AMPHAR

Hate to see Perine go, but that's why you don't prematurely cut Mixon. That said, rumors are the Bengals are in the mix with Jamal Williams and Burrow was having dinner at Precinct with Austin Ekeler.

There's a couple interesting safeties out there. Taylor Rapp (Rams) and former Ram/Browns (Johnson). Former 2nd and 3rd round draft picks. Just throwing it out there. Gardner-Johnson is interesting because he's still blowing in the wind. Big money goes fast to the prospects that are most desired. So maybe his market isn't what it was thought to be or maybe he signs a top market deal in a couple hours? Anyway I think the Bengals are going to try to keep that replacement safety deal below what is assumed the Pratt/Bell allocation.

Agree. Until some FA signings roll in I think Safety and overall secondary come in right with Tackle. I do think some of those spots get filled in FA. Sydney Brown at Safety would be great, IMO.

Just to further this point Andre Dillard who has never been as good as Williams and I think lost his starting job just signed for $10m a year. Just Average Guys are getting paid.

Projections of 3rd and 5th round comp pick based on loss of Bell/Bates. Major roster holes in 2024 so I would expect them not to sign FAs that are going to destroy the extra picks without factoring in on the 2024/2025 roster. That's the reality they are in now. We'll see. Maybe bigger focus on 1 year vet that has been cut? Any safeties that fill that bill? I

Based on first day of Free Agency. Jawan Taylor and McGlinchy got major deals. Jonah Williams is going to get paid and these two are not any more elite than Jonah. Right Tackles although KC fans think Taylor will play LT. Taylor its either 2 year for $40m or 3 years for $60m. McGlinchey is around $17/18m. I don't see Bengals paying that and don't think Williams is going to play well enough for Bengal fans to think he should get that. I'm gonna say mock drafts from this point probably need to include Tackle early and maybe two total in the draft. 2024 will see an exit of Williams. Collins is probably done already. Carman is a critical piece but not really proven and they'll be drafting low in the first round again next year. The demand for edge protectors even just average ones has risen.

Pratt only has a first year cap hit of $5.4. So this is clearly the big surprise on FA for me. I was thinking some team would overpay in the range of 10-13m.

Gardner Johnson would be an excellent pick up and he's mixing it up on twitter with some Bengals players. It sounds like Zac Carter and Hilton are recruiting him. I would be floored if this were to happen because I assumed he gonna be right there in Bates market. Maybe Bengals have a $13-15m deal out there for higher level safeties? First come, first served. Who know? I would be shocked and awed.

Reportedly $7m which is about what Pratt got. So I'm guessing it was an either/or but not both, who wants to get paid?

Sucks about Bell but there is a deep draft class and FA class for safeties. My guess would be Bengals weren't going to sign both Bell and Pratt. Pratt took their money and Bell moved on. In an either/or situation assuming cap hit the same I'd probably take Pratt over Bell due to age.

Surprise! Thought he was gone and at $7m per season sounds like a good cap hit. I thought he would have been out of their price range but I guess not. Pratt was smart to get it done on first day of FA. Money dries up fast.

Cleveland also kicked the can further down the road by restructuring Watson. They have cap room to sign players now. Watson's cap hit will be $64m for next year. Watson's contract will always have to be dealt with for a Cleveland offseason. Its a huge gamble for them.

Ben powers is a impactful loss for them. They've been good at replenishing IOL loses. They've also released Campbell.

Nobody in the NFLPA is rich? Nobody in the NFLPA or the NFLPA itself contributes to politicians? But hey, Mina was alarmed, lol. Does Mina from ESPN send out tweets on every political contribution she's personally alarmed over or when the NFLPA calls ESPN and tells them to be alarmed? Just wondering.

I don't care about Joe Mixon being gone. It would be foolish to cut him with $35m of cap room and no replacement plan secured. If possible I would drag it out post draft. I have heard local media on Mixon before and the speculation has been Mixon won't be on roster at his current cap hit. Making it sound like a restructure will be or has been pursued. Mixon will play next year why would you give another team an opportunity to fill a roster spot before the draft and simultaneously create another offseason need? Supposedly Bengals are looking at rb from Detroit. Williams.

Just preying on those that have no idea how the world they live in actually works. The Bengals aren't an elected official. But Mina is alarmed, lol. The Bengals will have to abide by whatever laws are on the books and everyone will get to vote for the people that make those laws.

