HoosierCat

Bengals sign Geno Stone, 2 years, 15 million. Great job!

Today in the category of “Mixon’s deal doesn’t look so bad now”:

Panthers spending again this year. Giving G Robert Hunt 5 years, $100 million, 63 guaranteed.

$180 million for Kirk Cousins? https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39708564/qb-kirk-cousins-leaving-vikings-4-year-deal-falcons okey dokey good luck with that Atlanta.

YOU CANT STOP SAMPLE YOU CAN ONLY HOPE TO CONTAIN HIM!!!! (seriously I’m fine with this.)

Exactly. This is the dance that always gets danced. I’m sure he will skip the non mandatory offseason stuff and then show up when required. $22 million is still $22 million.

And on cue… https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/report-tee-higgins-disappointed-with-bengals-requesting-trade Color me unsurprised. Anyone familiar with the Bengals knows how this tag thing usually goes: one and done. Meanwhile the player always wants the security of a long term deal. So here we are again. And I still think the chances of it happening are less than zero for the same reasons as before. Sorry Tee, but you are stuck. Your only choices are whether you want to cry about it, or suck it up and ball out so you can get a big bag next year.

We’ll see, but I think all the Steelers have done here is guarantee controversy. Reportedly, Wilson will compete with Pickett for the starting job. To which I say good, because I’m not afraid of either of them. Even if Wilson wins, at 35 he isn’t a long-term answer. Meanwhile Pickett isn’t making anyone forget Ben, and I see no sign of him becoming a franchise guy. And then there’s Tomlin. He is still only signed through this year. There was a bunch of talk in December that the Steelers were going to extend him…but haven’t so far. If the Steelers don’t win this year, right now they look set to clean house in 2025.

Chargers also supposedly talking about trading Bosa and Mack. I wouldn’t read too much into any of it.

Rather they go Wilson than Fields. Just a one year deal tho, so the future remains unclear in Pitt. Good.

Lots of deals being set today as FA looms: Baker Mayfield, 3 years, $100 million, from the Bucs. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39702094/source-buccaneers-baker-mayfield-agree-3-year-100m-deal One year deal for Texans DT Folorunso Fatukasi. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39702022/texans-reach-deal-ex-jaguars-dt-folorunso-fatukasi-source-says Two years, $15 million, for S Kevin Byard in Chicago. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39701519/source-bears-signing-2-pro-bowl-safety-kevin-byard

Pats give up on Mac Jones. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39699526/sources-patriots-trade-qb-mac-jones-jaguars

Speaking of… https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39697463/chiefs-dt-chris-jones-agree-massive-five-year-deal

Browns trade for Jeudy. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39692815/broncos-trade-wr-jerry-jeudy-browns-picks

As expected. Good if unexciting move.

Pats, TE Hunter Henry ink 3 year deal. So another possibility gone. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39684386/source-patriots-te-hunter-henry-agree-3-year-extension

So the Ravens franchised defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, then reached a long-term deal last night ($98 million, $75.5 million in guarantees). From espn: So basically the anti-Bengals.

Free agency is almost here and you know what that means: take it away Hobson! Sounds like Mike got the turbo upgrade for the Hoveround! Great news for Amphar, Club Zac is back! [Insert pic of that black guy pointing at his head with the caption "can't close up shop if you never open!" here] "The long view" = "push cap space into the future" WOOOP THERE IT IS!!!! ROOKIE POOL FOR THE WIN!!!!! Like that rat bastard injury pad! Bengals are broke again people, can't do sh*t, gonna have to fill out the roster with dudes from the stands!

More benchmarking: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39677177/bears-jaylon-johnson-agree-4-year-76m-deal-sources-say

Yeah, the combination of a constantly rising cap and the tag has meant that blue chip FAs almost never reach the market. A few red chippers do on a reasonably regular basis (think Orlando Brown Jr.), but most of the best FAs now are either older guys let go for cap reasons and who may or may not have a season or two left, or younger guys at positions like RB or LB that just aren’t deemed important enough to spend on. They may prove me wrong but I’m not actually expecting a lot out of the Bengals in FA this year. Maybe a vet safety, there seem to be a few shaking loose already. Possibly a running back, and definitely so if they do part with Mixon. Maaaaaybe wide receiver 3. I do expect them to look at OL but I think they might wait until after the draft. With all the OL projected to go in the first this year there will likely be some vets on the street down the road.

Scratch Dalton Schultz from all lists of possible FA TE pickups. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39659589/texans-re-sign-te-dalton-schultz-3-year-36m-deal

As far as I can tell, all the talk around a trade is pure unadulterated speculation. It’s totally unmoored to any facts whatsoever, just the media trying to fill space. Not saying it couldn’t happen, but given the Bengals’ history of tag use, there’s certainly no reason to expect it. And given the Evans deal, a team would be looking at not only giving up one or more draft picks, but also shelling out a long term deal north of $26 million a year average. All for a guy who spent much of last season injured. I conclude that the odds of a trade are somewhere between jack and sh*t.

May I direct your attention to snaps played in 2023? https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/ryan-bates/28300?season=2023 Then check his scores the prior couple years when he was a starter.

Ryan Wilson’s post draft mock. I would be happy with any of the guys from 18 to 23. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfl-mock-draft-j-j-mccarthy-sneaks-into-top-three-four-qbs-go-top-five-afc-contender-trades-up-for-wr/

$85 million in DEAD MONEY. Ouch. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39654399/broncos-cut-russell-wilson-take-85m-dead-money-hit