AMPHAR

Tupou and Scharping are just getting ahead of the "turk". They probably wisely looking at the numbers crunch and realizing they aren't making it. 3 interior DL added that are all making it. Zac Carter a former 3rd but I think played more than Tupou is probably on his way out as a result. With the OL. Brown, Brown, Ford, and Mims. Seem like a good bet for the 4 tackles. So guard spots are going to get squeezed by former tackles trying to hang on (Carman, Smith). Plus they'll have Lee or Hill trying to fit in there which ever one doesn't win back up Center job. All 3 interior OL starting spots are locks. There really is no excuse for Lou or Pollack to not have a top half unit this year. Other than the injury factor.

With JJ deal done and about this time of year we'll start getting some rumblings from the local scribes hinting at what the extension forecast looks like. At $24m under it would be a negative not to lock up some future players in the summer like they typically do.

That JJ deal is great news as it concerns the Bengals and Chase. Chase is worth every bit of a similar slightly worse or better contract. Got a couple a months to work on it. There's no way I'd step on the practice field without significant positives contract talks if I were Chase.

Just NFL business. Burrow did a similar thing. The NFL got $75m per game from Netflix. The cap has skyrocketed and will continue to do so. A player is smart to wait but when the on field stuff resumes and injury goes up it starts tilting towards a gamble. AJ Green took a hit. Higgins ending still needs to be written but he's in a situation he must perform to get the prospective long term contract demands and most of his "bad" year was his doing but it was also heavily influenced by what happened at the QB spot. Personally IF Justin Jefferson signs before camp. I'd seriously would consider a hold out IF I were Chase assuming a deal has seriously been discussed and maybe 60% along the way. Its just way too much money. Burrow got lucky it was his calf. If that injury had longer recovery or more complicated rehab at time when $250m or whatever was on the table good lord what mistake that would have been on his part.

Chase camp is waiting. They aren't signing until Justin Jefferson signs.

I think Dillon for sure. Lap is a good idea. There has always been stories from people that covered the team and former players that suggest Parrish was better than Ken Riley. I think they refer to him as Deon Sanders before Deon. Its hard to say no to any 80s Superbowl era pro bowler, IMO. Those are some of my favorite players.

If Trent Brown can replicate his Patriots level pass pro stats its the steal of the century. However, somehow someway a Pollack coached line with a Zac Taylor called game with Burrow making calls finds a way to give up near 50 sacks a season. The no. 1 choke hold on this offense is Burrow finding a way to miss Training Camp via non contact injuries. The biggest non-Burrow factor is the negative plays given up by the line. To get a an offense humming for 380+ near 27 points a game. Burrow needs his training camp reps and stay healthy and directly related to that there needs to be a drastic reduction of pressures and negative plays given up by the line. That will be the key to Burrow getting in the hunt for a MVP and also a return to the Superbowl. To this day no QB, OC, HC, or OL coach has approached the offensive dominance displayed by Wyche and Boomer. That was a run first, play action based team playing under the old NFL passing rules. Kinda amazing really.

Supposedly Falcons and Steelers are Week 1 matchup.

From the other thread. Stripes reporting Week 2 @ KC. This probably locks them in with a home opener. They can't afford to be in preseason mode to start the season again. KC gets a semi bye week heading into week 2.

Probably KC. Ravens getting a win in KC would be a big boost for them and at some point the Bengals will play in KC possibly meaning the Bengals would need to match assuming the AFC North lives up to its projections.

Could be some truth to that or could be pure crap. Nerd Doctor gets his chance to be part of the cool crowd of course its time to get clicks. There was some doctor preachin gloom and doom after the knee injury.

Other than injury LB isn't a top concern. Wilson and Pratt are equally capable of being game changers at any point. Not strong against the run but both have flipped games with TOs. Wilson already has two 4 ints seasons. Pratt has several huge TOs.

Burrow speaks today so there will be plenty of "OMG Burrow" moments today.

I think they had Jenkins on their board fairly high. They've taken 3 Michigan players with significant picks 3 years in a row. I think Jenkins will prove to be a better pass rusher than his draft profile indicates. The ability to pursue from the down lineman position reminds of Tim Krumrie and J. Smith. Just relentless pursuit of the ball carrier.

Taylor Swift provided an estimate of $98M. When the NFLPA sends out their annual team bashing propaganda, members on this board want the Bengals to start a daycare. NFLPA once proclaimed locking their players out cost an NFL city 3,000 jobs and $160m annual impact. Now who's numbers are real? I don't know. I constantly lose count at 10. But sure, if you argue from a standpoint that Hamilton County only gets "tax burden" or budget problems from the Bengals then sure its hard to argue against the Bengals not paying for stadium work. Its easy to argue Kenton county residents or whoever should pay. But that viewpoint is biased. The same questions were asked over and over in 1990s for years until rebirth of Riverfront happened. Hamilton County was less of a partner with the Bengals back then and it would have been easier to say goodbye. Modern day Hamilton County is tied to the Bengals. Might as well face that reality and work to bring in a better solution that is as success like what was done to that riverfront. Hamilton County tax payers and leaders want to cry poor they'll just back themselves into a half ass solution that kicks the can down the road. Get over it. They need Bengals to stay. Tie the improvement to a new convention center or something and maybe they can cut into advantage Indy has over them. This is the same tired crap people argued about before the Rebirth of the Riverfront. The only difference today is Hamilton County now has debt service for that development and the only way out is to bring people to Hamilton County to spend their money.

