2023 Free Agency Thread

[AMPHAR]

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

 

[membengal]

Will drop re-signings here maybe?

 

 

[membengal]

 

[COB]

This makes me think:

1.  They have an agreement in principle with a decent FA tight end.

2.  They believe they’ll be able to sign Hurst.

[HoosierCat]

Also 3. it's a very deep draft at TE this year. Just as an example, TDN's 6th-ranked TE is Sam LaPorta. He's at 74 on their big board and his player comp is...Hurst. Who was a first round pick in 2018.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/sr-prospect/sam-laporta-0cceb5ff-8e5c-4f33-8f4a-9952da224c58/

[AMPHAR]

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. 

 

[TJJackson]

Here's another FA corner we could sign :-)

 

[COB]

Dehner in the Athletic just posted a piece that provides insight into what the Bengals will do both in FA and the draft.  I trust his judgment, I know the team is not explicitly telling him what they’ll do, but he’s capable of reading between the lines and deducing the negative inference from a positive statement or no statement at all.  
 

Basically:  He says Germaine Pratt, Eli Apple, Jessie Bates, and yes, sorry Amphar, but Joe Mixon, are all certainly gone.  
 

He also completely rains on your parade if you’re looking for any splash in free agency.  We got Cappa and Karas last year on day 1, but he said this year forget it.  
 

Instead of external FA they’ll focus on their own priorities - Perine, Hayden Hurst, and Vonn Bell.  
 

Gimme a lineman?  He says that at best they’ll be looking for “insurance” at right tackle.  Very interesting that he said the team is devoted to Collins and he thinks they’ll keep him even if he starts the season on PUP, which we all know he will.  
 

Also fascinating, this quote about Jonah: “Leader in the clubhouse to be starting left tackle next year, but the reluctance of anyone to say that directly raises eyebrows.”
 

 Dehner does not wildly speculate.  He’s pretty buttoned down.  That little nugget he dropped there gives hope to those of us who are tired of watching Jonah get folded, that, if his knee doesn’t heal AND allow him to play at a higher level than ‘22, then they’ll do something.  What they’ll do, I have no idea.  My fear is they’ll wait to see if Jonah’s knee is right, and by the time they figure out it isn’t, (August), it’ll be too late to find a significant upgrade.  
 

Dehner predicted draft picks like second round RB, late round linebacker, etc.  who knows.  
 

He kicked dirt on the grave of Dru Chrisman’s Bengals career as follows:

“The Drue Chrisman era ended the moment his punt to Skyy Moore buzzed low and down the middle of the field in the AFC Championship Game.”

 

[ArmyBengal]

There really isn’t much that will surprise me with this team heading into free agency. 

I didn’t expect them to be in the top end market of free agency. More of a let the dust settle approach.

Always expected abates to be gone, Apple is whatever, and so simply figured they would go cheaper at TE through the draft.

I thought Mixon was in the mix to be gone due to the fact there’s no way they are paying him nearly 13 million this year. Now he has off field issues going on and even though not directly his fault, the team won’t want to deal with that. Big pay cut or gone.

The draft will depend on free agency. While fun to speculate at this point, that’s all it is. 

Im good with all of it to be honest. Burrow’s and Chase’s contracts are a nice problem to have, but will impact how they structure the roster moving forward.

[TJJackson]

I will consider FA results satisfactory if they do the following, in no particular order

1. Sign a better than average veteran ORT that isnt injury prone to a reasonable contract.  this would be the only player where it'd be acceptable to sign someone older than 30.  This player is a one year fill in.  We will draft the ORT heir apparent.

2. Re-sign Pratt -or- sign a younger veteran coverage linebacker.  I suspect it'll be the latter, unfortunately

3. Re-sign Apple to a STFU contract -or- sign an average veteran outside man-press corner with 4.4 or better speed.  I will add here that I do not know if the special teams guy we took from the Chiefs can be that replacement.  But I doubt it.

4. Re-sign the man who made my favorite play of all time - Bell - to a reasonable 2-3 year contract.

5. Re-sign Hurst also to a 2-3 contract.  I get the impression he wants to be here because "we are the first team who used him correctly" and as such will take a little less than market.   If I am wrong and he wants franchise money, well, I hate to see him go.  In the unlikely event he does go, we need a three down veteran TE.  I dont want to fill this vacancy with a rookie, but will admit that of roster spots listed here, this would be the one spot where I'd be least uncomfortable with a rookie

6.  Re-sign Flowers.  I dont think there is an equivalent "cover the TE" player out there, and despite that, I dont think he'll be expensive

7.  Of course, losses of depth players may need to be replaced as well except when it is felt that equivalent players may be had in the draft.      

Bonus: sign a veteran backup OC, preferably one who can also play some OG.  I really think our current backup situation at OC is terrible.  If we dont get this guy in FA, we need a OC in r4-5 of the draft.

Bonus 2: if there's a running back who can block and catch and wants to come here specifically for the shot at a ring and not for a fat contract, then by all means take a long look.

