HoosierCat

Neither Becton nor Tart would take OT/DT off my board at 18 and I doubt they would have for the Bengals. As for Becton getting paid $15 million to start? Sure. I just structure the deal with hefty per game bonuses, like $500k per game, with minimal salary and guarantees. Given his injury history I would bet any team would be looking to do the same. Trent Brown’s name is now starting to bubble up in the rumor mill. Not counting on anything there but we’ll see.

Rapien is a moron. Always has been.

The thing that makes the Fields trade weird is the Russell Wilson trade. They make no sense together. If there's no Wilson, then Fields is your starter this fall and you are 100% picking up his option. He's costing you $1.6 million this year then $25.6 next year, for a two-year cost of about $13.5 million a year. Peanuts for an NFL QB, and you should know by the end of 2025 whether he's the answer or not. Hell, if somehow you want to see one more year you can spend $50 million or thereabouts on a QB franchise tag and your three-year costs are still cheap for a QB. But if Wilson is your starter in 2024, which the Steelers said he is, then yeah, what do you do? You can still pick up the option, but what if Wilson is great? You just let him walk. And if he sucks and you end up in the range of a top QB in next year's draft, do you take one with the commitment to Fields? This feels like a left hand and right hand doing two different things, which is weird in Pitt, but who knows.

And on cue, this popped up today from the Pitt Athletic writer: https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/steelers-reportedly-split-on-potential-tyler-boyd-signing

Yeah, that’s what I meant when I said I think he only returns on a team friendly deal, meaning he has no other choices. He would definitely be fighting for a spot. I suspect the coaches want to get the young guys on the field more this season, to see if they have a Boyd replacement as well as a Higgins replacement on the roster. But they might suck or get hurt so Boyd might be back if he comes as cheap insurance.

I think that’s the only way he ends up back in Cincy.

Steelers hosting Mike Williams for visit. A bit interesting to me that for all the talk of interest between Pitt and Boyd there’s been no discernible movement there, and no mention of anyone else being interested in him. He looked kind of washed to me last season, maybe other teams saw the same thing?

I could see doing that deal, then trading back down in the first to pick up another 2024 pick.

I watched plenty of Fields. He isn’t bad. This sucks.

Well, one place Becton isn’t going is back to New York. Jets are signing Tyron Smith. So as far as RT goes, I’d say the Bengals have three choices left: pony up for Becton or Trent Brown; start Ford or Smith or, gawd help us, Jackson; or it’s (begin Bob Barker voice) pick 18, come on down, you’re next on “The Tackle is Right.”

True but it’s Pickett and pick 120. So basically they traded him to move up 22 slots.

Yeah Rudolph went to the Titans. I guess the plan is “suck for (Shedeur) Sanders” in April 2025.

From espn:

Well, they signed Russell Wilson and Pickett sucks so I guess it makes sense. Still didn’t expect them to give up quite so soon.

And now Pittsburgh! Kenny Pickett just traded to Philly, per shefty!

Just a bit, I would think!

Saints signing Stanley Morgan.

So up in Cleveland, Kevin Stefanski is in the final year of his deal. Supposedly he was supposed to get an extension this year, but it hasn't happened yet and now the Browns are bringing in Mike Vrabel as a coaching and personnel consultant...

Irwin back, 1 year, $2 million.

Well shit, if you won't, I will! Work is slow today and I got half an hour to kill before lunch so... Like I said a few posts back, I'm fine with signing Tart. I doubt that he's THE answer, but it's not like our interior DL is stocked with future pro bowlers so there's no reason to think he couldn't compete for a spot. Worst case scenario he's a camp body. And signing him doesn't take DL off my draft board. As for Becton, reportedly there are three teams (including the Bengals) interested. In that scenario I would say the odds are against them for reasons we all know. But re Becton himself, I honestly don't think we know what he is yet. He had a good rookie season on a bad Jets team that immediately imploded around him. In four seasons he's had two head coaches, three offensive coordinators, five quarterbacks (not counting Rogers) and 12 different guys (not counting Becton) starting on the offensive line. Since he got there, the NYJ have been a complete goat rodeo, except the goats are also clowns, and the clowns have explosive diarrhea, and everything is also on fire. I can't say if I would love or hate signing him, ask me again if it happens and when we know the details. But I am happy they are kicking his tires.

Aaron Donald calling it a career, per Shefty.

Yeah, Texans got hosed. Don’t know why they thought this was a good idea.

Ketchup is foul no matter what you put it on. The proper condiment for fries is mayo.

Tart still visiting today, per Shefty. I would be fine with signing him. He wouldn't cost anything and worst case scenario he's a camp body.

Houston trades out of the first round, sells pick 23 to the Vikes' Minnesota Gets: 23rd 232nd Houston Gets: 42nd 188th 2nd in 2025 Vikes have 11 and 23, gotta think they are looking at moving up for a QB.