From the start of last season this team is greatly improved, IMO. Knowing how last season started and ended, of course. First - Lou should be fired IF his defense at the end of 2024 is ranked in the 20s. He got a bunch of secondary upgrades and returns guys. It should be night and day difference. Got more pass rush at DT along with run stopping youth. The big issue is Hendrickson hold out (maybe). Hubbard return from surgery. Ossai and Murphy need to step up. 2nd - Fire Pollack IF they give up more than 35 sacks. I don't know if Trent Brown will be an upgrade or not. I am certainly worried about a boom or bust rookie OT. If Brown proves to be as solid as Patriots Pass protecting then its a plus. For some reason that stuff doesn't always translate. But mostly the QB spot is entirely better and hopefully stays that way. They've never had a normal training camp with Burrow. Now Browning has elevated his status to capable back up. That positively influences every offensive spot and if they can get up to scoring it should improve the run D as well.

KC tackles suck. They basically hold and line up in the backfield and dare the ref to call it every play it happens. The lining up in the backfield was called some on them during the year. I think holding got called in the regular season but not 1 call in the Superbowl. Goes without saying P. Mahomes greatness in the playoffs covers up a lot of bad personnel decisions. Because their WRs haven't been great. If they would have gotten beaten by the Bengals in 2022 and by whoever in 2023 in the playoffs it be a completely different view on their front office. But they caught the Bengals with 3 major line injuries, a few bad luck and missed calls. Then next year they whoop Buffalo as usual and Lamar Chokes.

Also any info via Higgins agent or Kelsy Conway is sketchy. It rivals those super market alien magazines.

Tee is going to have to have a big season. He's coming off a bad 700 yard season. Next year's draft class is loaded as well. But if he has his best season he could beat $75-80m over 3 years. It would be advantageous if possible to tag again next year, maybe. I don't see why the Bengals would up their offer off a 700 yard season to top of the market. Wouldn't make sense. The risk is on Higgins side to perform. Unless he's entertaining a deal at a number the Bengals would love, don't really see the point of them upping last year's offer.

1-9 spots are spoken for in terms of snaps. 5OL, 1 Qb, 1RB, Chase, Higgins. The remaining 2 are formation battles. Sample is going to have his spot. I don't know if we'll see alot of 2 RB. Gesicki will be on the field. Then Iosivas, Jones, Burton. The Bengals are really going to have to convert 3rd downs and get the total plays up in the 70s for guys to get targets. The drain of Burrow's calf injury on every offensive's skill players production doesn't get talked about but in the first 6 games they multiple games under 60 plays. If they can't snap the ball there will be all sorts of bad hot takes about so and so being a bust or whatever.

I think they have 24/25m under using the top 51. So as always the next topic will be extensions and I'm sure there are some coming.

Don't get me wrong, I would have loved Newton. But I like the total package of Jenkins, Burton and Jackson better. Pass rushing DT will be a high priority unless Jenkins show some skill because right now he's a run specialist. Also keep in mind this is based on Lou's scheme. So is Lou staying put? He works in a true NT along with a 3 tech pass rusher. He has a lot of mixture of 3-4 and 4-3 fronts.

Boomer is good in booth, IMO. I'm not sure what he wants to do but, IMO, his MNF radio and old NFL TV are No. 1 quality. Phil Sims is also better than Romo, IMO. Basically Romo sucks. I'd say Simms, Boomer and Olsen are very good color guys in the booth. I would think if they wanted to do it could upgrade some of the No 2 and No. 3 broadcast teams. Just about anybody ESPN puts out there sucks if its not college football. Bradshaw sucks on a pre game. Matt Ryan from what I have seen would be solid on pregame. Time for Nantz to go as well.

Bengals are easily one of the best rosters entering the draft. If you go back to first off season discussions there was not a whole lot of room for rookie coming in and playing. Its possible but it would be through injury or flat out beating someone out. The latter case is a good situation to have. It makes your point of trading up more valid but they didn't. Maybe they should have for a safer RT prospect?

Carmen or Smith will have to beat out Ford at tackle. I doubt they will but they did cut loose Adeniji which was the primary player off the bench 2022 year. Then whoever loses out will have to make a living at Guard which both Carmen and Ford have experience. I think they'll keep 2 Centers. To keep all 3 will involve Practice squad. I believe it will be 10 total.