AMPHAR

Well the Perine to KC became more clear. CEH is on the Illness list to start the season in KC. I think he'll have to miss a min of 4 games.

I'm surprised the NFL has not expanded. The franchise fees get split among the ownership groups. Considering what some of the newer owners paid, I'm sure they'd love a cash influx to settle some debts or return investment stakes. I don't think the Brown family has a billion in the Bengals. I don't think they had majority when Paul past away. I think Mike spent the 90s sucking money out of the team to secure tax issues, stadium issues, and buying shares of the team. They probably paid a couple hundred million for the team IF they own 100%. Can't remember if they do or don't.

It will be interesting to see what Dax does. I think he has the ability to be a good blitz off the edge. Do they blitz boundary corners that much? Just seems its mostly slot CB guys that blitz. I thought he had solid first few games last year but the secondary was just never what it was before clearly Lou put last year on the safeties considering they've changed out the starters and it seems Battle will be an after thought early. I know Dax had a bunch of dropped INTs. I think the potential is there to be a really good player. Hope it works out. Trent Brown has put up some elite level PFF pass protection seasons with NE. However TB got the ball out quick. Hopefully he can replicate that in this system. Then it would be nice to bring Mims in the jumbo packages.

50 eggs? I hope he had enough common sense to boil them first. Anyway supposedly Lap was saying they had an agreement on the "number" but something went off. Probably the schedule payment. If any of that is true including the eggs. I'd have to think he plays sooner rather than later under a new deal.

Contracts as a whole go up as revenue rises. Individual market's rise and fall as their performance changes. We just saw that with Higgins in the off season coming off 700 yard season. No one sniffed him on a franchise tag. Once the JJ deal was done and then the Lamb deal failed to beat it. The top of the market was set. IF the Aiyuk deal is truly like the St. Brown deal. Those $$$$ are world's apart from what Chase is rumored to be asking and it won't factor into Chase at all. The rumors were the Chase camp waited for JJ and Lamb. Good move. But now he shoulders most of the risk of not signing. The Bengals have 3 years of reasonable control. Have significant financial gain IF they drag it out to the franchise tag because they would save $45m. From a money standpoint the Bengals have no motivation to rush. Other hand Chase can get fined/collect whatever game checks after what holdout is. Hope he doesn't or his QB doesn't get hurt or collect $35m+ this year and another $35m+ next year. You have to assume they were close considering he practiced. It'd be foolish not to sign at this point if they are close to JJ/Lamb deal, IMO. Using the average per year is not a good way to look at this. The important things are how much is guaranteed and paid out within 3 years.

Aiyuk signed his deal. Based on the description of the deal its just below St. Brown's deal. So it didn't come close to changing Chase's market. As always you'll have to wait for the details but if its just below St. Brown, Aiyuk can probably expect to get $65m the next 3 seasons with about $75m guaranteed.

If the Chase contract saga carries out over a couple seasons, given the stated contract rates the Bengals would pay out less by approx $45m vs. the current JJ/Lamb contracts. Its unlikely the Chase contract situation gets carried out that long and if it does the Bengals probably aren't paying out the JJ contract +$45m. The most likely time frame in which this deal gets done is today through next draft. The WR market isn't going to reset in that time frame. The Bengals hold most of all the cards. Chase will have some media/public opinion on his side until he misses a game. Approx values Chase 2024 -$4m; 2025 $21m, 2026 (franchise tag $25m??) - total approx $50m. 50% guaranteed until he gets offered the tag. JJ - will make $96m in that same time frame 100% guaranteed. Lamb - will make $93m in that same time frame 100% guaranteed. The Bengals are not going to wake up next spring and see a contract that's paid a WR more than that. The only guy possible is the one they are dealing with today. Ayiuk would be the only wild card assuming Cleveland cleared cap room to trade for him. But he's still more likely to come in less than Lamb/JJ.

NFL has been great at sucking money out of average Joe NFL fan. I'd imagine PE investment they'll get even better at it.

The price always goes up, true. But before the next draft? Is some team going to pay Higgins or Ayiuk who are the top 2 projected available 2025 Free Agents more money than JJ. I doubt it. Teams could have already had both them for far less via a trade. No one sniffed Tee. Ayiuk is in some holding pattern. The market for Chase isn't going to change between to today and April 2025.

I just assume they are close. But I think he had to report to get a $3m bonus in August. My thinking if there was no chance at getting a deal done before the start of the season. Then decide IF you are in or out. If its close then walk the line as long as you can then take the huge payday. Impossible to say because no one really knows what is being offered. I know this, IF I were Chase and there's 90+million for the next 3 years. Sorry, I'm taking it even if it might be lower than JJ.

some random unnamed agent/front office comments I stole from another board. Consume for your own enjoyment.

The Browns had a good roster, still do. They gambled at the QB spot as the final piece. So far they lost. I believe a lot of their defenders are on back loaded deals. The franchise guys will stay, but Cleveland after this season will have to revert to relying more and more on draft picks and cheaper players.

I would rather the Chiefs give snaps to Perine over CEH or McKinnon when playing them.

