into his frame. Puts funk into contact on blitz pickup and chip blocks. That’s right boys…

Zierlein: A burly offensive lineman with natural anchor and above-average length, Rivers is best-suited for short spaces, where his athletic limitations can be mitigated. He could get a shot at right tackle but slow feet will put him in harm’s way against NFL edge rushers. He’s sturdy at the point against bull-rushers and space-eaters. He works with stiff hips and below-average base footwork, which often short-circuit attempts to leverage and clear the gaps. He’s a clunky mover who will be tied to scheme, but his mass and length increase his likelihood of finding starting reps on the interior, provided he can stay healthy.

He’s 24.

Lmao perfect. When it comes to QB drama the clowns just can’t help themselves. Let the chaos begin!

Nfldraftbuzz: At Clemson, Carter evolved into a defensive chess piece for Dabo Swinney's squad, amassing 254 tackles and establishing himself as just the fifth linebacker of the Swinney era to earn multiple All-ACC selections. His versatility shone through in 2022 when he joined elite company alongside Butkus Award winners Nakobe Dean and Isaiah Simmons as recent Power Five players to record double-digit tackles for loss, multiple sacks, interceptions, and forced fumbles in a single season. Carter's senior campaign solidified his legacy as he earned Butkus Award finalist honors while captaining the Tigers' defense. His iron man durability was showcased through 838 snaps - the most by a Clemson linebacker since Ben Boulware in 2016. Throughout his career, Carter displayed a unique ability to impact every phase of defense, becoming the sole FBS player during his tenure to accumulate at least 30 tackles for loss, 20 pass breakups, and three interceptions.

Zierlein: Prototypical three-down linebacker who added muscle mass in 2024 without losing playmaking quickness. Carter overcomes average instincts and recognition with full-field range and elite body control in pursuit, though there is room for improvement with both his angles and leverage. Carter can play around or off the block and has the agility and reaction quickness for sudden adjustments as an open-field tackler. He’s capable in man coverage and stands out as both a blitzer and a spy for mobile quarterbacks. Carter’s demeanor, versatility and athletic profile give him a good chance of becoming a quality starter as a run-and-chase Will linebacker.

Round 6 thread.

Round 5 thread.

Skattebo goes to the Giants

Best available: https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/bestavailable I will be in and out today, will try to keep up.