Or they think they can get Wilcox signed for less than the 1 year tender amount which is about a $2.6m cap hit or something or maybe more years.

Now Mixon's sister is rumored to be a suspect. Update: Mixon's sister and another person left his house after the shooting. They were stopped, both are suspects. I'm sure there will be alot of details soon.

There was a blurb on the radio that Mixon won't be charged. I have not seen it confirmed or heard any reasons as to why. Then there is a tweet saying: There are two suspects (not official and no names, maybe because they are minors?) But Mixon isn't one of the suspects either. * I'm summarizing from memory. *

and since Marvin walked in those doors in 2003 the belly of PBS has been redone multiple times. The NFLPA comes out with a bitch list and all of sudden its assumed that they have not been doing anything? But hey, if daycare, hospitality room, charging stations gets the job done so be it. The next NFLPA report will be about the quality of food in the Hospitality room. So on and so on. The overall point I'm trying to make that there is not measurable return on investment (football wise or money) whatever additions they make at this point these are sunk costs that the fan will ultimately pay for. So don't rally against Mike Brown or for the players on that basis its a false narrative. Just know this is perception crap...So don't complain about London games or whatever money sucking thing they come up with next and at the same time blame the owners from not having charging stations in the locker cubes, lol. When the sales tax is extended into forever and the initial bonds aren't paid off just remember those player girl friends can not be expected to use the same restroom as the fans.

I must of misunderstood. It sounded like you were making the case of Mike Brown stepping over dollars to pick up pennies and this investment in whatever would pay for itself. I think that is false. Its based on an assumption the players have not been doing anything until the team provides it. Which isn't the case. Its the same dynamic as the indoor practice facility. The Bengals never owned one up until last season but always had the ability to practice indoors either via UC practice bubble and/or the mini indoor turf field they have inside PBS. Just because UC tore down their bubble and the Bengals built a new one doesn't mean there is any return on investment football wise. They've had the ability to practice indoors for over a decade. They just own the facility now. Maybe the Bengals don't have to charter buses and pay UC a fee now but they always had the ability to practice indoors when the coach wanted to. The Bengals have had rehab or recovery facilities in PBS since it opened. At one point it was considered league best because of the MRI machine, the underwater treadmills etc. They've changed/replaced equipment before they are just letting the world know about it since the NFLPA decided to throw up on the owners. There isn't any monetary gain to be had or any on field gain to be had because these activities were still taking place. Now they just be taking place with different equipment and theories.

Albert Breer on the radio today suggesting the FA pool of talent is considered weak this year. Could see more trades.

You made the point of this being an investment in the players performance. It isn't. There is a very real diminishing returns on facility spend in athletics. Mike Brown isn't stepping over dollars to save pennies. The players performance is not harmed by whatever the NFLPA deems to be unworthy or average. How do you think these Highschool Indoor practice facilities and training facilities are being built? Without parent money? What do you think they have inside? I had access to cold tubs back in the 80s in highschool those weren't funded via the general school budget. Do you think the United States has gone backwards in this regard? This is all about Johnny has sprinkles on his ice cream so I wan't "M&Ms". Fans should not look at this NFLPA bitch list and conclude well if we don't give them M&Ms then we obviously aren't doing everything to win a Superbowl. Its a dumb way to look at it. Your thesis is proven false at the youth level in just about every sport. In a couple months time we will watch several athletes that were raised in horrific circumstances reach the top of the sport by being drafted. Then in another couple months watch a few more overcome not being drafted.

Consider the source. The NFLPA is never going to admit things "top of the line" that is not their role. Probably in this draft there are multiple players that will be selected that grew up in poverty and earned their scholarship without both parents, adequate nutrition, equipment or whatever. There's hundreds more that you'll never learn about because they aren't good enough to become pros but were still good enough to earn scholarships or make a college team making them the top percentage of athletes. There is a very real diminishing returns on investment in facilities, work out equipment or whatever. None of that NFLPA bitch list was about getting the best out your investment. It was I want sprinkles on my ice cream cone type stuff. Just know its the fan that ultimately pays for the sprinkles.

You have to remember Apple was a the 3rd CB they signed that offseason and it was for 1 year. Then they resigned him last year to 1 year deal. Point being he was never intended to have the major role he's filled the past 2 years. So sure don't resign Apple because he's annoying or whatever but you better have someone in there equally as good because chances are they are going to play critical snaps. Apple is a former top 10 pick. I'm guessing its really not that easy to do.