There's going to be approx 20 WRs taken in the top 150 picks. I'd guess about half will record 1,000 yard in their first 3 seasons. Dirt cheap contracts in comparison. Bengals are complete opposite from OL drafting when it comes to WR drafting. So what they have to weigh IF they trade is how confident they are in Burrow pulling a Mahomes. Mahomes WR aren't good. How confident they are in finding replacement WR. Is worth having 1 WR that can get 1,600 and suck up $30m+ in cap room or trying to find a group that can collectively replace that 1 guy. I'd rather pay Chase, but he sits out then move on from him. Chase needs a top 5 receiving season to justify any of the money he'll get paid or demand, IMO.

I see both sides. Chase can realistically with no extension can expect $50m for the next 3 years. Finish rookie deal, get tagged. He would shoulder performance risk to be good enough to get the tag so the last estimated $25m or so. Meanwhile the 2nd tier contracts would get him $70m+ for those same 3 seasons. Assuming he's wanting to be in the JJ/Lamb range you are looking at $95m+. That's a big difference. Of course anyone would want to try to grab that cash right now. Avoid worrying about injury. Avoid worrying about your numbers etc. Flip side for the Bengals you are asking them to pay $45m+ more on faith you'll eventually hit the performance standards of the top guys and stay there. Fans are saying the price will only go up. Will it? Who's left in the WR market that hasn't done a deal that could top the market? Are teams going to hand Higgins or Ayiuk deals that beat JJ and Lamb? Its hard to really know without knowing where the Bengals are at the next 3 years in their offer. You'd have to assume its close since he actually returned to practice for 1 day and has been present the entire time. Then not practicing? So there must of been a breakdown.

KJ Henry DE former 5th rounder, Bengals suspected of putting in wavier claim. Not sure if that is final or not.

Carl Lawson would also peek interest consider injury state at DE. They are down two Sample and Murphy. Hubbard coming off surgery. Based on the early days of camp, I'm not even sure how much Murphy would have played if not for Sample injury. So maybe some depth needed.

Vigil and Malik Jefferson completely shocked they are still in the NFL. Terrance Marshall, I would love to take a shot on him. Do you cut one of the extra TEs? Keeping 7 WRs is a normal venture although Gesicki is a hybrid you could argue is the 7th WR. Perine, sure. I think he'd prefer to go somewhere with a path to playing more defined. With his age he goes somewhere and sits it could be adios NFL. Heck, might be that anyway.

I wouldn't trade for Perine. I'd take a flyer on him. But there's not a ton of playing time for him on paper so would he want to come back?

Can only play 11. Burton not getting reps early speaks to the depth of the Bengals. If Zac/Burrow can't generate 70+ plays a game there will be some other skill player that is a "tool"as well.

Bengals typically keep 2 pure Centers. Hill the C they drafted from Georgia was running at guard, a lot. I'd say Lee is safe. Chase back in practice is the best news. Hope they get a long term deal done but if not and he produces a top season. This has to be the offseason to sign or trade him.

In 3 WR sets its going to be Irvwin, Iosivas. I'm guessing they'll run a lot more 2 and 3 TE sets in name only. Sample is really the only one that truly functions as a in-line TE. Gesicki will function more like a 3rd WR most of the time. Last year they seemed to like to run Hudson on top of some stack formations out wide, I imagine that will continue a little whether it be Hudson or another TE. They'll probably work a few 2 back looks as well. Its a crowded group of skill guys. I'd hate to see Burton catch the "bust" label. If Zac/Burrow can't convert 1sts downs and get the snap counts up into the 70s there will be some guys catching heat. Really the snap count thing greatly falls on the line to eliminate negative plays and when they call their run game on 1st down they need to be way more effective than what they've done recently.

You only can line up 11. Burrow, Chase, Higgins and 5 OL - That's 8 guys 100% snaps. That leaves you 3 fighting for the remaining snaps. They will have a RB on the field 99% of the time That's 2 spots 1. Sample or some other form of blocking TE will be 45% of snaps. 2. So that's Gesicki (2 TE looks/Slot), Iosivas, Jones, Irwin, Chase Brown (2 back looks), Hudson and Burton fighting for 55% Who are you taking off the field for Burton? Every single one of the players listed before Burton have gotten the majority of practice snaps with Burrow and have been pretty much been left on the bench during preseason games. Unless there are drastic injuries Burton will not be a big factor on offense the first half of the season and maybe not at all. His best hope is being a return factor that would at least get him active on game days. Even before Burton IF the Bengals are not snapping the ball 70 times a game there will be some whipping boy from the fan base because they aren't producing.

Does a lengthy hold out by Chase do more to get him a new contract or put him on the path of playing on his 5th year rookie option and then franchise tag? The latter route gets him about $50m for 2024,25, and 26 seasons. Its just hard to think a sit out of multiple games gets him closer to the rumored deal with the Bengals. Then is he going to hold out his rookie 5th year and franchise years too? I guess that could happen. IF Chase doesn't get the deal prior to the start of the 2024 season, IMO, the best path to that $120m mark is to produce a top season in 2024.

I do not see a big role for Burton in the first half of the season as a pass catcher without injury. If he can get active on game day due to returning that would help his cause.