AMPHAR

As the pads come on there will be more to chew with the line. But yesterday is the first positive OL training camp report I've heard in about 8 years or more. I don't think they dominated but sounded like they held their own. Usually its about them getting whooped.

I think Williams will command a contract in Free Agency that will require more cap than the Bengals will be willing to pay at this point. Its the best interest of the team IF Carman or any other can displace him as s viable starter at RT. Still, let the best 5 sort themselves out. Then the next 5. See if you can stash or trade the remaining.

Didn't really enjoy Zac's commenting on "several" weeks. That makes me think regular season games could be at risk for Burrow at this point. August just starting so we'll see but got the vibe there is a little more uncertainty there.

SI reporting he'll miss time but will be fine. Nothing serious. Hope that is true. Get the deal signed. Hopefully they can get him some good reps before the opener. Important things to remember. I believe everyone no matter the seriousness of the injuries gets carted off because they have to cross the street to get back underneath Paycor. So carting off isn't necessarily an indication of seriousness. 2nd Paycor has a MRI in its belly so all that stuff if necessary would already be done and I'm sure media would be getting reports to an MRI being taken. No MRI? Means ice/heat/rest/repeat probably.

Rappaport saying calf strain. As long as there are no tears of muscle then that is the best news and I hope its true. Contact the FBI about thumbs up. Interview relevant players. MRI the calf in question. If all these things check out.....sign the damn deal!

Can someone get a clip of that "thumbs up" to the FBI? Was it "thumbs up" saying "Yeah I'm fine"? or one saying my "whole season is done". I can't really tell.

That has the look of being out a few weeks or more and not soreness. Not wanting to put weight on it looks bad. But then again maybe his calf locked up on him from a cramp. Possible.

Hopefully its not serious. But yeah if a deal was close, I don't see why he's on that practice field. Just patiently wait for the final details. If its not close, then why isn't he threatening a hold out and at the facility? Its just too much money. Although AJ recoverd some $ with the franchise tag the next year. He was screwed not getting that deal done before TC opened. Julio got $25m up front and $64m guaranteed. AJ's franchise tag was $18m and I always thought that was the Brown family being nice. Given the mystery around his ankle, I don't think he comes close to that in Free Agency.

Mike Brown was a horrible owner until he hired Marvin Lewis. Then probably became complacent when refusing to fire Marvin Lewis. From that point they adjusted, revamped, evaluated, calculated, assessed, appraised, figured out, decided to build better football teams. Brown don't get full credit until they win the whole thing, but there are some dated viewpoints. Marvin Lewis had loaded rosters. Zac Taylor has loaded rosters. To a fan watching on TV does it really matter how those came about? Not for me. The recent FA periods, the recent contract restructures signal a shift in philosophy once again. Sure someone from the Brown family could pop out and move backwards to 1991 at anytime, but it appears to me Tobin knows how to work with coaches to obtain productive players. Now its just a question can they achieve the ultimate goal.

Bengals welcoming cash over cap concept, I guess. I would expect the Burrow deal to be structured in a similar manner. The Bengals just ticked off some next offseason concerns. Securing Mixon and Hendrickson at workable cap hits.

Hard to beat the tiger striped Buskin cookie, IMO. Hendrickson just signed an extension.

Not sure where the "Pay Joe" conversation is. However the interwebs is filled with thoughts from rival fans, bengal fans about paying Joe and somehow locking up one the league's best QBs is somehow going to harm their future winning chances. OK. I guess. Personally, I think its a weird thought process because keeping Joe while he's playing at franchise level seems the best way to win. Keep in mind Bengals can choose to structure stuff their own way. Herbert's Cap hits 2023 - 8.5 - 3.8% of current cap $224m 2024 - 19.3- 8.6% of current cap $224m 2025 - 37.3 - 16.7% of current cap $224m 2026 - 46.3 - 20.7% of current cap $224m 2027 - 58.3 - 26% of current cap $224m (Represents Cap savings at this point) 2028 - 71.1 - 32% of current cap $224m 2029 - 59.5 - 27% of current cap $224m Its hardly a cap crippling contract and by the time they get to $46m or above there will be significant cap growth. All the hand wringing of paying Joe and how they are going to keep Higgins, Chase will be the biggest nothing burger. I'm confident they'll sign Joe and then put forth a significant multi year mega deal to Higgins. Then eventually to Chase. It will come down to IF Higgins/Chase think they can beat it elsewhere. Given the structure above Justin Herbert only cripples the Chargers cap if: 1. His play falls dramatically south 2. The NFL cap goes backwards instead of the massive projected growth. For comparison Deshaun Watson represents 9% and the 29% of the current cap. There is no way out for them. They'll have spend more effort managing that 29% vs. Herbert deal. I'd take Herbert everyday over Watson. Lamar Jackson's deal isn't as favorable as Herbert but much better than Watson. He doesn't hit 33% of the current cap until 2026. Chargers are big winners with that deal above.