I think Mixon is gone for price-to-performance ratio issues.  The latest set of off field shenanigans just makes it a little easier to let him go.  I will say, tho, he has been a real team guy and until recently a solid citizen, which was the worry with him coming in as a rookie.  I know there's no way he lowers his contract to the 2M range, but thats what it would take for him to stay

Bates is of course gone.  Love the guy for what he's done here, but hate it that he turns out to be a money first guy.  Buh-bye.   I think we already have the replacement on the roster

[ArmyBengal]

I’ve had no issues with Mixon. He’s a hell of a nice guy from all my interactions with him. He comes to local high school football games and is welcoming to both parents that speak to him, as well as the youngsters. All that aside, the Bengals should not be paying him 12.7 million this coming season and certainly not the 13.1 in 2024. They pick up 7 million in his release this year. 

[Stripes]

Just gonna put my preliminary groan here for when the Jets grab Aaron Rodgers and make the AFC QB warzone even more ridiculous.

[COB]

1 hour ago, Stripes said:

Just gonna put my preliminary groan here for when the Jets grab Aaron Rodgers and make the AFC QB warzone even more ridiculous.

Really.  The NFC title game had a team that could barely even put a QB on the field.  Meanwhile we’ve got a murderer’s row.  Now add Heart of Darkness to the Jets, just what we don’t need.

[COB]

4 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

 

I thought Mixon …  Big pay cut or gone.

He’s been such a good player, a physical tone-setter.  Dehner talks like he’s gone no matter what, even if he gets offered a spot for less:

“Analysis: I don’t see the Joe Mixon situation working out, even if a restructure in the form of a pay cut is offered. The time has come for a clean cut and I think it happens.”

 

The team won’t reveal too much, but I’d guess Dehner does talk to agents.  And Dehner’s agent can walk into any negotiation with tape of Mixon’s play in our Buffalo playoff game as exhibit A.  

[HoosierCat]

6 hours ago, COB said:

Dehner in the Athletic just posted a piece that provides insight into what the Bengals will do both in FA and the draft.  I trust his judgment, I know the team is not explicitly telling him what they’ll do, but he’s capable of reading between the lines and deducing the negative inference from a positive statement or no statement at all.  
 

Basically:  He says Germaine Pratt, Eli Apple, Jessie Bates, and yes, sorry Amphar, but Joe Mixon, are all certainly gone.  
 

He also completely rains on your parade if you’re looking for any splash in free agency.  We got Cappa and Karas last year on day 1, but he said this year forget it.  
 

Instead of external FA they’ll focus on their own priorities - Perine, Hayden Hurst, and Vonn Bell.  
 

Gimme a lineman?  He says that at best they’ll be looking for “insurance” at right tackle.  Very interesting that he said the team is devoted to Collins and he thinks they’ll keep him even if he starts the season on PUP, which we all know he will.  
 

Also fascinating, this quote about Jonah: “Leader in the clubhouse to be starting left tackle next year, but the reluctance of anyone to say that directly raises eyebrows.”
 

 Dehner does not wildly speculate.  He’s pretty buttoned down.  That little nugget he dropped there gives hope to those of us who are tired of watching Jonah get folded, that, if his knee doesn’t heal AND allow him to play at a higher level than ‘22, then they’ll do something.  What they’ll do, I have no idea.  My fear is they’ll wait to see if Jonah’s knee is right, and by the time they figure out it isn’t, (August), it’ll be too late to find a significant upgrade.  
 

Dehner predicted draft picks like second round RB, late round linebacker, etc.  who knows.  
 

He kicked dirt on the grave of Dru Chrisman’s Bengals career as follows:

“The Drue Chrisman era ended the moment his punt to Skyy Moore buzzed low and down the middle of the field in the AFC Championship Game.”

 

Yeah, this largely agrees with what Hobs wrote on da site a few days back.

https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-brace-for-different-free-agency-with-same-approach

Of course, it wouldn’t be a .com pre-FA story without a bit of Hobsonization:

Quote

Next month's draft pool is an estimated $8 million, the practice squad is an estimated $3.5 million, as are the tenders to restricted free agent Joe Bachie and exclusive rights free agents Mitchell Wilcox and Clay Johnston.

Rookie pool is back!

[TJJackson]

all bow before the rookie pool

[ArmyBengal]

Oh shit son, it’s Rookie Pool !!

[COB]

Holy shit, the rookie pool lacing its boots up, ready for action.

[Stripes]

I sure hope Rooke E. Poole can rush the passer consistently.

[ArmyBengal]

So Rams trade Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins for a 3rd and a TE…. Does anyone go to the NFC anymore ??

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Not a good look for FA's or negotiating extensions:

https://twitter.com/minakimes/status/1635056481161875456?s=20

[COB]

I just find it funny the way all these stories have been worded.  “The bengals are seeking to introduce legislation…” like the Bengals have a seat the the state senate or something.  

[AMPHAR]

10 hours ago, ShulaSteakhouse said:

Not a good look for FA's or negotiating extensions:

https://twitter.com/minakimes/status/1635056481161875456?s=20

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.

 

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

"When they do decide to respond"

Maybe you should take their silence as a fucking sign Mina.
Don't stop being alarmed though, because we all know the Bengals legislative branch is out to destroy all.

[ArmyBengal]

On a side note, a new report names the Bengals as "Very Interested" in Detroit RB, Jamaal Williams.

While it wouldn't surprise me if that is the case, I'm always a bit apprehensive in running wild with reports this time of the season.  Williams got paid $6 million for TWO years in Detroit.