Supposedly joltin Joe Burrow would like to get a couple series in during the preseason. At least that's what the radio sound bite indicated. Also sounds like the white tigers will be out on Monday Night Football vs. the Lambs.

I wouldn't rule it out entirely. They keep 4. Have about 6 names for 3 spots. Among those names are highly drafted players and alot of starts including playoff starts. Plus Williams represents $12m in cap savings. I could see a trade of someone because somebody or somebodies are leaving the roster, going to guard, or PUP. If someone goes to guard then you have another pool of starts and highly drafted player to potentially trade.

RBs have to push for rule changes. That is what devalued their position over time. The rule emphasis in 2011 have simply made long hand offs to WRs more popular. They reduced man coverage. Penalize defenses more for hitting WRs. RBs want to up their value they should be pushing for rule changes that favor more man coverage and also change the holding call to a spot foul. Overtime this would return the RB value somewhat. All of these current RBs are shit out of luck.

Keeping Joe on top is going to involve finding pieces to fill in around him. If you look at Big Ben, he started out as game manager, then had Plexico, Ward, Randel El, then morphed into AB, Bell. That key rush LB spot the Steelers have had for decades has featured a number of All-Pros, Pro bowler types during Ben's run. Guys get paid; move on. Get injured. Get worn down. Whatever. To keep Joe a constant in the Division round which seems like where HOF QBs live; Tobin will have to do the same.

If you are any competent agent you don't let Joe Burrow touch a practice field without a new deal. Joe is set to make $5.5 in cash this year. Another $29m next. Even if they keep him in line with the recent QB deals he's looking at $80m or more in his pocket this year. Considering there has been no mention of hold outs or media games. I take it this extension is coming soon. Look at what AJ Green lost going up to that Dayton practice. I'm sorry, can't be on the field without a new deal IF I was that agent.

The AFC North doesn't display the incompetence you see in the AFC West. No team in the North has won it 3 times in row, meanwhile KC is on a 7 year run with a record of 31-5. We'll see who plays and who doesn't in the preseason, but I'm confident who ever wins the RT job won't do it off 2 practices like last year. If the AFC West doesn't get its act together then in reality you can't afford more than 2 division losses because KC won't have more than 1, if that. The saving grace is the AFC East appears tougher so maybe the Bengals can host a division round. Its going to be a fight to win the North 3 times in a row. There's been some monster Bengal, Raven and Steeler teams from the past that couldn't do it.

The overall stadium branding has improved ten-fold the past few years. Very nice. I do believe season ticket holders get advance buying opportunities on non-Bengal events. I can remember some offers from the past. I'm not sure that would include every concert coming.

Rumor he turned down $12.5 average per year. Is he really going to sit out and lose a chunk of the franchise tag money and then go on the market next year expecting to beat $12.5 a year? Seems like a gamble.

Mixon restructure saves Bengals approx $4.3m against the cap this year and $4.6 next. He now represents dead money if cut this year against the cap but still represents $5.8m in cap savings next year IF cut. $3m roster bonus at the start of the new league year will tell fans early IF he's in their plans or not for 2024.

Even if the Bengals returned the entire secondary it would have been hard to repeat the improvements from 2020>2021>2022. I think in the longer view the secondary has more athleticism and they solved some future roster problems beyond 2023 in exchange for experience. How this secondary comes together is a critical piece along with development of 3 d-line rotation pieces. Ossia, Murphy, and Cater. It would not be a shock if they allow more yards and points per game vs 2022. In the end its probably the offense that is going to need to show a big jump. They've been good hovering around 360 yards and 26 points per game. The talent is there to press those numbers upward. The assumed approach towards the cap mandates that it happens. Hopefully better health and better line can get them near top 3 in the league. Can't say goodbye to Bates and sign Brown along with cap conservation for impending Higgins, Burrow extensions and not get a jump up in offensive production. Need to be adding about 30 yards and couple points per game.

Mixon in all likely hood read the tea leaves and realized he probably could get the full $10.1 this year and nothing next ($20.4m left on his deal) or get something greater than sum these next 2 years vs gambling on the open market next March. It sounds like this deal increases the chance of him avoiding being a cap cut next year.

Hopefully this is the start of the bold prediction. Who's next? Burrow? Wilson? Higgins?

Bill, Chiefs and Bengals are all legit teams. You have to play your best every time to win. Hopefully this year the Bengals can catch only 1 in the playoffs and play at home.